NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government will allocate over 4 billion rubles for the purchase of agricultural machinery for leasing

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Documents

    Order dated March 27, 2025 No. 737-r

    Order dated March 27, 2025 No. 738-r

    The government continues to work on updating the agricultural machinery fleet and reducing the financial burden on farmers. More than 4 billion rubles will be allocated from the federal budget for the purchase of agricultural machinery, which will then be leased. The orders to this effect were signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

    The funds reserved in the federal budget are intended for Rosagroleasing. The decisions will allow for the purchase of various agricultural machinery. It will be transferred to farmers, including under preferential leasing agreements.

    In total, 4.5 billion rubles of budget investments are planned to be allocated for these purposes in 2025. This will allow purchasing at least 300 units of domestic agricultural machinery.

    Commenting on the decision taken at a meeting with deputy prime ministers on March 31, Mikhail Mishustin noted that this issue was discussed during the Government’s recent annual report to the State Duma.

    “It is important that farmers receive new machines as soon as possible. The demand for agricultural machinery is growing now, which means that the industry should not have a shortage of the necessary components for harvesting,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

    The work is being carried out within the framework of the state program “Development of industry and increasing its competitiveness.”

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saving money and improving recycling

    Alberta is entering a new era of recycling and waste management to keep more waste out of landfills. Starting April 1, Alberta’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) will begin reducing waste, improving recycling programs and saving communities and taxpayers money. The provincewide shift to EPR includes programs, services and communities transforming throughout 2025 and 2026, which will ultimately keep thousands of kilograms of waste out of Alberta landfills.

    “This new system will keep more waste out of landfills while saving communities and taxpayers money. And we’re doing it without creating more work or costs for Albertans or making them change their recycling habits.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “By working with industry, municipalities and provincial partners, we’ve created a made-in-Alberta EPR solution that helps advance our priority of responsible waste management. We’re grateful for the strong support of the Government of Alberta as we work together to grow our province’s circular economy through EPR.”

    Ed Gugenheimer, chief executive officer, Alberta Recycling Management Authority

    “The province made a wise decision with EPR. It is a big win for the economy, the environment, and a splendid example of how we achieve great things when municipalities and the province work together. Calgarians will see the benefits immediately in their blue cart fees, but all over Alberta people will get clearer recycling rules and less waste in their landfills. This is only the beginning of the good it will do.”

    Peter Demong, councillor, Ward 14, City of Calgary

    Reducing waste and improving recycling

    EPR shifts the financial burden of recycling single-use products away from municipalities and onto the companies that produce those packages and products. By making producers responsible, EPR encourages them to find new ways to reduce waste and design products that are more recyclable and reusable.

    Alberta’s EPR programs include thousands of different single-use products, packaging and paper, along with hazardous and special products like batteries and pesticides. Starting April 1, most municipalities, including all major Alberta cities, will operate under the new EPR programs, representing more than 90 per cent of Alberta’s population.

    Some municipalities need more time to transition and will join EPR in July, while a small number of communities will join in 2026 – some getting recycling service for the first time in their history.

    Saving money

    These new systems will centralize, standardize and streamline recycling among Alberta municipalities, which will help reduce costs in many cases.

    While each community is unique, many communities have already indicated that taxpayers will save money. For example, Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge have all recently publicly indicated that recycling fees can likely be lowered thanks to the new system.

    Alberta’s government and the Alberta Recycling Management Authority will continue working closely with producers and municipalities to help them implement the EPR programs.

    Quick facts

    • Albertans send 1,034 kilograms per person of waste to landfills annually – more than any other Canadian jurisdiction. The national average is 710 kilograms per year.
    • EPR has two programs that focus on two main types of waste materials:
      • Single-use products, packaging and printed paper.
      • Hazardous and special products like batteries or flammable materials.
    • As of March 17, 99 per cent of all curbside recycling contracts are in-place for the April 1 start date.
      • All First Nations and Métis communities have also been contacted and most have registered to participate in the October 2026 intake date.
    • The Alberta Recycling Management Authority, which has managed regulated recycling programs for used oil, paint, tires and electronics for more than 30 years, is overseeing the new EPR systems.

    Related information

    • Extended Producer Responsibility
    • Alberta Recycling Management Authority

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Health authority review launches to ensure support for front-line services

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Details about the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) appointees are as follows:

    Tim Manning has completed his term as board chair, as have board members Donisa Bernardo, Dianne Doyle, Sandra A. Martin Harris (Wii Esdes), Piotr Majkowski and Richard Short. Additional departing directors are, Dr. Morgan Price, Gary Caroline, Bill Chan, Julia Dillabough, Joanna Gislason and Gloria Morgan.

    The interim board of directors are:

    Maureen Maloney, OBC, KC, chair –

    Maureen Maloney is a professor at Simon Fraser University’s school of public policy and former dean of law and Lam chair in law and public policy at the University of Victoria. Maloney served as British Columbia’s deputy minister to the Attorney General from 1993 to 2000, and deputy attorney general from 1997 to 2000. She has been a member of the numerous boards, including the Canadian Human Rights Foundation, the International Commission of Jurists (Canadian Section), the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, and also served as a member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. She chaired the Province’s Expert Panel on Money Laundering in Real Estate from 2018 to 2019.

    Heather McKay –

    Heather McKay is a professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) where she is the Active Aging Research Team’s lead scientist. She has collaborated with the B.C. Ministry of Health for more than 15 years and leads a partnership between researchers, governments, health authorities and NGOs to enact Health Aging B.C. From 2006-16, McKay was the inaugural director of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, a multidisciplinary CFI centre funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. More recently, she co-led UBC’s Health Aging Research Excellence cluster. McKay leads an Implementation Science Team at UBC. Her work focuses on healthy aging research. She also holds a position on the editorial board of the scientific journal Implementation Research and Practice. She has received a CIHR Knowledge Translation Award, a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and has been inducted into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2018) in recognition of her academic scholarship and community engagement. 

    Tiffany Ma, CPA –

    Tiffany Ma is the associate deputy minister of the B.C. Ministry of Health. Since joining the BC Public Service in 2006, Ma has served in progressively senior capacities across several ministries, including as chief financial officer for the Ministry of Education. Prior to joining the Ministry of Health, Ma was the assistant deputy minister and deputy secretary to Treasury Board at the Ministry of Finance. Ma also served as a trustee on the Public Service Pension Board.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK statement in the Kimberley Process: March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UK statement in the Kimberley Process: March 2025

    The UK’s Explanation of Position during the adoption of the Kimberley Process Resolution (A/RES/79/275) General Assembly.

    The United Kingdom thanks the United Arab Emirates for bringing this important proposed resolution forward,

    The United Kingdom is a proud founding member of the Kimberley Process, and we are committed to its values and principles of accountability, transparency and collaboration.  

    As a tripartite body, we value the Civil Society Coalition, African Diamond Producers’ Association and World Diamond Council’s roles in the Kimberley Process because they all bring expertise that strengthens the body.

    The Civil Society Coalition elevates the voices of marginalised people, including in the extractives industry, and it is crucial for the Coalition’s voice to be engaged in the Kimberley Process’ decision making.

    Colleagues, the current definition of conflict diamonds is solely focused on rebel movements using revenue from rough diamonds to overthrow legitimate governments. This is not enough.

    Although the Kimberley Process has succeeded in many areas – we regret that to date, the Kimberley Process has not reached consensus in agreeing a broadened definition of conflict diamonds despite in 2012 agreeing that there is urgent need to agree a definition that captures the evolving nature of conflicts and realities on the ground.

    We reiterate the need for members of the Kimberley Process to work collaboratively and are pleased that it is in that spirit the resolution reiterates the pressing need for the Ad-Hoc Committee on Review and Reform to achieve consensus on a broadened definition of conflict diamonds.

    We look forward to continuing this dialogue.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Working visit of Alexey Overchuk to China

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On March 27–28, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk paid a working visit to the People’s Republic of China (Hainan Island), heading the Russian delegation at the annual Boao Forum for Asia.

    During his speech at the session “Creating favorable conditions for peaceful development and ensuring overall economic security,” the Deputy Prime Minister spoke in detail about the creation of international partnerships aimed at forming a reliable basis for sustainable economic growth in the Eurasian region, including the construction of transport and logistics systems and an independent payment infrastructure.

    Alexey Overchuk spoke about the initiative of the Greater Eurasian Partnership, put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which implies the interconnectedness of the economies of Eurasia and is based on the idea of economic security and integration.

    The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Northern Eurasia macro-region serves as an example of multi-level economic integration, where such associations as the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Commonwealth of Independent States operate.

    At the same time, in Asia there is the Chinese initiative “One Belt, One Road”, ASEAN, the Organization of the Gulf States and other organizations that unite the countries and regions of the global South. Many countries of Asia and Eurasia, including the three largest economies of the continent – China, India and Russia, participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. Russia and China are also members of APEC.

    The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the unification of these multilateral efforts will lead to the creation of the impetus needed to build a more sustainable future and socio-economic progress, develop and implement new technologies, increase economic connectivity, and strengthen intercultural communication in Eurasia.

    During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister held talks with Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Ding Xuexiang. During the conversation, it was noted that further development of strategic partnership in all sectors of the economy meets the interests of both countries. The trusting dialogue between the leaders of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, plays a decisive role in the development of Russian-Chinese cooperation. Mutual high-level visits are planned for the spring-autumn of 2025, timed to coincide with the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II.

    Alexey Overchuk emphasized that Russia is ready to jointly implement the agreements reached by the heads of the two states and continuously deepen Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction.

    “Russia and China need to expand trade relations, scientific and technical cooperation, and create new production and cooperation chains,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    During the talks, it was noted that China remains Russia’s main foreign trade partner. By the end of 2024, mutual trade approached the $245 billion mark. Over 95% of bilateral settlements are conducted in rubles and yuan.

    The parties are implementing joint projects in industry, energy, high technology, space, transport, automotive engineering and other sectors.

    Cultural and humanitarian ties are actively developing. The countries’ mutual interest in each other’s history, culture and traditions is high and continues to grow. The cross-cultural years of Russia and China are being held successfully, more than half of the 230 events of the Russian part have been held.

    Alexey Overchuk also invited representatives of the leadership and business community of the PRC to take part in international economic forums held in Russia – the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June and the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September 2025.

    Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Ding Xuexiang stressed that relations between China and Russia have become a model of cooperation between major neighboring powers, stating that Beijing, together with Moscow, is ready, in line with the important agreements reached by the heads of state of the two countries, to deepen political contacts and strengthen practical cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

    On the sidelines of the forum, Alexey Overchuk held talks with the Chairman of the Provisional Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus. During the meeting, it was noted that the countries are striving to strengthen friendly relations and develop trade and economic ties on a mutually beneficial basis. According to the results of 2024, mutual trade between Russia and Bangladesh amounted to 2.66 billion dollars.

    The parties discussed issues of cooperation in the fields of industry, energy, food security, and the cultural and humanitarian sphere. The Deputy Prime Minister noted the need to continue work to expand the regulatory framework for bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the importance of activating the format of the Russian-Bangladesh Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation for the development of bilateral relations.

    During the Russian-Pakistani meeting, which also took place on the sidelines of the forum, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk and Minister of Finance of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Aurangzeb considered priority issues on the bilateral agenda, including cooperation in energy and food security.

    The parties noted the active development of Russian-Pakistani cooperation. In 2024, a series of mutual visits took place between governments and parliaments.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who really killed Canada’s carbon tax? Friends and foes alike

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ryan M. Katz-Rosene, Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, with Cross-Appointment to Geography, Environment and Geomatics, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

    In his very first act as prime minister, Mark Carney did what critics had long demanded — he axed the federal carbon tax. Yet while Carney was the one who dealt the final blow, there were many who aided and abetted in its death.

    Since it was first proposed nearly a decade ago, the Liberal government’s keystone climate policy, the consumer carbon tax, became the target of both legal and political attacks. Nevertheless, these attacks were held at bay thanks in part to the 2021 Supreme Court ruling that upheld the constitutionality of carbon pricing and the Liberals’ success in maintaining power.

    The axing of the consumer carbon tax marks a major turning point in Canadian climate policy. It shifts the discussion from the effects of the fuel charge on household budgets to how to best compel large industrial emitters to reduce their climate impact in a swiftly evolving global trade context.



    Read more:
    The carbon tax needs fixing, not axing — Canada needs a progressive carbon tax

    The Liberals now propose instead a system of financial incentives for household-level purchases, while expanding the existing industrial pricing mechanism and potentially applying a carbon adjustment levy on imports from countries with lax environmental standards.

    The Conservatives, on the other hand, are vowing to do away with the industrial carbon pricing system, promoting clean tech innovation and manufacturing through financial incentives at the producer level, and offering greater autonomy to the provinces to set their own climate policies.

    Cost-effective, regressive

    The death of the consumer carbon tax serves as a predictable political tragedy in the Shakespearean sense of the word: widely regarded by scholars and other experts as a cost-effective and non-regressive tool to further reduce the carbon emissions, the tax ultimately fell to relentless populist attacks when its original proponents and supporters caved to this pressure.

    It’s useful to break down the various layers of support for — and opposition to — the tax to examine the role each played in its death.



    Read more:
    What the Supreme Court ruling on national carbon pricing means for the fight against climate change

    The most obvious contributors involved the political opponents of the Liberal Party and critics of former prime minister Justin Trudeau. This included not only the federal Conservative Party and provincial Conservative premiers, but also the rising anti-Trudeau populism that manifested early on, even before the tax’s introduction.

    These sentiments were seen in the Canadian Yellow Vests movement; “Wexit” and subsequently the so-called Freedom Convoy, which started as an anti-COVID-19 vaccine, anti-lockdown movement but morphed into a “carbon tax convoy” in the post-lockdown years.

    The role of inflation

    These populist movements were in part nourished by the Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre after he became leader in 2022, and helped drive further support for the party in the years to follow.

    Circumstantial factors — such as the global inflation crisis — played a key role too. By 2023, Poilievre capitalized on the first annual carbon tax rate increase to associate it with ongoing inflation, launching the widely popular “Axe the Tax” campaign.

    This campaign, bolstered by a significant amount of misinformation, played a significant role in driving popular discontent with the policy.



    Read more:
    The Canada Carbon Rebate is still widely misunderstood — here’s why

    Former allies

    In responding to this rising popular discontent, some of the federal Liberals’ allies and original supporters of carbon pricing also played a role in further weakening the policy.

    For instance, sympathetic provincial premiers who in principle supported federal climate policy began to distance themselves from the carbon tax. In 2024, Manitoba’s NDP Premier Wab Kinew, British Columbia’s NDP Premier David Eby, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Liberal Premier Andrew Furey and New Brunswick’s Liberal Premier Susan Holt all made public comments seeking an end (or an alternative) to the carbon levy.

    Yet the most significant loss of support from a former ally came when NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh withdrew the federal NDP from the supply-and-confidence agreement it made with the Liberals, citing concerns that the carbon tax was placing a burden on everyday working Canadians.

    This withdrawal of support put the government on track for either a non-confidence vote or prorogation, which in turn fuelled an even further slide in voter support for the carbon tax.



    Read more:
    What does the end of the Liberal-NDP agreement mean for Canadians?

    Party leadership

    It was the Liberal Party’s own inside leadership circle that dealt the final blows to the tax.

    Chrystia Freeland’s surprise resignation late in 2024 hastened Trudeau’s political downfall earlier this year. Both leading candidates to replace Trudeau — including Freeland herself and the eventual winner, Carney — centred their campaigns around bringing an end to the tax, noting how the policy was too divisive.

    Yet the Liberal leadership also made several strategic missteps in recent years that contributed to the demise of the tax.

    For one, the party’s 2023 exemption for heating oil undermined the credibility of the policy and gave rise to charges of regional favouritism. Similarly, the party’s consistently poor communications around the carbon tax rebate — including difficulties in properly labelling the reimbursement cheques sent to Canadians — was yet another self-inflicted wound.

    Policy death

    Six years after its introduction, the federal consumer carbon tax was scrapped — ironically by the very party that had championed it for years.

    Yet the list of those who aided and abetted includes a secondary group of previous allies and other entities who in recent years publicly turned their backs on the carbon tax. That eroded public support for a policy that was already facing concerted attacks from Conservative political opponents and growing anti-Trudeau populism.

    While the tax could conceivably be replaced by an equally effective tool, its repeal increases uncertainty about Canada’s ability to meet its already faltering international commitments to support climate change mitigation.

    Ryan M. Katz-Rosene receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Who really killed Canada’s carbon tax? Friends and foes alike – https://theconversation.com/who-really-killed-canadas-carbon-tax-friends-and-foes-alike-252364

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nuclear war threat: why Africa’s pushing for a complete ban

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olamide Samuel, Track II Diplomat and Expert in Nuclear Politics, University of Leicester

    At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, intensified by strategic dynamics involving the US, Nato and Russia over Europe’s security, nuclear weapons are back on the agenda.

    In recent times, Russia has openly threatened to use nuclear weapons. The UK and France are considering ways to rapidly increase their nuclear weapons stockpiles.

    Germany, Poland, Sweden, Finland, South Korea and Japan are now seeking nuclear weapons capabilities.

    Even a limited nuclear war in Europe would lead to catastrophic global climatic effects. Huge amounts of debris thrown high into the atmosphere would block sunlight, causing global temperatures to drop sharply. It would be much harder to grow food around the world.

    This would severely threaten Africa’s food security, exacerbating mass migration, disrupting supply chains and potentially collapsing public order systems.

    How should African countries respond to this growing threat?

    Based on my experience in nuclear non-proliferation and politics, I argue that African leaders need to proactively confront the risks, while there is still time.

    All African states, except for South Sudan, abide by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This is an international agreement which limits the spread of nuclear weapons. And 43 African states have gone further to join the African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba). This was negotiated in the belief that it would “protect African states against possible nuclear attacks on their territories”.

    As conflict and uncertainty pushes many western leaders to support the madness of nuclear weapons proliferation, African leaders are in a unique position to push back against this.

    Africa’s strength in numbers in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, also known as the Nuclear Ban Treaty, is a vehicle the continent can use to address nuclear weapons risks, head-on.

    Global divide

    On one side, nuclear-armed states cling to deterrence for their national security. They insist that possessing nuclear arsenals keeps them safe.

    At present, there are nine nuclear-armed states: the US, Russia, the UK, China, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. These countries possess around 12,331 nuclear warheads (as of 2025).

    The use of only 10% of these weapons could disrupt the global climate and threaten the lives of up to 2 billion people.

    On the other side, African countries and other non-nuclear-weapon states such as Ireland, Austria, New Zealand and Mexico highlight how deterrence creates unacceptable risks for the entire international community.

    This global majority – the 93 countries that have signed the Nuclear Ban Treaty and 73 that are party to it – argue that real safety comes from eliminating nuclear threats.

    The Nuclear Ban Treaty became international law on 22 January 2021. It is the first instance of international law challenging the legality and morality of nuclear deterrence.

    Since 2022, states parties to the Nuclear Ban Treaty have held formal meetings to address current nuclear risks. In March 2025, at their third meeting, 17 African states officially recognised nuclear deterrence as a critical security concern. They called on nuclear armed states to end deterrence.

    The deterioration of the international security environment is so palpable that there has been a noticeable shift in nuclear ban states’ perception of nuclear threats. Nuclear disarmament is no longer just a humanitarian or moral concern to these states, it is now a national security concern.

    South Africa warned that

    any use of nuclear weapons would result in catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would have a global impact.

    Ghana likewise stressed that Africa is not immune to nuclear war’s fallout:

    Africa, despite its geographic distance from the immediate hotspots of nuclear conflict, is not immune to the repercussions of nuclear weapons.

    Africa bears a unique historical connection to nuclear issues. Nuclear testing in the Sahara Desert in the 1960s, when France detonated nuclear bombs in Algeria, had devastating consequences. Widespread radioactive contamination harmed local communities, caused long-lasting health problems, displaced populations, and left large areas environmentally damaged and unsafe for generations.

    For its part, Nigeria recalled that Africa had “long acknowledged the existential threat nuclear weapons posed to human existence.”

    The meeting determined that it is unacceptable that states parties are exposed to nuclear risks, “created without their control and without accountability”. It stressed that eliminating nuclear risks “is a prime and legitimate concern and national responsibility” of states.

    Next steps

    Delegates effectively asked whether their own national security concerns had less value than those of nuclear-armed states. I think this is a valid question.

    Africa’s leaders and their allies in the Nuclear Ban Treaty are reframing what “national security” means in the nuclear age.

    Rather than accepting a world perpetually held hostage by the madness of nuclear deterrence, they are asserting that the security of nations – and of peoples – is best served by dismantling this threat to humanity.

    They are prioritising human life, development and international law over the threat of overwhelming force.

    The outcome of this contest will have profound implications, not just for Africa but for the entire globe.

    Olamide Samuel is affiliated with the Open Nuclear Network.

    – ref. Nuclear war threat: why Africa’s pushing for a complete ban – https://theconversation.com/nuclear-war-threat-why-africas-pushing-for-a-complete-ban-253171

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rwanda and Belgium are at odds over the DRC: what’s led to the latest low point

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jonathan Beloff, Postdoctoral Research Associate, King’s College London

    Rwanda’s foreign affairs ministry suspended all diplomatic relations with Belgium in March 2025. Soon afterwards, Belgium expelled Rwandan diplomats. This came weeks after Belgium had suspended foreign aid to Rwanda. At the root of this diplomatic fallout is the resurgence of the rebel group, March 23 Movement (M23), which has made recent military gains in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Prior to Rwanda suspending diplomatic relations, President Paul Kagame accused Belgium of continually undermining Rwanda. This deterioration in Rwanda-Belgium relations illustrates decades of the Kagame regime’s lack of trust in Brussels since the 1994 genocide. Jonathan Beloff, who has studied Rwanda’s political, security and foreign policies for nearly two decades, explains.

    What is the historical relationship between Rwanda and Belgium?

    Belgium is perhaps better known for having colonised the Congo. However, it also colonised present-day Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi.

    Belgian forces conquered Rwanda, a former German colony, in 1916 during the first world war. They got help from nearby British forces in Uganda. The Treaty of Versailles, which brought an end to the world war, officially transferred Rwanda and Burundi to Belgium’s colonial holdings.

    While Rwanda was never a significant interest for the Belgian colonial authorities compared to neighbouring Congo, Brussels nevertheless helped shape Rwandan politics, economy and society for decades.

    Rwanda’s current government claims that ethnic divisions of Hutu, Tutsi and Twa only came to the foreground during Belgian colonial rule, which ended in 1962. Before German and Belgian colonisation, Rwandan officials described these communities as socio-economic groupings rather than ethnicities. It was only with the introduction of ethnic identification cards in 1933 that these groups became intractable ethnicities.

    During much of its rule, Belgium used the existing political structures of kings, called Mwami, to carry out colonial policies.

    While a majority of Tutsis and Hutus suffered under these policies, Belgian officials often blamed the Mwami and his courts. The Mwami was often a Tutsi based on the number of cattle he owned. This led to a growing anti-Tutsi sentiment within the majority Hutu population.

    Eventually, it boiled over and led to the 1959 Hutu Revolution and the 1961 Coup of Gitarama. This anti-Tutsi sentiment established much of the political order following Rwandan independence in July 1962.

    What key moments have shaped the relationship?

    Prior to Rwandan independence, Belgium’s political allegiance shifted away from the mostly Tutsi Mwami and their power base to the growing Hutu movement. Under Rwanda’s Hutu leader and later first post-independence president Grégoire Kayibanda, Belgium began favouring Hutus. The community got increased education opportunities. Its leaders were given more say over post-colonial political events than the Mwami and his court.

    Rwanda-Belgium relations focused on promoting the majority Hutu population, despite some discontent from conservative, mostly Tutsi, actors. With independence, Belgium played an important but diminishing role. It did not provide the financial support Kigali wanted. In response, Kigali turned to France, whose influence grew significantly under President Juvénal Habyarimana (1973-1994).

    Despite their diminished state, relations between Rwanda and Belgium were still important. Belgium became the primary western nation to help provide stability in Rwanda during the waning years of the Rwandan Civil War (1990-1994), known locally as the Liberation War.

    A peace deal in 1993, called the Arusha Accords, between the Rwandan Patriotic Front and the Habyarimana regime paved the way for a UN mission. However, getting western nations to send soldiers for the mission proved difficult. This was after a peacekeeping disaster in Somalia (the Battle of Mogadishu) earlier that year. As a result, Belgium ended up providing the bulk of troops for the Rwanda mission.

    The assassination of Habyarimana on 6 April 1994 triggered the Genocide against the Tutsi. The UN mission’s commander sent a platoon to guard the home of prime minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana. The platoon had 10 Belgian and five Ghanaian soldiers. They were captured when Rwandan Presidential Guard officers stormed Uwilingiyimana’s home and killed her.

    The Ghanaian soldiers were released relatively unharmed, while the Belgian soldiers were killed at the Camp Kigali military base. The murders were intended to provoke the UN mission’s withdrawal from Rwanda. Belgian troops departed within the genocide’s first week. This allowed Rwanda’s genocide to run uninterrupted for 100 days until the Rwandan Patriotic Front stopped it in July 1994.

    Since the genocide, the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front has had a sceptical view of Belgium. In 2000, former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt apologised for Belgium’s failure to stop the genocide and for fostering ethnic divisions during the colonial period.

    Nevertheless, many Rwandan officials still believe Brussels hasn’t done enough to acknowledge its colonial record.

    What’s behind the current fallout?

    The current diplomatic crisis erupted because of accusations of Rwandan involvement in eastern DRC. UN experts’ reports have accused Rwanda of supporting the reanimated M23. The rebel group has captured large swathes of eastern DRC.

    Belgium has been leading calls for European sanctions against Rwanda for this involvement. However, Rwanda – which denies supporting the M23 – claims that Belgium’s accusations are aimed at gaining favourable mining rights in the DRC.

    Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating steadily in 2025. In February, Rwanda suspended a five-year (2024-2029) €95 million (US$102.8 million) deal. This was one of the largest aid deals between the two countries. In March, in addition to the suspension of diplomatic ties, the Rwanda Governance Board, which registers and monitors non-governmental organisations, placed restrictions on NGOs receiving financial support from Belgium.

    What’s the impact of this diplomatic falling out?

    Rwanda-Belgium relations have never broken down to the current level.

    It is unlikely to last in the long term. Like many other donor nations, Belgium needs Rwanda as a case study for proper aid utilisation and for its contribution to African peacekeeping.

    Rwanda is Africa’s most active troop-contributing country to UN missions and the fourth most active worldwide. Its primary political, security and economic allies remain the United States and the United Kingdom. While relations with these two nations are strained, they’re not at the level reached with Belgium.

    Nevertheless, the current state of affairs will continue in the near future unless the M23 is defeated. The only available avenues for quick restoration of relations are if Belgium apologises for seemingly siding with the DRC over Rwanda in the conflict in eastern Congo and repeats its apology for its colonial legacy. Neither of these options seems likely in the short term.

    Jonathan Beloff received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/W001217/1).

    – ref. Rwanda and Belgium are at odds over the DRC: what’s led to the latest low point – https://theconversation.com/rwanda-and-belgium-are-at-odds-over-the-drc-whats-led-to-the-latest-low-point-253349

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nuclear war threat: why Africa’s pushing for a complete ban

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olamide Samuel, Track II Diplomat and Expert in Nuclear Politics, University of Leicester

    At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, intensified by strategic dynamics involving the US, Nato and Russia over Europe’s security, nuclear weapons are back on the agenda.

    In recent times, Russia has openly threatened to use nuclear weapons. The UK and France are considering ways to rapidly increase their nuclear weapons stockpiles.

    Germany, Poland, Sweden, Finland, South Korea and Japan are now seeking nuclear weapons capabilities.

    Even a limited nuclear war in Europe would lead to catastrophic global climatic effects. Huge amounts of debris thrown high into the atmosphere would block sunlight, causing global temperatures to drop sharply. It would be much harder to grow food around the world.

    This would severely threaten Africa’s food security, exacerbating mass migration, disrupting supply chains and potentially collapsing public order systems.

    How should African countries respond to this growing threat?

    Based on my experience in nuclear non-proliferation and politics, I argue that African leaders need to proactively confront the risks, while there is still time.

    All African states, except for South Sudan, abide by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This is an international agreement which limits the spread of nuclear weapons. And 43 African states have gone further to join the African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba). This was negotiated in the belief that it would “protect African states against possible nuclear attacks on their territories”.

    As conflict and uncertainty pushes many western leaders to support the madness of nuclear weapons proliferation, African leaders are in a unique position to push back against this.

    Africa’s strength in numbers in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, also known as the Nuclear Ban Treaty, is a vehicle the continent can use to address nuclear weapons risks, head-on.

    Global divide

    On one side, nuclear-armed states cling to deterrence for their national security. They insist that possessing nuclear arsenals keeps them safe.

    At present, there are nine nuclear-armed states: the US, Russia, the UK, China, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. These countries possess around 12,331 nuclear warheads (as of 2025).

    The use of only 10% of these weapons could disrupt the global climate and threaten the lives of up to 2 billion people.

    On the other side, African countries and other non-nuclear-weapon states such as Ireland, Austria, New Zealand and Mexico highlight how deterrence creates unacceptable risks for the entire international community.

    This global majority – the 93 countries that have signed the Nuclear Ban Treaty and 73 that are party to it – argue that real safety comes from eliminating nuclear threats.

    The Nuclear Ban Treaty became international law on 22 January 2021. It is the first instance of international law challenging the legality and morality of nuclear deterrence.

    Since 2022, states parties to the Nuclear Ban Treaty have held formal meetings to address current nuclear risks. In March 2025, at their third meeting, 17 African states officially recognised nuclear deterrence as a critical security concern. They called on nuclear armed states to end deterrence.

    The deterioration of the international security environment is so palpable that there has been a noticeable shift in nuclear ban states’ perception of nuclear threats. Nuclear disarmament is no longer just a humanitarian or moral concern to these states, it is now a national security concern.

    South Africa warned that

    any use of nuclear weapons would result in catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would have a global impact.

    Ghana likewise stressed that Africa is not immune to nuclear war’s fallout:

    Africa, despite its geographic distance from the immediate hotspots of nuclear conflict, is not immune to the repercussions of nuclear weapons.

    Africa bears a unique historical connection to nuclear issues. Nuclear testing in the Sahara Desert in the 1960s, when France detonated nuclear bombs in Algeria, had devastating consequences. Widespread radioactive contamination harmed local communities, caused long-lasting health problems, displaced populations, and left large areas environmentally damaged and unsafe for generations.

    For its part, Nigeria recalled that Africa had “long acknowledged the existential threat nuclear weapons posed to human existence.”

    The meeting determined that it is unacceptable that states parties are exposed to nuclear risks, “created without their control and without accountability”. It stressed that eliminating nuclear risks “is a prime and legitimate concern and national responsibility” of states.

    Next steps

    Delegates effectively asked whether their own national security concerns had less value than those of nuclear-armed states. I think this is a valid question.

    Africa’s leaders and their allies in the Nuclear Ban Treaty are reframing what “national security” means in the nuclear age.

    Rather than accepting a world perpetually held hostage by the madness of nuclear deterrence, they are asserting that the security of nations – and of peoples – is best served by dismantling this threat to humanity.

    They are prioritising human life, development and international law over the threat of overwhelming force.

    The outcome of this contest will have profound implications, not just for Africa but for the entire globe.

    – Nuclear war threat: why Africa’s pushing for a complete ban
    – https://theconversation.com/nuclear-war-threat-why-africas-pushing-for-a-complete-ban-253171

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Rwanda and Belgium are at odds over the DRC: what’s led to the latest low point

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jonathan Beloff, Postdoctoral Research Associate, King’s College London

    Rwanda’s foreign affairs ministry suspended all diplomatic relations with Belgium in March 2025. Soon afterwards, Belgium expelled Rwandan diplomats. This came weeks after Belgium had suspended foreign aid to Rwanda. At the root of this diplomatic fallout is the resurgence of the rebel group, March 23 Movement (M23), which has made recent military gains in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Prior to Rwanda suspending diplomatic relations, President Paul Kagame accused Belgium of continually undermining Rwanda. This deterioration in Rwanda-Belgium relations illustrates decades of the Kagame regime’s lack of trust in Brussels since the 1994 genocide. Jonathan Beloff, who has studied Rwanda’s political, security and foreign policies for nearly two decades, explains.

    What is the historical relationship between Rwanda and Belgium?

    Belgium is perhaps better known for having colonised the Congo. However, it also colonised present-day Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi.

    Belgian forces conquered Rwanda, a former German colony, in 1916 during the first world war. They got help from nearby British forces in Uganda. The Treaty of Versailles, which brought an end to the world war, officially transferred Rwanda and Burundi to Belgium’s colonial holdings.

    While Rwanda was never a significant interest for the Belgian colonial authorities compared to neighbouring Congo, Brussels nevertheless helped shape Rwandan politics, economy and society for decades.

    Rwanda’s current government claims that ethnic divisions of Hutu, Tutsi and Twa only came to the foreground during Belgian colonial rule, which ended in 1962. Before German and Belgian colonisation, Rwandan officials described these communities as socio-economic groupings rather than ethnicities. It was only with the introduction of ethnic identification cards in 1933 that these groups became intractable ethnicities.

    During much of its rule, Belgium used the existing political structures of kings, called Mwami, to carry out colonial policies.

    While a majority of Tutsis and Hutus suffered under these policies, Belgian officials often blamed the Mwami and his courts. The Mwami was often a Tutsi based on the number of cattle he owned. This led to a growing anti-Tutsi sentiment within the majority Hutu population.

    Eventually, it boiled over and led to the 1959 Hutu Revolution and the 1961 Coup of Gitarama. This anti-Tutsi sentiment established much of the political order following Rwandan independence in July 1962.

    What key moments have shaped the relationship?

    Prior to Rwandan independence, Belgium’s political allegiance shifted away from the mostly Tutsi Mwami and their power base to the growing Hutu movement. Under Rwanda’s Hutu leader and later first post-independence president Grégoire Kayibanda, Belgium began favouring Hutus. The community got increased education opportunities. Its leaders were given more say over post-colonial political events than the Mwami and his court.

    Rwanda-Belgium relations focused on promoting the majority Hutu population, despite some discontent from conservative, mostly Tutsi, actors. With independence, Belgium played an important but diminishing role. It did not provide the financial support Kigali wanted. In response, Kigali turned to France, whose influence grew significantly under President Juvénal Habyarimana (1973-1994).

    Despite their diminished state, relations between Rwanda and Belgium were still important. Belgium became the primary western nation to help provide stability in Rwanda during the waning years of the Rwandan Civil War (1990-1994), known locally as the Liberation War.

    A peace deal in 1993, called the Arusha Accords, between the Rwandan Patriotic Front and the Habyarimana regime paved the way for a UN mission. However, getting western nations to send soldiers for the mission proved difficult. This was after a peacekeeping disaster in Somalia (the Battle of Mogadishu) earlier that year. As a result, Belgium ended up providing the bulk of troops for the Rwanda mission.

    The assassination of Habyarimana on 6 April 1994 triggered the Genocide against the Tutsi. The UN mission’s commander sent a platoon to guard the home of prime minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana. The platoon had 10 Belgian and five Ghanaian soldiers. They were captured when Rwandan Presidential Guard officers stormed Uwilingiyimana’s home and killed her.

    The Ghanaian soldiers were released relatively unharmed, while the Belgian soldiers were killed at the Camp Kigali military base. The murders were intended to provoke the UN mission’s withdrawal from Rwanda. Belgian troops departed within the genocide’s first week. This allowed Rwanda’s genocide to run uninterrupted for 100 days until the Rwandan Patriotic Front stopped it in July 1994.

    Since the genocide, the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front has had a sceptical view of Belgium. In 2000, former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt apologised for Belgium’s failure to stop the genocide and for fostering ethnic divisions during the colonial period.

    Nevertheless, many Rwandan officials still believe Brussels hasn’t done enough to acknowledge its colonial record.

    What’s behind the current fallout?

    The current diplomatic crisis erupted because of accusations of Rwandan involvement in eastern DRC. UN experts’ reports have accused Rwanda of supporting the reanimated M23. The rebel group has captured large swathes of eastern DRC.

    Belgium has been leading calls for European sanctions against Rwanda for this involvement. However, Rwanda – which denies supporting the M23 – claims that Belgium’s accusations are aimed at gaining favourable mining rights in the DRC.

    Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating steadily in 2025. In February, Rwanda suspended a five-year (2024-2029) €95 million (US$102.8 million) deal. This was one of the largest aid deals between the two countries. In March, in addition to the suspension of diplomatic ties, the Rwanda Governance Board, which registers and monitors non-governmental organisations, placed restrictions on NGOs receiving financial support from Belgium.

    What’s the impact of this diplomatic falling out?

    Rwanda-Belgium relations have never broken down to the current level.

    It is unlikely to last in the long term. Like many other donor nations, Belgium needs Rwanda as a case study for proper aid utilisation and for its contribution to African peacekeeping.

    Rwanda is Africa’s most active troop-contributing country to UN missions and the fourth most active worldwide. Its primary political, security and economic allies remain the United States and the United Kingdom. While relations with these two nations are strained, they’re not at the level reached with Belgium.

    Nevertheless, the current state of affairs will continue in the near future unless the M23 is defeated. The only available avenues for quick restoration of relations are if Belgium apologises for seemingly siding with the DRC over Rwanda in the conflict in eastern Congo and repeats its apology for its colonial legacy. Neither of these options seems likely in the short term.

    – Rwanda and Belgium are at odds over the DRC: what’s led to the latest low point
    – https://theconversation.com/rwanda-and-belgium-are-at-odds-over-the-drc-whats-led-to-the-latest-low-point-253349

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Peters, and Murkowski Introduce Resolution to Preserve Independent USPS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    03.28.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced a bipartisan resolution to support the independence and critical public service mission of the United States Postal Service, emphasizing the essential role the Postal Service has played in connecting and serving Americans, especially in rural communities. Sens. Sullivan and Peters were joined in introducing the resolution by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

    “In a state as vast as ours, with many remote communities only accessible by air or water, the USPS serves as an essential government agency that keeps postal services affordable for Alaskans,” Senator Sullivan said. “The Bypass Mail program—a lifeline for Rural Alaska that I have fought for since becoming a senator—allows the USPS to fulfill its universal service obligation to deliver goods and services to even the most remote parts of our state. I will forcefully oppose any action that threatens that program. I am glad to work with my colleagues from other rural states on this resolution to oppose the privatization of the Postal Service and ensure that this critical agency remains focused on its statutory requirement to reliably deliver mail to every household, no matter how remote.”  

    “Federal statute has long recognized that the Postal Service’s core purpose is ‘to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people.’ In Alaska, where most communities are unconnected by road and where internet connectivity—when available—is often unreliable or prohibitively expensive, we rely on the USPS to deliver vital basic necessities, whether that is food, medicine, election ballots, spare parts, store inventory, or subsistence supplies,” said Senator Murkowski. “I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution again to reaffirm the significance of the United States Postal Service as an independent establishment of the Federal Government and to reject its privatization.”

    “For more than 250 years, the Postal Service has been a cornerstone of our nation, connecting every household and business across the country,” said Senator Peters. “Any efforts to undermine the Postal Service’s independence or privatize it would jeopardize affordable, universal mail service and harm the millions of Americans—especially veterans, small business owners, and rural communities—who rely on the Postal Service every day. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to keeping the Postal Service independent and self-sustaining, ensuring it continues to serve as a vital lifeline for all Americans.”

    “The privatization of the United States Postal Service would be devastating to Alaskans not only in remote communities, but throughout the state. The Postal Service currently serves all Alaskans, regardless of where they live. It serves many areas of the state that are not profitable for other shippers. If the Postal Service is privatized, it will significantly increase shipping costs throughout the state and be devastating to Alaska’s economy. All Alaska letter carriers of the National Association of Letter Carriers stands by Senator Sullivan in his efforts to keep the Postal Service a public service to all Alaskans,” said Chris Crutchfield, Alaska State Chair for the National Association of Letter Carriers.

    The full text of the resolution can be found here.

    BACKGROUND

    Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its dedicated postal workforce have performed the essential government function of “providing postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people” and “rendering postal services to all communities” (39 USC 101). Across the nation today, 630,000 postal employees deliver the mail to more than 168 million residential and business customers, six days a week. The Postal Service is consistently the highest-rated government agency in nonpartisan opinion polls. It also plays a crucial role in our national security, protecting us from mail-borne threats.

    In support of the Postal Service, this bipartisan resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure the Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization. The resolution also recognizes:

    • The Postal Service is at the center of the $1.9 trillion mailing industry, which employs 7.9 million people in the United States.
    • The Postal Service is a self-sustaining, independent establishment that relies on revenue derived from the sale of postal services and products, not on taxpayer funds.
    • The Postal Service maintains an affordable and universal network, connecting rural, suburban, and urban communities.
    • Postal Service employees, including over 73,000 military veterans, are dedicated public servants who serve as the eyes and ears of our communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski, Bennet Urge Trump Administration to Reinstate Critical Protections for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    03.27.25

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to express bipartisan concern following EOIR’s decision to rescind the 2023 Memorandum on Children’s Cases in Immigration Court and reinstate 2017 guidelines. This decision weakens critical protections for unaccompanied migrant children, increases inefficiencies in the immigration court system, and risks higher levels of child trafficking and exploitation.

    “The 2023 memorandum established specialized juvenile dockets with dedicated judges, child-appropriate court practices, and stronger safeguards against trafficking. It also improved address verification to reduce procedural errors that often lead to removal orders for children who never received proper notice of their hearings,” wrote Murkowski and Bennet .

    In their letter, the senators express concern that reverting to the 2017 guidelines undermines important safeguards, increases case backlogs, and weakens protections. It also reintroduces a tone of suspicion toward unaccompanied minors rather than recognizing their vulnerabilities and need for fair proceedings.

    “EOIR must ensure that immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children remain fair, efficient, and protective against trafficking. This includes maintaining specialized juvenile dockets, strengthening interagency coordination, and preserving procedures that prevent unnecessary delays and due process failures,” continued the senators. 

    In 2023, Murkowski and Bennet introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a dedicated Children’s Court within EOIR. The legislation would combat the immigration court backlog and strengthen due process rights for unaccompanied migrant children. 

    The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

    Dear Acting Director Owen:

    We write with deep concern over the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s decision to rescind the Director’s 2023 Memorandum on Children’s Cases in Immigration Court (DM 24-01) and reinstate the 2017 Guidelines. This decision weakens critical protections for unaccompanied children, increases inefficiencies in the immigration court system, and risks greater trafficking and exploitation.

    The 2023 memorandum established specialized juvenile dockets with dedicated judges, child-appropriate court practices, and stronger safeguards against trafficking. It also improved address verification to reduce procedural errors that often lead to removal orders for children who never received proper notice of their hearings. At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security committed to training government attorneys to identify trafficking indicators and assess legal relief options for children.

    Reverting to the 2017 guidelines undermines these safeguards, increases case backlogs, and weakens protections under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008. It also reintroduces a tone of suspicion toward unaccompanied minors rather than recognizing their vulnerabilities and need for fair proceedings. EOIR must ensure that immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children remain fair, efficient, and protective against trafficking. This includes maintaining specialized juvenile dockets, strengthening interagency coordination, and preserving procedures that prevent unnecessary delays and due process failures.

    Congress has long recognized the need for reforms that balance efficiency with fairness. That’s why we introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a dedicated Children’s Court within EOIR. This legislation would ensure trained judges oversee these cases with the expertise and resources they require. We urge EOIR to consider these principles moving forward.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pub-owning businesses agree minimum standards for tenants on short agreements

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Pub-owning businesses agree minimum standards for tenants on short agreements

    The 6 regulated pub-owning businesses have worked together with the PCA to agree minimum standards in dealing with tied tenants on short agreements over and above what the Pubs Code requires.

    A tenancy at will or short agreement is often used by pub companies to enable a tenant to begin operating a pub while a longer-term agreement is finalised. Such an agreement can provide an opportunity for both parties to understand whether the business relationship will work, and it can be a good introduction to the trade for a new operator.

    If the business relationship is going to develop well, it is vital that the operator on a short agreement gets off to the right start. These transparent minimum standards for dealing fairly with tenants on short agreements can support them in their businesses.

    Most rights in the Pubs Code do not apply to tenants on short agreements. However, those entering into such an agreement do have the right to certain information from their pub company and must be advised to complete pubs entry training unless they have certain business experience. A short agreement under the Pubs Code is a tied agreement which is either a tenancy at will or a tied tenancy which (when considered together with any other agreements) entitles the tenant to occupy the pub for under 12 months.

    Using the relevant Pubs Code rights of tenants on substantive agreements as a guide, the pub companies regulated under the Pubs Code have worked together with the PCA to agree minimum standards. While largely reflecting existing business practices, these standards provide clarity to those entering into a short agreement on what they can expect from their pub company in addition to what the Pubs Code requires.

    Fiona Dickie said:

    “Everyone wants tied tenants to do well, and getting off to a strong start is essential. Those on tenancies at will and other short agreements are entitled to be treated fairly. It is particularly important that they should be advised not to invest their own money in the pub when on agreements which can be terminated at short notice. I’m pleased that the regulated pub companies have agreed to a consistent set of minimum standards to reflect their business practices over and above what the Pubs Code requires them to do. This should help tied tenants to understand what they can expect from their relationship with them”.

    The short agreements minimum standards document can be found here: Short agreements – minimum standards (March 2025) – GOV.UK

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Parliamentary secretary’s statement on Transgender Day of Visibility

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity, has released the following statement in honour of Transgender Day of Visibility:

    “Every year on March 31, B.C. celebrates Transgender Day of Visibility and the achievements and contributions of transgender, gender-diverse, and Two-Spirit people.

    “This day of recognition was started in 2010 by Rachel Crandall-Crocker to shift the focus away from the violence and the devastating impacts of transphobia on trans people’s lives and to uplift the many positive stories about the trans community.

    “It is important to recognize the contributions of transgender, gender-diverse, and Two-Spirit people. That’s why today, we recognize the more than 18,000 British Columbians who identify as transgender, gender-diverse, or Two-Spirit. They are our friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues, and today we celebrate them.

    “Transgender Day of Visibility is important because everyone benefits when we can all be our most authentic selves and be seen and loved for who we really are. B.C. is a diverse province and visibility matters, because everyone has the right to see themselves represented in our communities and our society. 

    “The University of Victoria hosts the world’s largest Transgender Archives, which span more than 120 years of records, including materials in 15 languages, from 23 countries and six continents. The Transgender Archives play an important role in preserving and highlighting trans history, and are a reminder that transgender, gender-diverse, and Two-Spirit people have always been here, and will always continue to be.

    “On this Transgender Day of Visibility, I invite all British Columbians to join me in celebrating and uplifting the transgender, gender-diverse, and Two-Spirit people from our communities, and working hard every day to make sure that transphobia, discrimination, and hate have no place in B.C.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Dan Goldman’s Op-Ed in the Daily News: Brooklyn Marine Terminal Reborn – After Years of Decay it’s Time for a Revived Port and Housing

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    New York, NY – Yesterday, the New York Daily News published an op-ed from Rep. Dan Goldman (NY-10) on his support for the draft master plan for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal that has been developed by the City, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force. Text of the op-ed is available online here and below:  

    As New York looks to its future, it must grapple with a dramatically rising cost of living, critical resilience needs for the escalating threat of climate change, crippling congestion in last-mile communities, and the need for innovative economic and workforce development to provide more jobs to communities around the city that are getting left behind. 

    At the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Red Hook, the city, state and federal government are nearing completion of a planning process that presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address all of the above. 

    For the past eight months, a partnership among the city, the state, and 28 Task Force members made up of elected officials, community based organizations, regional planning experts, and local residents has been busy. 

    Read the full op-ed here.  

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa’s data workers are being exploited by foreign tech firms – 4 ways to protect them

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mohammad Amir Anwar, Senior Lecturer in African Studies and International Development, University of Edinburgh

    Data workers in Africa often have a hard time. They face job insecurities – including temporary contracts, low pay, arbitrary dismissal and worker surveillance – and alarming physical and psychological health risks. The consequences of their work can include exhaustion, burnout, mental health strain, chronic stress, vertigo and weakening of eyesight.

    Data work includes text prediction, image and video annotation, speech to text validation and content moderation.

    The world of data work is built on labour arbitrage – exploiting the fact that workers earn less and have less protection in some countries than in others.

    Large technology firms often outsource this work to the global south, including African countries like Kenya, Uganda and Madagascar, and also India and Venezuela. The result is complex production networks that are generally opaque and shrouded in secrecy.

    Workers and researchers have issued many warnings about data workers’ health. Despite numerous court cases in multiple jurisdictions, nothing much has been done to address these issues either by tech companies or by regulators.

    Read more: For workers in Africa, the digital economy isn’t all it’s made out to be

    Still, the news of the death of a Nigerian content moderator, Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, who was found dead in her apartment in Nairobi, Kenya on 7 March 2025, came as a shock. While the circumstances of her death are still unclear, it has renewed calls for wider systemic change. Her death has sparked condemnation from the Kenyan Union of Gig Workers, which demanded an investigation.

    Since 2015, we have been studying the central role of African data workers in building and maintaining artificial intelligence (AI) systems, acting as “data janitors”. Our research found that companies rarely acknowledge the use of human workers in AI value chains, thus they remain “hidden” from the public eye. In other words, the world of AI is built on the toil of human workers most people are unaware of.

    In this article, we outline key steps needed to protect these data workers in Africa. They include business process outsourcing regulations, ensuring quality rather than quantity of jobs, and providing social protection. There is also a need to name and shame companies that maltreat data workers.

    Data work needs tighter regulation.

    Read more: Digital labour platforms subject global South workers to ‘algorithmic insecurity’

    Regulation

    Business process outsourcing is the practice of procuring various processes or operations from external suppliers or vendors. Firms that do this are sometimes trying to evade local regulations (like minimum wages) and responsibility towards workers’ welfare (via sub-contracting and the use of temporary employment agencies).

    This is happening in Africa as some data training firms and digital labour platforms circumvent local labour laws.

    But there is more to the story.

    Data work is also seen by lawmakers and practitioners as a solution to the rampant unemployment and informality across Africa. African governments have actively created regulatory environments that enable these practices to thrive, despite adverse outcomes for workers.

    Nonetheless, new regulations have been proposed lately, like the Kenyan government’s Business Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024 targeting the wider business process outsourcing and IT-enabled services sector. Particularly, it makes business process outsourcing firms responsible for any claim raised by employees. It ensures some accountability for firms bringing data work to Africa.

    Other governments should follow with similar measures ensuring worker rights are enforceable. Some data workers are hired on contracts as short as five days and get paid less than the local minimum wage. Firms found violating labour standards should be penalised.

    In fact, there is an urgent need to create regional or continent-wide regulatory frameworks covering the business process outsourcing sector, limiting the space for firms to exploit workers.

    It’s possible, however, that jobs might be lost as firms relocate to places with favourable laws, an everyday reality in the outsourcing networks.

    Read more: Most call centre jobs are a dead end for South Africa’s youth

    Quality, not quantity

    African governments should prioritise the quality of jobs and not quantity. Policymakers should think about wider national economic development plans, particularly structural diversification and upgrading of their economies.

    Historically, these strategies have resulted in success in some states, addressing social and economic issues such as unemployment, poverty and inequality.

    Another option for African governments is to enhance social protection among data workers. Financing this is a serious issue, so proper taxation and compliance among workers and employers is urgently needed.

    Finally, there is a role for naming and shaming firms that treat their data workers poorly. There is evidence that such efforts improve compliance and firms’ behaviour.

    Read more: Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

    Worker movements

    African data workers have taken risks in openly speaking about their experiences. But these kinds of approaches work well when combined with collective bargaining.

    Workers have historically won their labour and civil rights after long and hard-fought struggles. There is a long history of African worker movements and trade unions resisting the apartheid and colonial regimes across the continent.

    While the freedom of association is enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and most governments have legislation committed to collective bargaining, it is rarely implemented in the new outsourcing sectors, particularly data work.

    It is also difficult to organise workers in the industry, because of the high churn rate. For instance, data training firms like Sama offer short-term contracts to employees, often as short as five days.

    Some firms are hostile to workers’ organising activities.

    But numerous data worker-led associations have emerged in Africa recently, some led by the co-authors of this article. Techworker Community Africa, African Tech Workers Rising, African Content Moderators Unions and Data Labelers Association are among them.

    These initiatives are crucial to ensure workers have decent remuneration, work-life balance, adequate working hours, protection against arbitrary dismissal, safe working environments, and contributions towards their health and welfare.

    Several high-profile court cases are currently being pursued by African data workers against Meta and Sama. There is precedent. In 2021. Meta was ordered by a Californian court to pay US$85 million to 10,000 content moderators.

    AI-dependent tools such as ChatGPT or driverless cars would not exist without African data workers. They are tired of being “hidden”. They deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

    Mophat Okinyi, Kauna Malgwi, Sonia Kgomo and Richard Mathenge co-authored this article.

    – Africa’s data workers are being exploited by foreign tech firms – 4 ways to protect them
    – https://theconversation.com/africas-data-workers-are-being-exploited-by-foreign-tech-firms-4-ways-to-protect-them-252957

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Africa’s data workers are being exploited by foreign tech firms – 4 ways to protect them

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mohammad Amir Anwar, Senior Lecturer in African Studies and International Development, University of Edinburgh

    Data workers in Africa often have a hard time. They face job insecurities – including temporary contracts, low pay, arbitrary dismissal and worker surveillance – and alarming physical and psychological health risks. The consequences of their work can include exhaustion, burnout, mental health strain, chronic stress, vertigo and weakening of eyesight.

    Data work includes text prediction, image and video annotation, speech to text validation and content moderation.

    The world of data work is built on labour arbitrage – exploiting the fact that workers earn less and have less protection in some countries than in others.

    Large technology firms often outsource this work to the global south, including African countries like Kenya, Uganda and Madagascar, and also India and Venezuela. The result is complex production networks that are generally opaque and shrouded in secrecy.

    Workers and researchers have issued many warnings about data workers’ health. Despite numerous court cases in multiple jurisdictions, nothing much has been done to address these issues either by tech companies or by regulators.



    Read more:
    For workers in Africa, the digital economy isn’t all it’s made out to be

    Still, the news of the death of a Nigerian content moderator, Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, who was found dead in her apartment in Nairobi, Kenya on 7 March 2025, came as a shock. While the circumstances of her death are still unclear, it has renewed calls for wider systemic change. Her death has sparked condemnation from the Kenyan Union of Gig Workers, which demanded an investigation.

    Since 2015, we have been studying the central role of African data workers in building and maintaining artificial intelligence (AI) systems, acting as “data janitors”. Our research found that companies rarely acknowledge the use of human workers in AI value chains, thus they remain “hidden” from the public eye. In other words, the world of AI is built on the toil of human workers most people are unaware of.

    In this article, we outline key steps needed to protect these data workers in Africa. They include business process outsourcing regulations, ensuring quality rather than quantity of jobs, and providing social protection. There is also a need to name and shame companies that maltreat data workers.

    Data work needs tighter regulation.



    Read more:
    Digital labour platforms subject global South workers to ‘algorithmic insecurity’

    Regulation

    Business process outsourcing is the practice of procuring various processes or operations from external suppliers or vendors. Firms that do this are sometimes trying to evade local regulations (like minimum wages) and responsibility towards workers’ welfare (via sub-contracting and the use of temporary employment agencies).

    This is happening in Africa as some data training firms and digital labour platforms circumvent local labour laws.

    But there is more to the story.

    Data work is also seen by lawmakers and practitioners as a solution to the rampant unemployment and informality across Africa. African governments have actively created regulatory environments that enable these practices to thrive, despite adverse outcomes for workers.

    Nonetheless, new regulations have been proposed lately, like the Kenyan government’s Business Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024 targeting the wider business process outsourcing and IT-enabled services sector. Particularly, it makes business process outsourcing firms responsible for any claim raised by employees. It ensures some accountability for firms bringing data work to Africa.

    Other governments should follow with similar measures ensuring worker rights are enforceable. Some data workers are hired on contracts as short as five days and get paid less than the local minimum wage. Firms found violating labour standards should be penalised.

    In fact, there is an urgent need to create regional or continent-wide regulatory frameworks covering the business process outsourcing sector, limiting the space for firms to exploit workers.

    It’s possible, however, that jobs might be lost as firms relocate to places with favourable laws, an everyday reality in the outsourcing networks.



    Read more:
    Most call centre jobs are a dead end for South Africa’s youth

    Quality, not quantity

    African governments should prioritise the quality of jobs and not quantity. Policymakers should think about wider national economic development plans, particularly structural diversification and upgrading of their economies.

    Historically, these strategies have resulted in success in some states, addressing social and economic issues such as unemployment, poverty and inequality.

    Another option for African governments is to enhance social protection among data workers. Financing this is a serious issue, so proper taxation and compliance among workers and employers is urgently needed.

    Finally, there is a role for naming and shaming firms that treat their data workers poorly. There is evidence that such efforts improve compliance and firms’ behaviour.



    Read more:
    Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

    Worker movements

    African data workers have taken risks in openly speaking about their experiences. But these kinds of approaches work well when combined with collective bargaining.

    Workers have historically won their labour and civil rights after long and hard-fought struggles. There is a long history of African worker movements and trade unions resisting the apartheid and colonial regimes across the continent.

    While the freedom of association is enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and most governments have legislation committed to collective bargaining, it is rarely implemented in the new outsourcing sectors, particularly data work.

    It is also difficult to organise workers in the industry, because of the high churn rate. For instance, data training firms like Sama offer short-term contracts to employees, often as short as five days.

    Some firms are hostile to workers’ organising activities.

    But numerous data worker-led associations have emerged in Africa recently, some led by the co-authors of this article. Techworker Community Africa, African Tech Workers Rising, African Content Moderators Unions and Data Labelers Association are among them.

    These initiatives are crucial to ensure workers have decent remuneration, work-life balance, adequate working hours, protection against arbitrary dismissal, safe working environments, and contributions towards their health and welfare.

    Several high-profile court cases are currently being pursued by African data workers against Meta and Sama. There is precedent. In 2021. Meta was ordered by a Californian court to pay US$85 million to 10,000 content moderators.

    AI-dependent tools such as ChatGPT or driverless cars would not exist without African data workers. They are tired of being “hidden”. They deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

    Mophat Okinyi, Kauna Malgwi, Sonia Kgomo and Richard Mathenge co-authored this article.

    Mohammad Amir Anwar receives funding from United Kingdom Research and Innovation, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and British Academy.

    – ref. Africa’s data workers are being exploited by foreign tech firms – 4 ways to protect them – https://theconversation.com/africas-data-workers-are-being-exploited-by-foreign-tech-firms-4-ways-to-protect-them-252957

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dame June Raine: How innovations are transforming regulation and speeding new treatments to healthcare

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Dame June Raine: How innovations are transforming regulation and speeding new treatments to healthcare

    As Dame June Raine gets ready to pass the baton on after nearly 40 years at the agency, the last five of which she has been CEO, she reflects on how new innovations are transforming regulation and how honoured she feels to have worked with such inspiring people through a period she has not just lived through but helped to shape.

    When I entered the world of regulation in the mid-1980s, approvals for new medicines or the trials investigating them were arduous and subjective, requiring the review of juggernauts of paper files with thousands of graphs and tables of data in each file – not to mention a retentive memory, a very big desk and many painstaking hours of review.

    Fast forward to today, and healthcare product regulation is being transformed by technology. Just as Lord Darzi called for a major tilt to technology in the heath service, so MHRA is working to take time out of the development and review process for transformative medicines and MedTech.

    For example, new AI tools can reduce the length of time taken to assess vital aspects of clinical trial applications from 3 hours to as few as 35 seconds, without compromising on safety. By rapidly pinpointing common errors in applications made by companies to the regulator, AI has sped up the overall assessment process and is helping to make it consistent and predictable.

    The intention of this is not to replace the expertise of our experienced and knowledgeable scientific assessors but rather to give them more time to focus on higher risk analyses and more finely balanced judgements. This will see clinical trials being set up more swiftly, saving companies valuable funds and giving patients quicker access to the potentially life-saving medicines being studied.

    Thanks to successful pilots, this AI technology is now coming on stream in regulation, with international approval of the work we are doing at MHRA. It shows how far regulation has come from the days of paper-based assessments, and how exciting regulation is today – and you don’t often hear the words ‘exciting’ and ‘regulation’ in the same sentence.

    We’re in a new era of medicine – one defined by technological advancements like AI and genomics; a focus on meeting the needs of the individual rather than the whole population. A continued challenge for the next decade will be to ensure that regulation doesn’t just keep pace with this innovation but enables it.

    That’s why last week saw the launch of our first Centres of Excellence of Regulatory Science and Innovation, two of which are driving forward AI and health technology and one active in improving safety through pharmacogenomics.

    As I get ready to pass the CEO baton on after nearly 40 years at the MHRA, the last five of which I have been Chief Executive, I have been reflecting on what has been accomplished during my time holding the reins. My leadership was one dominated by two main events that in many ways came to set the pace and direction of change.

    The first of these was EU Exit, which offered new freedom to form novel international partnerships with trusted healthcare agencies both at home and abroad. Our ACCESS consortium of the regulatory agencies of Australia, Canada, Singapore and Switzerland has created an attractive market for innovative industry of close on 160 million people.

    The second event was one that few saw coming. The COVID-19 pandemic brought devastation and hardship to many people’s lives. But in 10 months it ushered in the level of innovative change you would expect to see in 10 years. When we announced our world-first approval of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech, we didn’t cut any corners. We developed innovative approaches to delivering the same high scientific standards and worked hand in hand with NICE and the NHS.

    These two seismic events have come to define my leadership, and probably rightly so. But advances in AI and the strides we’ve made towards a more personalised regulatory approach are also vitally important and will set the trajectory for regulation in years to come.

    The next few years will be defining ones for medicines regulation. I have absolutely no doubt that the agency I am leaving behind will continue to step up to the job, never losing sight of paramount importance of patient safety. I feel truly honoured to have worked with inspiring people in a period we have not just lived through but helped to shape.

    I look forward to watching – this time from the sidelines with a much warmer cup of tea in hand.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes England agrees purchase of key Nottingham regeneration site 

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Homes England agrees purchase of key Nottingham regeneration site 

    Acquisition of Broad Marsh site signals boost for city’s regeneration vision  and the start of major redevelopment in Nottingham

    The regeneration of Nottingham city centre has taken a major step forward following an agreement for Homes England to purchase the Broad Marsh site from Nottingham City Council.  

    The Government’s housing and regeneration agency will acquire the council’s land ownership of the former shopping centre, land to the west of the Green Heart, a multi-storey car park, Severns House and a former college site.  

    The next stage of development will include de-risking of the site, such as demolition and enabling works, to attract private sector developers with the necessary credentials and proven track record to deliver transformational, exemplar city centre projects.  

    The development of the site will bring forward around 1,000 homes, up to 20,000 square metres of retail, office and community spaces and create around 2,000 full-time jobs.

    Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:  

    The acquisition of Broad Marsh is a major milestone in the city council’s vision of regeneration for this area of Nottingham.  

    We have worked closely with the council since 2022 to provide professional advice and support. Now that we have acquired the site, our teams will be working with partners to attract the right developer to deliver the new homes, employment spaces and leisure facilities necessary to create a vibrant city centre neighbourhood that the people of Nottingham can be proud of.

    Broad Marsh is Nottingham’s top priority regeneration project, with significant progress already made by Nottingham City Council (NCC) in advancing its vision. Key achievements include the establishment of a new Nottingham College hub, the opening of the Central Library, Broad Marsh bus station, car park, and, most recently, the completion of the Green Heart public realm. 

    Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said:   

    It’s great to finally reveal the name of the buyer for such an important site. I have confidence in Homes England and the work they have already delivered across the country.  

    This is really positive news for Nottingham and marks the start of a major redevelopment for this key part of our city.  

    We know that people have wanted to see progress here for a long time and we understand that it has been a frustration for some that this hasn’t happened.  

    We’re excited by the plans that Homes England has, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring these to fruition.

    The project will also benefit from investment by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), underlining Broad Marsh’s strategic significance to the region and showcasing the collaboration of organisations skilled in delivering complex regeneration projects, in line with the Government’s new Devolution arrangements.  

    The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said:   

    Homes England’s purchase of Broad Marsh is an investment into the future of Nottingham – a future that the people of Nottingham have been asking for and the city council has been pushing for, which can now be realised.”  

    As the Mayor of the East Midlands, I have been pleased to lead EMCCA into investing its resources so that this purchase could occur. This is exactly what the region expected when it chose to have a directly elected Mayor, and EMCCA will continue to work closely with Homes England as they transform the area.

    Homes England will maintain close collaboration with the council, ensuring the strategic vision for Broad Marsh is successfully realised. The Agency will also commit to continue the work undertaken so far by the council, to engage residents, partners and stakeholders in shaping the delivery of this important project.  

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World Tuberculosis (TB) Day: Minister West’s speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    World Tuberculosis (TB) Day: Minister West’s speech

    To mark World TB Day, Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Catherine West, spoke at a reception hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global TB.

    I wanted to thank everybody in this room for their efforts to fight this terrible disease, from finding and treating patients, to working on the new drugs and methods we need to combat TB. 

    We know it will take strong and united efforts to stamp out this age-old disease – so thank you for the important roles you play.  

    Now, I’ll begin by addressing the elephant in the room – the fact that the government will be lowering its spend on international development.  

    At this time of profound change, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home, the Prime Minister had to make this very difficult decision. He was clear this was not an announcement he wanted make. 

    We are all proud of Britain’s record on development around the world, including when it comes to fighting TB. 

    Our support to the TB Alliance has led to game-changing research and development with new and better treatments being rolled out around the world – including within our own NHS. 

    Our support to brilliant organisations like MedAccess, Unitaid and the Clinton Health Access Initiative has driven down prices and improved access to critical drugs and diagnostics. All increasing the impact of our substantial investment in the Global Fund. 

    As the Prime Minister said, we will do all we can to move towards rebuilding our capacity when it comes to development. 

    And we remain determined to help the most vulnerable people.  

    As Minister for the Indo-Pacific region, I am painfully aware of the devastation that TB continues to wreak, particularly in the poorest communities. 

    This is one of the reasons why I am so committed to supporting the Global Fund, which provides more than three-quarters of all international funding to combat TB.  

    This is making a real impact – deaths have fallen by 40 per cent over the past two decades in countries where the Global Fund invests.  

    The UK is proud to be a founding and significant donor. And we are very glad that later this year we will co-host the Global Fund’s eighth replenishment together with South Africa. That joint convening role we’re looking forward to playing very much.

    Deputy High Commissioner, I am delighted that our countries are working together on this as the firmest of friends and partners on the international stage. 

    I know our teams will be collaborating closely behind the scenes to make the replenishment the biggest possible success. 

    And we want to work with all the people in this room. Everyone here has an important part to play in the fight against TB. 

    We know the stakes are high – we have to make this moment count. 

    Because the world is off-track when it comes to our goal of ending TB by the end of this decade. There is still time however, to make significant progress. 

    We are making big steps forward in finding the tools we need to prevent, diagnose and treat this disease. But we need much greater political will from countries with the ability to finance their own fight. 

    And we need a successful Global Fund replenishment to support those who need it most. There is a huge amount we can do by 2029 and we must continue to press our efforts to reduce new cases of TB by more than a quarter and deaths by more than a half, while finding and treating nearly 20 per cent more TB patients.  

    So, together with South Africa we will use our convening power to galvanise global efforts in this pivotal year. 

    I hope that by the time the world marks the next TB Day, we will have further progress to celebrate. 

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement on Myanmar

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    United Nations Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar as the devastating earthquake has greatly exacerbated an already dire situation. She is heartbroken by first-hand accounts of the magnitude of the suffering. Many victims still cannot be reached due to severe damage. The earthquake has laid bare the deeper vulnerabilities facing Myanmar’s people and underscored the need for sustained international attention to the broader crisis. All sides must urgently allow space for humanitarian relief and ensure that aid workers can operate in safety. Continuing military operations in disaster-affected areas risks further loss of life and undermines the shared imperative to respond. The Special Envoy condemns any form of violence and calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and focus their efforts on the protection of civilians, including aid workers, and the delivery of life-saving assistance. With her visit to India last week, the Special Envoy has concluded her first tour of all Myanmar’s neighboring countries. These consultations highlighted both a shared regional concern and the potential for greater coordination to support access and assistance. The Special Envoy will return to the region very soon to advocate for a coherent, inclusive and principled response to the fall-out from the earthquake and the widening regional implications from the political crisis. She will continue to cooperate closely with the ASEAN Special Envoy. The Special Envoy remains in close contact with the Emergency Relief Coordinator and the UN Country Team in Myanmar who are working in partnership with neighboring countries and others, supported by the UN’s regional and global network. A number of countries including Myanmar’s neighbors and ASEAN mechanisms have provided immediate support. The Special Envoy appeals to Member States and other donors to swiftly provide flexible funding to scale up the response. Safe and unimpeded access to affected populations and areas must be provided through all available channels and actors in line with international humanitarian principles, and regardless of territorial control. Community-based responders – many operating in hard-to-reach areas – will play a critical role in the days ahead. A pathway to reconciliation requires an end to violence and unfettered access for the UN and its partners to address humanitarian needs, especially among the most vulnerable and marginalised.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement on Myanmar – in response to questions

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    United Nations Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar as the devastating earthquake has greatly exacerbated an already dire situation. She is heartbroken by first-hand accounts of the magnitude of the suffering. Many victims still cannot be reached due to severe damage.

    The earthquake has laid bare the deeper vulnerabilities facing Myanmar’s people and underscored the need for sustained international attention to the broader crisis. All sides must urgently allow space for humanitarian relief and ensure that aid workers can operate in safety.

    Continuing military operations in disaster-affected areas risks further loss of life and undermines the shared imperative to respond.

    The Special Envoy condemns any form of violence and calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and focus their efforts on the protection of civilians, including aid workers, and the delivery of life-saving assistance.

    With her visit to India last week, the Special Envoy has concluded her first tour of all Myanmar’s neighboring countries. These consultations highlighted both a shared regional concern and the potential for greater coordination to support access and assistance.

    The Special Envoy will return to the region very soon to advocate for a coherent, inclusive and principled response to the fall-out from the earthquake and the widening regional implications from the political crisis. She will continue to cooperate closely with the ASEAN Special Envoy.

    The Special Envoy remains in close contact with the Emergency Relief Coordinator and the UN Country Team in Myanmar who are working in partnership with neighboring countries and others, supported by the UN’s regional and global network.

    A number of countries including Myanmar’s neighbors and ASEAN mechanisms have provided immediate support. The Special Envoy appeals to Member States and other donors to swiftly provide flexible funding to scale up the response.

    Safe and unimpeded access to affected populations and areas must be provided through all available channels and actors in line with international humanitarian principles, and regardless of territorial control. Community-based responders – many operating in hard-to-reach areas – will play a critical role in the days ahead. A pathway to reconciliation requires an end to violence and unfettered access for the UN and its partners to address humanitarian needs, especially among the most vulnerable and marginalised.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The ESAs call for vigilance amid rising geopolitical and cyber risks

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The three European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, EIOPA and ESMA – the ESAs) today published their Spring 2025 Joint Committee update on risks and vulnerabilities in the EU financial system, which focuses on the challenges linked to geopolitical tensions and cyber risks.

    The ESAs warn that growing geopolitical tensions and rising cyber risks present significant challenges to financial stability. These include trade disputes, rapidly shifting policies, ongoing international conflicts and the prospect of economic fragmentation which are reshaping global markets, requiring heightened vigilance and adaptability from supervisors and financial entities alike.

    Financial institutions must navigate growing uncertainties, including exposure to international markets, liquidity risks and the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI). Ensuring resilience in the face of these developments is crucial.

    The ESAs, therefore, emphasise the need for proactive risk management, stronger cyber resilience and a close monitoring of global financial linkages. As financial markets continue to evolve, international cooperation and regulatory preparedness will be key to maintaining stability. Against a background of high geopolitical risks, the ESAs recommend that supervisors and financial entities prepare for continued market volatility, consider the potential materialisation of liquidity risks and stand ready to adapt to adverse developments, including by provisioning adequately.

    To better manage cyber and digitalisationrisks, supervisors and financial institutions should continue to strive for robust data governance, critically assess AI solutions and their compliance with the AI Act, and support the timely implementation of the Digital Operational Resilience Act’s provisions.

    Background

    This Spring 2025 Joint Committee update on Risks and Vulnerabilities was presented at the meeting of the Financial Stability Table of the EU’s Economic and Financial Committee (FST-EFC) on 27-28 March 2025 as input from the ESAs.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democratic Doctors Condemn Mass Layoffs at HHS, FDA, and CDC

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Firings affect divisions that respond to disease outbreaks, approve drugs, and provide health insurance coverage

    Washington, D.C. – Today, the Congressional Doctors Caucus released the following statement condemning RFK Jr.’s proposed mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warning of devastating consequences for public health and safety.

    “Eliminating 25% of HHS staff, including scientists and researchers, weakens our ability to combat disease outbreaks, ensure food and drug safety, and advance life-saving medical innovations. These cuts come as we are facing active threats to our public health, including a rapidly expanding measles outbreak and a deadly bird flu outbreak. Weakening these agencies at such a critical time threatens public health, slows medical innovation, and puts millions of American lives at risk. The American people deserve a government that protects them, not one that abandons them.”

    Background

    According to an HHS fact sheet, the 20,000 eliminated positions include:

    • 3,500 FDA employees, reducing the agency’s capacity to review and approve life-saving medications, monitor food safety, and regulate medical devices.
    • 2,400 CDC employees, with the agency’s role drastically narrowed to epidemic response, undermining efforts to prevent chronic diseases, track opioid overdoses, and address vaccine hesitancy.

    The Congressional Doctors Caucus is calling for an immediate reversal of these dangerous layoffs and for the Republican leadership in Congress to take action to protect Americans’ public health.

    Members of the caucus include:

    • Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) – Internal Medicine
    • Herb Conaway Jr., M.D. (NJ-03) – Internal Medicine
    • Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) – Pulmonary & Critical Care
    • Kelly Morrison, M.D. (MN-03) – Obstetrics & Gynecology
    • Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) – Emergency Medicine
    • Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) – Pediatrics

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Republican Leadership Urges Bipartisan Support for the SAVE Act

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    House Republican Leadership Urges Bipartisan Support for the SAVE Act

    Washington, March 31, 2025

    WASHINGTON—Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer, and Chairwoman McClain released the following joint statement in advance of this week’s consideration of H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. The SAVE Act is commonsense legislation to uphold and strengthen current law to ensure only American citizens can vote in American elections.

    “American citizens — and only American citizens — should decide American elections. House Republicans are determined to codify this commonsense idea with the SAVE Act which puts in place commonsense safeguards to prevent noncitizens from abusing our democratic process. This legislation cements into law President Trump’s executive action to secure our voter registration process and protect the voices of American voters. We urge all our colleagues in the House to join us in doing what the overwhelming majority of people in this country rightfully demand and deserve.”

    Background:

    • The SAVE Act requires states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – before registering an individual to vote in an election.

    • Requires states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls, while giving them necessary tools to do so.

    • This legislation passed the House in a bipartisan vote (221 – 198) during the 118th Congress before being blocked by Senate Democrats.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: NRRP steering committee meeting held at Palazzo Chigi on implementation progress report

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    A steering committee meeting for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) was held at Palazzo Chigi this morning, chaired by the Minister for European Affairs, the NRRP and Cohesion Policy, Tommaso Foti. The meeting, attended by all Ministers and Undersecretaries of State involved as well as by representatives from ANCI [National Association of Italian Municipalities], UPI [Union of Italian Provinces] and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, approved the sixth NRRP implementation progress report for its subsequent submission to Parliament. Minister Foti outlined the work carried out by the Government in the second half of 2024 to achieve all the planned objectives, allowing Italy to receive payment for the fifth instalment worth EUR 11 billion and for the sixth instalment worth EUR 8.7 billion, as well as to request payment for the seventh instalment, worth EUR 18.3 billion, which is linked to the achievement of 32 targets and 35 milestones. 

    “This sixth report to Parliament on the progress of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan confirms Italy’s leading position in Europe in terms of implementation, the number of goals achieved, total resources obtained and the number of payment requests formalized and received”, President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni writes in her foreword to the report. “The Government, the Administrations concerned, Prefectures and all implementing bodies will continue to work, with perseverance and determination, to complete all the investments and reforms. We will do so with the same rigor, passion and selfless approach that have enabled us to become a model in Europe in NRRP implementation. We still have a lot of work to do, but we are proud of the results achieved so far, and they are spurring us on to do even better, in the interest of Italy and Italians”, she added.

    During the steering committee meeting, the main legislative measures that have been adopted to support the NRRP’s implementation were also highlighted, details of which are provided in the report. In particular, reference was made to Decree Law no. 19/2024, which led implementing bodies to update data on the ‘ReGiS’ IT platform, strengthened governance of anti-fraud measures and made over a hundred coordination committees within Prefectures fully operational, making connections between the NRRP task force, the NRRP steering committee, central government authorities and implementing bodies more effective, to ensure any critical issues with completing the projects are resolved. Decree Law no. 113/2024 was also outlined, which allows for an acceleration in transfers of financial resources, up to 90%, in order to meet the liquidity needs expressed by ANCI [National Association of Italian Municipalities] and the implementing bodies themselves during meetings of the aforementioned coordination committees. The report to Parliament also highlights that, of the EUR 145.3 billion in NRRP resources that can be assigned to specific areas, the Meloni Government has allocated EUR 59.3 billion to the Mezzogiorno, equal to 40.8% of the total of measures for specific areas.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: WISeSat.Space Creates WISeSat España SA Subsidiary to Lead European Space Projects from Andalusia and Build a 100% “Made in Europe” Solution Aligned With the IRIS² Strategy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WISeSat.Space Creates WISeSat España SA Subsidiary to Lead European Space Projects from Andalusia and Build a 100% “Made in Europe” Solution Aligned With the IRIS² Strategy

    Madrid / Geneva / La Línea, Cadiz – March 31, 2025 – WISeSat.Space, a pioneer in secure satellite connectivity solutions and part of the WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, today announces the creation of its new subsidiary WISeSat España, headquartered in La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz, Andalusia). This strategic decision represents a decisive step toward the consolidation of a fully European industrial and technological ecosystem in the space and quantum domains, in line with the digital sovereignty priorities defined by the European Union.

    The choice of La Línea de la Concepción as the official headquarters of WISeSat España is no coincidence. This Andalusian city, located at a geostrategic point between Europe and Africa, is positioning itself as an emerging hub for technological innovation, thanks to its institutional will, international openness, and proximity to key logistical infrastructures.

    Establishing WISeSat in La Línea makes the company a founding pillar of the project LL4GIR.COM, an ambitious public-private initiative aimed at creating a Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in southern Europe. This center will promote high-impact projects in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain, IoT, and space connectivity, transforming the region into a global benchmark for resilience, sustainability, and economic progress.

    A 100% “Made in Europe” solution

    The launch of WISeSat España aims to build a 100% European space value chain, combining technological sovereignty, security, sustainability, and autonomous access to space. The proposal is fully aligned with the principles of the IRIS² program (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite), promoted by the European Commission to establish a satellite constellation ensuring secure connectivity across the continent.

    The WISeSat España roadmap includes:

    • Manufacturing secure nanosatellites in collaboration with the Spanish company FOSSA Systems, where WISeKey is an investor, specializing in IoT and low Earth orbit communications solutions.
    • Launching satellites in partnership with PLD Space, a leading Spanish company in reusable rockets. The first launch is scheduled for early 2026, marking a milestone for European autonomy in space access.
    • Developing post-quantum processors in cooperation with QuantixS (Murcia) and SEALSQ (France) to ensure ultra-secure communications in the era of quantum computing.
    • Already operational, the installation of a satellite antenna in La Línea’s City Hall building, enabling direct connection with WISeSat satellites currently in orbit and serving as a local operations hub.
    • Incorporating WISeTalkie radio communication technology, developed by WISeKey and its partner Global Radio System (GRS), which ensures highly secure radio communications using advanced encryption, authentication protocols, and resistance to interference or unauthorized access. This innovation strengthens the security architecture of the WISeSat ecosystem at both space and ground levels.

    A new paradigm of decentralized innovation

    The model proposed by WISeSat España breaks with traditional centralized structures. Its vision is to create a decentralized network of European technological nodes, collaborating under principles of transparency, interoperability, resilience, and sovereign control. The La Línea node will serve as the secure space gateway for European institutions, companies, and citizens.

    “At WISeSat, we firmly believe that Europe needs its own secure and resilient infrastructure to avoid dependence on external players in critical areas such as space or cybersecurity. With WISeSat España and our partnerships with FOSSA Systems, PLD Space, QuantixS, and SEALSQ, we demonstrate that a 100% European model is not only possible but necessary,” said Carlos Creus Moreira, Founder and CEO of WISeKey.

    The January satellite, currently in orbit:
    https://wisesat.wisekey.com/?tags=WISeSat
    This launch builds on the previous success of WISeSat in collaboration with FOSSA Systems, which achieved the launch of 17 picosatellites to test the resilience and performance of its core technologies. These tests laid the foundation for the current generation of satellites, which, starting in June, will be equipped with more robust security protocols and post-quantum cryptographic infrastructure developed by SEALSQ.

    WISeSat also announced a new strategic partnership with Skyroot Aerospace in India. This collaboration will diversify launch operations by enabling satellites to be deployed on alternative orbital trajectories, optimizing constellation coverage and efficiency. The alliance also includes the possibility of manufacturing satellites on Indian soil, to local specifications, further strengthening WISeSat’s global production and launch capabilities.

    By the end of 2025, WISeSat satellites will be able to carry out transactions in SEALCOIN tokens with each other and with connected objects on Earth, forming a secure, autonomous mesh network for machine-to-machine (M2M) transactions. This innovation will create a financial and data exchange infrastructure in space, where connected machines will be digitally certified through a “Know Your Object” (KYO) protocol. The KYO process integrates Wecan technology and WISeKey’s WISeID platform, ensuring reliable identity and accountability throughout the ecosystem.

    Each WISeSat satellite is built with:

    • Post-quantum cryptographic chips from SEALSQ
    • WISeKey Root of Trust and digital identity infrastructure (WISeID)
    • Hedera’s Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for decentralized, tamper-proof data integrity

    This technological foundation positions WISeSat as a global leader in secure satellite-based IoT infrastructure.

    Invitation to Collaborate

    WISeSat España invites governments, universities, R&D centers, investors, and technology companies to join this transformative vision. The goal is to build together a new paradigm of smart economic development by integrating emerging technologies, specialized training, high-quality employment, and international cooperation.

    About WISeSat.Space
    WISeSat.Space AG is pioneering a transformative approach to IoT connectivity and climate change monitoring through its innovative satellite constellation. By providing cost-effective, secure, and global IoT connectivity, WISeSat is enabling a wide range of applications that support environmental monitoring, disaster management, and sustainable practices. The integration of satellite data with advanced climate models holds great promise for enhancing our understanding of climate change and developing effective strategies to combat its impacts. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, initiatives like WISeSat’s IoT satellite constellation are essential for creating a more resilient and sustainable future.

    About WISeKey

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com
    media@wisekey.com    		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@equityny.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Resolutions of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Resolutions of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders

    Actions taken and resolutions made according to agenda issues of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on 31 March 2025:

    1. Presentation of the consolidated management report of Šiaulių bankas AB for 2024.

    The consolidated management report was introduced (enclosed).

    1. Presentation of the conclusion of the independent auditor of Šiaulių bankas AB and the conclusion of the assurance of sustainability reporting.

    The conclusion of the independent auditor and the conclusion of the assurance of sustainability reporting were introduced (enclosed).

    1. Comments and proposals of Šiaulių bankas AB Supervisory Council.

    The comments and proposals of the Bank’s Supervisory Council were announced.

    1. Selection of the audit company to provide sustainability reporting assurance services for the period 2024-2025 and determination of payment terms.

    Resolved:

    1)    To elect UAB “KPMG Baltics” as the audit company to provide sustainability reporting assurance services for Šiaulių bankas AB and the group for the years 2024 and 2025.

    2)    To determine the price for the sustainability reporting assurance services of Šiaulių bankas AB and the group for the years 2024-2025 at EUR 145 500 (excluding VAT).

    1. Approval of the set of audited financial statements of Šiaulių bankas AB and the group for 2024.

    The set of financial statements for 2024 has been approved (enclosed).

    6.    Allocation of Šiaulių bankas AB profit for 2024.

    The allocation of Šiaulių bankas AB profit has been approved (enclosed).

    According to approved profit allocation EUR 0.061 dividends per one ordinary registered EUR 0.29 nominal value share will be paid. Record date is 14 April 2025.

    7.    Determination of the procedure for the acquisition of Šiaulių bankas AB own shares.

     

    1)    Resolved to acquire Bank own shares under the following conditions:

    1. the purpose of acquisition of own shares is to reduce the authorized capital of the Bank by cancelling the shares purchased by the Bank; and / or to grant to the employees of the Bank, as well as it’s Group under the approved variable renumeration and payment programmes;
    2. maximal acquisition price per share – 20% higher than the market price of the Bank’s shares on the Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange, when the Management Board makes a decision on the purchase of its own shares;
    3. minimum purchase price of the shares – 10% lower than the market price of the Bank’s shares on the Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange when the Bank’s Management Board decides to buy back its own shares;
    4. the time limit for the Bank to acquire its own shares – 18 months from the date of adoption of this decision;
    5. maximal number of shares to be acquired – no more than 7 000 000 shares;
    6. the procedure for sale of own shares and the minimum selling price – the purchased shares are not planned to be sold and therefore the minimum selling price and the selling procedure for the shares are not determined;

      vii.        to delegate the Management Board of the Bank, in accordance with the provisions of this resolution and the requirements of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, the requirements of the Law on Banks of the Republic of Lithuania and other legal acts, as well as, when required with the permission of the supervisory authorities, to make specific decisions regarding the purchase of the Bank’s own shares, to organize buyback of own shares, determine the method and procedure for buying back shares, the time, exact number and price of shares to be acquired, as well as perform other actions related to the purchase and sale of own shares.To establish that after adopting this resolution the resolution of the General Meeting of Shareholders of 29 March 2024 regarding acquisition of the Bank’s own shares shall expire.

     

    2)    To establish that after adopting this resolution the resolution of the General Meeting of Shareholders of 29 March 2024 regarding acquisition of the Bank’s own shares shall expire.

     

    8.    Approval of the new version of the Articles of Association of Šiaulių bankas AB.    

    The Article of Association of Šiaulių bankas AB was approved (enclosed).

    1. Approval of the reduction of the authorised capital of Šiaulių bankas AB and the amendment of the Articles of Association.

    Resolved:

    1)    To reduce the authorised capital of Šiaulių bankas AB from EUR 192 269 027,34 to EUR 189 195 680,13 by annulling 10 597 749 ordinary registered uncertificated shares of Šiaulių bankas AB with a nominal value of EUR 0,29 each. The total value of the shares to be cancelled is EUR 3 073 347,21. The purpose of the reduction of the authorised capital is to annul the shares acquired by Šiaulių bankas AB.

    2)    To amend Clause 3.4 of the Articles of Association of Šiaulių bankas AB and to approve the new draft of the Articles of Association: “3.4. The authorized capital of the Bank shall be the total amount of the par values of all registered shares. The authorized capital of the Bank shall amount to EUR 189 195 680.13. The authorized capital of the Bank shall be divided into 652 398 897 ordinary registered shares. The par value of one share shall be EUR 0.29”

    3)    To authorise the CEO of Šiaulių bankas AB or another person duly authorised by him to sign the new version of the Articles of Association and to arrange for the registration of the amended Articles of Association in accordance with the procedure established by law after obtaining the supervisory authority’s permission to register the amendment to the Articles of Association relating to the reduction of the authorised capital (enclosed).

     

    10.  Approval of the updated Remuneration Policy of Šiaulių bankas AB.             

    The Remuneration Policy of Šiaulių bankas AB was approved (enclosed).

    11.  Approval of the updated Rules for Granting Shares of Šiaulių bankas AB.

    The Rules for Granting Shares of Šiaulių bankas AB was approved (enclosed).

    1. Election of the member of Šiaulių bankas AB Supervisory Council.

    Resolved:

    1)    To elect John Michael Denhof as a member of the Supervisory Council of Šiaulių bankas AB until the end of the tenure of the current Supervisory Council.

    2)    To determine that the elected person will take up his position as a member of the Supervisory Council of Šiaulių bankas AB only after receiving the permission of the supervisory authority.

     

    Additional information:
    Tomas Varenbergas
    Head of the Investment Management Division
    Email:     tomas.varenbergas@sb.lt

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SEER LAUNCHES CARBON FOCUSED DIVISION TO PRODUCE LICENSED BIOCHAR, MONETIZE AND TOKENIZE ASSETS AND CARBON CREDITS AND DEVELOP TURBINE BLADE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEER Engages First Block AI to Assist in its Carbon Division Launch and Funding as well as Develop and Create SEER Security and Utility Tokens Backed by Assets and Fully-Insured Biochar Carbon Credits

    Broomfield, CO, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc. (SEER) (OTCQB: SENR), forms SEER Carbon Corp. as the entity to spearhead efforts to produce in-house biochar utilizing a patented technology under license from Biochar Now (www.biocharnnow.com) and create high-integrity, fully-insured carbon credits. SEER will transfer certain assets to SEER Carbon Corp. and then raise equity and growth capital through the sale of SEER Carbon security tokens. Additionally, SEER will offer for sale utility tokens backed by the carbon credits generated from the production of its biochar. Biochar carbon credits are among the most valuable credits worldwide and the Company will utilize these credits to back a specialized utility token, which will be sold internationally to targeted industries, including the golf and airline sectors.

    Biochar Market Generally    www.gosupercritical.com

    • Biochar has emerged as the most accessible and scalable permanent carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solution currently available, with one of the highest valued concomitant carbon credits presently valued at ~US$176 per credit (3/27/25) and recently traded above US$200 (www.ecoengineers.us)
    • It accounts for nearly 50% of engineered CDR solutions listed on most global marketplaces.

    Market Growth and Quality Concerns

    • The biochar market is expected to experience rapid growth, with a projected 30x increase in credits produced by 2028.
    • By 2026, only 42% (1.2 MT) of the projected 2.86 MT biochar capacity is expected to meet industry vetting criteria, with the remaining 58% failing due to issues like lack of additionality, poor monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), and permanence concerns.
    • The concentration of low-quality growth raises concerns about the future quality of biochar credits, highlighting the need for a market-wide shift toward producing high-quality credits.

    SEER’s High-Quality Biochar, Insured Smart Carbon Credits & Utility Token with Unquestionable Environmental Benefits

    SEER, along with its partners, has addressed and resolved concerns in the biochar market. A significant benefit of SEER’s initiative is the production of the highest-quality biochar available globally, as well as the generation of audited, fully-insured carbon credits that can be traded using smart contracts with blockchain verification. This will result in verifiable carbon offsets that ensure recognition and rewards for the environmental benefits of SEER’s various biochar applications. The manufacture of this carbon-rich biochar will generate high-value carbon credits, as well as significant revenue and value for both SEER and its project partners. The Company’s decarbonization and monetization initiatives reflect both government and private sector commitment to reducing carbon emissions while providing significant financial incentives for continued environmental stewardship.

    “At the core of this launch will be the production of high-quality biochar at a 60-kiln facility we will build in Texas,” said John Combs, CEO of SEER. “We have selected real estate in the heart of Texas lumber country and have already received an air permit from the TCEQ, which will be transferred to the designated location. The launch of this new division is perfectly in line with SEER’s original corporate mission: to make environmental stewardship and compliance profitable. We will create high-value carbon credits and incorporate a utility token and a 45Q tax program to better achieve our corporate objectives. This new strategy will create additional revenue streams for SEER while adding incremental value for our customers,” Combs continued. “By leveraging the expertise of our existing partners, such as DevvStream (www.devvstream.com ), and bringing on new industry leaders and innovators like First Block AI (www.firstblock.ai), SEER can develop one-of-a-kind environmental solution offerings and enter into the emerging global markets of carbon credits and tokens. We have already commenced initial marketing efforts to possible offtake companies operating in the golf and airline industries,” Combs added.

    “First Block is extremely excited to join forces with SEER and Biochar Now,” said Daniel Cannon, CEO of First Block. “The timing for this collaboration is perfect. With increasing international and domestic financial and political tailwinds, the opportunity couldn’t be better to tokenize and monetize SEER’s existing technologies and its new biochar production. First Block will create an entire program to maximize the value of SEER’s product offerings and the creation of its high-value, insured carbon credits,” said Cannon. “There will also be real-time, smart contract verification through SEER’s blockchain-enabled system developed by First Block. This system will be decentralized, immutable, and tamper-proof; meaning once SEER issues a carbon credit, it cannot be altered or falsified. This creates a permanent record of each credit that all stakeholders can trust. Every SEER carbon credit will be permanently recorded on blockchain, providing any customer with an undisputed record of their carbon offsets and environmental compliance,” explained Cannon.

    “We have been producing the highest-quality biochar available for over ten years and we have now developed the most secure and valuable carbon credit to go along with it,” said James Gaspard, CEO of Biochar Now. “A Carbon Credit is a tradable certificate representing the right to emit, or offset, one metric ton of carbon dioxide. SEER will generate several carbon credits for every metric ton of our biochar produced under our license, utilizing our patented biochar production technology. SEER will also benefit from Biochar Now’s success in creating a fully insured carbon credit, backed by major financial institutions. Our insurance program ensures the authenticity, permanence, and exclusivity of the verified carbon credits. The insurance program also provides coverage against devaluation, degradation, or invalidation of our verified biochar carbon credit for the life of the carbon credit. Our patented process and insurance essentially eliminate risk and assure the buyer of the authenticity and value of each carbon credit SEER will produce while utilizing our patented biochar production technology at their Texas facility,” said Gaspard.

    “It has taken time, but we feel that we have assembled a remarkable team of synergistic companies and highly experienced executives to accomplish our near and mid-term objectives of increasing and diversifying SEER’s revenue with new product lines, expanding our market reach and adding demonstrable value to our technologies for the benefit of our customers and shareholders,” concluded Combs.

    ________________________________

    About Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc.
    Strategic Environmental & Energy Resources, Inc. (SEER) (OTCQB: SENR), identifies, secures, and commercializes patented and proprietary environmental clean technologies in several multibillion-dollar sectors (including oil & gas, renewable fuels, and all types of waste management, both solid and gaseous) for the purpose of either destroying/minimizing hazardous waste streams more safely and at lower cost than any competitive alternative, and/or processing the waste for use as a renewable fuel for the benefit of the customers and the environment. SEER has two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries: MV Technologies, LLC and SEER Environmental Materials, LLC; and two majority-owned subsidiaries: Paragon Waste Solutions, LLC; and PelleChar, LLC. For more information about the Company visit: www.seer-corp.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of various provisions of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, commonly identified by such terms as “believes,” “looking ahead,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” and other terms with similar meaning. Although the company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements should not be construed as fact. Statements in this press release regarding future performance or fiscal projections, the cost effectiveness, impact and ability of the Company’s products to handle the future needs of customers are forward-looking statements. The information contained in such statements is beyond the ability of the Company to control, and in many cases the Company cannot predict what factors would cause results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. All forward-looking statements in the press release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions.

    Contact Information:

    ir@seer-corp.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ServiceTrade Receives Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for Second Consecutive Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DURHAM, N.C., March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ServiceTrade, a leading software platform designed to optimize commercial service business operations for growth and profit, is thrilled to announce its recognition as a recipient of the 2025 Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health by Mental Health America (MHA). This marks the second consecutive year the company has earned this honor. This prestigious award underscores ServiceTrade’s deep commitment to prioritizing employee well-being and fostering a mentally healthy work environment. This philosophy extends beyond its own team to the broader commercial service contracting industry.

    ServiceTrade earned the Bell Seal at the Platinum level, joining a distinguished group of organizations dedicated to promoting mental health in the workplace. Since its inception in 2019, the Bell Seal has recognized hundreds of companies across a wide range of industries—including healthcare, government, nonprofit, and financial services—that have worked to improve their workplace cultures, policies, and practices based on employee feedback, benefiting millions of workers across the country.

    A People-First Culture to Drive Industry Change

    ServiceTrade’s focus on well-being stems from the company’s mission to support commercial contractors facing a growing shortage of skilled technicians. The ongoing skills gap presents a significant challenge for commercial mechanical, fire, and life safety contractors who rely on highly trained technicians. ServiceTrade’s software helps contractors streamline operations and create a supportive, technology-enabled work environment that helps retain their most valuable asset—their technicians.

    “We understand that the success of our customers depends on the well-being and retention of their technicians,” said Amy Robertson, Chief People Officer of ServiceTrade. “By creating a positive, mentally healthy work environment at ServiceTrade, we’re investing in our team’s well-being and setting a standard for the contractors we serve. The Bell Seal reinforces a healthy workplace philosophy that provides work-life balance and opportunities to meet professional objectives and participate in collaborative teams, resulting in a thriving workforce. These values benefit not only ServiceTrade but also our customers and partners.” 

    ServiceTrade has surpassed the rigorous evaluation criteria set by Mental Health America in key areas to earn the Platinum level Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health. It has demonstrated excellence in workplace culture, mental health benefits, caring beyond compliance, and holistic wellness at work. ServiceTrade’s strategic focus on promoting employees’ well-being, fostering supportive management, implementing fair personnel procedures, and supporting professional development was instrumental in achieving this recognition.

    Want to learn more about the ServiceTrade culture? Visit the links below:  

    About ServiceTrade  

    ServiceTrade, Inc. is a software platform for commercial mechanical, fire, and life safety contractors. During a chronic skilled labor shortage, ServiceTrade helps commercial contractors increase profit by improving service and project operations, increasing technician productivity, selling more service agreements, and growing customer loyalty. Located in Durham, North Carolina, ServiceTrade was founded in 2012 to automate and streamline the commercial mechanical and fire protection industry and has grown to have more than 1,300 customers. More than 10% of the commercial or industrial buildings in the United States are serviced by contractors using ServiceTrade. Learn more at www.servicetrade.com.

    Media Contact:
    Media@KTCMarketingandPR.com

    The MIL Network –