Category: Eurozone

MIL-Evening Report: Keith Rankin Analysis – Palestine Israel: Implementing a One-State Solution

Analysis by Keith Rankin.

Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

It’s time that the nations of the world (or at least the influential western nations) accept the reality that all the lands that constituted 1920-1948 Mandatory Palestine should be formally recognised as a single nation-state; ideally called Palestine Israel or Israel-Palestine, but more realistically called Israel.

In other words, the never-viable notion of a two-nation-state division of ‘Israel’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eretz_Israel) should be dropped as a viable solution in favour of the promotion of a liberal bicultural (or multicultural) nation-state. The role model for change could be South Africa.

Jewish and Non-Jewish intellectuals (such as Hans Kohn, Shlomo Sand and Yanis Varoufakis) – on the political left – have been arguing for this ‘one-state-solution’ for over 100 years. It’s just that their voices have always been deamplified by those on the political centre and the political right. (On the centre, we think of people like Joe Biden, Keir Starmer, and their predecessors. On the right, we may consider former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, a leader in the 1940s of the openly fascist Lehi, yet a moderate by today’s Israeli political standards.)

Shlomo Sand outlines the history of the arguments for a single ‘binational’ state in his 2024 book Israel-Palestine: Federation or Apartheid? His vision, which is not quite what I favour, emphasises binationalism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/binationalism), and looks towards these successful liberal examples of bi- or multi- nationalism: Canada, Belgium, Switzerland.

The better framing of this approach, I believe, is biculturalism; though even that is not problem-free, because it is an exclusive concept. What I think would work best for Palestine Israel is also the same as what would work best for Aotearoa New Zealand: multiculturalism with a bicultural (treaty) emphasis. (Ireland could have become something similar, as in Irish rugby; but it went down a failed two-state path, and experienced two substantial civil wars last century.) The ideal is for Palestine Israel to become a liberal democracy in which all people born within its borders become citizens with equal citizenship rights; a nation state which commits to both the domestic and international norms of liberal democracy.

(In a bicultural nation-state, the principal divider is religion; normally people’s religious loyalties are discrete, meaning that being, say, a Muslim or Jew or Christian is mutually exclusive. The word ‘national’ is increasingly used in the 21st century as it was in the 19th century; to refer to a ‘people’ or a ‘race’ rather than to relate to a territory defined by its borders and its sovereign institutions. Ethnicity – the better word is ‘ancestry – is not a discrete concept such as ‘religion’; individual people have multiple ancestries, and should not be required to identify as one over another.)

How can this be achieved?

First, we should note that the status quo in Eretz Israel is at least as unacceptable as Apartheid South Africa was to our world of mostly ‘internationally-civilised’ nation-states. (An internationally civilised state is one that accepts agreed norms in the ways that it relates to other nation states, meaning that it does not indulge in offensive hard-power geopolitics – such as ‘gunboat diplomacy’; and it practises cultural equality. Terrorism is understood as criminality. Such a state does not have to be a ‘democracy’ in the Westminster or American sense; but it should meet open liberal standards in the ways it treats its resident denizens – non-citizens – and it should subscribe to international treaties on matters such as climate sustainability and nuclear energy and election authenticity.)

Second, this desired outcome will not come about by force. The community of liberal nations should simply recognise Eretz Israel as a nation state, based ideally on the prior borders of Mandatory Palestine.

While there should be no demands, such a new nation-state would be risking discriminatory sanctions if it abuses liberal norms; in particular if it implements laws (including civil-marriage laws) that discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, or ancestry. Again, the obvious model is Apartheid South Africa, and the ways that South Africa was excluded from international sport so long as it implemented laws which discriminated on the basis of ethnicity. (Palestinians and many Israelis have Levantine ethnicity. Many Israelis have European, African or Asian co-ethnicity; that non-indigeneity should never be held against them. Nor should the indigeneity of the Palestinians.)

In recognising Eretz Israel as Israel-Palestine (or even just under the name ‘Israel’), a Levantine nation state, Israel’s nuclear status should be addressed and normalised. (Likewise, India and Pakistan should be pressured to join the ‘nuclear club’. One of the most problematic regional asymmetries at present is the advanced nuclear-status of Israel versus the embryonic nuclear status of Iran; Israel at present hides behind its non-membership of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to make it seem that Iran is a bigger nuclear threat to the world than Israel is.)

Recognition of Eretz Israel as a sovereign nation state, under any name, should come with overt expectations of democracy, amnesty, truth, reconciliation, and press freedom. There should be no formal or informal mechanism of ‘settling scores’, no matter how reprehensible anyone’s past or present behaviour has been. Truth trumps vengeance cloaked as ‘accountability’.

Lebanon was an initially successful, but now largely failed, version of a similar attempt at creating a tolerant multicultural nation state in the Levant. Lebanon’s main problem was its belligerent southern neighbour. Israel-Palestine would not have Israel as a neighbour.

Abandon the naïve two-state solution.

There is no way a Palestinian nation-state can be viable. At the very best it could become like a mini-Pakistan or mini-Bangladesh; and even that would take decades. (And the last Israeli prime minister to formalise a two-state future – Yitzhak Rabin – was assassinated in 1995, having achieved a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.) The two-state-solution agenda seems to be more about deescalating sufficiently for the Palestine issue to disappear from its media prominence; and not at all about ending a forever war which began in 1948.

The present forever war – now in its hottest phase – followed a brutal war for Israeli-Jewish independence and non-Jewish expulsion waged by fascist and non-fascist ‘non-state actors’ from 1939 to 1948 against the British ‘protectors’. That, in turn, followed a prior Palestinian insurrection against the British and the settlers from 1936-1939 (though overshadowed in the international media by the Spanish Civil War), which in its turn followed the 1929 Palestine riots. That’s 96 years of escalating forever violence.

In Summary

Recognise a new expanded state, with or without a new name, but with certain (unenforceable, but well-publicised) expectations. This expectation should be a multi-cultural Levantine sovereign state, embracing adherents of the three Abrahamic faiths (as well as people of other religions, or no religion, as citizens; people born in Israel or Palestine, and documented immigrants): Levantine Jews, Levantine Muslims, Levantine Christians, plus others. All Israelis. And all Palestinians.

*******

Keith Rankin (keith at rankin dot nz), trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 25, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Keith Rankin Analysis – Palestine Israel: Implementing a One-State Solution

Analysis by Keith Rankin.

Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

It’s time that the nations of the world (or at least the influential western nations) accept the reality that all the lands that constituted 1920-1948 Mandatory Palestine should be formally recognised as a single nation-state; ideally called Palestine Israel or Israel-Palestine, but more realistically called Israel.

In other words, the never-viable notion of a two-nation-state division of ‘Israel’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eretz_Israel) should be dropped as a viable solution in favour of the promotion of a liberal bicultural (or multicultural) nation-state. The role model for change could be South Africa.

Jewish and Non-Jewish intellectuals (such as Hans Kohn, Shlomo Sand and Yanis Varoufakis) – on the political left – have been arguing for this ‘one-state-solution’ for over 100 years. It’s just that their voices have always been deamplified by those on the political centre and the political right. (On the centre, we think of people like Joe Biden, Keir Starmer, and their predecessors. On the right, we may consider former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, a leader in the 1940s of the openly fascist Lehi, yet a moderate by today’s Israeli political standards.)

Shlomo Sand outlines the history of the arguments for a single ‘binational’ state in his 2024 book Israel-Palestine: Federation or Apartheid? His vision, which is not quite what I favour, emphasises binationalism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/binationalism), and looks towards these successful liberal examples of bi- or multi- nationalism: Canada, Belgium, Switzerland.

The better framing of this approach, I believe, is biculturalism; though even that is not problem-free, because it is an exclusive concept. What I think would work best for Palestine Israel is also the same as what would work best for Aotearoa New Zealand: multiculturalism with a bicultural (treaty) emphasis. (Ireland could have become something similar, as in Irish rugby; but it went down a failed two-state path, and experienced two substantial civil wars last century.) The ideal is for Palestine Israel to become a liberal democracy in which all people born within its borders become citizens with equal citizenship rights; a nation state which commits to both the domestic and international norms of liberal democracy.

(In a bicultural nation-state, the principal divider is religion; normally people’s religious loyalties are discrete, meaning that being, say, a Muslim or Jew or Christian is mutually exclusive. The word ‘national’ is increasingly used in the 21st century as it was in the 19th century; to refer to a ‘people’ or a ‘race’ rather than to relate to a territory defined by its borders and its sovereign institutions. Ethnicity – the better word is ‘ancestry – is not a discrete concept such as ‘religion’; individual people have multiple ancestries, and should not be required to identify as one over another.)

How can this be achieved?

First, we should note that the status quo in Eretz Israel is at least as unacceptable as Apartheid South Africa was to our world of mostly ‘internationally-civilised’ nation-states. (An internationally civilised state is one that accepts agreed norms in the ways that it relates to other nation states, meaning that it does not indulge in offensive hard-power geopolitics – such as ‘gunboat diplomacy’; and it practises cultural equality. Terrorism is understood as criminality. Such a state does not have to be a ‘democracy’ in the Westminster or American sense; but it should meet open liberal standards in the ways it treats its resident denizens – non-citizens – and it should subscribe to international treaties on matters such as climate sustainability and nuclear energy and election authenticity.)

Second, this desired outcome will not come about by force. The community of liberal nations should simply recognise Eretz Israel as a nation state, based ideally on the prior borders of Mandatory Palestine.

While there should be no demands, such a new nation-state would be risking discriminatory sanctions if it abuses liberal norms; in particular if it implements laws (including civil-marriage laws) that discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, or ancestry. Again, the obvious model is Apartheid South Africa, and the ways that South Africa was excluded from international sport so long as it implemented laws which discriminated on the basis of ethnicity. (Palestinians and many Israelis have Levantine ethnicity. Many Israelis have European, African or Asian co-ethnicity; that non-indigeneity should never be held against them. Nor should the indigeneity of the Palestinians.)

In recognising Eretz Israel as Israel-Palestine (or even just under the name ‘Israel’), a Levantine nation state, Israel’s nuclear status should be addressed and normalised. (Likewise, India and Pakistan should be pressured to join the ‘nuclear club’. One of the most problematic regional asymmetries at present is the advanced nuclear-status of Israel versus the embryonic nuclear status of Iran; Israel at present hides behind its non-membership of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to make it seem that Iran is a bigger nuclear threat to the world than Israel is.)

Recognition of Eretz Israel as a sovereign nation state, under any name, should come with overt expectations of democracy, amnesty, truth, reconciliation, and press freedom. There should be no formal or informal mechanism of ‘settling scores’, no matter how reprehensible anyone’s past or present behaviour has been. Truth trumps vengeance cloaked as ‘accountability’.

Lebanon was an initially successful, but now largely failed, version of a similar attempt at creating a tolerant multicultural nation state in the Levant. Lebanon’s main problem was its belligerent southern neighbour. Israel-Palestine would not have Israel as a neighbour.

Abandon the naïve two-state solution.

There is no way a Palestinian nation-state can be viable. At the very best it could become like a mini-Pakistan or mini-Bangladesh; and even that would take decades. (And the last Israeli prime minister to formalise a two-state future – Yitzhak Rabin – was assassinated in 1995, having achieved a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.) The two-state-solution agenda seems to be more about deescalating sufficiently for the Palestine issue to disappear from its media prominence; and not at all about ending a forever war which began in 1948.

The present forever war – now in its hottest phase – followed a brutal war for Israeli-Jewish independence and non-Jewish expulsion waged by fascist and non-fascist ‘non-state actors’ from 1939 to 1948 against the British ‘protectors’. That, in turn, followed a prior Palestinian insurrection against the British and the settlers from 1936-1939 (though overshadowed in the international media by the Spanish Civil War), which in its turn followed the 1929 Palestine riots. That’s 96 years of escalating forever violence.

In Summary

Recognise a new expanded state, with or without a new name, but with certain (unenforceable, but well-publicised) expectations. This expectation should be a multi-cultural Levantine sovereign state, embracing adherents of the three Abrahamic faiths (as well as people of other religions, or no religion, as citizens; people born in Israel or Palestine, and documented immigrants): Levantine Jews, Levantine Muslims, Levantine Christians, plus others. All Israelis. And all Palestinians.

*******

Keith Rankin (keith at rankin dot nz), trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Libya – Security Council Briefing | United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Briefing by Hannah Serwaa Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of UNSMIL, on the situation in Libya.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya Hanna Tetteh urged the Government of National Unity in Libya “to facilitate the full resumption of humanitarian operations, particularly those led by INGOs, which play a critical role in supporting vulnerable groups including Libyan women and children.”

Briefing the Security Council today (24 Jun) Tetteh informed the members of the Council that on 20 June, the Berlin Process International Follow-up Committee on Libya (IFC-L) met in Berlin under the auspices of the Federal Republic of Germany and UNSMIL, “reconvening for the first time after a hiatus of 4 years.” She added, “The meeting marked a significant shift towards reinvigorating international coordination on Libya and consolidating international support to UN efforts in advancing a political process.”

She also said, “The armed clashes that erupted in Tripoli in May resulted in civilian deaths and injuries, as well as damage to critical civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, universities and a prison. Despite several stress calls, no humanitarian corridors were secured by the parties involved in the clashes. These incidents also underscored the shortcomings of state security actors in adhering to international humanitarian and human rights law.”

Tetteh said she was alarmed by the discovery of mass graves in the Abu Slim area, following the clashes. She said, “Emerging evidence indicates grave human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances, that were allegedly committed by state security actors, notably the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA).”

Taher M. El-Sonni, Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations said, “For us to spend a year and a half being held hostage as we await the appointment of representatives and then witness continued absence of factual solutions. This is a collective responsibility upon everyone, including this Council. At the same time, no attention is given to genuine national initiatives, because it’s always said that the mediator must be a United Nations party. This is a contradiction. And this is an untenable situation. And we hope that this matter will proceed with urgency.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH2nsXbaoqU

MIL OSI Video –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Names on the Map of Moscow: The Ryadom Project Tells the Fates of the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Moscow is implementing an educational project called “Nearby” dedicated to the people after whom the capital’s streets were named. It allows us to look at the city in a different way, and also helps preserve historical memory and remind us that real destinies lie behind familiar names.

As part of the project, posters will be placed on 80 streets in Moscow. They will tell about the participants of the Great Patriotic War, whose names were immortalized in the city’s toponymy. Information materials can be seen at public transport stops, newsstands and classic billboards.

Each of the 80 streets is named after one of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Thus, billboards dedicated to Georgy Zhukov, a commander who played a key role in the war, appeared on Marshal Zhukov Avenue. It was he who signed the act of unconditional surrender of Germany and hosted the Victory Parade on Red Square on June 24, 1945.

Similar posters have already been placed on several other streets, for example, on Letchitsa Tarasova, Pokryshkina and Artamonova streets.

The initiative is being carried out with the assistance of the capital’s Department of Mass Media and Advertising together with the All-Russian public-state movement of children and youth “Movement of the First”.

Moscow remembers and honors the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Almost every district has streets named after our fathers and grandfathers who fought the Nazis. 164 streets, avenues, squares and lanes of the capital are named after the defenders of the Motherland. The city is a living memory of them. All these places can be easily found on the project website “Living Memory”.

“City of Quests” will share stories of heroes after whom streets are named

Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155785073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Finland Completes Second Section of Fence on Russian Border – Media

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

HELSINKI, June 25 (Xinhua) — Finland has completed the second section of the fence on its eastern border with Russia, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported on Tuesday, citing the Finnish Border Guard.

The newly constructed section is reportedly located in the Kainuu area and consists of eight segments, approximately 18 km long. The first 35-kilometer section was previously completed.

Finland’s parliament approved the fence project in 2022, with plans to eventually cover about 200km of the country’s 1,300km border with Russia. Construction began in 2023, with each section including a steel lattice, a service road, a cleared buffer zone and a technical surveillance system.

The Kainuu section has been technologically upgraded compared to the original pilot segment built near the southeastern city of Imatra. According to Yle, these upgrades include an artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance system that can differentiate between people and animals to reduce false alarms, and a loudspeaker system that allows remote communication with people near the fence.

Meanwhile, all land checkpoints between Finland and Russia have been closed since December 2023 in accordance with a series of government decisions. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney

The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments.

Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only harden Iran’s resolve to acquire a bomb.

And if Iran follows through on its threat to pull out of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), this will gravely damage the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.

In a decade of international security crises, this could be the most serious. Is there still time to prevent this from happening?

A successful but vulnerable treaty

In May 2015, I attended the five-yearly review conference of the NPT. Delegates debated a draft outcome for weeks, and then, not for the first time, went home with nothing. Delegates from the US, United Kingdom and Canada blocked the final outcome to prevent words being added that would call for Israel to attend a disarmament conference.

Russia did the same in 2022 in protest at language on its illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine.

Now, in the latest challenge to the NPT, Israel and the US have bombed Iran’s nuclear complexes to ostensibly enforce a treaty neither one respects.

When the treaty was adopted in 1968, it allowed the five nuclear-armed states at the time – the US, Soviet Union, France, UK and China – to join if they committed not to pass weapons or material to other states, and to disarm themselves.

All other members had to pledge never to acquire nuclear weapons. Newer nuclear powers were not permitted to join unless they gave up their weapons.

Israel declined to join, as it had developed its own undeclared nuclear arsenal by the late 1960s. India, Pakistan and South Sudan have also never signed; North Korea was a member but withdrew in 2003. Only South Sudan does not have nuclear weapons today.

To make the obligations enforceable and strengthen safeguards against the diversion of nuclear material to non-nuclear weapons states, members were later required to sign the IAEA Additional Protocol. This gave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wide powers to inspect a state’s nuclear facilities and detect violations.

It was the IAEA that first blew the whistle on Iran’s concerning uranium enrichment activity in 2003. Just before Israel’s attacks this month, the organisation also reported Iran was in breach of its obligations under the NPT for the first time in two decades.

The NPT is arguably the world’s most universal, important and successful security treaty, but it is also paradoxically vulnerable.

The treaty’s underlying consensus has been damaged by the failure of the five nuclear-weapon states to disarm as required, and by the failure to prevent North Korea from developing a now formidable nuclear arsenal.

North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003, tested a weapon in 2006, and now may have up to 50 warheads.

Iran could be next.

How things can deteriorate from here

Iran argues Israel’s attacks have undermined the credibility of the IAEA, given Israel used the IAEA’s new report on Iran as a pretext for its strikes, taking the matter out of the hands of the UN Security Council.

For its part, the IAEA has maintained a principled position and criticised both the US and Israeli strikes.

Iran has retaliated with its own missile strikes against both Israel and a US base in Qatar. In addition, it wasted no time announcing it would withdraw from the NPT.

On June 23, an Iranian parliament committee also approved a bill that would fully suspend Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA, including allowing inspections and submitting reports to the organisation.

Iran’s envoy to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, said the US strikes:

[…] delivered a fundamental and irreparable blow to the international non-proliferation regime conclusively demonstrating that the existing NPT framework has been rendered ineffective.

Even if Israel and the US consider their bombing campaign successful, it has almost certainly renewed the Iranians’ resolve to build a weapon. The strikes may only delay an Iranian bomb by a few years.

Iran will have two paths to do so. The slower path would be to reconstitute its enrichment activity and obtain nuclear implosion designs, which create extremely devastating weapons, from Russia or North Korea.

Alternatively, Russia could send Iran some of its weapons. This should be a real concern given Moscow’s cascade of withdrawals from critical arms control agreements over the last decade.

An Iranian bomb could then trigger NPT withdrawals by other regional states, especially Saudi Arabia, who suddenly face a new threat to their security.

Why Iran might now pursue a bomb

Iran’s support for Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s Assad regime certainly shows it is a dangerous international actor. Iranian leaders have also long used alarming rhetoric about Israel’s destruction.

However repugnant the words, Israeli and US conservatives have misjudged Iran’s motives in seeking nuclear weapons.

Israel fears an Iranian bomb would be an existential threat to its survival, given Iran’s promises to destroy it. But this neglects the fact that Israel already possesses a potent (if undeclared) nuclear deterrent capability.

Israeli anxieties about an Iranian bomb should not be dismissed. But other analysts (myself included) see Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons capability more as a way to establish deterrence to prevent future military attacks from Israel and the US to protect their regime.

Iranians were shaken by Iraq’s invasion in 1980 and then again by the US-led removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. This war with Israel and the US will shake them even more.

Last week, I felt that if the Israeli bombing ceased, a new diplomatic effort to bring Iran into compliance with the IAEA and persuade it to abandon its program might have a chance.

However, the US strikes may have buried that possibility for decades. And by then, the damage to the nonproliferation regime could be irreversible.

Anthony Burke received funding from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for a project on global nuclear governance (2014–17).

– ref. The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model – https://theconversation.com/the-war-wont-end-irans-nuclear-program-it-will-drive-it-underground-following-north-koreas-model-259281

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century judge and ambassador, travelled further than Marco Polo. The Rihla records his adventures

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ismail Albayrak, Professor of Islam and Catholic Muslim Relations, Australian Catholic University

In our guides to the classics, experts explain key literary works.

Ibn Battuta, was born in Tangier, Morocco, on February 24, 1304. From a statement in his celebrated travel book the Rihla (“legal affairs are my ancestral profession,”) he evidently came from an intellectually distinguished family.

According to the Rihla (travelogue), Ibn Battuta embarked on his travels from Tangier at the age of 22 with the intention of performing the Hajj (the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca) in 1325. Although he returned to Fez (his adopted home-town) around the end of 1349, he continued to visit various regions, including Granada and Sudan, in subsequent years.

Over the course of his almost 30 years of travel, Ibn Battuta covered an astonishing distance of approximately 73,000 miles (117,000 kilometres), visiting a region that today encompasses more than 50 countries. His journeys covered much of the medieval Islamic world and beyond, excluding Northern Europe.

In 1355, he returned to Morocco for the last time and remained there for the rest of his life. Upon his return he dictated his experiences, observations and anecdotes to the Andalusian scholar Ibn Juzayy, with a compilation of his travels completed in 1355 or 1356.

The work, formally titled A Gift to Researchers on the Curiosities of Cities and the Marvels of Journeys, is more commonly referred to as Rihlat Ibn Battuta or simply Rihla.

A painting of Ibn Battuta (on right) in Egypt by Leon Benett.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

More than a travelogue or geographical record, this book provides rich insights into 14th-century social and political life, capturing cultural diversity across nations. Ibn Battuta details local lifestyles, linguistic traits, beliefs, clothing, cuisines, holidays, artistic traditions and gender relations, as well as commercial activities and currencies.

His observations also include geographical features such as mountains, rivers and agricultural products. Notably, the work highlights his encounters with over 60 sultans and more than 2,000 prominent figures, making it a valuable historical resource.

The travels

His travels began after a dream. According to Ibn Battuta, one night, while in Fuwwa, a town near Alexandria in Egypt, he dreamed of flying on a massive bird across various lands, landing in a dark, greenish country.

To test the local sheikh’s mystical knowledge, he decided if the sheikh knew of his dream, he was truly extraordinary. The next morning, after leading the dawn prayer, he saw the sheikh bid farewell to visitors. Later, the sheikh astonishingly revealed knowledge of Ibn Battuta’s dream and prophesied his pilgrimage through Yemen, Iraq, Turkey and India.

At the time, the Middle East was under the rule of the Mamluk sultanate, Anatolia was divided among principalities and the Mongol Ilkhanate state controlled Iran, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

Ibn Battuta initially travelled through North Africa, Egypt, Palestine and Syria, completing his first Hajj in 1326.

He then visited Iraq and Iran, returning to Mecca. In 1328, he explored East Africa, reaching Mogadishu, Mombasa, Sudan and Kilwa (modern Tanzania), as well as Yemen, Oman and Anatolia, where he documented cities like Alanya, Konya, Erzurum, Nicaea and Bursa.

His descriptions are vivid. Describing the city of Dimyat, on the bank of the Nile, he says:

Many of the houses have steps leading down to the Nile. Banana trees are especially abundant there, and their fruit is carried to Cairo in boats. Its sheep and goats are allowed to pasture at liberty day and night, and for this reason the saying goes of Dimyat, ‘Its wall is a sweetmeat and its dogs are sheep’. No one who enters the city may afterwards leave it except by the governor’s seal […]

Farmland on the banks of the Nile river today.
Alice-D/shutterstock

When it comes to Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey), he declares:

This country, known as the Land of Rum, is the most beautiful in the world. While Allah Almighty has distributed beauty to other lands separately, He has gathered them all here. The most beautiful and well-dressed people live in this land, and the most delicious food is prepared here […] From the moment we arrived, our neighbors — both men and women — showed great concern for our wellbeing. Here, women do not shy away from men; when we departed, they bid us farewell as if we were family, expressing their sadness through tears.

A judge and husband

In 1332, Ibn Battutua met the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Since Ibn Battuta dictated his work, it’s difficult to assess the extent of the scribe’s influence in recording his narratives. Despite being an educated man, he occasionally narrates like a commoner and sometimes exceeds the bounds of polite language. At times, he provides excessive detail, giving the impression he may be quoting from sources beyond his own observations.

Nevertheless, the Rihla stands out for its engaging style and captivating anecdotes, drawing readers in.

Ibn Battuta later journeyed through Crimea, Central Asia, Khwarezm (a large oasis region in the territories of present-day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), Bukhara (a city in Uzbekistan), and the Hindu Kush Mountains. In 1332, he met Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos and travelled to Istanbul with the caravan of Uzbek Khan’s third wife. He mentions a caravan that even has a market:

Whenever the caravan halted, food was cooked in great brass cauldrons, called dasts, and supplied from them to the poorer pilgrims and those who had no provisions. […] This caravan contained also animated bazaars and great supplies of luxuries and all kinds of food and fruit. They used to march during the night and light torches in front of the file of camels and litters, so that you saw the countryside gleaming with light and the darkness turned into radiant day.

Ibn Battuta arrived in Delhi in 1333, where he served as a judge under Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq for seven years. He married or was married to local women in many of the places he stayed. Among his wives were ordinary people as well as the daughters of the administrative class.

Miniature painting in Mughal style depicting the court of Muhammad bin Tughluq.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

The Sultan’s generosity, intelligence and unconventional ruling style both impressed and surprised Ibn Battuta. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq was known for making excessively harsh and abrupt decisions at times, which led Ibn Battuta to approach him with caution. Nevertheless, with the Sultan’s support, he remained in India for a long time and was eventually chosen as an ambassador to China in 1341.

In 1345 his mission was disrupted when his ship capsized off the coast of Calcutta (then known as Sadqawan) in the Indian Ocean. Though he survived, he lost most of his possessions.

After the incident, he remained in India for a while before continuing his journey by other means. During this period, he travelled through India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. He served as a judge in the latter for one and a half years. In 1345, he journeyed to China via Bengal, Burma and Sumatra, reaching the city of Guangzhou but limiting his exploration to the southern coast.

He was among the first Arab travellers to record Islam’s spread in the Malay Archipelago, noting interactions between Muslims and Hindu-Buddhist communities. Visiting Java and Sumatra, he praised Sultan Malik al-Zahir of Sumatra as a generous, pious and scholarly ruler and highlighted his rare practice of walking to Friday prayers.

On his return, Ibn Battuta explored regions such as Iran, Iraq, North Africa, Spain and the Kingdom of Mali, documenting the vast Islamic world.

Back in his homeland, Ibn Battuta served as a judge in several locations. He died around 1368-9 while serving as a judge in Morocco and was buried in his birthplace, Tangier.

Historic copy of selected parts of the Travel Report by Ibn Battuta, 1836 CE, Cairo.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

The status of women

Ibn Battuta’s travels revealed intriguing insights into the status of women across regions. In inner West Africa, he observed matriarchal practices where lineage and inheritance were determined by the mother’s family.

Among Turks, women rode horses like raiders, traded actively and did not veil their faces.

In the Maldives, husbands leaving the region had to abandon their wives. He noted that Muslim women there, including the ruling woman, did not cover their heads. Despite attempting to enforce the hijab as a judge, he failed.

He offers fascinating insights into food cultures. In Siberia, sled dogs were fed before humans. He described 15-day wedding feasts in India.

He tried local produce such as mango in the Indian subcontinent, which he compared to an apple, and sun-dried, sliced fish in Oman.

Religious practices

Ibn Battuta’s accounts of the Hajj (pilgrimage) rituals he performed six times provide a unique perspective. He references a fatwa by Ibn Taymiyyah, prominent Islamic scholar and theologian known for his opposition to theological innovations and critiques of Sufism and philosophy, advising against shortening prayers for those travelling to Medina.

Ibn Battuta’s accounts, particularly regarding the Iranian region, offer important perspectives into religious sects during a period when Iran started shifting from Sunnism to Shiism. He describes societies with diverse demographics, including Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Arabs and Baluchis. His observations on religious practices are especially significant.

Inclined toward Sufism, Ibn Battuta often dressed like a dervish during his travels. He offers a compelling view of Islamic mysticism. He considered regions like Damascus as places of abundance and Anatolia as a land of compassion, interpreting them with a spiritual perspective.

His accounts of Sufi education, dervish lodges, zawiyas (similar to monasteries), and tombs, along with the special invocations of Sufi masters, are important historical records. He also observed and documented unique practices, such as the followers of the Persian Sufi saint Sheikh Qutb al-Din Haydar wearing iron rings on their hands, necks, ears, and even private parts to avoid sexual intercourse.

While Ibn Battuta primarily visited Muslim lands, he also travelled to non-Muslim territories, offering key understandings into different religious cultures, for instance interactions between Crimean Muslims and Christian Armenians in the Golden Horde region.

He also documented churches, icons and monasteries, such as the tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem. His observation of Muslims openly reciting the call to prayer (adhan) in China is significant.

Other anecdotes include the division of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus into a mosque and Christian church. Most importantly, his encounters with Hindus and Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent and Malay Islands provide rich historical context.

Umayyad Mosque, Damascus.
eyetravelphotos/shutterstock

His accounts of death rituals reveal diverse practices. In Sinop (a city in Turkey), 40 days of mourning were declared for a ruler’s mother, while in Iran, a funeral resembled a wedding celebration. He observed similarities in cremation practices between India and China and described a chilling custom in some regions where slaves and concubines were buried alive with the deceased.

Ibn Battuta’s Rihla, widely translated into Eastern and Western languages, has drawn some criticism for containing depictions that sometimes diverge from historical continuity or borrow from other works. Ibn Battuta himself admitted to using earlier travel books as references.

Despite limited recognition in older sources, the Rihla gained prominence in the West in the 19th century. His legacy remains vibrant today. Morocco declared 1996–1997 the “Year of Ibn Battuta,” and established a museum in Tangier to honour him. In Dubai, a mall is named after him.

Notably, Ibn Battuta travelled to more destinations than Marco Polo and shared a broader range of humane anecdotes, showcasing the depth and diversity of his experiences.

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

– ref. Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century judge and ambassador, travelled further than Marco Polo. The Rihla records his adventures – https://theconversation.com/ibn-battuta-a-14th-century-judge-and-ambassador-travelled-further-than-marco-polo-the-rihla-records-his-adventures-246148

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 25, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 25, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 25, 2025.

Bats get fat to survive hard times. But climate change is threatening their survival strategy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Wu, Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology, Murdoch University Rudmer Zwerver/Shutterstock Bats are often cast as the unseen night-time stewards of nature, flitting through the dark to control pest insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. But behind their silent contributions lies a remarkable and underappreciated survival strategy: seasonal

Japanese prime minister’s abrupt no-show at NATO summit reveals a strained alliance with the US
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Mark, Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sent a clear signal to the Trump administration: the Japan–US relationship is in a dire state. After saying just days ago he would be attending this week’s NATO summit at The Hague,

Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciprian N. Radavoi, Associate Professor in Law, University of Southern Queensland Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers kneel ahead of a game in 2016. Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images It’s almost a decade since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started

Nearly half of Kiwis oppose automatic citizenship for Cook Islands, says poll
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist A new poll by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union shows that almost half of respondents oppose the Cook Islands having automatic New Zealand citizenship. Thirty percent of the 1000-person sample supported Cook Islanders retaining citizenship, 46 percent were opposed and 24 percent were unsure. The question asked: The Cook

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders discuss Middle East conflict before ceasefire
RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the Middle East conflict was one of the discussions of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in Suva this week — and Pacific leaders “took note of what is happening”. The Post-Courier reports Marape saying the “12 Day War” between Israel and Iran was based on

The ancients also had to deal with a cost-of-living crisis. Here’s how they managed
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia Louis Le Brun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Talk to anyone today, and they will probably have something to say about how expensive life has become. While the rate of inflation has

Video games can help trans players feel seen and safe. It all starts with design
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Toups Dugas, Associate Professor of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University Shano Liang There is a comfort in finding and being yourself. Video games offer opportunities for this comfort. They allow people to exist in safe spaces, to develop community, and to explore the self – as well

How old are you really? Are the latest ‘biological age’ tests all they’re cracked up to be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University We all like to imagine we’re ageing well. Now a simple blood or saliva test promises to tell us by measuring our “biological age”. And then, as many have done, we can share how “young” we really are on social

Global rankings fuel hype, but students have more to consider when choosing a uni
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities and Director of the ANU Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University At this time of year, many year 12 students are seriously turning their minds to the future. Should they go to university next year? If so, which one? June is

Playful or harmful? David Seymour’s posts raise questions about what’s OK to say online
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Veale, Senior Lecturer in Media Studies, part of the Digital Cultures Laboratory in the School of Humanities, Media, and Creative Communication, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Deputy Prime Minister and ACT Party leader David Seymour says he is being “playful” and

Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien accepts invitation to government’s economic roundtable
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The federal opposition has accepted an invitation from Treasurer Jim Chalmers for shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien to attend the August economic roundtable. The acceptance contrasts with the position taken by former opposition leader Peter Dutton last term. He refused to

Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’
Asia Pacific Report A Fiji-based advocacy group has condemned the participation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group which is meeting in Suva this week, saying it is a “profound disgrace” that the Indonesian Embassy continues to “operate freely” within the the MSG Secretariat. “This presence blatantly undermines the core principles of justice and solidarity

Will the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel hold? One factor could be crucial to it sticking
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University Amir Levy/Getty Images After 12 days of war, US President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that would bring to an end the most dramatic, direct conflict between the two nations in decades. Israel

Ramzy Baroud: The fallout – winners and losers from the Israeli war on Iran
COMMENTARY: By Ramzy Baroud, editor of The Palestinian Chronicle The conflict between Israel and Iran over the past 12 days has redefined the regional chessboard. Here is a look at their key takeaways: Israel:Pulled in the US: Israel successfully drew the United States into a direct military confrontation with Iran, setting a significant precedent for

Iran and Israel agree to a fragile ceasefire. One factor could be crucial to it sticking
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University Amir Levy/Getty Images After 12 days of war, US President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that would bring to an end the most dramatic, direct conflict between the two nations in decades. Israel

eSafety boss wants YouTube included in the social media ban. But AI raises even more concerns for kids
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University Irina WS/Shutterstock Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, today addressed the National Press Club to outline how her office will be driving the Social Media Minimum Age Bill when it comes into effect in December this year. The bill,

Trouble getting out of bed? Signs the ‘winter blues’ may be something more serious
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology Justin Paget/Getty Winter is here. As the days grow shorter and the skies turn darker, you might start to feel a bit “off”. You may notice a dip in your mood or energy levels.

A carbon levy on global shipping promises to slash emissions. We calculated what that means for Australia’s biggest export
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Brear, Director, Melbourne Energy Institute, The University of Melbourne Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Moving people and things around the world by sea has a big climate impact. The shipping industry produces almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions – roughly the same as Germany – largely

The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments. Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only

Iran’s internet blackout left people in the dark. How does a country shut down the internet?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohiuddin Ahmed, Senior Lecturer of Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University Dylan Carr/Unsplash In recent days, Iranians experienced a near-complete internet blackout, with local service providers – including mobile services – repeatedly going offline. Iran’s government has cited cyber security concerns for ordering the shutdown. Shutting off

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China, Greece deepen tech cooperation at Athens innovation forum

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

New agreements focusing on innovation were signed Tuesday between Chinese and Greek universities and institutes at a conference held in Athens, aiming to boost scientific and industrial cooperation.

The Greece-Jiangsu Innovation and Industrial Cooperation Conference held at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) brought together more than 160 officials, academics, and industry experts from both countries. The forum focused on advancing joint research and commercialization in high-tech fields.

NTUA Rector Ioannis K. Chatjigeorgiou noted his university’s strong ties with Chinese universities, saying, “We expect meaningful outcomes for science, education, and bilateral relations.”

NTUA signed two partnership agreements: one with the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT), and another jointly with the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI) and the Shanghai Yangtze Delta Innovation Institute.

The agreement between NTUA and CUMT builds on longstanding collaboration between their electrical engineering departments, said CUMT President Liu Bo.

During the conference, experts from China and Greece exchanged views on cutting-edge topics, including RISC-V processor architecture, sustainable maritime technologies, and energy innovation. Researchers from both countries discussed ongoing projects and held talks to explore future collaboration opportunities during panel discussions and roundtables.

MIL OSI China News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: EU-Israel Association Agreement: Delay and distraction is not neutral, it is a decision

Source: Oxfam –

Today, EU Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas, presented a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement at the meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers. In response, Agnes Bertrand Sanz, Oxfam Humanitarian Expert, said:  

“There are moments in history where delay and distraction are not neutral, it is a decision. While EU ministers continue to debate and defer, entire families in Gaza are being buried under rubble and people are being killed while trying to get food.

“The EU and EU countries cannot keep on playing political ping pong or risk losing sight of the crisis in Gaza. Talking is easy. Acting is harder. And every second of delay costs lives.”

EU foreign affairs ministers met today for the Foreign Affairs Council. At the meeting, EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Kaja Kallas, presented a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to European Foreign Affairs Ministers.

The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner.

Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement states “Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.” Israel’s well-documented violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, violate Article 2.   

Beyond suspending this agreement, Oxfam is calling for a permanent ceasefire, safe and unhindered humanitarian aid, an end to illegal Israeli occupation and a halt in all arm sales and transfers to Israel while there is a risk they are used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.    

Jade Tenwick | Brussels, Belgium | jade.tenwick@oxfam.org | mobile +32 473 56 22 60 | Personal (WhatsApp only) +32 484 81 22 94          

For more information on our work and to see our latest press releases, please visit oxfam.org/eu.       
  
For updates, follow us on Twitter, BlueSky and LinkedIn.    

MIL OSI NGO –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: UN political chief calls for diplomacy to ensure peaceful nature of Iran’s nuke program

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

The UN Security Council holds a meeting on non-proliferation at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo on Tuesday called for diplomacy and dialogue to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.

In a briefing to the Security Council on the implementation of its Resolution 2231, which endorses the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, DiCarlo regretted that with less than four months left until the termination of its provisions, the objectives of the resolution and those of the Iran nuclear deal have yet to be fully realized.

Resolution 2231 expires on Oct. 18, 2025.

The nuclear deal, adopted in the summer of 2015 to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program would be exclusively peaceful, has faced many challenges since its inception, including the withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in 2018 during Donald Trump’s first term of office as U.S. president, said DiCarlo.

Over the last few months, participants of the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), increased their efforts to identify a way forward for full implementation of the plan. In addition, Iran and the United States engaged in five rounds of bilateral talks, facilitated by Oman, said DiCarlo. “Regrettably, neither of these initiatives produced a way forward to ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

The military escalation between Israel and Iran since June 13 and U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Saturday (New York time) complicated prospects for achieving full implementation of Resolution 2231. Iran’s strikes on Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar further exacerbated insecurity in an already tense region, she said.

Monday’s announcement by the United States, in coordination with Qatar, of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran is a significant achievement that potentially pulls Iran, Israel and the region back from the brink, she said.

At the heart of this conflict is the nature of Iran’s nuclear program. Following the deadly clashes of the past 12 days, the ceasefire agreement is an opportunity to avoid a catastrophic escalation and achieve a peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue, she said. “Diplomacy, dialogue and verification remain the best option to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and to bring about concrete economic benefits to the people of Iran.”

The United Nations stands ready to support all efforts that advance peace, dialogue and stability in the region, she said.

MIL OSI China News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

Note: All times local

The Hague, the Netherlands

7:30 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon.

Note for media:

9:20 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kristen Michal.

Note for media:

10:00 a.m. The Prime Minister will attend an official greeting by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte, and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof.

Note for media:

10:20 a.m. The Prime Minister will participate in an official family photo.

Note for media:

10:30 a.m. The Prime Minister will participate in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council.

Note for media:

1:10 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Note for media:

1:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb.

Note for media:

2:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will hold a media availability.

Note for media:
- Open coverage
7:15 p.m. The Prime Minister will depart for Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Closed to media

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

8:00 p.m. The Prime Minister will arrive in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

8:20 p.m. The Prime Minister will depart from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Closed to media

National Capital Region, Canada

9:50 p.m. The Prime Minister will arrive in Ottawa, Ontario.

Closed to media

MIL OSI Canada News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Appointments – EWC Board Selects Celeste Connors as Next East-West Center President

Source: East-West Center

Recognized international leader in risk management, international affairs, and development policy will head EWC’s mission starting in July

HONOLULU (June 24, 2025) — The East-West Center Board of Governors is pleased to announce the selection of Celeste A. Connors as the institution’s next President, effective July 1. A Hawai‘i-raised leader with over 25 years of global experience in risk management, diplomacy, national security, and development policy, Ms. Connors brings a deep understanding of both international affairs and regional priorities to the role.

Her appointment concludes an extensive search to succeed outgoing Interim President James K. Scott, the former EWC Board chair who has been serving in the presidential post temporarily since the beginning of this year. The Board selected Connors following a robust process engaging a broad range of EWC stakeholders.

Experience across sectors

“Ms. Connors was selected from an impressive applicant pool of talented and experienced individuals,” said EWC Board of Governors Chairman John Waihe‘e. “We feel strongly that her breadth of leadership experience across government, civil society, academia, and business sectors is exactly what the Center requires to carry our mission and legacy forward to a bright new future at this pivotal time in our institution’s proud 65-year history.”

“I’m deeply honored and excited to lead the East-West Center team in continuing to advance regional cooperation,” said Connors. “Strategically based in the Pacific Ocean, the EWC plays a critical role in supporting US engagement in the Indo-Pacific region through convening, expert dialogue, educational exchange, and people-to-people connections. In Hawai‘i and beyond, we seek to support security and prosperity by promoting leadership and partnerships around our shared interests and values.”

“I am delighted with the Board’s selection,” said outgoing Interim President Scott, who will be returning to a fundraising position on the EWC Foundation board. “Celeste is already a close partner to the Center, as well as being one of our adjunct experts, and I know she will devote herself to East-West Center’s continued success with the same passion for our mission that inspires our dedicated staff and community. I look forward to working with her on a seamless transition.”

Insight and inspiration

“The role of leading the East-West Center demands a leader with profound insight into the complex interplay of global, regional, and national dynamics—particularly across Asia and the Pacific,” said Adm. Thomas Fargo (Ret.), former commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command and current Chairman of Hawaiian Electric Industries, where Connors is a board member. “Equally important is a deep appreciation for the diverse cultures, values, and relationships that shape this region. Celeste Connors brings to this position not only these essential qualities, but also a breadth of experience and vision that will serve the Center exceptionally well.”

“Celeste has been an energetic, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and inspirational leader who has put Hawai‘i Green Growth on the local, national, and international map. She is indeed leaving us very large shoes to fill,” added Hawai‘i Green Growth Board Chair Randy Moore, former head of the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents and a noted educator and business executive. “On the other hand, we cannot think of a better candidate to lead the East-West Center. Celeste has developed strong contacts with leaders of Pacific Island nations, and together with her prior experience in the US Department of State and the White House, she is plugged into a network that will enable the Center to productively serve Hawaiʻi, the nation, and the world. We wish her every success.”

About Celeste Connors

Celeste A. Connors, who was raised in Hawai‘i, is a recognized international leader with more than 25 years of risk management and national security experience. As a former Director on both the National Security Council and the National Economic Council under both Republican and Democratic administrations, she chaired complex interagency processes and advised White House leaders on energy, trade, environment, and technology strategies. She previously gained extensive foreign policy experience while serving as a US diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Germany, and the US Mission to the United Nations, and as Foreign Policy Adviser to the Mayor of New York City.

In recent years, Connors has led the internationally recognized center of excellence Hawaii Green Growth, where she developed policy and investment solutions to help build resilient communities. She is also co-founder of c.dots development LLC, and the Co-Chair of the Local2030 Islands Network, a group of 45 island economies focused on building a safer, more resilient future.

Ms. Connors has an extensive background in corporate and nonprofit governance, including serving on the boards of Hawaiian Electric Industries, the state’s primary electricity provider, and the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau. She also co-chairs the Hawai‘i Sustainability Business Forum, which brings together the CEOs of the state’s top public and private companies.

She has served in academia as well, as a faculty lecturer and practitioner with the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where she led a practicum program focused on risk management. In addition, she has been an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the East-West Center since 2021, when Hawai‘i Green Growth entered a formal partnership with the Center to collaborate on sustainable development initiatives.

Ms. Connors holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and an undergraduate degree in International Relations from Tufts University. Her husband Paul is a former diplomat and teacher, and they have a son and daughter in their teens.

The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: McConnell on American Leadership; Standing with Israel and Ukraine

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today regarding U.S. national security interests in standing with Israel, supporting Ukraine, and investing sufficiently in our own defense. Prepared text of his speech follows:

“When Iran’s proxies launched a full-scale war on Israel on October 7th, 2023, President Biden pledged an ‘unwavering commitment to Israel’s security’. This was the right message in the moment. But as I warned publicly at the time, Israel needed more than rhetorical solidarity.

“Like Ukraine, Israel needed precious time, space to maneuver, and material support to defeat a shared enemy. And yet, as in Ukraine, America’s commitment has indeed wavered. Our support has not been ironclad.

“Instead, under the previous Administration, American support was delayed, restricted, and paired with attempts to micromanage Israeli operations and even interfere with Israeli politics. And at every turn, the progressive left and isolationist right hyperventilated about the specter of so-called forever war.

“Fortunately, Israel held its ground. Israelis weren’t enthused about a ground war in Gaza. Their leaders knew that war would be difficult. But they knew it was unavoidable so long as Hamas terrorists still refused to release its hostages. They also knew lasting security meant changing Iran’s calculus…Not just responding to attacks from its proxies. So Israel decided to turn Iran’s terrorist assets into liabilities.

“Despite the pearl-clutching here in Washington, our ally simultaneously decapitated Hizballah and crippled Hamas. Their bold operations created a new opportunity for Lebanon to claw back its sovereignty from a terrorist state within a state.

“Meanwhile, the collapse of the brutal Assad regime in Syria brought down a Russian vassal and Iran’s favorite corridor of weapons and terrorist finance. These are the circumstances President Trump inherited. What to do with them has been the subject of some debate. Some of his advisors and supporters came with Obama-Biden-era talking points, ready to urge him to continue his predecessor’s policy of constraining Israel. Some had argued publicly that America had no vital or existential interests in the Middle East or claimed the region was a distraction from other priorities. They warned of forever war. Some seemed to push for nuclear negotiations with parameters eerily similar to the nuclear deal he withdrew from during his first term. They even proposed Iran could keep enriching uranium, until the President rightly quashed that idea.

“These mixed messages emboldened Iran and its proxies. After all, why give up if Administration officials saw the Middle East as little more than a distraction?…or if they seem as fearful of restoring deterrence as the previous guys? So Hamas kept holding hostages. The Houthis kept targeting Israel and Red Sea commerce. And the Islamic Republic kept marching toward a nuclear weapon. And in response, Israel took the next logical step to restore deterrence.

“Once again, innovative and decisive strikes destroyed Iran’s air defenses and imposed immediate costs on Tehran. And leaders from across Israel’s politics stood united behind the daring operations. But here in America, the same restrainers, anti-Israel progressives, and self-proclaimed realists warned again of regional conflagration if the President intervened alongside – or even supported – Israel’s strikes.

“The President’s own Director of National Intelligence traveled to Hiroshima to record a bizarre video message – not as a warning against Tehran’s nuclear ambitions but, presumably, against American or Israeli operations to blunt them.

“Fortunately, the President rejected the pleas of appeasers and isolationists. The strikes he ordered dealt a massive blow to Iran’s nuclear program, bolstered American credibility, and strengthened U.S. and Israeli leverage to end Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and its support for terrorism for good.

“Thanks to Israel’s heroic efforts for more than a year and a half, Iran’s ability to threaten regional stability is massively degraded. Not since before the Islamic revolution has there been such an opportunity for America, Israel, and our Arab partners to reset regional dynamics on such favorable terms. Achieving it has required no large-scale deployment of U.S. ground forces. It required only supporting our friends. Israel is a close ally and a strategic asset. Not a liability. And the strategic return on our investment in assisting Israel is incalculable.

“Standing with our Israeli friends offers a powerful lesson about American leadership, the value of alliances and partnerships, and the real nature of peace through strength. And this lesson extends far beyond the Middle East. If America refuses to apply it elsewhere – like Ukraine – we do so at grave risk to our own interests. But that’s exactly what some in Washington seem to be doing. Congress recently learned that a senior DoD official conducted a review of DoD security assistance efforts and concluded that the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), among other programs, was wasteful. This is a Republican Administration panning a program created by a Republican Congress in 2015 to counter President Obama’s toothless response to Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine. I’d like to see the analysis behind the Administration’s decision to zero out USAI in its FY26 request. I’d like to hear them try to explain away the massive return on investment of America’s security assistance to Ukraine and the precious lessons we’ve learned from our Ukrainian partners.

“The Secretary of the Army has rightly called Ukraine ‘the Silicon Valley of warfare’. Do his colleagues at the Pentagon think this assessment is wrong, or do they just not think access to the cutting edge of modern combat is valuable? Here’s the truth: USAI and other security assistance efforts have helped us measurably address shortcomings in strategy, capabilities, and production capacity that would have gone ignored until it was too late.

“It’s an inconvenient reality for isolationists and restrainers, but – for a tiny percent of our defense budget – we helped a smaller military resist invasion by a vastly larger one and degrade a major U.S. adversary.

“As with Israel, Ukraine is fighting an adversary of the United States. Our support does not entangle us in a far-off foreign conflict. For Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea, America is the main enemy – the great Satan. If these adversaries beat our friends, the threat to America become a thousand times greater. We should be grateful for friends so willing to defend our collective interests against common foes.

“Partnership with Ukraine is teaching us what modern warfare could mean for U.S. forces when they do face direct conflict. It has tested our assumptions about munitions inventories, expenditure rates, electronic warfare, and the duration of conflict. Without Ukraine’s experience with U.S. weapons, we would have been surprised to find some advanced systems quickly rendered inoperable on future battlefields.

“The money we invest in USAI on weapons for Ukraine expands our own production capacity in the process and will improve the quality of our own munitions. Supplemental appropriations on Ukraine and Israel, in turn, backfill our own stocks with brand-new capabilities – not just 155mm rounds, but air defenses and long-range fires, with specific investment in solid rocket motors. These investments help us prepare for conflict in the Indo-Pacific. And production would be slower in the absence of our partnership with Ukraine. Not doing more to address our growing defense needs isn’t a failure of foresight. It’s a failure of political will. Everyone wants to see an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. But the price of peace matters. If we want enduring stability in Europe, we can’t fall for an illusory peace.

“We should know enough history not to dismiss this as merely ‘a quarrel in a faraway country, between two people of whom we know nothing’. It’s a major war of conquest in Europe…The most significant since the days of Nazi Germany…And allies and adversaries half a world away are watching it closely for clues about America’s resolve. Certainly, Europe’s deepening commitments to collective defense will make real peace more enforceable. The President’s insistence has driven much of this progress; Putin’s brutality has reinforced it.

“Since 2022, our European NATO allies have made historic investments in defense – often buying American. And many are preparing to make even larger commitments at this week’s NATO Summit. This is good news. But we can’t expect allies to continue signing up for 3.5% and 5% commitments if America insists on falling further behind. Likewise, we can’t expect Putin to end his aggression if he thinks America’s abandonment of Ukraine is only a matter of time. And we can’t expect anyone to take America’s threats and commitments seriously if we’re content to let our own strength atrophy.

“A base budget request that cuts defense spending in real terms doesn’t show Moscow we’re serious – let alone Beijing. Leading from behind would be bad enough, but this is just plain falling behind. The strongest deterrence is denying an adversary’s objectives through military means. Israel is restoring this deterrence in the Middle East. Ukraine is achieving it by holding its own against Russia. But it needs help.

“Recently, I’ve asked Administration officials simple questions, like: Who is the aggressor in this conflict? The answer is obvious. But a second, equally simple question seems to trip them up: Who do we want to win?

“The President made the right call to stand with Israel. I hope he’ll also decide to stand with Ukraine, prevent Russian victory, and start reversing a dangerous, downward trend in our defense budgets. I hope he’ll recognize Russia’s attempt to ‘tap him along’ for what it is. Putin is getting mixed messages from Washington. He thinks he has time. He believes the West is weak and divided. But the President – at very little cost – can shatter this illusion. It’s time to impose sanctions, raise the price of Russia’s aggression, redouble security assistance to Ukraine, and drive the Kremlin to seek peace. It’s time for deterrence through denial.

“There’s no surer path to just and enduring peace…No better way to demonstrate that peace through strength actually means something…No clearer sign to allies and adversaries watching closely from the Western Hemisphere to the Indo-Pacific that America still has the will to lead.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Looking back on Tuesday 24 June, the start of the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 24-06-2025 | 23:00

The 2025 NATO Summit officially opened today in The Hague. Heads of government, ministers, experts and defence industry representatives as well as young people, academics and opinion leaders came together at various locations to discuss security, cooperation and innovation. Below is an overview of the day’s main events.

Enlarge image
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

NATO Public Forum – live on YouTube

The two-day NATO Public Forum began today and is being broadcast live online for everyone to watch. Participants from the Netherlands and around the world, including heads of government, ministers, young people, academics and opinion leaders discussed the themes of this year’s Summit and developments in the world that affect our security.
On Wednesday 25 June the Forum will again be broadcast live on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ YouTube channel under NATO Public Forum Live. More information about the programme is available at www.natopublicforum.org.

Meeting between defence ministers and industry

The NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum also took place today. Ministers, experts and business leaders from NATO countries came together to discuss how the defence industry can quickly be scaled up and strengthened. The goal is a stronger, sustainable and future-proof defence industry.

Meeting between NATO, EU and Ukraine

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and the EU and Ukraine met for talks in The Hague.

President Zelenskyy visits House of Representatives and Prime Minister

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the House of Representatives, where he addressed members of parliament. In the morning, he had a special meeting with Prime Minister Dick Schoof at the Catshuis. This visit was not part of the official summit programme.

Royal dinner at Huis ten Bosch Palace

On Tuesday evening, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima hosted heads of state and government from NATO countries for an informal dinner. Leaders from Australia, New Zealand and Ukraine were also present, as was South Korea’s national security director and the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council.

Enlarge image
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Working dinners for ministers of NATO countries

Foreign ministers met for a working dinner of the NATO-Ukraine Council. At the same time, defence ministers convened for a working dinner of the North Atlantic Council. Both meetings took place at World Forum in The Hague and were preceded by a joint reception.

The 2025 NATO Summit will continue on Wednesday 25 June at the World Forum in The Hague.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Making the UK the best place to do business: Modern Industrial Strategy set to deepen global collaboration
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story

Making the UK the best place to do business: Modern Industrial Strategy set to deepen global collaboration

English

Español de América Latina

Modern Industrial Strategy will make the UK the best country to invest in and grow a business, delivering on the Plan for Change.
UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy

Strategy developed in partnership with business, marking a new era of collaboration between government and high growth industries.

New Industrial Strategy to unlock billions in investment and support 1.1 million new well-paid jobs over the next decade. *New Global Talent Taskforce and £54m fund will attract world-class researchers, top talent and their teams to the UK.

Electricity costs for thousands of businesses to be slashed by up to 25%.

The plan focuses on 8 high growth sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services and Life Sciences, where there is potential for faster growth.

The modern Industrial Strategy unveiled today, Monday 23 June, sets out a ten-year plan to boost investment, create good skilled jobs and make Britain the best place to do business.

It includes targeted support for the areas of the country and economy that have the greatest potential to grow, while introducing reforms that will make it easier for all businesses to get ahead.

The Strategy’s bold plan of action includes:

Slash electricity costs by up to 25% from 2027 for electricity-intensive manufacturers in growth sectors and foundational industries in their supply chain, bringing costs more closely in line with other major economies in Europe.

Unlocking billions in finance for innovative business, especially for SMEs by increasing British Business Bank financial capacity to £25.6 billion, crowding in tens of billions of pounds more in private capital. The includes an additional £4bn for Industrial Strategy Sectors, crowding in billions more in private capital. By investing largely through venture funds, the BBB will back the UK’s most high-growth potential companies.

Reducing regulatory burdens by cutting the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25% and reduce the number of regulators.

Boosting R&D spending to £22.6bn per year by 2029-30 to drive innovation across the IS-8, with more than £2bn for AI over the Spending Review, and £2.8bn for advanced manufacturing over the next ten years. This will leverage in billions more from private investors. Regulatory changes will further clear the path for fast-growing industries and innovative products such as biotechnology, AI, and autonomous vehicles.

Attracting elite global talent to our key sectors, via visa and migration reforms and the new Global Talent Taskforce. The Taskforce and a £54m Global Talent Fund will support top talent to relocate to the UK.

Deepening economic and industrial collaboration with our partners, building on our Industrial Strategy Partnership with Japan and recent deals with the US, India, and the EU.

Reducing planning timelines and cutting costs for developers, by hiring more planners, streamlining pre-application requirements and combining environmental obligations, removing burdens on businesses as well as accelerating house building.

Revolutionising public procurement and reducing barriers for new entrants and SMEs to bolster domestic competitiveness.

Supporting the UK’s city regions and clusters by increasing the supply of investible sites through a new £600m Strategic Sites Accelerator, enhanced regional support from the Office for Investment, National Wealth Fund, and British Business Bank, and more.

Upskilling the nation with an extra £1.2 billion each year for skills by 2028-29, and delivering more opportunities to learn and earn in our high-growth sectors including new short courses in relevant skills funded by the Growth and Skills Levy and skills packages targeted at defence digital and engineering.

Supporting 5,500 more SMEs to adopt new technology through the Made Smarter programme while centralising government support in one place through the Business Growth Service.

The plan focuses on 8 sectors where the UK is already strong and there’s potential for faster growth: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services. Each growth sector has a bespoke 10-year plan that will attract investment, enable growth and create high-quality, well-paid jobs.

Five sector plans have been published in tandem:

Advanced Manufacturing

Backing the Advanced Manufacturing sector with up to £4.3 billion in funding, including up to £2.8 billion in R&D over the next five years, with the aim of anchoring supply chains in the UK – from increasing vehicle production to 1.35, to leading the next generation of technologies for zero emission flight.

Clean Energy Industries

Doubling investment in Clean Energy Industries by 2035, with Great British Energy helping to build the clean power revolution in Britain with a further £700 million in clean energy supply chains, taking the total funding for the Great British Energy Supply Chain fund to £1 billion.

Creative Industries

Maximizing the value of the UK’s Creative Industries through a £380 million boost for film and TV, video games, advertising and marketing, music and visual and performing arts will improve access to finance for scale-ups and increase R&D, skills and exports.

Digital and Technologies

Making the UK the European leader for creating and scaling Digital and Technology businesses, with more than £2 billion to drive the AI Action Plan, including a new Sovereign AI Programme, £187 million for training one million young people in tech skills and targeting R&D investment at frontier technologies such as cyber security in Northern Ireland, semiconductors in Wales and quantum technologies in Scotland.

Professional and Business Services

Ensuring the UK’s Professional and Business Services becomes the world’s most trusted adviser to global industry, revolutionising the sector across the world through adoption of UK-grown AI and working to secure mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreements overseas.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

This Industrial Strategy marks a turning point for Britain’s economy and a clear break from the short-termism and sticking plasters of the past.

In an era of global economic instability, it delivers the long-term certainty and direction British businesses need to invest, innovate and create good jobs that put more money in people’s pockets as part of the plan for change.

This is how we power Britain’s future – by backing the sectors where we lead, removing the barriers that hold us back, and setting out a clear path to build a stronger economy that works for working people. Our message is clear – Britain is back and open for business.

Regarding the launch of the New Industrial Strategy, British Ambassador to Chile, Louise de Sousa, said:

The UK’s modern Industrial Strategy is our ten-year plan to strengthen infrastructure, reduce costs for businesses and simplify regulation.

With a highly skilled workforce and unrivalled global business connectivity, the UK provides an ideal location to scale, invest and grow business, by accessing the G7’s lowest corporation tax and a generous R&D tax.

This being and internation strategy from the start, the plan will provide local businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators the stability and ease needed to make long-term investment decisions, which, in turn will help strengthening the already strong economic ties between UK and Chile.

The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to promote business investment and growth and make it quicker, easier and cheaper to do business in the UK, giving businesses the confidence to invest and create 1.1 million good, well-paid jobs in thriving industries – delivering on the UK Government’s Plan for Change.

Further information

If you want to know more about this matter, please contact the Communications Office.

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Published 24 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with President Macron of France and Chancellor Merz of Germany: 24 June 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

PM meeting with President Macron of France and Chancellor Merz of Germany: 24 June 2025

The Prime Minister spoke to the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the NATO Summit in The Hague this evening.
The Prime Minister spoke to the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the NATO Summit in The Hague this evening.

The leaders reflected on the volatile situation in the Middle East. Now was the time for diplomacy and for Iran to come to the negotiating table, they agreed.

Turning to Ukraine, the leaders discussed the need to apply more pressure on the Kremlin, including through further sanctions.

Discussing Gaza, the Prime Minister reiterated that the situation was intolerable and all sides needed to work towards an urgent ceasefire.

The leaders looked forward to speaking again this evening.

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Published 24 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TUV Ballymoney Councillor Jonathan McAuley Welcomes Positive News on Council Plans to mark VJ Day

Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

TUV Ballymoney Councillor Jonathan McAuley has welcomed the successful first stage of his Notice of Motion on VJ Day, which passed through the Council’s Corporate Policy Committee this evening.

The motion, proposed by Councillor McAuley and seconded by his party colleague Councillor Allister Kyle, stated:

“Following the successful events held by Council to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, I propose that Council consider organising an event to remember and commemorate the end of the Second World War (VJ Day).

“As significant as VE Day was in 1945, we must also remember the sacrifice of the many service personnel who continued the war for freedom for a further three months.”

Councillor Kyle added:

“I know time will be tight between now and 15th August, but it is certainly my hope that something can be arranged. While the scale of any commemoration may not match the VE Day events, it would certainly be remiss if VJ Day were not marked in some meaningful way.”

Council plans include raising the VJ Day flag at all town halls, expanding the existing VE Day exhibition at the town hall to include VJ Day memorabilia, and engaging with the Royal British Legion to support and participate in their wreath-laying event.

Councillor McAuley expressed his hope that the motion will be ratified at the full Council meeting this Thursday evening.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Schoof of the Netherlands: 24 June 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

PM meeting with Prime Minister Schoof of the Netherlands: 24 June 2025

The Prime Minister met Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in The Hague today.
The Prime Minister met Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in The Hague today.

The Prime Minister began by thanking Prime Minister Schoof for his hospitality, adding that he was delighted to return to the city.

Discussing the significant investment pledge made at this year’s summit, the Prime Minister said it was vital the next generation was able to enjoy the same peace and security that Allies had today.

The leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East and agreed now was the time for diplomacy to prevail.

On Ukraine, the leaders underscored the need to secure a just and lasting peace, and to step up support through shared industrial capability and defence innovation.

The leaders looked forward to speaking again later today.

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Published 24 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Unprecedented fires fueled by climate change threaten iconic World Heritage forests

Source: United Nations

In an update to the joint UNESCO-WRI-IUCN report “World Heritage forests: carbon sinks under pressure”, new data reveals that fires have accounted for approximately 75% of tree cover loss in World Heritage sites. Steadily increasing tree cover loss due to fires, fueled by climate change, has led to record high emissions, and threatens the robust carbon sinks of forests in World Heritage sites.

Fires are the primary cause of forest loss in World Heritage sites

Since 2001, approximately 4.5 million hectares of forest—more than the area of Switzerland—have been lost across World Heritage sites, with fires responsible for around 75% of that loss. The vast majority — approximately 80% — of all fire-related tree cover loss occurred in high-latitude forests, primarily across North America and Siberia. Forests in Australia account for an additional 15% of the loss, while all other regions contributed approximately 5%.

Solid lines show annual tree cover loss in World Heritage sites by cause, while dotted lines indicate long-term trends.
Source: WRI Land & Carbon Lab

While the number of World Heritage sites affected by fires annually has slightly declined in recent years — averaging around half of all forested sites per year — the severity of these events is escalating. Since 2020, fire-related tree cover loss has averaged approximately 240,000 hectares per year — more than twice the annual average recorded in the early 2000s.

In contrast, non-fire-related tree cover loss has remained relatively stable, averaging around 45,000 hectares per year. This loss is primarily attributed to anthropogenic land-use pressures, such as illegal logging, wood harvesting, and agricultural encroachment related to livestock grazing and crop production, mainly in sites included in the List of World Heritage in Danger. Increases in non-fire-related forest loss were observed in 2016-2017 and 2020, linked to the impacts of hurricanes and storms in the Caribbean and Asia, and intensified agricultural expansion resulting from limited ability to monitor illegal activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. However, forest loss from non-fire causes has since gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“The data is clear: climate change is no longer a distant threat—it is here, now, and it is threatening the irreplaceable natural heritage of our world.”

Climate change is intensifying fires in World Heritage sites

The steady increase in fire-related tree cover loss highlights the growing influence of climate change on fire regimes in World Heritage sites. While fire plays a natural role in many ecosystems —particularly in temperate and boreal forests in higher latitudes— rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and changing weather patterns are creating conditions that fuel more intense fires. When forests burn, they release vast amounts of carbon stored in trees and soils into the atmosphere, primarily as carbon dioxide (CO₂). These emissions further exacerbate climate change and increase the likelihood of further fires in a self-reinforcing “fire-climate feedback loop.”

Source: WRI Global Forest Watch

Forest fires in World Heritage sites have resulted in an average of nearly 60 million tonnes CO2-equivalent (Mt CO2e) emissions per year, equivalent to Austria’s annual fossil fuel emissions[1]. Largely due to extreme fires, fire-related emissions in World Heritage forests have surged in recent years. In 2023, a record-breaking fire swept through over 300,000 hectares of forest in Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park, releasing an estimated 190 Mt CO₂e—roughly equivalent to Argentina’s annual fossil fuel emissions. This more than doubled the previous record set in 2021 in Canada’s Pimachiowin Aki (86 Mt CO2e). Australia’s devastating 2019–2020 fires torched around 300,000 hectares in the Greater Blue Mountains Area, emitting over 45 Mt CO2e.

Tree cover loss due to fires (brown) in Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park after the 2023 fires (left), Pimachiowin Aki after the 2021-2022 fires (middle) and Australia’s Greater Blue Mountains Area after the 2019-2020 fires (right)
Source: WRI Global Forest Watch

In the tropics—where fires have historically been rare—fire activity has surged, driven by intense outbreaks in sites such as Bolivia’s Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in the Amazon Basin, and Brazil’s Pantanal Conservation Area. Since 2020, fire has been responsible for approximately 35% of tree cover loss and associated emissions in World Heritage tropical forests—more than four times the annual average recorded in the early 2000s.

Source: WRI Land & Carbon Lab

“These intensifying fires are not just destroying tree cover and understory—they are unraveling ecological systems and pristine primary forests which underpin people’s livelihoods and provide several ecosystem services, such as climate regulation and human health maintenance.”

Carbon sinks and biodiversity in World Heritage sites are under increasing risk

Fires can have profound negative impacts on ecosystems, particularly by contributing to climate change and biodiversity loss. Covering more than 70 million hectares of forests—more than the area of Germany— World Heritage sites have traditionally played a crucial role in sequestering carbon. However, as fire intensity and frequency increases, this role is under threat. Fire-related emissions in World Heritage forests now account for about 40% of the carbon these forests absorb each year (80 vs. 200 Mt CO2/year), resulting in a net carbon sink of 120 Mt CO2e/year. High-latitude World Heritage forests have now collectively shifted from being carbon sinks to becoming net carbon sources, emitting around 5 Mt CO₂e/year. In contrast, lower latitude forests—mainly in the tropics—remain strong carbon sinks, absorbing roughly 130 Mt CO₂e/year. However, fires in tropical regions are especially damaging because their dense vegetation and high biomass cause them to release more carbon per unit of forest lost than fires in cooler regions. This makes tropical fires a growing threat to climate stability, accelerating the fire–climate feedback loop and pushing ecosystems closer to irreversible tipping points.

Beyond carbon, fires are also placing fragile ecosystems at serious risk. In ecosystems not adapted to fire—such as tropical rainforests and wetlands—fires can permanently alter habitats, disrupt species interactions, and erase biodiversity that has taken millennia to evolve. Australia’s 2019–2020 fires, for example, are estimated to have affected the habitats of at least 293 threatened animal species and 680 threatened plant species. In the Greater Blue Mountains Area alone, over 140 million animals were impacted, including approximately 15 million mammals, 17.7 million birds, and 110.4 million reptiles. Similarly, in the Pantanal Biosphere Reserve—which includes the Pantanal Conservation Area World Heritage site—an estimated 17 million vertebrates may have perished during the 2020 fires. These fires also drastically worsened air quality, exposing surrounding communities to hazardous levels of smoke and particulate pollution, which can lead to serious respiratory and cardiovascular health problems and straining healthcare systems.

© M & G Therin-Weise / Jaguar coming out of the forest, Pantanal Conservation Area, Brazil

“The transformation of carbon sinks into carbon sources signals not just an ecological crisis, but a critical tipping point in our climate system — one that threatens both the natural world and the communities that rely on it. Investing in robust fire prevention and response systems is essential to combat wildfires, especially in carbon-rich forests.”

Helping communities prepare and respond to fires

As fire continues to threaten both ecological integrity and human livelihoods, proactive fire response and preparedness are more critical than ever. Communities living in and around World Heritage sites are often the first affected by these events—facing loss of land, water resources, cultural heritage, and biodiversity that their lives and traditions depend on.

To support rapid and informed action, UNESCO has been leveraging real-time fire alert data through platforms like Global Forest Watch, developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI). These tools enable early detection of fire outbreaks and offer actionable insights that help local authorities and conservation managers respond quickly and effectively.

Complementing this, Land & Carbon Lab – an applied geospatial research lab convened by WRI and the Bezos Earth Fund – provides critical data on carbon storage, emissions and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems—enhancing global understanding of how fires and other human activities are imperiling carbon sinks and converting some forests to carbon sources. This data helps inform not only emergency response, but also long-term restoration and climate resilience strategies.

A notable example of these data in action is their integration into the World Heritage Online Map Platform (WHOMP), which has supported the deployment of the Rapid Response Facility (RRF)— a joint initiative from UNESCO and Fauna and Flora. These tools have helped guide emergency response efforts at critical sites, including Brazil’s Pantanal Conservation Area and Bolivia’s Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. In these areas, satellite monitoring and fire alerts have enabled early fire detection, faster mobilization of resources, and timely support for both ecosystems and local communities.

© Fundación para la Conservación del Bosque Chiquitano

“The grant from the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) was crucial in quickly mobilizing resources to keep the ranger corps, community brigade firefighters, and firefighting authorities active in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Without this swift support, the damage to the park’s forests and the species that depend on them could have been far more severe.”

© Panthera

“The Rapid Response Facility (RRF) made it possible to train brigades, improve communication, support government institutions and, above all, strengthen integrated firefighting actions between the various stakeholders involved.”

Beyond immediate response, these efforts also strengthen local capacity, foster community engagement, and promote sustainable land management practices. By combining cutting-edge technology, operational monitoring systems based on Earth observation data, and on-the-ground collaboration, UNESCO and its partners are helping vulnerable communities become more prepared and resilient in the face of escalating fire risks. Ultimately, these initiatives play a vital role in safeguarding the world’s natural heritage for future generations—preserving the ecological, cultural, and climate value of these irreplaceable landscapes.

UNESCO thanks the support of the Government of Norway to the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) and the Government of Flanders (Belgium) to the World Heritage Online Map Platform (WHOMP). WRI thanks the Bezos Earth Fund and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI).

[1] All country emissions equivalencies are for CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in 2023, according to the Global Carbon Atlas produced by the Global Carbon Budget: https://globalcarbonatlas.org/emissions/carbon-emissions/

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Draft agenda – Wednesday, 9 July 2025 – Strasbourg

Source: European Parliament
25 Amending Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing
Thomas Bajada (A10-0070/2025) – Amendments; rejection Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 48 Draft amending budget no 1/2025: entering the surplus of the financial year 2024
Victor Negrescu – (possibly) Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 52 Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Moldova relating to floods that occurred in September 2024 and Bosnia and Herzegovina relating to floods that occurred in October 2024
Andrzej Halicki – (possibly) Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 53 Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: Application EGF/2025/000 TA 2025 – Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission
Jean-Marc Germain – (possibly) Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 27 Product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports
Salvatore De Meo – (possibly) Amendments by the rapporteur, 71 MEPs at least; Alternative motions for resolutions Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 – (possibly) Joint alternative motions for resolutions Thursday, 3 July 2025, 12:00 60 The human cost of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the urgent need to end Russian aggression: the situation of illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, and the continued bombing of civilians – Motions for resolutions Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions Friday, 4 July 2025, 12:00 – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions Friday, 4 July 2025, 13:00 11 Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) – Motions for resolutions Monday, 7 July 2025, 20:00 – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 13:00 – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 14:00 Separate votes – Split votes – Roll-call votes Texts put to the vote on Tuesday Friday, 4 July 2025, 12:00 Texts put to the vote on Wednesday Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:00 Texts put to the vote on Thursday Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 19:00 Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 19:00

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Single Market Strategy – Public Hearing on 25 June 2025 – Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Source: European Parliament

IMCO committee © European Parliament (2022)

This public hearing will bring together policymakers, experts and stakeholders to examine the Single Market Strategy, adopted on 21 May 2025 by the European Commission. This strategy aims to strengthen the Single Market by modernising governance, removing barriers, and ensuring consistent implementation across the EU. Renowned academic, former Prime Minister of Italy and former European Commissioner Professor Mario Monti will deliver a keynote speech at this event.

This new strategy has the intended aim of helping companies scale up and compete globally, as well as enable citizens to fully reap the benefits that a further integrated Single Market offers them in terms of cross-border provision of services and free movement of goods.In that perspective, relevant issues will be addressed, regarding the implementation of the rules, the existing regulatory and administrative barriers, the challenges posed by the current trade tensions and the opportunities that emerge from the promotion of the policies for the Single Market, as a standing pillar of EU interests and core values.These are key issues for the work of the IMCO Committee. This hearing will gather Commission high-level officials, representatives of companies and consumers and academic experts to discuss the actions foreseen in the strategy and state of play and challenges related to the completion of the Single Market. The detailed programme of the hearing is available below.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Germany: EIB provides €30 million financing to OLEDWorks for automotive lighting
Source: European Investment Bank

EIB
- EIB financing supports OLEDWorks in ramping up the manufacturing and R&D of their lighting technology.
- The company’s products combine high brightness, longevity, energy-efficiency, and reduced waste.
- The loan is backed by the European Commission’s InvestEU programme, which aims to promote sustainable investment, innovation, and job creation in Europe.
Luxembourg/Aachen, 26 June 2025. – The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted financing of €30 million to OLEDWorks, a provider of innovative lighting solutions for the automotive industry, microdisplays, and other specialty lighting applications. The loan aims to support the company’s expansion and product development within the European Union, with a primary focus on automotive clients. Most of the investment will be used at the borrower’s existing site in Aachen, Germany.

OLEDWorks specialises in designing and developing lighting solutions based on organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Its technology offers a combination of high brightness, energy efficiency, and durability. Notably, the company has developed an innovative application for OLED panels in the automotive sector, which represents a first-of-its-kind use case at scale.

The financing provided by the EIB will enable OLEDWorks to strengthen its position as a world leader in multi-stack OLED technology, and to expand its portfolio of automotive customers. It will also allow OLEDWorks to capitalise on the nascent trend of using OLED technologies in the automotive sector, which is expected to gain momentum in the coming years. Furthermore, the financing will help to keep key manufacturing sectors and innovation in Europe, as the lighting industry has largely been delocalised to Asia in recent decades.

“OLEDWorks provides the type of cutting-edge technology that will secure a bright future for Europe and its people,” said EIB Vice President Nicola Beer, who oversees the Bank’s operations in Germany. “The financing provided by the EIB reflects our commitment to supporting innovative companies in strategic sectors. OLEDWorks’ lighting solutions align with our objective of fostering technological advancements on the continent—progress we need if we want Europe to be competitive and green.”

David DeJoy, CEO of OLEDWorks, emphasizes the pivotal role this investment plays in meeting customer needs: “The financing provided by the EIB will allow for expedited technology development and will enable advancements of OLED lighting technology with higher segmentation and display-like capabilities, higher brightness for automotive stop and turn applications, and bendable OLED panels.”

Wolfgang Görgen, Managing Director of OLEDWorks GmbH, adds: ”The technology advancements along with enhanced capacity at our Aachen facility will empower us to respond swiftly to our customers’ demands.”

The EIB support is expected to facilitate OLEDWorks’ growth plans and enable the hiring of some 45 new employees over the next three to four years. The project falls under the InvestEU-supported Future Tech programme loan, which addresses funding gaps and provides adequate risk capital to venture-backed companies in the EU. European small and mid-sized companies often face challenges in accessing non-dilutive financing options for growth investments. Since its establishment in 2016, the EIB’s innovation financing team has addressed the unique funding needs of over 300 fast-growing companies, investing €7 billion in the process.

Background information

About the European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high -impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

About OLEDworks

OLEDWorks is a global leader in the development and production of innovative organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. By producing the world’s best-performing OLED panels and combining rapid product innovation, OLEDWorks enriches lighting solutions in automotive, specialty, and microdisplay applications.

The OLEDWorks manufacturing facility is IATF 16949 and ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certified with full traceability via a factory MES system.

About the InvestEU Programme

The InvestEU programme supports the sustainable recovery of the European Union by leveraging significant private and public funds. It aims to crowd in private investment for strategic priorities such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The programme simplifies and enhances funding opportunities for investment projects within the European Union. It consists of the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners utilising the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion to mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

Germany: EIB Provides €30 Million Financing to OLEDWorks for Automotive Lighting

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Germany: EIB Provides €30 Million Financing to OLEDWorks for Automotive Lighting

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Germany: EIB Provides €30 Million Financing to OLEDWorks for Automotive Lighting

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Germany: EIB Provides €30 Million Financing to OLEDWorks for Automotive Lighting

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MIL OSI Europe News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Alchemy with the actual unemployment figure and exclusion from benefits and support – E-001688/2025(ASW)
Source: European Parliament
The Eurostat definition of unemployed is based on guidelines and global standards provided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

In line with Article 148 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (the ‘Employment Guidelines’) are to guide policy implementation in the Member States and in the EU, including in matters related to unemployment benefits[1].

Member States retain their autonomy to determine the details of their social security systems (Article 153(4) TFEU), including which benefits are provided, their eligibility conditions and their calculation methods. Consequently, Greece retains its competence to determine the amounts of unemployment benefits to be provided.

The reform of the unemployment benefit system, tested on a pilot basis under the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, is part of the Greek government’s effort to streamline unemployment benefits, to improve public spending efficiency and facilitate transitions to employment.

The ongoing pilot considers prior work experience and applies an indexation of the benefit to the latest daily net wage level, which is decreasing over time to motivate return to work thereby having a positive impact on the coverage of the unemployment insurance system.

The pilot is based on a study funded by the Commission and complements the employment incentive introduced by Law 4921/2022[2], whereby unemployed persons who find a job during the duration of the unemployment benefit are entitled to 50% of the remaining benefit as an incentive in addition to their salary.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202403134.

[2] https://www.kodiko.gr/nomologia/download_fek?f=fek/2022/a/fek_a_75_2022.pdf&t=098149c7b54fc11d14f3b0da58d67f17.
Last updated: 24 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Quarrying in Pentadaktylos destroying the natural environment and amending the regulation on trade across the Green Line – E-002402/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002402/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Costas Mavrides (S&D)

The Pentadaktylos mountain range in the occupied part of Cyprus has suffered incalculable damage and irreparable alteration of the natural landscape due to uncontrolled and illegal quarrying, in gross violation of all principles of environmental management and protection. Rare local species of flora and fauna are at risk of total extinction. What is more, many products produced in the Occupied Territories, as well as illegally extracted aggregates, are not subject to environmental or other certifications and checks (relating to health, safety or working conditions), creating unequal and unfair competition, as similar undertakings in the free areas operate under strict control and face higher production costs in order to comply with legislation.

In view of this, can the Commission say:

1.Is Republic of Cyprus able to prohibit the entry of such products into free areas in order to protect legitimate businesses and ensure that environmental and other laws are upheld?

2.Will it revise the Green Line Regulation to explicitly prohibit the transport of aggregates from the Occupied Territories, taking into account the serious impact thereof on the environment and on healthy competition in the market, and adapt the regulation’s provisions to safeguard the rights of natural and legal persons, including property rights, as in the EU’s other regulation on financial assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community in the Occupied Territories?

Submitted: 14.6.2025
Last updated: 24 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend the Voices of Afghan Women and Girls Demanding Justice, Ask about Discriminatory Laws and Edicts and the Ban on Education

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Afghanistan, with Committee Experts extending profound appreciation to the women and girls of Afghanistan demanding justice, while raising concerns about the discriminatory laws and edicts imposed since the military takeover by the Taliban in 2021, and the ban on education.

Bandana Rana, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, extended profound appreciation to the women and girls of Afghanistan, whose voices continued to resonate across the world, demanding justice. Another Expert urged all States parties to amplify the voices of Afghan women.

A Committee Expert said the dismantling of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and replacing it with the Ministry of Vice and Virtue was a violation of article 3. The law on vice and virtue silenced women’s voices in public and muffled their voices in private. A March 2024 announcement enforced public flogging, and there had been numerous women publicly flogged for crimes ranging from adultery to dress code violations. The reinstation of the stoning edict constituted torture and violated the rights to women’s liberty.

Another Committee Expert said education was one of the most important conditions for securing women and girls’ rights to equality. Hence, it was deeply concerning that all eight sub-articles under article 10 were being violated by the State party. Following the de facto authorities order to close secondary schools in 2021, schools today remained closed. A shocking 30 per cent of girls in the State party did not even receive primary education. All Afghan women and girls were entitled to receive full education. Another concern was that young boys and girls were sent to religious madrasas where the curriculum was aligned with the most extreme versions of Islam.

In response to these comments and questions, the delegation said the edicts imposed by the de facto authorities amounted to gender apartheid. The discrimination that women in Afghanistan faced was unparalleled globally. There were no laws ensuring human rights in the country. Women had been left to view these values as unattainable. The Taliban de facto authorities had stated that Sharia law was the applicable legal framework in Afghanistan. The Taliban had abolished mechanisms promoting gender equality, and projects promoting gender equality had ceased operations.

The delegation said the issue of education had been at the forefront of all of Afghanistan’s struggles and the international community’s demands. The international community had continually emphasised the need for schools to open, and now there was no hope this would occur. There were currently efforts to implement small-scale education programmes on the ground. This was better than nothing but could not address a systematic ban and an increasing number of jihadi madrasas. There needed to be a mechanism to push the education project into Afghanistan, going over the Taliban’s restrictions, using technology.

Introducing the report, Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that during the last review before the Committee in 2020, the delegation had been led by a woman from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, which had since been abolished from the Government and replaced by the Ministry of Virtue and Vice. Since August 2021, there had been over four years of systematic, widespread assault on every aspect of life of women and girls, a complete and total erasure and dehumanisation of women and girls in Afghanistan.

The laws, policies and institutions that were once enacted to promote and protect women’s rights had been replaced with an intentionally designed edifice of oppression, including discriminatory edicts, decrees, declarations, orders, culminating in a so-called law on the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice, Mr. Andisha said.

In closing remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said every member of the Committee was concerned and stood in solidarity with Afghanistan. This had been one of the most important considerations of a country report. Ms. Haidar thanked all those from Afghanistan who came to share their views.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Andisha appreciated the opportunity to engage with the Committee. The Committee had created a vital pathway to ensure the voices of Afghan women and girls were heard. Since August 2021, the situation for Afghan women and girls had deteriorated into a system of gender apartheid, which went against every article of the Convention. It was time to listen, support and stand in solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan. They must be at the centre of every solution.

The delegation of Afghanistan was comprised of representatives of the National Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan; the Afghanistan Parliament; the Afghanistan Senate; the Ambassador of Afghanistan in Canada; the Ambassador of Afghanistan in Australia; the Ambassador of Afghanistan in Austria; the Administrative Reform Commission; Afghan diplomats; human rights activists; and the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s ninety-first session is being held from 16 June to 4 July. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 25 June to begin its consideration of the combined initial to fifth periodic reports of San Marino (CEDAW/C/SMR/1-5).

Report

The Committee has before it the fourth periodic report of Afghanistan (CEDAW/C/AFG/4).

Presentation of Report

NASIR AHMAD ANDISHA, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, thanked the Committee for undertaking this exceptional process despite the extraordinary situation in Afghanistan, where dark clouds overshadowed the lives of women and girls. Afghanistan had ratified the Convention in 2003, without reservation, marking a landmark step forward for women’s rights in the country.

During the last review before the Committee in 2020, the delegation had been led by a woman from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, which had since been abolished from the Government and replaced by the Ministry of Virtue and Vice. Since August 2021, there had been over four years of systematic, widespread assault on every aspect of life of women and girls, a complete and total erasure and dehumanisation of women and girls in Afghanistan. The laws, policies and institutions that were once enacted to promote and protect women’s rights had been replaced with an intentionally designed edifice of oppression, including discriminatory edicts, decrees, declarations, orders, culminating in a so-called law on the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice.

Despite challenges in the preparation of the report, it aimed to provide a comprehensive and accurate account of the situation on the ground since 15 August 2021, reflecting an inclusive and participatory approach. The report strove to ensure the international community took effective action based on verified information by proposing concrete recommendations for the path forward. These recommendations aimed to offer hope, a vision, and a path forward towards the transformation of Afghanistan’s society through practical pathways for change in the lives of women and girls at a time when the Taliban de facto authorities had called the situation of women and girls an ‘internal’ matter”.

The Committee would hear how girls who still could attend school felt they needed to make the desperate choice to end their lives or were forced into marriage. The dialogue today aimed to fulfil Afghanistan’s commitment to the international system. Regardless of the Taliban’s approach, Afghanistan was taking its commitments to the international system seriously.

SIMA SAMAR, Former President of the National Human Rights Commission, said the dialogue today was exceptional. The staff of the Afghanistan embassy did not have to defend themselves regarding the implementation of the Convention in the country. The Committee and the Ambassador were on the same page. The situation in Afghanistan was exceptional. After the removal of the Taliban in 2001, use of the word gender apartheid had stopped, and everyone thought they would never have to deal with this regime again. Unfortunately, there was no other definition for what was happening in Afghanistan today.

Afghanistan had a unique situation. The de facto authority aimed to erase women from public life and put restrictions on women without accountability and justice; this was a key core of their policies. All protection mechanisms established over the past 20 years had been abolished by the Taliban. Afghanistan was the only Islamic country which had ratified the Convention without reservation. The normalisation of the present violations of the human rights situation in Afghanistan was a scary concept. The way Afghanistan now treated women led to a continuation of conflict.

FAWZIA KOOFI, Former member of the Afghanistan Parliament, thanked the Committee for listening to the women and girls of Afghanistan. The women before the Committee were in a unique and tragic position; they were here to represent a State but they did not have a State. It was emotional and heart wrenching. Since the Taliban returned to power, women had been systemically excluded from every sphere of political and public life. All mechanisms enabling women to participate in governance had been dismantled. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs had been abolished and replaced by the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, which used the police to supress women’s autonomy. Women had been entirely excluded from the civil justice system. Female prosecutors had been dismissed and faced security threats, particularly from former Taliban prisoners released on 15 August.

No female leaders were engaged in any decision-making processes at any level in Afghanistan. Women and girls were deliberately excluded from diplomatic negotiations and from international forums and engagements. Just one month after the Doha meeting, where no women were included, the law on vice and virtue was instigated, which effectively rendered women as second class citizens. Girls could not attend school after a certain age but could attend madrasa schools which promoted radicalisation. The Taliban needed to be held accountable for violations of the Convention.

SHUKRIA BARAKZAI, Former member of the Afghanistan Parliament, said today, Afghanistan was facing the worst system of gender apartheid. The de facto authorities had erased the legal identity of women and removed their presence from work and public life. These were clear violations of international law and the Convention. Yet despite this situation, Afghan women were showing resilience; their bravery must not go unnoticed. The Committee was urged to recognise gender apartheid as a grave violation of the Convention; hold the de facto authorities accountable for systematic discrimination; and to support Afghan women inside and outside of the country.

In Iran, Afghan women could not buy food or use their credit cards. Embassies had been shut down and were not providing simple documents. Recently, a new order was announced by the Taliban that female doctors and nurses could not go to their work without a male member of their family accompanying them (mahram). The Convention should not just be a Convention, but an obligation.

Questions by a Committee Expert

BANDANA RANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, extended profound appreciation to the women and girls of Afghanistan, whose voices continued to resonate across the world demanding justice. The dialogue transcended mere procedure; it unfolded against the stark reality of one of the gravest human rights catastrophes confronting women and girls. It was hoped that today’s exchange would prove constructive, anchored in mutual respect, steadfast commitment to strengthening accountability for the rights of Afghan women and girls.

Since the de facto authorities assumed control, Afghan women and girls had suffered an unprecedented and systematic obliteration of their rights. The prohibition of girls’ education beyond primary school, limitation to access to justice and healthcare, the wholesale exclusion of women from public and civic participation, and the systematic dismantling of constitutional protections constituted flagrant violations of the Convention’s fundamental principles.

The Committee bore a solemn obligation, a legal, international and moral imperative, to examine these developments with unflinching clarity and uncompromising resolve. The Committee remained steadfast in its openness to future engagement. To the de facto authorities, to States wielding influence, and to the international community at large: silence was complicity, not neutrality. It was hoped that today’s dialogue would serve to deepen the accountability of all stakeholders, and galvanise a renewed and unified commitment to restore the inalienable human rights of Afghan women and girls.

Since the takeover in August 2021, the de facto authorities had issued a sweeping series of edicts and decrees that institutionalised gender-based discrimination, directly violating article 1 of the Convention. This discrimination was systemic and far-reaching, affecting every aspect of public, political, social, economic and cultural life. Women and girls were barred from secondary and tertiary education, excluded from most forms of employment, severely restricted in their freedom of movement, and denied participation in political and public life. The Committee expressed its profound concern regarding these deep and entrenched violations. The abolition of Afghanistan’s 2004 Constitution, and the dismantling of key legislative protection, including the law on the elimination of violence against women, were grave violations of article 2. The inconsistent and opaque application of religious and customary law reinforced patriarchal norms, especially in areas such as family law, inheritance, and protection from violence, further entrenching gender inequality.

The Committee was deeply alarmed by the erosion of legal institutions and access to justice. The dissolution of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, closure of family courts, termination of women’s protection centres, and the cessation of legal aid services, dismantled essential accountability mechanisms for survivors of gender-based violence. Since August 2021, many non-governmental organizations had been forced to cease operations, suspend activities, or function underground. Women human rights defenders were subjected to arbitrary detention, harassment and threats.

Prior to the 2021 takeover, Afghanistan had adopted a national action plan on United Nations Security Council resolution 1325, establishing a foundational framework for women’s participation in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and reconstruction. This framework had now been dismantled. Afghanistan currently ranked last on the global women, peace and security index, reflecting the acute deterioration in women’s inclusion, access to justice, and personal safety. The Committee remained gravely concerned about the systematic and institutionalised discrimination endured by women and girls in Afghanistan, and urgently called upon the de facto authorities and the international community to intensify its efforts, and to uphold the rights of Afghan women and girls in compliance with the Convention.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had categorically rejected the Taliban’s assertion that its actions were based on Sharia law. The 2004 Constitution had been dismantled by the Taliban. Since August 2021, the Taliban had issued over 100 decrees which had the effect of segregating women and girls. Every new decree aimed to further oppress women. The Taliban had contravened every article in the Convention. In its recommendations to the international community, the Committee was urged to refrain from normalising the Taliban’s activities; ensure any engagement with the Taliban de facto authorities was contingent on respect for the human rights of all, and promoted an equitable gender government; recognise and codify gender apartheid as an international crime; and adopt a new legitimate Constitution through a consultative process, among other measures.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said the dismantling of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and replacing it with the Ministry of Vice and Virtue was a violation of article 3. The law on vice and virtue silenced women’s voices in public and muffled their voices in private. A March 2024 announcement enforced public flogging, and there had been numerous women publicly flogged for crimes ranging from adultery to dress code violations. The reinstation of the stoning edict constituted torture and violated the rights to women’s liberty. Impunity in the criminal justice system eroded international law. There were numerous punishments of women being beaten with whips, for cases such as making eye contact with men who were not family members.

The application by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for arrest warrants broke new grounds, marking the first time gender persecution had been charged as a standalone charge. Rape and other forms of sexual violence and forced marriage were violations of the Rome Statute. These crimes may rise to the level of what was increasingly being recognised as a form of gender apartheid, which must be codified in the draft Convention on crimes against humanity. All States parties were asked to amplify the voices of Afghan women.

Another Expert said the Committee expressed its deep concerns regarding the abolished efforts in the State party to increase women’s participation in public life through temporary special measures. Between 2001 and 2021, several special measures were introduced by the previous government with the goal of achieving greater equality for women. Among other policies, the election law reserved at least 25 per cent of the seats in each Provincial, District, and Village Council for female candidates. Such laws and policies managed to increase the representation of women in Community Development Councils to almost 50 per cent in 2019 and in civil service from almost zero per cent during the previous regime (1996–2001) to 28 per cent in 2020. Yet, since taking power in 2021, the de facto authorities had dismantled all measures and programmes aimed at eliminating gender-based prejudices and promoting equality.

The Committee called for all countries to employ whatever tools at their disposal to aid Afghan women and girls, including by putting in place special measures to deliver funding to local and international aid organizations, increasing quotas for resettlement of Afghani female refugees, and cooperating with neighbouring countries to ensure the safety of Afghani women in their territories.

Responses by the Delegation

The edicts imposed by the de facto authorities amounted to gender apartheid, the delegation said. The discrimination that women in Afghanistan faced was unparalleled globally. There were no laws ensuring human rights in the country. Women had been left to view these values as unattainable. The Taliban de facto authorities had stated that Sharia law was the applicable legal framework in Afghanistan. The Taliban had abolished mechanisms promoting gender equality, and projects promoting gender equality had ceased operations. All gender offices had been eliminated. Women were left with no legal recourse. Women faced considerable challenges to legal representation.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said Afghan women underwent the worst forms of violence. The Committee was alarmed by information provided by United Nations Women, including that instances of gender-based violence against women and girls had increased substantially. The decrees published by the de facto authorities had remained dead letters due to the culture of impunity surrounding these acts. These harmful practices did not respect the implementation of article 5 of the Convention and were flagrant violations of international law.

Another Expert said Afghanistan continued to serve as a transit and destination country for forced labour and sexual exploitation. Many women had been coerced into prostitution and forced marriage. There were now not merely inadequate trafficking efforts, but the creation of conditions which made trafficking inevitable. The December 2024 ban on women attending medical institutions had eliminated their last pathway to higher education. This systematic exclusion violated several articles of the Convention and created a desperate situation which drove women towards trafficking.

The criminalisation of trafficking victims was highly alarming. Women and girls could be charged for “zina” (sex outside of marriage) after being forced into trafficking. It was acknowledged that the de facto authorities issued a decree around trafficking, however, this decree was inadequate compared to previous legislative frameworks. The previous government’s efforts to coordinate trafficking efforts had been dismantled and there were no forms of victim identification. There could be no effective trafficking response without full restoration of women’s rights.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Islam and Sharia recognised and supported the rights of women and girls. The Taliban de facto authorities had weaponised their interpretation of culture and religion and systematically restricted every part of women’s lives. These interpretations undermined the agency of women and girls. Space for women was being limited under the pretence of “culture”. The term “gender apartheid” should be codified.

Women and girls made up the majority of trafficking victims inside and outside Afghanistan. The de facto authorities made no effort to stop these crimes; shelters had been shut down and systems to prosecute traffickers had been dismantled. Girls faced a higher risk due to being denied their rights to education. Many women were especially vulnerable, including those who were internally displaced. The recent statement by some countries in support of women in Afghanistan was welcomed. The Committee was urged to recommend that the international community took strong actions to protect women at risk. The right to live free from violence, exploitation and trafficking was not optional.

Digital abuse had not received proper attention, and this was something which needed to be addressed.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said previously, Afghan women had been active participants in politics, and by 2020 women comprised around one fifth of civil servants. However, even during this period of progress, women had faced numerous threats in political life. Women’s voices in peace processes remained largely ceremonial. Since August 2021, the erasure of Afghan women from public and political life was deeply concerning. The Expert condemned the dismantling of the Constitutional guarantee for 27 per cent of female political participation. Not a single women served in the de facto administration. This stance starkly contravened the Convention. The complete exclusion of women from the judiciary was extremely concerning.

Another Expert said the Committee was deeply concerned at the ongoing violations of Afghan women regarding their right to identity, including their inability to have access to identity documents. Women in Afghanistan could not register the birth of their children and had to rely on a man to do it for them. They were denied the possibility of transmitting their nationality to their children. This situation was complicated when it came to women in situations of heightened risk. The lack of civil documentation affected a high percentage of women, putting them at a major risk of ending up as a victim of human trafficking. There was a pressing need for States, multilateral organizations and those with a presence on the ground to work on a coordinated basis to support documents relating to civil documentation with a gender perspective. It was essential to roll out awareness raising campaigns targeting community and religious leaders.

BANDANA RANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee expressed concern regarding the exclusion of Afghan women from international discussions, including the Doha talks. Refugee and asylum-seeking women must have access to gender sensitive asylum procedures. All host and transit States were urged to uphold their obligations under the Convention.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said female representation across Afghanistan had previously been comprised of 35 per cent of women and was now at zero per cent. Now that public space was completely closed to women, this space was only provided by the United Nations. Recently, there had been reports that United Nations female staff were detained by the Taliban.

It was currently much more difficult for women in Afghanistan to receive a passport. If they were single, then they needed a man to go with them to apply. This had stripped women from fully enjoying their rights as country nationals. It was difficult to see the de facto authorities appointing females to represent Afghanistan on an international level.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said education was one of the most important conditions for securing women and girls’ rights to equality. Hence, it was deeply concerning that all eight sub-articles under article 10 were being violated by the State party. In 2017, more than one third of the student population were girls. The Constitution and national law provided the right to education without discrimination, and women regularly entered higher education. Following the de facto authorities order to close secondary schools in 2021, schools today remained closed. A shocking 30 per cent of girls in the State party did not even receive primary education. All Afghan women and girls were entitled to receive full education.

Another concern was that young boys and girls were sent to religious madrasas where the curriculum was aligned with the most extreme versions of Islam. The exclusion of half the population from education aimed to erase women and girls from public and intellectual life. These restrictions had led to a rise in early marriage and child labour, and deepened poverty in an already poor country. The de-facto authorities must reverse all education bans and allow girls to receive an education; there must be pressure from the international community to ensure this occurred.

BANDANA RANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said host countries were obliged under the Convention to ensure equal education opportunities for Afghan girls who were refugees.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the issue of education had been at the forefront of all of Afghanistan’s struggles and the international community’s demands. The international community had continually emphasised the need for schools to open, and now there was no hope this would occur. There were currently efforts to implement small-scale education programmes on the ground. This was better than nothing, but could not address a systematic ban and an increasing number of jihadi madrasas. In a few years, there would be female Taliban supporters leaving these institutions. There needed to be a mechanism to push the education project into Afghanistan, going over the Taliban’s restrictions, using technology.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert said the Committee expressed deep concern at the erosion of Afghan’s women’s right to work. Most female civil servants had been barred from returning to their jobs since the de facto authorities assumed power in 2021. In 2022, Afghan women were banned from working for non-governmental organizations, as well as United Nations organizations. The requirement for a male guardian had resulted in women being stopped from commuting to work all together. Women in formal labour dropped from around 14 per cent in 2021 to just five per cent in 2023. Women headed households had been disproportionately impacted by poverty. This was a national development crisis requiring urgent international action. The right to work was a core human right, fundamental to human dignity and social stability.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Taliban de facto authorities had banned women from working in non-governmental organizations. The loss of this infrastructure had most severely affected the country’s most vulnerable. Today the majority of Afghan women were excluded from income-generating activities. Unleashing women’s economic potential would unlock the future of the country. Excluding women had cost the Afghan economy almost a billion dollars. Previously, women had been very active in the private sector and in the civil service. It had been almost two years that women who had retired were not receiving their pensions, which made the situation even more difficult.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert said the Committee was concerned about the health situation of women in Afghanistan and their access to basic health services. The systematic restrictive measures taken by the de facto authorities had seriously impacted women’s access to health care. They faced greater barriers to accessing health care owing to scarce resources and cultural norms, which only allowed women to be treated by women. Afghanistan had one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, with around 625 deaths per 100,000 births. This rate was higher in rural and remote areas. Women had reported high rates of bad mental health and accounted for the majority of suicide attempts. The Taliban’s disregard of the health of women was a violation of the Convention. The de facto authorities must lift relevant restrictions to create a social and cultural environment conducive to women’s physical and mental health. It was also hoped that the international community would call on Afghanistan to rebuild its healthcare system and reintroduce the training of female health care professionals.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said access to health, and the reduction in maternal and child mortality had been areas where Afghanistan had made phenomenal progress before 2021. Unfortunately, the past four years of reversal had almost washed away all these achievements.

Reports of desperation, anxiety and suicide were widespread and worsening. No mental health support was available to women. The ability of women to access medical treatment had been severely constricted, as they were denied healthcare without a male guardian. Many women in rural areas died during childbirth due to a lack of resources. The number of female doctors and midwives had already been insufficient before the ban. The closing of midwife schools could mean that in 10 years, there would be no trained midwives. The Committee was urged to consider increasing offers to support medical and consulting services and create a safe space, shelter and support centre for those in exile.

Access to education was the strongest tool for empowerment; the Taliban was denying this access to restrict the empowerment of women and control them. The connection between health and education was undeniable, as education gave women and girls the opportunity to choose their profession and their lives. The radicalisation of girls in the family was also a frightening concept for the country.

Questions by a Committee Expert

An Expert said following the Taliban takeover, sanitation and water infrastructure in Afghanistan had collapsed, drastically impacting women and girls. The restriction of hammams had also restricted women’s hygiene.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the policies of the Taliban directly attacked the mental health of women in Afghanistan. Young girls also did not receive iron tablets from the schools under Taliban rule, and periods were considered taboo. Vaccinations had now been banned and Afghanistan was the only country with cases of polio.

Questions by a Committee Expert

An Expert said it was alarming that over 90 per cent of the population had been plunged into poverty. Women were banished from economic activity and struggled to meet basic needs. The economy had sharply declined. It was perturbing that only 6.8 per cent of women had a personal or joint bank account, compared to 21 per cent of men. There was grave concern that the lockout of women and girls from businesses had stifled the economy. The international community and private sector trading partners were urged to increase pressure to uphold women and girls as critical contributors to the economy.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said since the Taliban’s military takeover, all economic activity by women had ceased after it had been driven underground or was conducted by male intermediaries. Women-led households were confronting impossible choices, including forced marriage or the sale of children. Families were trading household belongings or their daughters for survival. There was no functioning social safety net; pensions had been stripped away. Women were increasingly barred from inheriting or owning land, homes or other assets. Over 40 public libraries and community art centres had been shut down since April. Female artists had fled to exile and those who remained lived in fear. Women’s access to financial resources needed to be enhanced, as did women’s access to cultural opportunities. These were essential to rebuilding Afghanistan.

Questions by a Committee Expert

An Expert said rural women no longer had access to land or credit and had been nearly totally erased from public spaces. The Committee was alarmed about the near collapse of maternal and reproductive healthcare in rural areas. Women with disabilities faced systemic neglect and heightened exposure to abuse. The Committee was also concerned about the forced and mass return of Afghan nationals from Iran and Pakistan since 2023. The plight of child widows and orphaned girls in rural regions was also alarming. This violation represented a widespread denial of the rights recognised under the Convention. Women and girls were also being excluded from technology, including artificial intelligence.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the discrimination faced by women in Afghanistan was even worse for rural women, and those from diverse ethnic groups. Women human rights defenders were especially at risk. Rural women were also hit harder by climate change and disasters, with no system to help them recover. The Committee was urged to ensure that women and civil society inside Afghanistan were able to participate in the development of strategies conducive to the Convention. Even a cell phone in Afghanistan was not considered personal property; all communications were checked. All Afghan women were facing the same type of discrimination, whatever their ethnicity, religion or where they lived. The Olympic Committee in Afghanistan was under the control of the Taliban; the Committee was called on to show support for Afghan athletes, who were largely based outside of Afghanistan.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert said the access of women to inheritance was an area where there had been modest progress. Courts were currently led by male religious leaders. Forced marriage and child marriage were other concerning areas. Divorce for women had become almost impossible in practice. Gender-based violence in Afghanistan had increased significantly in a context of impunity. The authorities were recommended to establish basic guarantees for women and girls in line with international human rights standards. The explicit prohibition needed to be outlined, and 18 needed to be laid out as the minimum age for marriage.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the arbitrary arrests of women human rights defenders and activists further undermined the Convention. Nearly 80 per cent of young women were now excluded from education and employment opportunities. As such, forced and child marriage increased significantly. Forced marriage denied women autonomy and led to gender-based violence and risk of death. The international community was urged to support grassroots organizations working for women’s equality, especially women-led organizations.

The decline of gender equality was a global trend. It was hard for Afghan women and girls to find their way; sometimes they were banned by their own international allies. How could the women make themselves relevant? The Committee had a huge responsibility in this regard. Due urgency had not been given while Afghanistan was losing generations of women. There needed to be space for the people of Afghanistan to create their own narrative for their country. Women should be put in the driving seat; they knew how to fix their country.

The Taliban had engaged in acts of polygamy with underage girls. They had cancelled all court orders for women seeking divorce. There was no longer a body to make law in Afghanistan and there was no Constitution. The Committee must be more than a monitoring body; it needed to be a defender of justice. Afghan women needed more than a statement; they needed action.

Closing Remarks

NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said every member of the Committee was concerned and stood in solidarity with Afghanistan. The Committee Experts did not represent Governments, but they could speak to all States parties. Within their limited authority and mandate, they were doing all they possibly could to carry the voices of the women in Afghanistan to those who could take action. It was frustrating when the Committee’s concluding observations did not translate into action. The action was not necessarily in the hands of the Committee, but they would pave the way for it. This had been one of the most important considerations of a country report. Ms. Haidar thanked all those from Afghanistan who came to share their views.

BANDANA RANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee would do everything within its mandate to improve the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. The Committee called on the de facto authorities to restore women’s rights as a matter of urgency, and for the international community’s support. Ms. Rana thanked all those from Afghanistan who had shared their experiences with the Committee.

SIMA SAMAR, Former President of the National Human Rights Commission, thanked the Committee for protecting women’s rights around the world. Having a lack of female representation was a threat to peace and security. Ms. Samar thanked the Committee Experts for their solidarity with the women of Afghanistan.

NASIR AHMAD ANDISHA, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said he appreciated the opportunity to engage with the Committee. The Committee had created a vital pathway to ensure the voices of Afghan women and girls were heard. Since August 2021, the situation for Afghan women and girls had deteriorated into a system of gender apartheid, which went against every article of the Convention. Afghanistan’s women and girls may be denied their dignity, but they were the strongest advocates of human rights.

The Committee was urged to expand its procedures in response to the situation in Afghanistan, including to cooperate with the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which allowed for individual complaints. States were urged to establish a gender response and accountability mechanism. The human rights system should improve coordination across the United Nations system, with a view to promoting and protecting human rights. It was time to listen, support and stand in solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan. They must be at the centre of every solution.

___________

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

CEDAW25.017E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: UN OCEAN CONFERENCE IN NICE (FRANCE) – PARTICIPATION OF PM FIAME NAOMI MATA’AFA

Source:

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[PRESS RELEASE] – Since Monday 9th June and until Friday 13th , more than sixty heads of state and government, including many leaders from the Pacific and Latin America, are meeting in Nice, on the French Riviera, for the 3rd United Nation Ocean Conference (UNOC3) aimed at better protecting an overheated, polluted and overfished ocean. This UNOC3 is co-chaired by France and Costa Rica.

The Samoan delegation is led by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa. Minister for Natural Resources and Environment Toeolesulusulu Cedric Pose Salesa Schuster is accompanying the Prime Minister.

Independently, the Apia-based Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has sent an important delegation to Nice.

This conference will lead to the adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan that will consist of a political declaration and a list of voluntary commitments from all stakeholders.

The priorities of this Conference were set out by the President of the French Republic at the “SOS Ocean” event in Paris on March 31 and include the entry into force of the International Agreement for the Protection of the High Seas and Marine Biodiversity (the so-called “BBNJ” Agreement), the decision to at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (Global Biodiversity Framework target 30×30), a declaration to fight against plastic pollution and the promotion of sustainable fisheries respectful of ecosystems, for our global food sovereignty.

Decarbonisation of maritime transport and supporting science and research to better understand the ocean are additional goals of this conference.

In his opening address, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that” While the Earth is warming, the ocean is boiling” He called for “mobilization”;, explaining that “The first response is therefore multilateralism,”.

“The climate, like biodiversity, is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of scientifically established facts,” he also insisted. Later on, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also took this view, denouncing “the threat of unilateralism” hanging over the oceans: “We cannot allow what happened to international trade to happen to the sea,” declared President Lula, calling for “clear action” from the International Seabed Authority, while Donald Trump plans to unilaterally authorize the industrial exploitation of minerals at the bottom of the Pacific.

President Macron also insisted that Greenland, which he is due to visit at the end of the week but is coveted by Donald Trump’s United States, was “not for sale.”

“The abyss is not for sale, and no more than Greenland is for sale, nor is Antarctica or the high seas for sale,” the French president declared.

Shortly after, UN Secretary General, who visited Samoa in 2024, declared that the deep seabed must not become a “Far West.” “I hope we can turn this around. That we can replace plunder with protection,” Mr Gutteres added.

Mr. Macron also assured that the High Seas and Marine Biodiversity (the so-called “BBNJ” Agreement) would be ratified by enough countries to enter into force. “In addition to the fifty ratifications already submitted here in the last few hours, fifteen countries have formally committed to joining them,” Emmanuel Macron declared.

Samoa is one of them. “This means that the political agreement has been reached, which allows us to say that this High Seas Treaty will be properly implemented. So it’s a done deal,” he added, without specifying a timeline. The treaty, signed in 2023, will enter into force 120 days after the sixtieth ratification. France initially hoped to obtain these sixty ratifications by the Nice conference.

Finally, several countries could also use the Nice summit to announce the creation of new marine protected areas or the banning of certain fishing practices, such as bottom trawling, in some of them.

France announced on Saturday, through Emmanuel Macron, a limitation of bottom trawling in its marine protected areas (MPAs) to preserve the seabed, but failed to convince NGOs, who criticized the “lack of ambition” of these announcements.

Many side events are also taking place during this week during this largest conference ever organized for the protection of the oceans.

Prime Minister Fiame addressed the audience in her capacity of a leader of an island country that is a victim of climate change, in particular the sea rise. Samoa has taken very strong decision recently in favour of the protection of the environment. And sent a good signal before the UN Conference of Nice, in adopting on 6 June its Marine Spatial Plan, a milestone step to fully protect 30 per cent (%) and ensure sustainable management of 100 per cent (%) of its vast ocean 120,000-square-kilometer ocean territory.

Doing such, Samoa became one of the first Pacific Island nations to adopt a legally binding plan.

END.

Photo credits: SPREP / French Embassy in Samoa).

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June 24, 2025

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected ketamine and suspected MDMA worth about $4.9 million at airport (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected ketamine and suspected MDMA worth about $4.9 million at airport (with photo)

Hong Kong Customs today (June 24) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport. About 10.4 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.1kg of suspected MDMA, with a total estimated market value of about $4.9 million, were seized.

A 27-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, Netherlands, today. During Customs clearance, the batches of suspected ketamine and suspected MDMA were found in his rucksack, carry-on travel bag and carry-on suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (June 25).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Ends/Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:00

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Challenging rhetoric from the Government of Skopje and the reaction of the European Commission – E-002474/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002474/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)

Recently, we have witnessed an unprecedented escalation of nationalist provocations from the Government of Skopje, with direct challenges to Greek history and the agreement they themselves signed. The policy of tolerance and equidistance that the European Union systematically demonstrates undermines its credibility towards its Member States and strengthens extremist voices in the Western Balkans. Greek citizens, but also the peoples who believe in the Europe of Nations and Fatherlands, demand clear answers:

1.How does the Commission intend to react to the escalating unacceptable rhetoric from Government officials in Skopje, which undermines stability in the region and offends the values and principles of the European Union?

2.Does the Commission consider that the public questioning of the historical and cultural heritage of Member States by political figures from non-EU countries is compatible with the obligation to respect the European acquis and good neighbourly relations, a prerequisite for the country’s progress towards Europe?

3.What specific actions does the Commission intend to take to protect the standing, sovereign rights and cultural heritage of Member States, such as Greece, when they are subjected to public insults and historical distortions by government officials of candidate countries?

Submitted: 18.6.2025
Last updated: 24 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Support for EU border regions and the impact of illegal immigration on quality of life – E-002473/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002473/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)

The proposal to allocate additional resources to EU border regions is confirmation of the serious pressures faced by local communities. However, the deterioration in quality of life and the increase in the cost of living are largely due to uncontrolled illegal immigration, a result of the Government’s inadequacy in protecting the borders and effectively managing immigration.

It is crucial that funding is not used to cover Government failures, but is directed exclusively to providing essential support to Greek citizens who are struggling.

In view of the above:

1.Recognising that EU border regions are under particular pressure, to what extent does the Commission attribute the deterioration in the quality of life, the increase in the cost of living and the degradation of social cohesion to uncontrolled illegal immigration?

2.How does the Commission intend to ensure that the additional financial resources do not simply cover the failures of Member State governments to manage illegal immigration, but are used exclusively to provide essential relief to local populations and restore public safety and well-being?

3.Will the Commission request specific data from Member States, such as Greece, on how illegal immigration affects daily life and the economic situation in local communities?

Submitted: 18.6.2025
Last updated: 24 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 25, 2025