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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Press Release 30 September 2024 Major international drought conference seeks to increase resilience

    Source: World Meteorological Organization

    Experts, policymakers, and practitioners will gather at the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization at the Drought Resilience +10 Conference – so called because it marks a decade since the High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policy.

    The conference provides an opportunity for global stakeholders to reflect on a decade of advancements in drought preparedness, response, and adaptation while exploring new ways to turn knowledge into practical solutions that can help countries become more drought-resilient.

    “Droughts are an insidious and dangerous climate-related hazard, which undermines food human security and is a major cause of internal displacement in worst-hit countries. It can wreak a devastating impact on the environment and economies and reverse progress in sustainable development,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

    “We need sustainable solutions, based on scientific knowledge and tailored policies that promote integrated drought management practices and policies. We have the knowledge and the tools but we all too often lack the necessary political will and financial investment to build drought-resilient societies,” said Celeste Saulo.

    The Conference will focus on the escalating drought-related risks posed by climate change and increasing structural vulnerabilities in many societies. It will examine how to accelerate the shift in approach from a reactive, crisis-driven one to a more proactive approach, which leverages climate services such as seasonal forecasts, and anticipatory action tools, including innovative financing mechanisms.

    The conference will examine drought monitoring and forecasting advances and will discuss how to strengthen drought monitoring for early warnings for food security and health, and how to embed policies into the international Early Warnings for All initiative. There will be a heavy emphasis on case studies and community-led actions.

    It will also look at scientific and policy-making developments, including progress in satellite technology and artificial intelligence tools, which bring new perspectives to forecasting, monitoring and impact assessment.

    Drought is not a new phenomenon and has historically occurred as a consequence of natural climatic variability. However, climate change is intensifying the water cycle. This brings more intense rainfall and associated flooding, as well as more intense drought in many regions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

    Changes in land use and land cover are compounding the challenge.

    “Healthy economies depend on healthy lands. We must urgently recognize that our land and natural systems are allies in our responses to climate change and drought, and we must leverage them for integrated, proactive drought management. Drought Resilience +10 is a crucial opportunity to exchange knowledge and build momentum for UNCCD COP16, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December”, remarked the UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza.

    Drought Resilience +10 Conference

    State of Climate

    Between 1970 and 2019 drought caused approximately 650,000 reported deaths. Poverty and poor land use can increase vulnerability to drought and intensify their impact, according to the WMO Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes.

    In Africa, 1 839 disasters attributed to weather, climate and water extremes were reported between 1970 and 2021. They caused 733 585 reported deaths and US$ 43 billion in economic losses. Droughts accounted for 95% of reported deaths.

    WMO State of the Climate reports report on the occurrence and impact of droughts.

    For instance, a prolonged La Niña event led to five consecutive failed rainfall seasons in the Horn of Africa, culminating in a massive humanitarian, food security and displacement crisis in 2023 in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

    With the transition to El Niño in 2023-2024, Southern African nations became the focus of the drought crisis – especially countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi.

    Enhanced drought resilience

    Despite the challenges, progress has been made in integrated drought management.

    The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) is a joint initiative between WMO and the Global Water Partnership (GWP), which works with over 45 partners to support countries and states, by providing them with policy and management guidance for handing droughts.

    There are a number of success stories. These examples underscore the importance of strong drought management policies and early warning systems. They highlight the need for governments to adopt forward-looking approaches that integrate climate data and resource management into their drought preparedness strategies.

    Brazil’s Northeast region, which historically faces frequent and severe droughts, provides a prime example of the benefits of proactive drought management policies. Recent policy responses focused on developing a comprehensive drought management system that integrates early warning systems, sustainable water management practices, and integration of climate change scenarios into infrastructure planning. Coordination between federal, state, and local governments was also enhanced to facilitate timely and efficient responses.  

    Similarly, in the USA, a proactive approach helped mitigate the effects of a severe water shortage in the State of Washington in 2024. With water supplies falling below 75% of normal levels in April, the state issued an early emergency drought declaration, unlocking funding for drought relief measures. This early action allowed communities and public entities to access funding for drought relief in advance, giving them time to implement mitigation strategies such as securing alternative water supplies and preparing for reduced irrigation.

    Drought Resilience +10 Conference

    Conference themes

    Discussions at DR+10 will focus on nine topics, each addressing key aspects of drought management and reflecting the central challenges and opportunities for building drought resilience globally.

    It will include national and regional case studies
    These include:

    • Drought resilience and global mechanisms
    • Drought risk governance: the regional, national and local challenges
    • Drought monitoring, impact assessment and forecasting
    • From policies to action
    • Ecosystems
    • Social inclusion and climate justice
    • Drought finance
    • Public-private civil society partnerships
    • Health

    There will be a high-level closing session: Turning Drought Resilience Challenges into Action.

    The Conference’s final declaration will include recommendations for countries to accelerate drought resilience efforts over the next decade. It will focus on policy implementation, drought resilience in countries’ preparedness plans, and adaptation strategies. It will also seek to mobilize resources to support vulnerable countries facing drought-related challenges.

    The outcomes of the Conference will inform the global drought community as well as the high-level discussions at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh in December 2024.

    Logos of the World Meteorological Organization, Drought Resilience High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policy, and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

    The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science and meteorology.

    WMO monitors weather, climate, and water resources and provides support to its Members in forecasting and disaster mitigation. The organization is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and improving public safety and well-being through its work.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The amount of student loan available for drawing down was raised in August

    Source: Bank of Finland

    In August 2024, drawdowns of student loans totalled EUR 165 million – almost the same as in the corresponding month last year. However, the volume of student loan drawdowns was affected by opposing forces.

    At the beginning of August 2024, the amount of student loan available for drawdown per month was raised by up to 30%.[1] As a result of an amendment to the Act on Financial Aid for Students, persons over 18 years studying in Finland have been able to draw down EUR 850 per month of government-guaranteed loan, instead of the previous EUR 650. The previous raise to the government-guaranteed amount of student loan was made in August 2017.

    Another change affecting the monthly drawdown volume was that students in secondary education now have more frequent student loan disbursements than before.[2] From now on, there are four disbursement dates in an academic year, regardless of the duration of studies. The change of the number of disbursements reduces the drawdowns in August and January and correspondingly increases them in March and November. According to Kela’s statistics, students in secondary education drew down approximately 19% of all student loans in the academic year 2022/2023.

    The rise in level of interest rates has reduced the volume of student loan drawdowns. However, interest rates on student loans have declined in 2024. In August 2024, the average interest rate on new student loans drawn down declined further, to stand at 4.07% in August. The average interest rate was slightly lower than at the same time a year earlier. 89% of the student loans drawn down were linked to Euribor rates and 11% to banks’ own reference rates.

    The reduced drawdown volume has contributed to the slowdown in the growth rate of the student loan stock in recent years.[3] However, the annual rate of growth of the student loan stock (4.2% in August) has picked up somewhat in recent months, and the increase of the government guarantee and lower interest rates may accelerate it further going forward. In August 2024, the stock of student loans (EUR 6.3 billion) was the largest ever.

    Loans

    In August 2024, Finnish households drew down EUR 1.1 billion of new housing loans, which is EUR 40 million less than in the same period a year earlier. Buy-to-let mortgage loans accounted for EUR 110 million of the new housing loan drawdowns. The average interest rate on new housing loans decreased from July, to stand at 3.93% in August. At the end of August 2024, the housing loan stock totalled EUR 105.9 billion, and its year-on-year change amounted to -0.7%. Buy-to-let mortgages accounted for EUR 8.7 billion of the housing loan stock. At the end of August, Finnish households’ loan stock included EUR 17.9 billion of consumer credit and EUR 17.6 billion of other loans.

    Drawdowns of new loans by Finnish non-financial corporations in August totalled EUR 1.5 billion, including EUR 440 million of loans to housing corporations. The average interest rate on new corporate-loan drawdowns rose from July, to stand at 5.36 %. At the end of August, the stock of loans granted to Finnish non-financial corporations was EUR 107.7 billion, whereof housing corporations accounted for EUR 44.8 billion.

    Deposits

    At the end of August 2024, the total stock of Finnish households’ deposits was EUR 110.6 billion, and the average interest rate on these deposits was 1.35%. Overnight deposits accounted for EUR 67.1 billion and deposits with an agreed maturity for EUR 14.6 billion of the total deposit stock. In August, Finnish households made new deposit agreements with an agreed maturity in the amount of EUR 1.1 billion. The average interest rate on these new term deposits was 3.39%.

    Loans and deposits to Finland, preliminary data*
      June, EUR million July, EUR million August, EUR million August, 12-month change1, % Average interest rate, %
    Loans to households, stock 141,421 141,223 141,425 -0.4 4.53
        – of which housing loans 106,032 105,861 105,914 -0.7 3.95
        – of which buy-to-let mortgages 8,682 8,680 8,708   4.14
    Loans to non-financial corporations2, stock  108,10 107,497 107,747 1.1 4.62
    Deposits by households, stock 110,784 109,951 110,644 1.2 1.35
               
    Households’ new drawdowns of housing loans 1,096 1,049 1,104   3.93
        – of which buy-to-let mortgages 96 96 111   4.06

    * Includes loans and deposits in all currencies to residents in Finland. The statistical releases of the Bank of Finland up to January 2021, as well as those of the ECB, present loans and deposits in euro to euro area residents and also include non-profit institutions serving households. For these reasons, the figures in this table differ from those in the aforementioned releases.
    1 Rate of change has been calculated from monthly differences in levels adjusted for classification and other revaluation changes.  
    2 Non-financial corporations also include housing corporations.

    For further information, please contact:

    Markus Aaltonen, tel. +358 9 831 2395, email: markus.aaltonen(at)bof.fi,

    Ville Tolkki, tel. +358 9 183 2420, email: ville.tolkki(at)bof.fi.

    The next news release on money and banking statistics will be published at 10:00 on 28 October 2024.

    Related statistical data and graphs are also available on the Bank of Finland website: https://www.suomenpankki.fi/en/statistics2/.

    [1] A larger amount of student loan can be taken out starting from August | Kela

    [2] Amount of the student loan | Our services| Kela. For students in higher education, there are two disbursement dates.

    [3] To a limited extent, the slowdown also reflects student loan compensations paid by Kela. Student loan compensation | Our services| Kela.

    statistics loans deposits interest rates student loans

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Legal adviser member appointed to the Family Procedure Rule Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of a legal adviser member to the Family Procedure Rule Committee.

    The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Helen Sewell as a legal adviser member of the Family Procedure Rule Committee (FPRC) from 30 September 2024 until 29 September 2027.

    FPRC was set up, in October 2004, to make Family Procedure Rules. Its aim is to make clear, easily understandable rules to create an accessible, fair and efficient family justice system. FPRC makes rules of court that govern the practice and procedure followed in family proceedings in the High Court and family court.

    Appointments, to FPRC, are made by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the President of the Family Division, under section 77(2) of the Courts Act 2003. The appointment of non-judicial members is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Biography

    Helen Sewell was admitted Solicitor in 1991. Since 2020, she has worked as a Legal Team Manager for HMCTS. Previously, from 2002-2020, she worked for HMCTS as a Justices’ Legal Advisor for Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court, Swindon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Looking at how well defence contractors follow the rules for reporting under the non-competitive regulatory system

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Compliance Bulletin examines how well defence contractors followed the reporting regulations for non-competitive (also known as single source) defence contracts.

    Defence contractors must report information about their single-source defence contracts to the MOD and the Single Source Regulations Office (the SSRO). This is performed using the SSRO’s Defence Contract Analysis and Reporting System (DefCARS).

    As an important part of the regulatory framework, these submissions provide the MOD with information throughout the contract duration that can be used to support purchasing decisions and management of those contracts so that they obtain the best value for money whilst paying fair and reasonable prices.

    In its written compliance and review methodology, the SSRO explains how it will keep an eye on how well contractors who are required to report are following the regulations.

    The Compliance Bulletin presents compliance statistics relating to reports expected between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2024. Data is also presented against historical compliance records going back to May 2018.  

    The bulletin shows that while the majority of expected submissions are made by contractors, there is still room for improvement with regard to the data quality of initial submissions. The MOD must also make sure that the information it receives is considered and utilised appropriately, by ensuring that more submissions are accessed and reviewed in DefCARS.

    The SSRO’s Head of Compliance, Reporting and IT, Akhlaq Shah, said:

    The SSRO won’t only monitor compliance and report on it; but will continue to assist both contractors and the MOD in fulfilling their commitments whenever possible. We will keep investing resources to help ensure an understanding of what is needed; how industry can best offer it; and how the MOD can use the data consistently and continuously.

    Take a look at the Compliance Bulletin for more information on contractors are doing in timeliness and quality of their reporting.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Indo-Pacific region increasingly important in a turbulent world

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Indo-Pacific region increasingly important in a turbulent world – Government.se

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    Press release from Ministry of Defence

    Published

    Security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is becoming increasingly interlinked. The Government is now presenting a defence policy direction for cooperation between Sweden and countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

    The Indo-Pacific region, the vast and densely populated area that stretches from the east coast of Africa via the Indian Ocean and archipelagos of South-East Asia to the Pacific Islands Countries, has taken on a key defence policy and military role in recent years. 

    These regional developments are increasingly characterised by the dynamic between China and the United States. China’s increasing authoritarianism and cooperation with Russia, as well as the United States’ resource prioritisation between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, are both impacting the security situation in Europe. The Euro-Atlantic region, including Sweden, would be negatively affected by conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.

    At the same time, the Indo-Pacific region is affected by events in Europe, such as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and its aftermath. Security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions is increasingly interlinked. 

    “It has therefore become increasingly important to develop defence relations with partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region. The Government’s ambition to do this is presented in the new policy direction,” says Minister of Defence Pål Jonson.

    The Government adopted the direction on 4 July. It was publicly launched during a seminar at the Mediterranean Museum in Stockholm on 30 September, which Mr Jonson participated in. 

    Press contact

    Policy direction in brief

    The direction lists measures intended to strengthen Sweden’s defence cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries within three focus areas:
    • defence relations;
    • military presence;
    • cooperation on defence materiel, innovation and technology.
    Through enhanced cooperation, Sweden and Swedish actors can further national defence capabilities and security while also contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Within both NATO and the EU, Sweden will pursue increased defence cooperation with partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Joan: ITV drama introduces a magnetic anti-heroine you can’t help but root for

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Minor, Lecturer in Television Studies, University of Salford

    This article contains minor spoilers for episode one of Joan.

    The new six-part ITV crime series, Joan, opens with The Pretenders’ rebellious rock anthem Brass in Pocket. It’s a fitting choice that immediately sets the tone for the series. As Chrissie Hynde’s vocals kick in, we’re introduced to our protagonist – a woman who, like the song, will soon exude self-assurance and a touch of defiance, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

    Sophie Turner stars as Joan Hannington, whose journey from impoverished victim to notorious jewel thief unfolds in 1980s London. Based on true events, the series chronicles Hannington’s transformation into “the godmother” – the most infamous woman in the city’s criminal underworld.

    The first episode establishes Hannington’s dire circumstances and the spark that ignites her criminal career. She is trapped in an abusive marriage to a violent man who physically abuses her and neglects their six-year-old daughter, Kelly. When he goes on the run, Hannington seizes the opportunity to escape, but not before facing the harsh realities of her situation – from being assaulted by gangsters to whom her husband owes money, to being pressured by undercover police to inform on him.

    Circumstances force Hannington to place Kelly with an emergency foster family. This decision is made all the more poignant by the revelation of Joan’s own childhood in care, which explains her fierce determination to provide a better life for her daughter. Their relationship forms the first episode’s emotional core. It is why Joan takes her first tentative steps into illegality, beginning with stealing a car to visit Kelly at her new home.

    The trailer for Joan.

    This initial transgression evolves into more sophisticated cons. Her method of learning about jewellery by eavesdropping on wealthy women before landing a job at a jeweller’s offers a pointed commentary on class barriers. Hannington’s ability to mimic the accents and mannerisms of the affluent underscores the performative nature of social class and foreshadows her future success in high-end theft.

    Joan doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of its world, where the threat of male violence is a constant shadow. From her husband’s brutal abuse to the unwelcome advances of her new boss at the jewellers, the series portrays a reality where Hannington’s safety is perpetually at risk.

    Yet these very threats fuel her determination to carve out a safer life for herself and Kelly. We watch as she takes increasingly bold steps, culminating in a scene where she swallows several diamonds to smuggle them out of the store. This moment marks a turning point for Hannington, signalling her commitment to her new life of crime.

    Anti-heroines in British crime drama

    Joan takes its place in a rich tradition of anti-heroines in British crime TV, a lineage that has been slowly but steadily growing since the turn of the millennium.

    As noted by professor of television studies, Milly Buonanno in Television Antiheroines: Women Behaving Badly in Crime and Prison Drama (2017), it wasn’t until the noughties that “the rule of male prominence and power [was] challenged by a wave of anti-heroines who have made inroads into the criminal underworlds and have provided evidence of women’s capacity to be ‘good at being bad’ against the myth of female innocence”.

    Hannington joins this pantheon of complex female characters, trail-blazed in the 90s by Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) from Prime Suspect (1991). As TV critic Rebecca Nicholson has observed, Tennison’s influence “looms larger than is often acknowledged within modern television”. More recent additions to this lineage include characters such as Alice (Ruth Wilson) in Luther (2010) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in Killing Eve (2018) – each pushing the boundaries of how female characters are portrayed in British crime dramas.

    Speaking about bringing Hannington to life on screen, Turner has said that she “was captivated by the character of Joan, she’s such a complex and extraordinary woman, both vulnerable and strong. She makes some terrible choices, unfortunately, but I think someone that a lot of people can relate to, and I just wanted to read more and more about her.”

    Turner’s words encapsulate the hallmarks of the anti-heroine archetype – moral ambiguity, inner conflict, and a strange magnetism that draws viewers in despite (or perhaps because of) the character’s flaws. Her emphasis on Hannington’s relatability – even in the face of “terrible choices” – speaks to the human core of these anti-heroine stories.

    But it’s crucial to approach these characters with a sense of discernment. As Buaonanno cautions, we should refrain from “uncritically celebrating characters of women in the business of crime”. The mere presence of criminal anti-heroines doesn’t equate to feminist achievement. But Joan does offer an opportunity for a nuanced exploration of themes such as gender, class and morality.

    Whether Hannington’s journey will serve as a cautionary tale or a celebration of resilience remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Joan will challenge audiences to grapple with moral ambiguities as it explores the story of a working-class woman who forges her own path in the ruthless world of organised crime.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

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

    – ref. Joan: ITV drama introduces a magnetic anti-heroine you can’t help but root for – https://theconversation.com/joan-itv-drama-introduces-a-magnetic-anti-heroine-you-cant-help-but-root-for-239673

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Return of peak rail fares a costly blow for commuters and climate

    Source: Scottish Greens

    30 Sep 2024 Transport End Peak Rail Fares

    Hiking rail fares is bad for people and planet.

    More in Transport

    The return of peak rail fares in Scotland will be a costly blow for commuters and our climate, says the Scottish Greens transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP.

    Mr Ruskell’s comments came on the morning that peak rail fares returned to Scotland, following a 12 month pilot to remove them that was secured by the Scottish Greens.

    The fare hike means that someone travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh at peak times will see a return fare increase from £16.20 to £31.40.

    Mr Ruskell said: “A lot of commuters will have an unpleasant surprise when they pay for their tickets this morning and see that prices are higher than ever.

    “Peak rail fares are fundamentally unfair. They disproportionately impact people who have no say over when they need to travel for work or study. Bringing them back will do nothing to help workers or students or to encourage people out of their cars.

    “Many regular commuters have saved hundreds of pounds on their fares over the last year, and some of the rises they will now face are staggering.

    “If we want to build a transport system that works for people and planet then we need to ensure that rail is always an affordable and reliable option. People in Scotland already pay some of the highest fares in Europe and this will only make it worse.

    Mr Ruskell added: “The removal of peak rail fares was one of the most important changes that the Scottish Greens secured in government. I am proud of the work we did with trade unions and campaigners to deliver it. 

    “I hope that the SNP will reconsider this decision, and that we will see peak fares removed permanently.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pan-African partnership reaches milestone for long-term climate finance solutions in Kenya

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Mobilisation of climate finance set to be boosted across East Africa through new UK-backed company as investors put pen to paper to begin operations.

    • Investors back Dhamana Guarantee Company’s work to transform East Africa’s financial landscape.

    • Tackling climate change given another boost in Kenya as, for second time in a week, a UK-Government backed investor in green finance solutions puts pen to paper.

    Monday 30 September 2024 – Dhamana Guarantee Company Ltd (Dhamana) has reached a major milestone, marked at an event in Nairobi today.

    Investors in the new company put pen to paper at a signing ceremony, which will allow the company to kick-start operations.

    Dhamana aims to mobilise private sector finance to support the development of sustainable businesses. It will do so by issuing guarantees to commercially viable projects, businesses, and institutions that tackle the climate crisis and make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The design and creation of the company was supported by the UK-Government backed investor the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) through InfraCo Africa. With its anchor investment, PIDG kick-started Dhamana, attracting further equity investment from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and CPF Group, with support provided by Cardano Development and FSD Africa.

    Dhamana is a new limited liability company based in Kenya with a mandate to deliver for the East African region – including – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. It will provide credit guarantees on debt capital market instruments, to boost the credit rating of such instruments and crowd in investment from pension funds, insurance companies and sovereign wealth funds to support sustainable infrastructure and business development in East Africa.

    Dhamana will target businesses that add value to people’s lives, improving the day-to-day life of Kenyans and of people across the region. The increase in affordable finance for Kenyan businesses will mean projects will require less capital to get off the ground, make money, and generate growth. Dhamana will also enable investors to diversify their portfolios, acting as a catalyst to transform East Africa’s financing landscape.

    This is the second time in a week that an investor in climate solutions backed by the UK Government has achieved a milestone. Last week, MOBILIST signed a partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange which aims to drive the listing of new investment products in the Kenyan market and increase the amount of private sector capital available for development and climate projects in Kenya and drive growth.

    Dhamana CEO, Christopher Olobo, said:

    With the support of our investors and supporters, we have worked to develop Dhamana as an important catalyst for long-term sustainable finance in the region. Dhamana’s local currency guarantees will connect pools of untapped capital with East Africa’s real economy, making a tangible difference to people’s lives and offering local investors the opportunity to invest in Paris-aligned initiatives.

    Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director, British High Commission Nairobi, Leigh Stubblefield, said:

    For the second time in a week I am proud to say that the UK has supported a climate finance solution in Kenya – an example of our long-term commitment to long-term investment and growth. This is a great pan-Africa partnership that will improve the lives of East Africans for the better, and as the saying goes, we go far when we go together.

    Representing PIDG, InfraCo Africa CEO, Gilles Vaes, added:

    Building on the success of other PIDG-supported credit enhancement facilities in Nigeria and Pakistan, Dhamana will demonstrate the value of such a facility in the East African market, opening up opportunities for investors and clients alike. Crucially, Dhamana will engage new partners and investors in our efforts to urgently address the climate crisis and accelerate delivery of the UN sustainable development goals.

    In his remarks at the launch event, Solomon Quaynor, African Development Bank Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialisation, said:

    The African Development Bank’s equity investment in Dhamana reinforces the catalytic role and potential of credit enhancement companies in leveraging opportunities for infrastructure financing in local currency and supporting debt capital markets deepening in our regional member countries. We intend to replicate this business model in appropriate markets across Africa with partners such as the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and others. The first example of this type of credit enhancement company was InfraCredit in Nigeria which has had demonstrated success, and now Dhamana in East Africa. The investment in Dhamana aligns with the Bank’s priority to mobilise financing through innovative vehicles from African institutional funds including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies for infrastructure development in Africa.

    On his part, Dr. Hosea Kili, OGW – CPF Group Managing Director/CEO – said:

    We are proud to be part of this transformative initiative through Dhamana Guarantee Company. We believe in the power of innovative financial solutions to drive sustainable growth. By leveraging local currency guarantees, Dhamana will unlock critical capital for critical infrastructure projects, advancing economic development. This partnership aligns with our commitment to investing in initiatives that improve the lives of people’s lives and our economy while contributing to a more sustainable future.

    Joost Zuidberg, CEO of Cardano Development concluded:

    Dhamana’s true strength lies in its capacity to attract significant investments from East Africa’s institutional capital, laying a strong foundation for future scaling up according to its sizeable potential and thus meaningfully contribute to sustained economic growth in the region. Part of our core work is to incubate guarantee solutions for emerging and frontier markets, and we are thrilled to formalise this partnership today, as we collectively provide Dhamana with the crucial support and capital needed to fulfil this vital objective.

    NOTES FOR EDITORS

    The UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership

    The UK-Kenya strategic partnership joint statement can be found here.

    About Dhamana

    Dhamana Guarantee Company (Dhamana): Dhamana is working to catalyse the development of domestic capital markets in East Africa. It does this by connecting significant under-utilised sources of domestic institutional capital with the real economy, such as new green infrastructure, and providers of credit to  businesses. This increases access and the affordability of local capital, providing new low-risk opportunities for local investors. Dhamana will also serve to provide a portfolio of businesses with access to the local currency capital needed to deliver bankable projects, meeting the high demand for new affordable housing, transportation, water, and energy infrastructure, and promoting long term economic development. http://www.dhamana.com

    About PIDG

    The Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) is an innovative infrastructure project developer and investor which mobilises private investment in sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and south and south-east Asia. PIDG investments promote socio-economic development within a just transition to net zero emissions, combat poverty and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PIDG delivers its ambition in line with its values of pioneering, partnership, safety, inclusivity, and urgency. PIDG offers Technical Assistance for upstream, early-stage activities and concessional capital; its project development arm – which includes InfraCo Africa and InfraCo Asia – invests in early-stage project development and project and corporate equity. PIDG credit solutions include EAIF (the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund), one of the first and more successful blended debt funds in low-income markets; GuarantCo, its guarantee arm that provides credit enhancement and local currency solutions to de-risk projects; and a growing portfolio of local credit enhancement facilities, which unlocks domestic institutional capital for infrastructure financing. Since 2002, PIDG has supported 233 infrastructure projects to financial close, which provided an estimated 228 million people with access to new or improved infrastructure. PIDG is funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Global Affairs Canada, Germany, and the IFC. http://www.pidg.org

    About the African Development Bank (AfDB)

    The African Development Bank (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. http://www.afdb.org

    About the CPF Group

    The CPF Group offers a comprehensive range of services through its various subsidiaries including  CPF Financial Services which administers both private and public pension funds; notably – the Public Service Superannuation Scheme (PSSS); The Local Authorities Pensions Trust (LAPTRUST); the Taifa Pension Fund; the County Pension Fund and CPF Individual Pension Plan. The funds under our administration have a total membership of just over 500,000 members.

    Other subsidiaries include Laser Infrastructure & Technology Solutions (LITES); Laser Property Services; Rukisha Advances payment platform; CPF Asset Managers; CPF Capital & Advisory; and Laser Insurance Brokers (LIB).  The Group offers a wide range of services in ICT & renewable energy solutions, Property Services, Insurance Brokerage, Smart Money platform, fund management, Transaction Advisory, Trust fund services, training & consultancy, and Corporate Trustee Services. Derived from uncompromised commitment to fulfilling lives, the CPF Group prioritises new models and approaches in engineering turnkey solutions for clients across the region. http://www.cpfgroup.or.ke

    About Cardano Development

    Cardano Development (CD), established in 2007, incubates new companies, and creates and manages fund managers. Through careful risk-management analysis in data poor settings, CD identifies scalable solutions that can help to make frontier financial markets more inclusive, investible, and sustainable to unlock lasting economic value. CD creates scalable solutions for currency, credit, and liquidity risks in these markets. With over USD 6 billion assets and USD 3.1 billion capital under management, CD supports scale-up ventures (TCX, GuarantCo, Frontclear, BIX Capital, ILX Fund, AGRI3 Fund), and a number of new start-ups, with ongoing management support services and corporate governance oversight. http://www.cardanodevelopment.com.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University at the Russian Energy Week: Student Victories, Professional Expertise and Scientific Discussions

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    From September 26 to 28, Moscow hosted the largest discussion forum for discussing development trends in the global fuel and energy complex — Russian Energy Week 2024. Students and teachers of the Polytechnic University took an active part in it, showed excellent results in competitions and spoke at discussion platforms.

    A significant event within the framework of the Youth Day was the summing up of the results of the All-Russian competition “Youth Global Forecast of Energy Development” – a competition among teams that has been held annually since 2017. Each year, teams of students and young industry professionals form scientifically based proposals regarding the future parameters of energy development in accordance with the topic they have chosen.

    This year, 38 student teams and 25 teams of young professionals took part in the competition. As a result, 63 teams representing leading universities and top companies of the country presented their forecasts. 20 of these teams reached the final, where the winners and prize winners in each category were determined. According to the jury of the competition in the category “Students”, the team “Poly Energy” consisting of students of the Higher School of Industrial Management of IPMEiT (Daniil Guryev (team captain), Nonna Gavrikova, Nikolay Kazmin, Elena Kovyazina, Polina Kurenkova, Ulyana Makarenko, Anastasia Malashchitskaya, Daria Moiseenko, Dmitry Rusnak, Polina Sannikova, Vladislav Sedov, Evgeniya Filyanina, Alexander Khomyakov, Nikita Fomin, Aidar Khaliullin) took first place, presenting the work “Development of energy partnership in the BRICS, CIS and EAEU spaces”. The team mentor was Associate Professor Anna Timofeeva.

    As part of the competition final, participation in the panel discussion and questions for the teams were provided by the management of universities and industry companies whose teams reached the final. The Polytechnic University was represented by Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Lyudmila Pankova.

    For the Polytechnic University, this is a truly great student victory. Initially, 1,000 participants applied for the competition, who went through a multi-stage selection. The students worked on the project for six months, refined the solution, and eventually successfully presented it in the final of the competition. It is especially valuable that the students of our university, within the framework of their project, were able to make a small, but still a contribution to determining the main directions of development of the domestic fuel and energy complex and the search for optimal solutions in response to existing challenges, – Lyudmila Pankova commented on the victory of the Polytechnic students.

    Our main objective was to study energy cooperation between Russia and the BRICS, CIS and EAEU member countries. We identified the most promising countries for developing energy partnership. To make a forecast until 2035, it was necessary to study existing and potential ways of cooperation with the selected countries, conduct a SWOT and PESTEL analysis, risk analysis and energy cooperation cases. We created three scenarios for the development of energy partnership: negative, baseline and positive, and for each scenario we offered recommendations on the necessary measures for the Russian government and the country’s largest energy companies. Of course, the “Russian Energy Week” made a strong impression on our entire team with its scale, number of participants and grandeur of the events. We are very glad that we were its full-fledged participants and spoke at it! – shared their impressions the students of the “Poly Energy” team.

    At the end of the REN Youth Day, a ceremonial awarding of all winning teams took place. The Polytechnic University student team was awarded by State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Anastasia Bondarenko. The diploma of the winner of the youth forecast for energy development signed by Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government Alexander Novak was ceremoniously presented to the team to thunderous applause.

    After such a stunning conclusion of the competition, the students are charged with optimism, energy and enthusiasm to continue their research and project activities. I am sure that many more brilliant successes and victories await them in the future, – said Olga Kalinina, Director of the Higher School of Industrial Management at IPMET.

    Another significant event for the Polytechnic University was the successful performance of the students of the Institute of Power Engineering at the Youth Day of the Russian Energy University. Masters of the Higher School of Electric Power Systems Gerasimov Alexander, Plastinin Sergey and Ruchkina Anastasia reached the final of the All-Russian competition of final qualification works of bachelors and masters of technical universities on electric power and electrical engineering topics, held by PJSC Rosseti, and Master of the Higher School of High-Voltage Power Engineering Valeeva Evgeniya reached the final of a similar competition of final qualification works, held by Inter RAO.

    In total, 35 universities from all over the country participated in the All-Russian competition of final qualifying work from PJSC Rosseti; the best 10 bachelor’s and 10 master’s works competed for the first three places in their categories. According to the results of the competition, Anastasia Ruchkina won with the topic “Study of methods for identifying consumer phases in a low-voltage electrical network based on data from smart metering devices.” In her work, Anastasia examined the impact of uneven distribution of single-phase consumers on the quality of electricity, and also created an algorithm that determines the phase affiliation of consumers by analyzing data from smart metering devices.

    A very large-scale and significant event, where innovative projects and solutions are discussed and, most importantly, contacts are established between young, goal-oriented power engineers from all over Russia. I am very happy with my victory! – shared Anastasia Ruchkina.

    Ivan Kurta, Head of the Directorate for Continuing Education and Industry Partnerships at the Polytechnic University, also worked at the forum. He participated in the work of discussion platforms devoted to discussing the strategy for developing fuel and energy sectors, introducing new technologies and staffing for technological sovereignty and global leadership of the domestic fuel and energy sector.

    This platform allows us to meet and discuss key issues of the development of the domestic fuel and energy complex. We managed to hold a number of really important meetings and reach agreements on the development of cooperation with HR directors of enterprises that are the largest employers in the energy sector, – noted Ivan Kurta.

    Ivan Kurta also acted as an expert in the main youth event — the REN Cup of the League of Young Specialists of the International Engineering Championship “CASE-IN”. Following his work, Ivan was awarded a letter of thanks from the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/education/polytech-at-the-Russian-energy-victory-week-students-professional-expertise-and-scientific/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Announcement No. 11 [2024] of the People’s Bank of China

    Source: Peoples Bank of China

    The Announcement No. 16 [2019] of the People’s Bank of China has played an important role in advancing the market-based interest rate reform and promoting the stable and healthy development of the real estate market since its release. In order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, respond to new changes in the supply and demand of the real estate market, meet new expectations of the people for high-quality housing, deepen the market-oriented reform of interest rates, better play the role of market mechanisms, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both borrowers and lenders, relevant matters regarding improving the pricing mechanism for commercial personal housing loans are hereby announced as follows:

    1. The borrower, when applying for commercial personal housing loans, can choose fixed or floating interest rate as the pricing methods for the loan contract. If the contract specifies a fixed interest rate, the interest rate shall remain unchanged during the contract period. If the contract specifies a floating interest rate, the interest rate shall be formed by adding spread to the latest Loan Prime Rate (LPR), and the spread, which can be positive or negative, shall reflect factors such as market supply and demand and risk premium of the borrower.

    2. The borrower of a fixed-rate commercial personal housing loan, after negotiating with the banking institution, can obtain a new floating-rate commercial personal housing loan to replace the existing one. The interest rate in the replacement is formed by adding spread to the latest LPR, and spread equals the difference between the interest rate of the original contract and the latest LPR.

    3. From November 1, 2024 onwards, the borrower of a commercial personal housing loan may negotiate with the banking institution for a different fixing period, if the contract specifies a floating interest rate. On the fixing date, the benchmark for repricing should be reset to the latest LPR. The fixing period and the way for adjustments shall be specified in the loan contract.

    4. From November 1, 2024 onwards, the borrower of a floating-rate personal housing loan may negotiate with the banking institution when the interest rate on the loan deviates to a certain extent from that on the newly issued personal housing loans nationwide. The banking institution shall then grant a new floating-rate personal housing loan to replace the existing one based on the negotiation. The newly agreed spread added to LPR shall reflect changes in factors such as the market supply and demand, and the risk premium of the borrower. The new spread shall not be lower than the floor set by the city where the replacement is made, if the floor exists.

    5. All provincial branches of the PBOC shall provide guidance to the self-regulatory pricing mechanism for market interest rates at their corresponding levels. The latter shall guide the financial institutions within their jurisdictions to implement the requirements effectively, regulate market competition, and maintain market order, according to the development of the real estate market in the cities within their jurisdictions and regulations of local governments.

    6. Banking institutions shall effectively disseminate and explain the policies and provide consultations. They shall safeguard the rights of the borrowers granted by the contract, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers according to laws and regulations, to ensure that relevant work is carried out in a smooth and orderly manner.

    This announcement shall come into force on the date of its issuance, while the Announcement No. 16 [2019] of the People’s Bank of China shall be repealed at the same time. Where the previous relevant regulations are inconsistent with this announcement, this announcement shall prevail.

    The People’s Bank of China

    September 29, 2024

    Date of last update Nov. 29 2018

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DVLA digital service update allows motorists to tax vehicle without log book and tax reminder letter

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Motorists applying for a duplicate V5C (log book) can now tax their vehicle without needing to wait for their log book to arrive.

    DVLA has announced a new service update that allows motorists to tax their vehicle even if they have lost their V5C (log book) and their vehicle tax reminder letter (V11).

    Previously, customers who had lost these documents would have had to wait up to 5 days for a replacement V5C to arrive, or phone DVLA’s Contact Centre to tax their vehicle. This latest update will allow customers to apply online for a new V5C and tax their vehicle at the same time.

    This is the first time that DVLA has linked their online registration service with their online licensing service, allowing the customer to self-serve through the 2 digital channels in one seamless customer journey.

    Julie Lennard, DVLA Chief Executive, said:

    We are always looking for ways to improve our digital services to provide more convenience for motorists. This latest enhancement will enable customers who have misplaced or lost their V5C to get a replacement and tax their vehicle quickly and easily.

    The updated online service is available at http://www.gov.uk/vehicle-log-book

    Press office

    DVLA Press Office
    Longview Road
    Morriston
    Swansea
    SA6 7JL

    Email press.office@dvla.gov.uk

    Only for use by journalists and the media: 0300 123 2407

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Photographers encouraged to enter Citizen Science for Water Photo Story Competition

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Photographers have been encouraged to submit entries to the Citizen Science for Water Photo Story Competition, which is aimed at communicating matters on water action.

    “The competition is aimed at elevating inspiring stories on citizen science for water by touching upon people’s emotional connection to water and inspiring them to take positive action,” the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) said on Saturday.

    Citizen science is the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific endeavours to increase scientific knowledge. 

    The South African National Committee (SANC) for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), in collaboration with the DWS, launched the Citizen Science for Water Photo Story Competition on Friday in Pretoria. 

    SANC members include DWS, the Water Research Commission (WRC), Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), University of South Africa (UNISA), and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), amongst others.

    “The competition’s objectives are to raise awareness on the intertwined relationship between water and the various dimensions of culture, value, education and the natural sciences in the past and present; activate youth involvement in communicating matters of water action in creative ways; contribute to joint actions in the water action agenda, and to demonstrate how citizens, communities and education could effectively support the sustainable use and management of water,” the department said.

    Participants should explore five themes which are: Water and Citizen Science; Water and Partnerships; Water and Education; Water and Culture, as well as Water and Communities. 

    The competition is now officially opened. Submissions can be sent via a link: https://www.dws.gov.za/Projects/UNESCO/cspi.aspx

    Applicants are urged to familiarise themselves with the submission rules when entering the competition. Anyone with inquiries or struggling with submission may direct their queries to ihp50photostory@dws.gov.za.

    The competition is free to enter, and participants must be 18 years or older. The deadline for submission is 28 February 2025, 23:00 South African Time. 

    The winners will be officially announced in March 2025 and receive an award from the department and South African National Committee for IHP, and recognition and visibility through IHP channels and initiatives both locally and internationally. 

    The top 15 winning pieces will be exhibited in June 2025 during the launch of the Photo Story Book. –SANews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Thai experts laud China’s smart rice irrigation tech

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese and Thai experts learn about crop water demand testing at the Guangxi Irrigation Experimental Central Station in Guilin, Guangxi, Sept. 28, 2024. [Ren Bin/China.org.cn]

    A team of 30 agricultural irrigation experts, government officials and local community representatives from China and Thailand visited Guilin, a city in southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on September 28, to study climate-smart water and rice farming technologies as part of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism. 

    In Songlin village, Huixian township of Guilin, researchers from China’s Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute (CRSRI) of Changjiang Water Resources Commission, demonstrated smart irrigation equipment to Thai experts.

    “With our smart equipment, the data on flow rate, water level, soil moisture and meteorology can be remotely monitored in real-time with just a digital device in your hand,” said Li Yalong, director of CRSRI’s Agricultural Water Conservancy Department. “With the help of this information, local farmers can control the amount of irrigation water, for example, and it helps achieve the goals of energy saving, water conservation and emission reductionat the same time.”

    A local farmer surnamed Liao told China.org.cn about the improved drainage and water conservation since implementing the equipment.

    “Compared to last year, the cost of twice irrigation has been saved. And the crops are growing well,” said Liao. “In previous years, when I planted the rice all by myself, the field yield was 1,800 to 2,100 kilograms per acre, but this year, it is estimated to be more than 2,400 kilograms.”

    The demonstration site is part of a wider project promoting climate-smart water technologies for sustainable resources and rice production in the Lancang-Mekong Region, supported by the Lancang-Mekong Special Fund. 

    The project, guided by Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources, is jointly coordinated with several institutes, including the Asia Center of Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI Asia Center) in Bangkok, the Environmental Research Institute of Chulalongkorn University, the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center, the CRSRI, and the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. It aims to enhance climate-smart technology innovation and promote sustainable regional rice production and water resource management.

    Thanapon Piman, water cluster lead and SEI Asia Center senior research fellow, who leads the project, praised the demonstration for strengthening cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries on climate-smart farm technologies. He said it helps local communities adapt to the impacts of climate change and reduce the risks of floods and droughts.

    “The technologies from China are good examples for Thailand to apply the technology in agricultural water resource management,” Piman said. “This visit gives us more confidence and inspiration on how to help local communities cope with the impact of climate change.”

    The team also visited the Guangxi Irrigation Experimental Central Station, exploring experimental areas for water conservation, pollution prevention, and precision irrigation. Thai experts exchanged ideas on irrigation experiments with the station’s technical staff.

    The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism is a multilateral framework established in 2016 for China and five Southeast Asian countries to collaborate on development and regional issues. 

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Communities urged to safeguard water infrastructure

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Water and Sanitation Minister, David Mahlobo, has called on residents across the country to safeguard water infrastructure in areas where they reside as a measure to assist government to ensure water security through the implementation of water projects. 

    Mahlobo made these remarks at a community engagement session on Friday in Alice in the Eastern Cape, where he joined the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, to hand over the R130 million Alice Water Treatment and the University of Fort Hare’s Wastewater Treatment Works Expansion Projects.

    The University of Fort Hare initiated the upgrade of the Alice Water Treatment Works (WTWs) and the flow rate increase from an average of 6.5 megalitres per day to 12 megalitres day. This resulted in the total water storage capacity increasing from 11.28 megalitres to 17.48 megalitres.  

    “The initiative was sparked by the treatment and storage capacity of the Wastewater Treatment Works, which far exceeded the demand, which had significant negative impact on both the Alice town and the university,” the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) said.

    The university then approached the Amathole District Municipality, as the Water Services Authority, to solicit its plans to address the unreliable supply in the area, and to also meet its additional requirement as additional student residential accommodation was needed.

    The Amathole District Municipality advised the university that the upgrade of the Alice Water Treatment Works was set to start in the 2024/25 budget cycle due to over commitments in its Infrastructure Capital Programmes.

    This then prompted the university to approach the Department of Higher Education and Training to bridge the upgrades of both the Alice Water Treatment Works and the Wastewater Treatment Works in order to unlock further development of student accommodation.

    The request was endorsed by former Minister Blade Nzimande, and it culminated into the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Fort Hare University and Amathole District Municipality.

    The MoU set the wheels in motion, which resulted in the two projects effectively implemented and handed over by the current Minister of Higher Education and Training, and Deputy Minister Mahlobo. 

    Mahlobo has endorsed the university’s initiative and praised the swift response by the Department of Higher Education and Training. 

    “As the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, we fully encourage and support such initiatives, as undertaken by the university and our sister department. Water is a source of life and all of us should work together to ensure that we safeguard this precious resource. Any initiative that strives to ensure water security will always get the support of the Ministry of Water and Sanitation.

    “While we welcome collaborative work, we also call on community members to play their significant role in ensuring that they safeguard water infrastructure. It cannot be correct that the vandalism of water infrastructure still happens in communities,” Mahlobo said.

    The two projects are aimed at addressing water treatment and wastewater management at the university, and are collaborative initiatives of the University of Fort Hare, Amathole District Municipality and Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. –SANews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: DRC President Felix Tshisekedi must be held accountable for human rights violations

    Source: Amnesty International –

    By Jean Mobert Senga, Amnesty International’s DRC researcher

    Speaking at the UN General Assembly on 25 September 2024, President Tshisekedi ignored the continuing deterioration of human rights under his own government. The international community must push him to change course.

    At the start of his first term in 2019, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi promised to protect human rights — but his government appears to have embarked on a crusade against his own pledges.

    The DRC authorities’ response to the armed conflict and inter-communal violence that has ravaged the country for decades has failed to improve the security situation. In some cases, it has made it worse.

    While the international community must address serious human rights abuses by armed groups in eastern DRC, including Rwanda and other countries’ alleged support to some armed groups, it must also increase pressure on President Tshisekedi’s government to uphold human rights, tackle impunity, and address deep-rooted socioeconomic injustices.

    The DRC is enduring one of the most protracted humanitarian crises in the world. From east to west and from north to south, the civilian population faces daily threats of violence from a myriad of armed groups. Congolese soldiers and affiliated militia groups also continue to target civilians and commit horrendous crimes, often with impunity.

    A profound failure

    Internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly women and girls, disproportionately bear the brunt of this conflict. IDP camps are rife with sexual violence, exacerbated by poor security conditions and insufficient humanitarian aid. The continued failure of the Tshisekedi administration to protect populations made vulnerable by these living conditions is inacceptable.

    The international community must hold the DRC government accountable not only for its failure to prevent and punish sexual violence and attacks against civilians, but also for its inaction in addressing the humanitarian catastrophe. Both the Congolese government and the international community must increase funding for the chronically underfunded humanitarian response to meet the urgent needs of affected populations, including shelter, food, healthcare and education.

    The international community must hold the DRC government accountable not only for its failure to prevent and punish sexual violence and attacks against civilians, but also for its inaction in addressing the humanitarian catastrophe.

    Jean Mobert Senga, DRC Researcher, Amnesty International

    A key contributing factor to the deteriorating human rights situation in the eastern DRC is the ongoing “State of Siege” imposed in North Kivu and Ituri since May 2021. This exceptional measure, which is akin to a state of emergency, has effectively militarized everyday life, concentrating all powers in the hands of military and police officials, including powers which should be those of civilian authorities. Tshisekedi’s government must urgently end the “State of Siege” and work towards a human rights-centred approach to restoring security.

    Meanwhile, a crackdown on dissent has swept the nation under the pretext of defending the country against enemies. Journalists, civil society activists, and political opponents have faced threats, arbitrary detention, and judicial harassment. By weaponizing the judiciary, the Tshisekedi administration has betrayed the hopes and aspirations of those who resisted the repression of their rights under the Kabila regime.

    Equally alarming is the government’s decision in March this year to reinstate the death penalty after more than two decades of hiatus. Military courts have since handed down more than a hundred death penalty sentences, heightening the risk of politically motivated executions.

    The recent tragedy at Makala prison in Kinshasa, where over 120 people died, hundreds were injured, and more than 200 women and girls were subjected to sexual violence, including gang rape, underscores the dire state of prison conditions in the DRC. President Tshisekedi must ensure that the courts conduct a transparent and prompt investigation and prosecute all responsible, including political and security officials who may have failed to prevent these horrific events. The international community must push for and assist in urgent criminal and penitentiary reforms to ensure such tragedies are never repeated.

    Despite repeated calls for justice, the government has so far largely failed to bring both Congolese and foreign perpetrators of crimes under international law to justice. Powerful actors continue to operate with impunity, deepening the cycle of violence. Efforts towards other forms of justice, including compensations and reparations, remain dismally inadequate. Victims and survivors are frustrated by the lack of transparency and the slow pace of these efforts, which often feel more symbolic than substantive.

    Despite repeated calls for justice, the government has so far largely failed to bring both Congolese and foreign perpetrators of crimes under international law to justice. Powerful actors continue to operate with impunity, deepening the cycle of violence.

    Jean Mobert

    It is not only armed conflict that poses an existential threat to thousands of people in the country. The DRC is a critical supplier of copper and cobalt, minerals that are essential to the global transition to renewable energy. However, as highlighted in Amnesty International’s 2023 report “Business as Usual?”, increased investments in the industrial mining sector have led to human rights abuses, including mass forced evictions and environmental pollution, leaving frontline communities in limbo. Toxic pollution and dangerous working conditions continue to plague artisanal miners, particularly in the cobalt-rich southern provinces.

    The international community cannot afford to ignore the grave human rights situation in the DRC any longer. President Tshisekedi’s allies — especially the United States, South Africa, Angola, Belgium, and France — must use their influence to demand accountability for human rights violations.

    This oped first ran in South Africa’s Daily Maverick

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has submitted a draft three-year budget for 2025–2027 to the State Duma

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The draft law on the federal budget for 2025 and for the planning period of 2026 and 2027 has been submitted to the State Duma for consideration. The order to submit it was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

    Document

    Order dated September 28, 2024 No. 2693-r

    When drafting the new three-year budget, the Government proceeded from the need to fulfill social obligations to citizens and solve priority tasks outlined by the President.

    Thus, one of the main priorities is targeted support for pregnant women and families with children.

    Submission to the State Duma of the draft federal law developed by the Ministry of Finance “On the federal budget for 2025 and for the planning period of 2026 and 2027”

    12 hours ago

    In particular, over 4 trillion rubles have been allocated for monthly benefits in connection with the birth and upbringing of a child for 2025–2027. Over 1.7 trillion rubles have been planned for the provision of maternity capital, and over 12 billion rubles over three years for subsidies for housing for young families.

    Dmitry Grigorenko on the introduction to the State Duma of the draft federal law developed by the Ministry of Finance “On the federal budget for 2025 and for the planning period of 2026 and 2027”

    12 hours ago

    It is proposed to allocate approximately 37.5 billion rubles to support regional demographic programs aimed at increasing the birth rate.

    The necessary funds have also been allocated for such important areas as hot meals for schoolchildren, payments to class teachers, major repairs and construction of new educational institutions, provision of medicines for beneficiaries, increasing the level of pension provision and resuming indexation of pensions for working pensioners.

    The draft budget allocates over 130 billion rubles to help citizens who find themselves in difficult life situations under the social contract program.

    More than 80 billion rubles are planned for the development of a long-term care system for the elderly and disabled who need such assistance.

    The Government’s priority tasks include the implementation of national projects. A total of more than 18 trillion rubles have been allocated for their financing (19 projects) over three years. Over 40 trillion rubles have been allocated from the federal budget over six years. Compared to the national projects in effect in 2019–2024, funding from the federal budget has been almost doubled.

    An equally important area is financial support for the regions. It is planned to allocate 3.3 trillion rubles annually for these purposes.

    The draft of the new three-year federal budget is based on the basic version of the socio-economic development forecast. It implies that in 2025–2027, economic dynamics will be on a moderate trajectory of 2.5–2.8% of GDP.

    Budget revenues in 2025 will amount to 40.3 trillion rubles, in 2026 – 41.8 trillion rubles, in 2027 – 43.2 trillion rubles.

    Expenditures in 2025 are planned at 41.5 trillion rubles, 44 trillion rubles in 2026, and 45.9 trillion rubles in 2027.

    The execution of the new three-year federal budget is expected with a deficit of 0.5% of GDP in 2025, 0.9% of GDP in 2026 and 1.1% in 2027. During this period, the non-oil and gas deficit will be reduced to 5% of GDP in 2027 (by 2.5 percentage points compared to 2024).

    The main sources of deficit financing in 2025–2027 will be government borrowing. The volume of government debt will remain at a safe level.

    Along with the draft of the new three-year budget, the Government also sent draft budgets of extra-budgetary funds and a number of other bills of decisive importance for public finances to the lower house of parliament.

    This year, the budget package was submitted entirely via electronic communication channels for the first time. This was the result of systematic work to improve the interaction between the Government Office and the State Duma.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://government.ru/nevs/52839/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New tool locates MCA-approved life-saving appliance service stations

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Online finder will help seafarers and those responsible for the maintenance of inflatable life-saving appliances to find approved service stations.

    A marine evacuation system (MES) in use during an evacuation exercise.

    Developed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), a new online tool will provide easier search and filtering capabilities for seafarers looking to locate approved service stations for life-saving appliances (LSAs).

    The search engine provides users with filterable results to identify MCA-approved service stations across the UK, according to appliance type, manufacturer and service station location.

    MCA-approved service stations are annually assessed and certified to carry out servicing work to these devices, which include devices including lifejackets, life rafts, marine evacuation systems (MES) and inflated rescue boats.

    All SOLAS-certificated inflatable LSAs for use on board UK ships must be serviced at UK approved service stations, at intervals not exceeding 12 months (unless otherwise exempted).

    MCA Life-saving Appliances Lead Robert Stone-Ward said:

    Servicing LSA is a legal requirement under SOLAS that ensures that your devices are functioning correctly and will be ready for use in an emergency.

    Our new tool is a simple way for seafarers and those with responsibilities for maintaining safety equipment to more easily find an MCA-approved service station for a range of devices, in a location closest to them.

    Visit the Find a service station for your inflatable life-saving appliances page to use the tool.

    Press office

    Email public.relations@mcga.gov.uk

    Press enquiries (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) 0203 817 2222

    Outside these hours or on bank holidays and weekends, for media enquiries ONLY, please send an email outlining your query and putting #Urgent in the subject title.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nina Hingorani-Crain reappointed as a Non-Executive Director to the Board of NS&I

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    HM Treasury has announced today the reappointment of Nina Hingorani-Crain as a Non-Executive Director to the Board of NS&I for a second, three-year term.

    HM Treasury has announced today that Nina Hingorani-Crain has been reappointed as a Non-Executive Director to the Board of NS&I (National Savings and Investments), as of 1 November 2024. The reappointment will be for a term of three years.

    Non-Executive Directors on NS&I’s Board ensure a sound strategy is in place to meet the organisation’s remit of raising cost-effective debt financing for the government. They also act as an external source of advice, have oversight of risk control, and ensure NS&I’s links with its outsourcing partners remain open and transparent.

    NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK, offering a range of savings and investments. All products offer 100% capital security because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.

    Nina was first appointed as a Non-Executive Director in November 2021. She has held a number of high-profile executive and non-executive roles, including as Chief of Staff and Principal Private Secretary to the Chair of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) during the global financial crisis and as Chief of Staff leading the transition of the FSA into the Financial Conduct Authority, the current financial services regulator. She is currently on the Board of Nest (the workplace pension scheme set up by the UK government), a London mental health and community health NHS Foundation Trust, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). She has previously served on the Board of the Charity Commission for England & Wales, and the Boards of several other national and regional organisations.

    Further information:

    The reappointment has been made in accordance with the Code of Practice published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

    All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Nina Hingorani-Crain has confirmed that she has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Economy – KOF Economic Barometer: Recovery tendency confirmed

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    In September, the KOF Economic Barometer continues to rise, albeit only very slightly. However, this month’s small increase nevertheless confirms the much more pronounced rise in the previous month. The Swiss economy is slowly working its way out of the trough.

    The KOF Economic Barometer rises by 0.5 points. It now stands at 105.5 (revised from 105.0 in August). In August, the Economic Barometer had climbed by a revised 3.7 points. In September, almost all indicator bundles for the economic sectors point to a more favourable outlook than before. Above all, the indicators for the manufacturing industry and, to a lesser extent, those for the financial and insurance services, the construction industry and the other services. In the hospitality industry, the rather above-average prospects remain almost unchanged. On the demand side, the indicators for consumer demand are also almost unchanged, pointing to a rather above-average further development. By contrast, the indicators for future foreign demand are weakening.

    In the producing industries (manufacturing and construction), in particular the indicators for the general business situation, export opportunities and intermediate input purchases are increasingly pointing to an improvement. By contrast, those for production activity and employment development suggest a less favourable further development than in the previous month.

    Within the manufacturing, the outlook for chemical and pharmaceutical companies as well as for the metal industry is improving. By contrast, it is weakening for the electrical industry as well as the textile and clothing segment.

    KOF Economic Barometer and Reference Series: Annual Update

    The annual 2024 revision took place in September. These updates always comprise the following steps: a redefinition of the pool of indicators that enter the selection procedure, an update of the reference time series and a renewed execution of the automated variable selection procedure. For further background information, we refer to a separate document.

    The updated pool of indicators now consists of 553 economic time series. The updated reference series is the smoothed growth rate of Swiss GDP distributed across the three months of a quarter from 2014 until and including 2023, based on the official quarterly real GDP statistics, adjusted for the effects of major international sporting events, as released by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) in early September 2024. SECO, in turn takes the release of the previous year’s annual GDP data published by the SFSO into account.

    The 2023 vintage of the KOF Economic Barometer (published until August 2024) comprised 324 indicator variables. The current 2024 vintage, which is now replacing the 2023 vintage, consists of 360 indicator variables. Compared to the previous vintage, 74 indicators are new and 38 dropped out of the set of selected indicators. The Barometer is the rescaled weighted average of the selected indicators, where the weights correspond to the loadings of the first principal component.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/LEBANON – Cardinal Raï on the assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah: “It has opened a wound in the hearts of the Lebanese”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Beirut (Agenzia Fides) – “The assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has opened a wound in the hearts of the Lebanese”. But “the incessant martyrdom of Christian and Muslim leaders who believed in the cause of truth, justice and the defense of the weak strengthens the unity of the Lebanese, a unity of blood, belonging and destiny”, said Maronite Patriarch Béchara Boutros Raï on the death of the leader of the Shiite Hezbollah movement, killed by the Israeli army in Beirut on Friday evening. He did so during the homily during Sunday Mass on September 29 at the Patriarch’s summer residence in Dimane. A Mass – said the Lebanese Cardinal – celebrated to implore repose for the souls of the victims of these days and to ask for peace.”Martyrdom for the common homeland,” continued the Maronite Patriarch, “is the martyrdom chosen by believers of all Lebanese components who have united in it and left us an invitation to loyalty and fidelity to their sacrifice for a homeland they loved, even if they had different ideas about how to manage it and how to conduct politics.””The blood shed by those who sacrificed themselves for the Lebanese homeland,” continued Cardinal Raï, referring to the political-institutional crisis that has paralyzed the country for years, “calls us to defend Lebanon against any aggression and to elect a President of the Republic who will give Lebanon back its place among the nations.” The post of Head of State, which in the Lebanese institutional system belongs to a Maronite Christian, has been vacant for almost two years due to cross-party and sectarian vetoes.In his homily, the Lebanese Cardinal – who in the recent past had also been critical of the strategies of the Hezbollah militias – affirmed that “the international community is called to take serious measures to stop the cycle of war, death and destruction here and to prepare the ground for a just peace that guarantees the rights of all peoples and components of the region”. “It is time”, added the Maronite Patriarch, “for all Lebanese to understand that they have no one to help and support them except themselves, united and in solidarity with each other, committed to managing the affairs of the Lebanese home in the spirit of the National Pact, in a state of law and institutions”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 29/9/2024)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Telecommunications – Industry growth and rising energy demand put pressure on tech sector sustainability efforts

    Source: The International Telecommunication Union

    Cutting value-chain emissions could be key to reducing carbon footprints to net zero, ITU-WBA report shows.

    Geneva, 30 September 2024 – The carbon footprint of the digital technology sector is growing to keep pace with global demand for hardware, network services, data storage and emerging technologies, according to a report co-authored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA).  

    Alongside commitments expressed across industry to embrace both digital growth and environmental sustainability, the report reveals an overall decline in progress towards climate goals. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the global tech sector have increased, while transparency and accountability remain a challenge.

    Greening Digital Companies 2024 offers insights and best practices to help tech companies worldwide accelerate their emissions reductions, achieve low-carbon operations, and improve climate reporting.

    “An effective green transition needs digital companies to drive progress and lead by example,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “This report is an important tool for understanding where to focus efforts to maximize digital technology’s immense potential to advance sustainability in the face of climate change for the digital future we want. The report’s findings formulate a clear call for action for leaders gathering at the Green Digital Action meeting at COP29’s landmark Digitalisation Day.”

    Balancing benefits and costs

    Digital technologies offer numerous socio-economic benefits and can accelerate progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Tech can enhance weather predictions and climate-change monitoring, optimize energy use, and help integrate low-emission technologies.

    But to advance sustainable development, industry must monitor and address its own environmental challenges, including carbon emissions, energy and water consumption, e-waste, and raw-material depletion.

    Greening Digital Companies 2024 evaluates the greenhouse gas emissions and energy use of 200 leading digital companies around the world.

    Of the 200 companies covered in the report, 148 reported electricity consumption totaling 518 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2022, about 1.9 per cent of the world total. The 10 companies with the highest consumption levels – all headquartered in East Asia or the United States – consumed 51 per cent of this total, 9 per cent higher than in 2021.

    Assessing the corporate value chain

    The report’s 2024 edition provides the first comprehensive overview of corporate value-chain emissions. Often referred to as “Scope 3,” these make up most of the emission footprints of digital companies.

    Scope 3 emissions include everything from material suppliers and outsourced device production to the use of a company’s end-products by consumers. Such end-products range from cell phones and computers to search engines and AI chatbots.

    On average, these emissions are six times greater than the combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions that a company produces itself or is responsible for indirectly, according to the report.

    Many companies struggle to accurately calculate and attribute their Scope 3 emissions, with common challenges including lack of data from suppliers, double counting, and inconsistent application of emission-allocation principles.

    “Digital companies need to do their part in the fight against climate change,” said Lourdes O. Montenegro, Director of Research and Digitisation at the World Benchmarking Alliance. “This report uniquely offers evidence-based insights on the sector’s state of play. We are bringing these data and insights to the attention of the international community to help ensure that the impact on people and planet is consequential to success in business.”

    Managing emissions from emerging technologies

    The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies will further strain energy resources and keep adding to emissions, the report makes clear.

    The report also notes the contributions that AI and other transformative technologies can make to support sustainable development.

    To help digital companies meet sustainability goals, Greening Digital Companies 2024 underscores the role of governments in implementing monitoring frameworks and accelerating the availability of green energy.

    “From the development point of view, it is increasingly important for industry players to more closely monitor their own greenhouse gas emissions and act to reduce emissions and energy use,” said Cosmas Zavazava, Director of the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau.

    “GHG impacts can be devastating and include extreme and changing weather patterns and rising sea levels. If left unchecked, climate change will undo part of the development progress of the past. Governments can support the tech industry’s efforts to balance innovation with sustainability, fostering a twin transition towards digital growth and environmental responsibility.”

    Liberalizing energy markets, reducing red tape for permitting, modernizing power grids, and investing in energy storage are all ways that governments can support industry sustainability efforts. Renewable energy investment is also critical.

    Research and analysis to support green digital action

    Greening Digital Companies 2024 reflects ITU’s wider push for effective climate action across the global tech industry.

    ITU, the UN Agency for Digital Technologies, urges the industry to take responsibility for its own emissions; helps develop and promote technical standards to cut emissions in line with global climate goals; and encourages industry partners worldwide to support ITU’s Green Digital Action, aiming to strengthen the contribution of digital technologies to climate and environmental action.

    Notes:

    Advance interviews under the embargo are available.

    The full report is available for media preview at https://bit.ly/4gAdZYI

    The report will be launched Monday 30 September during the ITU-WBA webinar: “Greening Digital Companies 2024: Monitoring emissions and climate commitments,” taking place in two sessions to accommodate different world regions:

    Session One: 9:00 – 10:15 CEST / Session Two: 18:00 – 19:15 CEST

    To register: http://www.itu.int/go/gdc-24

    The upcoming UN Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29) will host the first Digitalisation Day at a COP, shining a spotlight on the growing opportunities and challenges posed by increasing digitalisation. This will include the inaugural high-level meeting on digitalisation at a COP.

    Resources and background information:

    • Virtual launch event of the Greening Digital Companies 2024 report, 30 September 2024
    • Greening Digital Companies 2024: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments
    • Greening Digital Companies 2023: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments
    • Greening Digital Companies 2022: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments.

    International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

    About ITU

    The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), driving innovation in ICTs together with 194 Member States and a membership of over 1,000 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations. Established in 1865, it is the intergovernmental body responsible for coordinating the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoting international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, improving communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishing the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems. From broadband networks to cutting-edge wireless technologies, aeronautical and maritime navigation, radio astronomy, oceanographic and satellite-based earth monitoring as well as converging fixed-mobile phone, Internet and broadcasting technologies, ITU is committed to connecting the world.

    Learn more: http://www.itu.int

    About WBA

    The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) is a non-profit organization that assesses and ranks the performance of the world’s most influential companies on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Data in this report were collected as part of the WBA Digital Inclusion Benchmark, which assesses the world’s leading technology companies on their performance in enhancing access to digital technologies, improving digital skills, fostering trustworthy use, and innovating openly, inclusively and ethically. In addition, WBA produces the Climate and Energy Benchmark, which measures corporate progress against the Paris Agreement and covers 450 of the world’s most influential companies in high-emitting sectors such as the automotive, utilities, oil, gas and transport industries.

    Learn more: https://www.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/ 

    Appendices

    Greening Digital Companies 2024 report: a focus on Scope 3 emissions

    The Greening Digital Companies 2024 report provides the first comprehensive overview of corporate supply chain, or Scope 3, emissions, which are roughly six times Scope 1 and 2 emissions combined.

    Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions from a company’s upstream and downstream activities, such as outsourced suppliers in information and communication technologies (ICTs) manufacturing and emissions from the use of products like computers and smartphones.

    By definition, Scope 3 emissions are outside the company’s direct control. But firms can exert important influence through their choice of suppliers, on the one hand, and the energy efficiency of their products and services, on the other.

    Scope 3 reporting, however, is beset by a lack of data from suppliers and transparency. A total of 75 of the 200 companies provide relevant data across all 15 categories, ranging from purchased goods/services, upstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations, to business travel, use of sold products, and downstream leased assets. But most fall short in their reporting.

    “Despite an abundance of guidance, the majority of digital companies do not calculate a full Scope 3 emissions inventory,” said the report. “This makes it impossible to assess progress in reducing emissions across their value chain.

    While 103 digital companies covered in this report have submitted an emissions reduction target to SBTi, only 73, just over one-third, have a Scope 3 target.

    By the numbers:

    ASSESSMENT: DISCLOSURE, TARGETS, PERFORMANCE

    • The Greening Digital Companies report assesses companies on their data disclosure, targets and performance.

    • Only three of 200 digital companies scored 90% or higher (Apple, Logitech, Telefonica).

    • 26 companies scored 75% or higher (see figure below), up four from the assessment in the 2023 edition of the report.

    • Only 70 companies had at least a “passing grade” of 50%, and 27 scored zero.

    • The top 26 performers are all headquartered in Europe or the US

    SCOPE 1 & 2: OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS

    ● 166 companies reported emissions totaling 293 million tCO2e in 2022, amounting to 0.8% of global emissions from energy use and 12% more than in 2021.

    ● Top 10 emitting companies – all in the US or East Asia – accounted for 55%of the total, with all but one reporting increased operational emissions in 2022.

    ● The Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) has not validated the emissions reduction target of any top ten emitters as aligned with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C target.

    ELECTRICITY & RENEWABLE ENERGY

    ● 2022 electricity consumption for the 148 companies providing data topped 500 terawatt-hours (TWh), 1.9% of the global total.

    ● The top ten – all headquartered in East Asia and the US – consumed 51% of the total, 9% more than in 2021.

    ● The top four corporate purchasers of renewable energy globally in 2022 were digital companies: Amazon, Meta, Alphabet and Microsoft (see figure below).

    ● Sixteen companies reported sourcing 100% renewable electricity (see figure below). Four of which – Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Deutsche Telekom – highlight that despite purchasing renewable electricity, it is not always available where their data centres are located or the electricity grid was not always supplying them.

    ● Four top ten companies consuming electricity in 2022– Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Deutsche Telekom – purchased 100% renewable energy, but it has not always been available where needed.

    ● Samsung and TSMC have committed to 100% renewable electricity, but not before 2050 and 2040 respectively.

    ● None of the three Chinese telecom operators in the top ten electricity consumers have made commitments towards 100% renewable electricity.

    TARGETS VALIDATED BY THE SCIENCE BASED TARGETS INITIATIVE (SBTi)

    ● 104 (out of 200) digital companies have submitted Scope 1 & 2 emissions reduction targets to the SBTi, of which 69 have been validated.

    ● Of the 69 validated targets: 45 companies are on track, 13 are not on track, and 11 have seen emissions rise.

    ● Validated targets account for 19% of the 200 companies’ total emissions (56 million tCO2e).

    ● 81% of the 294 million tCO2e of total operational emissions are not covered by an SBTi target.

    SCOPE 3: CORPORATE VALUE CHAIN EMISSIONS

    ● Among companies that report all relevant Scope 3 emissions, Scope 1 accounts for 4%, Scope 2 for 15% and Scope 3 for 81%. Scope 3 emissions are on average 6 times greater than Scope 1 and 2 combined (see figure below).

    ● Only 75 of 200 companies provided a complete Scope 3 inventory despite it accounting for most digital company emissions.

    AI & DATA CENTERS

    • Generating responses to Chatbot queries (“inference”) accounts for up to 90% of total machine learning cloud computing costs according to research by Amazon Web Services.

    • A ChatGPT inquiry needs almost ten times as much electricity to process as a standard web search.

    • Data centers consumed about 460 TWh of electricity in 2022, a figure which is projected to increase 35% to 100% by 2026. At the upper end of this range, this demand is roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption in Japan.

    • Large cloud providers are experiencing rapid growth in energy use and consequent emissions. Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft operational GHG emissions are up 62% from 2020 reaching 47 million metric tons in 2023 (see figure below). Electricity use has grown even faster, up 78% over the same period and standing at just over 100 TWh in 2023, around what the entire country of the Philippines uses in a year. The trio have made huge investments to decarbonize their operations: they all procure 100% renewable electricity and they were three of the top four corporate purchasers of green energy in 2022.

    • Given the uncertainty surrounding the climate impacts of AI, it will be important for energy usage and GHG emissions to be included as key metrics when evaluating AI models.

    ADDITIONAL NUMBERS

    ● The number of global Internet users has doubled since 2010, and data traffic has expanded 25-fold

    ● E-waste increased 82% from 2010 to 2022, and on current trends will reach 82 million metric tonnes by 2030, equivalent to nearly 8 kg of e-waste per person every year according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024.

    The International Telecommunication Union: http://www.itu.int
    World Benchmarking Alliance: worldbenchmarkingalliance.org

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Completes 2024 Article IV Mission to Cambodia

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    September 30, 2024

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • The Cambodian economy is projected to grow by 5½ percent in 2024, faster than in 2023, but performance is uneven across sectors. Garment and agricultural exports are strong, and tourism is recovering while real estate and construction are undergoing a correction.
    • Fiscal policy needs to rebuild buffers, while supporting a durable and inclusive recovery of the economy. Raising revenues for growth-enhancing spending on education, health, and infrastructure is important. The risk of debt distress remains low.
    • Monetary and financial measures need to focus on safeguarding financial stability against the backdrop of slowing credit growth and rising non-performing loans (NPLs).
    • Structural reforms to enhance human capital, make the business environment more competitive, and strengthen institutions and governance would promote inclusive and sustainable economic development.

    Phnom Penh,Cambodia : An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Kenichiro Kashiwase, visited Cambodia during September 17-30 to hold discussions for the 2024 Article IV consultation. At the end of the mission, Mr. Kashiwase issued the following statement:

    “Cambodia’s economic growth has strengthened, but the recovery remains uneven. Real GDP growth is estimated at 5 percent in 2023, a similar pace as in 2022. For 2024, the economy is projected to expand by 5½ percent driven by a strong rebound in garment and agricultural exports and the ongoing recovery in tourism. However, the construction and real estate sectors are going through a correction, following rapid growth in prior years.

    “Inflation has moderated to an average of 1.6 percent (y/y) in the first half of 2024, down from 2.1 percent in 2023, reflecting global commodity price trends and weak domestic demand growth. For the full year, inflation is projected to reach around 1.5 percent before converging towards the long-term trend of 3 percent.

    “The current account (CA) balance is expected to swing back to a deficit of around 1¾ percent of GDP this year as strong imports are expected to outpace robust export growth. International reserves improved and coverage remains broadly adequate.

    “Fiscal deficit in 2023 is estimated at 2.8 percent of GDP with tax revenues falling due to softening of economic growth momentum and rising tax exemptions. Capital expenditure was also lower than planned due to delays in infrastructure execution. The fiscal deficit is projected at around 3 percent of GDP in 2024 and decline gradually over the medium term. Public debt to GDP is projected to increase moderately during the next decade, though the risk of debt distress remains low.

    “Credit growth has sharply slowed amidst deteriorating asset quality and high private sector debt. In 2024Q1, NPLs rose to 6 percent of total loans, reflecting emerging vulnerabilities with the temporary roll-back of the COVID-19 forbearance measures.

    “Risks to the outlook have shifted to the downside, notably due to weaker-than-projected demand from advanced economies and China, geoeconomic fragmentation, and high domestic private debt. Rising NPLs in the tourism and real estate sectors also pose risks to growth and financial stability. On the upside, a continued loosening of global financial conditions would support the recovery.

    “Turning to policies, fiscal policy needs to rebuild the buffers diminished by the pandemic, while accommodating a durable and inclusive recovery of the economy. In case of adverse shocks to the economy, fiscal policy should react with a focus on priority spending measures aligned with development goals and well-targeted social protection for the vulnerable. Strengthening revenues is important to create space for growth enhancing spending on education, health, and infrastructure. Tax exemptions and incentives should be reviewed and rationalized to reduce tax base erosion. Other measures to strengthen revenues include implementing the personal income tax and improving tax compliance and administration efficiency. Improving the targeting of social assistance programs and strengthening public investment management are also priorities. As Cambodia approaches graduation from the least developed country status, continuing to strengthen policy frameworks alongside enhancements to public financial management practices, improved fiscal transparency and governance, and the development of the domestic government bond market would be critical.

    “Monetary policy normalization should resume at a pace calibrated to the economic recovery and banking sector liquidity conditions. Important progress has been made in modernizing monetary policy and FX operations. Further efforts in this direction will be needed to enhance monetary policy transmission and support de-dollarization. Priorities include promoting an active KHR interbank market, developing a liquidity forecasting framework, further strengthening market determination of exchange rates, and improving the operational efficiency of monetary policy.

    “Financial sector policies should focus on maintaining financial stability. Forbearance measures should be phased out to alleviate capital misallocation and address risks of debt overhang. The authorities should ensure proper reporting of loans subject to forbearance and foster the preservation of banks’ liquidity and capital buffers. Provision of credit by real estate developers to homebuyers should be monitored closely and subject to stringent prudential requirements to avoid regulatory arbitrage. Intensified supervision efforts are warranted in the current environment. In the medium term, a comprehensive macroprudential policy strategy should be implemented, and a crisis resolution framework and deposit insurance scheme established.

    “Structural reforms are needed to diversify growth drivers and improve productivity. Enhancing skills and education is essential to reap the demographic dividend, foster technology adoption, and facilitate the transition to climate-resilient, higher-productivity industries. The government’s efforts to promote quality investment in higher-value-added activities and capture more of the value chain in agriculture are commendable. Further efforts to improve financial inclusion, advance digitalization, and enhance climate change resilience will also be needed for inclusive and sustainable development.

    “Continued efforts to strengthen institutions and governance, and to improve quality and transparency of public service deliveries would bolster long-term sustainable growth. Priorities include approval of the law on Whistleblower Protection, the draft law on Transparency, and the draft law on Access to Information. The National Audit Authority’s independence and resources should be strengthened along with improvements in the asset declaration regime and inter-agency cooperation. Addressing data limitations and improving macroeconomic data quality would benefit monitoring of the economy and policymaking. The IMF will continue to provide technical assistance to help improve statistics, and in other areas of capacity development.

    “The IMF team held discussions with senior officials of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the National Bank of Cambodia, and other public agencies, as well as a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives of the business and banking sectors, and development partners. The team wishes to express its deep appreciation to the authorities and other interlocutors for open and constructive discussions.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Randa Elnagar

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/09/30/pr24349-cambodia-imf-staff-completes-2024-article-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Violation of the principles of the rule of law in France resulting from the refusal to recognise the outcome of the parliamentary elections – E-001722/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001722/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Marina Mesure (The Left), Manon Aubry (The Left), Younous Omarjee (The Left), Anthony Smith (The Left), Leila Chaibi (The Left), Arash Saeidi (The Left), Rima Hassan (The Left), Damien Carême (The Left), Emma Fourreau (The Left)

    Following the 2024 parliamentary elections, the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition emerged as the leading parliamentary coalition in the National Assembly. However, breaking with the practice of parliamentary democracies, the President of the Republic refused to invite the NFP-designated candidate Lucie Castets to form a government and to appoint her as Prime Minister. Instead, after maintaining an outgoing government that trampled on the principles of the separation of powers and exceeded its constitutional powers, Emmanuel Macron appointed a Prime Minister from a group that had been defeated at the parliamentary elections: Michel Barnier. Barnier’s programme is directly inspired by the far right; its proposals openly call into question fundamental rights guaranteed by European and international law, including the right of asylum.

    Does the Commission consider that Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to recognise the result of the parliamentary elections, as well as the political orientation of the new Prime Minister, constitute a violation of the principles of the rule of law in France and of the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union?

    Submitted: 16.9.2024

    Last updated: 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Threat posed by Digital Services Act to freedom of expression in Europe and EU-US relations – E-001592/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001592/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Fernand Kartheiser (ECR)

    Commissioner Breton has faced fire for the letter he addressed to Elon Musk on 12 August 2024, in particular from the US Congress and Trump’s election campaign officials. Meanwhile, in the EU, many people have expressed their concern that the Digital Services Act (DSA) poses a threat to freedom of expression.

    • 1.Will the Commission revise the DSA to remove anything that poses a threat to freedom of expression or would entail censorship in the EU?
    • 2.Does it agree that the primary use of the DSA is to prevent conservative views from being shared online, and that it is thus a weapon of lawfare to be used against opinions that bother the Commission?
    • 3.Is Mr Breton still in theory eligible to be a Commissioner?

    Submitted: 2.9.2024

    Last updated: 30 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA condemns ‘targeted’ assassinations, recent bombing of Lebanon

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The South African government has expressed its “profound concern” regarding the recent escalation of extrajudicial killings in the Middle East, most notably the tragic assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and other leaders in Lebanon. 

    This follows a series of widespread and indiscriminate attacks on communication and other devices used by civilians, particularly in Lebanon.

    According to reports, Hezbollah’s leader Nasrallah was killed Friday in a strike on the group’s underground headquarters, where 20 Hezbollah members were also present.

    Hezbollah is a Lebanese militant group, described as “one of the most powerful paramilitary groups in the Middle East”.

    According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, these attacks have since resulted in numerous fatalities, including those from vulnerable groups, and left hundreds in critical condition and thousands injured. 

    “The scale of injuries caused by these indiscriminate explosions is deeply troubling and warrants strong condemnation from the international community. Such attacks on civilians constitute a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law,” the statement read. 

    South Africa has since extended its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a swift and full recovery. 

    “We stand in solidarity with the government of Lebanon during this challenging time and express our support in the aftermath of these ongoing attacks.

    “These actions exacerbate an already tense situation in the Middle East and appear to be aimed at undermining regional international peace efforts.” 

    The government has since called on the perpetrators of these premeditated crimes to be held accountable through an international, transparent investigation.

    “South Africa unequivocally condemns these targeted assassinations and the recent bombing campaign against Lebanon, which has resulted in the tragic loss of more than 720 lives since the conflict escalated on Monday [last week].”

    Citing the United Nations (UN), the department said the number of displaced individuals from southern Lebanon has more than doubled, with over 211 000 people now displaced. 

    Additionally, at least 20 primary healthcare centres have been forced to shut down in the hardest-hit areas, as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

    “South Africa urgently calls for an immediate ceasefire and adherence to international law to prevent a major regional military conflagration, which would have devastating consequences for all countries involved.” – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Invests in Xmore AI to Advance AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, Sept. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (“reAlpha”) (Nasdaq: AIRE), a real estate technology company developing and commercializing artificial intelligence (“AI”) technologies, today announced the selection of Xmore AI as the first company to secure investment from its newly launched reAlpha AI Labs, reAlpha’s research and development initiative.

    Xmore AI, co-founded by Dr. Benjamin Yan and Adrian Self, leverages over a decade of research in AI-driven cybersecurity and has developed a platform that consolidates multiple cybersecurity tools into a seamless, AI-driven solution, ensuring that enterprises can operate securely in a rapidly evolving digital environment. Dr. Yan is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University. Adrian Self, a cybersecurity professional with extensive experience in blockchain security and embedded systems, complements Dr. Yan’s expertise with his hands-on approach to security assessments and technology integration. This investment marks a strategic milestone for reAlpha AI Labs to accelerate the development of AI technologies and advance technology innovation in the real estate industry.

    Mike Logozzo, President and Chief Operating Officer of reAlpha, emphasized the broader impact of Xmore AI’s technology: “At reAlpha AI Labs, we aim to create an environment where innovative AI startups can thrive. Xmore AI’s focus on cybersecurity aligns with our vision and we believe Xmore AI’s technology will enhance the security and scalability across our AI homebuying platform and our recently acquired portfolio companies.” reAlpha’s recently acquired portfolio companies include Naamche, Hyperfast, Be My Neighbor, and AiChat.

    “Xmore AI represents the next generation of forward-thinking innovation we envisioned to collaborate with when we launched reAlpha AI Labs,” said Vinayak Grover, Associate Vice President of AI Labs at reAlpha. “Their expertise in cybersecurity, particularly for AI operations, will be critical as AI becomes more integrated into enterprise systems.”

    In addition to enhancing reAlpha’s AI homebuying platform through its AI-cybersecurity expertise, Xmore AI is developing a software that will consolidate multiple cybersecurity tools to provide AI-cybersecurity solutions to enterprises in multiple industries. At the core of Xmore AI’s innovation is its ability to address the unique vulnerabilities created by the rapid expansion of AI across industries. We believe Xmore AI is well-positioned to address critical challenges like data privacy, compliance, and risk management, by providing innovative solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of the cybersecurity landscape.

    “With AI becoming more integrated into how businesses operate, it is essential that cybersecurity evolves alongside it,” said Dr. Yan, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Xmore AI. “Through our partnership with reAlpha AI Labs, we believe we are in a position to deliver scalable, cutting-edge security solutions that protect enterprises from the emerging risks of AI integration.”

    Launched earlier this year, reAlpha AI Labs is designed to support innovative AI startups with funding, technical resources, and strategic partnerships. By providing early-stage funding along with access to reAlpha’s extensive network, the program is committed to accelerating the growth and efficacy of AI-driven solutions.

    The incubation of Xmore AI not only highlights reAlpha AI Labs’ commitment to cybersecurity, but it also marks reAlpha AI Labs’ broader mission to drive AI advancements across sectors like real estate, fintech, and enterprise technology.

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is a real estate technology company developing an end-to-end commission-free homebuying platform. Utilizing the power of AI and an acquisition-led growth strategy, reAlpha’s goal is to offer a more affordable, streamlined experience for those on the journey to homeownership. For more information, visit https://www.realpha.com/.

    About Xmore AI

    Xmore AI is developing a software that will offer innovative AI-driven cybersecurity solutions by consolidating multiple cybersecurity tools into a single platform, which will provide real-time risk analysis, vulnerability detection, and IT operations management, all while ensuring privacy by keeping data within the enterprise.

    About the reAlpha Platform

    reAlpha (previously called “Claire”), announced on April 24, 2024, is reAlpha’s generative AI-powered, commission-free, homebuying platform. The tagline: No fees. Just keys.™ – reflects reAlpha’s dedication to eliminating traditional barriers and making homebuying more accessible and transparent.

    reAlpha’s introduction aligns with major shifts in the real estate sector after the National Association of Realtors agreed to settle certain lawsuits upon being found to have violated antitrust laws, resulting in inflated fees paid to buy-side agents. This development is expected to result in the end of the standard six percent sales commission, which equates to approximately $100 billion in realtor fees paid annually. The reAlpha platform offers a cost-free alternative for homebuyers by utilizing an AI-driven workflow that assists them through the homebuying process.

    Homebuyers using the reAlpha platform’s conversational interface will be able to interact with Claire, reAlpha’s AI buyer’s agent, to guide them through every step of their homebuying journey, from property search to closing the deal. By offering support 24/7, Claire is poised to make the homebuying process more efficient, enjoyable, and cost-efficient. Claire matches buyers with their dream homes using over 400 data attributes and provides insights into market trends and property values. Additionally, Claire can assist with questions, booking property tours, submitting offers, and negotiations.

    Currently, the reAlpha platform is under limited availability for homebuyers located in 20 counties in Florida, but reAlpha is actively seeking new MLS and brokerage licenses that will enable expansion into more U.S. states.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about Xmore AI’s technology and the reAlpha AI Labs initiative; the anticipated benefits of Xmore AI’s technology and the reAlpha AI Labs initiative; reAlpha’s ability to anticipate the future needs of the short-term rental market; future trends in the real estate, technology and artificial intelligence industries, generally; and reAlpha’s future growth strategy and growth rate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to leverage Xmore AI’s technology and the reAlpha AI Labs initiative into its existing business and the anticipated demand for reAlpha AI Labs collaborations and partnerships; Xmore AI’s ability to develop its software to consolidate cybersecurity tools to provide AI-cybersecurity solutions to enterprises and the anticipated demand for such software; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; the inability to accurately forecast demand for short-term rentals and AI-based real estate focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media
    irlabs on behalf of reAlpha
    Fatema Bhabrawala
    fatema@irlabs.ca

    1 https://market.us/report/ai-in-cybersecurity-market/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Phase 2 of Government and Business partnership to be launched

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Monday, September 30, 2024

    President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to launch Phase 2 of the Business and Government partnership on Tuesday.

    The launch will be held at the Industrial Development Corporation in Johannesburg.

    READ | Deepening government, business partnership critical for SA

    “The partnership was established over a year ago with the aim of securing progress in energy, transport and logistics, and the combating of crime and corruption as enablers of economic growth and the creation of jobs.

    “The partnership has made substantial progress thus far, particularly in the significant reduction in load shedding. 

    “President Cyril Ramaphosa and senior government and business leaders will provide feedback on progress to date, and ambitions for the year ahead,” the Presidency said in a statement. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NHRC takes Suo Motu cognizance of the reported death of two students due to electrocution while cleaning the water tank of a Government run hostel in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh

    Source: Government of India

    NHRC takes Suo Motu cognizance of the reported death of two students due to electrocution while cleaning the water tank of a Government run hostel in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh

    Allegedly they were asked to clean the water tank by the hostel superintendent

    Issues notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Government of Madhya Pradesh, calling for a detailed report within two weeks

    Posted On: 30 SEP 2024 2:49PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that two students, belonging to a Scheduled Tribe, got electrocuted to death while cleaning a water tank on the instructions of the Superintendent of a government-run hostel in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on 25th September 2024. According to the media report, carried on 26th September, 2024, the students came into contact with a live wire connected to a water pump inside the tank while cleaning it. They were spotted lying in the tank by the villagers, who reportedly informed the hostel authorities.

    The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious concern about human rights violations of the victim students. Going by the media reports, it appears that the hostel authorities have acted in an insensitive manner by asking the young boys to execute such a hazardous task resulting in their deaths.

    Accordingly, the Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Government of Madhya Pradesh, calling for a detailed report within two weeks. It is also expected to include the status of the police investigation and compensation, if any, paid to the aggrieved families of both victims.

    *****

    NSK/ VCK

    (Release ID: 2060250) Visitor Counter : 138

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Singapore and Ghana Launch First Call for Project Applications under Implementation Agreement on Carbon Credits Cooperation

    Source: Asia Pacific Region 2 – Singapore

    Singapore, 30 September 2024 — Singapore and Ghana have set out the processes for authorising carbon credit projects under their Implementation Agreement on carbon  credits cooperation, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Applications may be submitted through Singapore’s Carbon Markets Cooperation website, at http://www.carbonmarkets-cooperation.gov.sg.

    2               The carbon credit projects authorised under the Implementation Agreement will channel financing towards emissions reduction or removal projects in Ghana. These projects can promote sustainable development and generate benefits for local communities, including job creation, clean water access, improvements to energy security, and reducing environmental pollution (See Annex A for potential project types).

    3               Authorised projects can generate carbon credits aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Under Singapore’s International Carbon Credit (ICC) Framework, these credits may be eligible for use by Singapore-based carbon tax-liable companies to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions.

    4               From 30 September 2024, interested parties may submit applications for their carbon credit projects in Ghana to be authorised. Applications submitted will be reviewed by Singapore and Ghana governments on a rolling basis as they are received.

    Application and Authorisation Process

    5               The application and authorisation process comprises four stages, each corresponding to a different stage of implementation for the carbon credit project (See Annex B). The first three stages require applicants to submit details on the design and implementation plan for the carbon credit project in the lead-up to project authorisation. The final stage is for corresponding adjustments to be applied to the carbon credits generated from the authorised project, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

    6               Singapore and Ghana will assess applications against each country’s respective requirements. For Singapore, these projects must meet Singapore’s Eligibility Criteria for International Carbon Credits. The Eligibility Criteria, and the list of eligible carbon crediting programmes and methodologies under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement, are at Annex C, and on the Carbon Markets Cooperation website. The list will be reviewed regularly to maintain relevance and uphold environmental integrity.

    Annex A

    Potential Carbon Credit Project Types for Applications

    Project Type Description
    Clean Water Supply Rural communities are provided with water purification technologies (e.g. UV-based disinfection systems). This empowers communities with an alternate source of clean and safe drinking water without relying on the conventional method of using firewood to boil water. This reduces carbon emissions from burning firewood and associated deforestation activities, and carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
     
    Local communities can also benefit from improved water safety and security.
    Efficient and Clean Cookstoves In rural areas where households use firewood for their cooking and heating needs, the switch to efficient and clean cookstoves (e.g. cookstoves that use renewable fuel like biogas or solar energy) enables households to meet their cooking and heating needs more efficiently and cleanly. This reduces the burning of firewood and resulting carbon emissions from deforestation. Carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
     
    Co-benefits are also delivered to local communities, including cleaner air quality through the reduction of firewood burning.
    Green Mobility As Electric Vehicles (EVs) replace fossil fuel-powered vehicles for transportation needs, there are emissions reductions as EVs are more efficient and potentially powered by green energy. Carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
     
    There are also sustainable development benefits for local communities. Skilled jobs are created for the maintenance of EV infrastructure, and improves air quality from reduced reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

    Annex B

    Flowchart of Application and Authorisation Process

    Joint Committee The Joint Committee is a coordination body that oversees the administration of the Implementation Agreement. The Joint Committee under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement is co-chaired by the Director-General of Climate Change at the National Climate Change Secretariat of Singapore, and the Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of Ghana.
    Stage A: Project Application Applicants are to submit a concept note on the intended project, indicating the programme and methodology that the project will be developed under, and broadly how the project will be implemented to uphold environmental integrity (e.g. explanations on how the project will demonstrate additionality).
    Stage B: Project Design As the project concept is further developed, applicants are to submit a project design document (PDD) on the intended project. The PDD should contain the detailed implementation plan (e.g. how the baseline emissions will be determined, how the project will address permanence and leakage concerns).
    Stage C: Project Authorisation Under this stage, applicants are to submit a validation report from a third-party auditor determining that the project design meets all the rules and requirements of the intended methodology and carbon crediting programme. After receiving Letters of Authorisation from both Singapore and Ghana, the project should proceed to be registered under the intended carbon crediting programme, and proceed to implementation.
    Stage D: Corresponding Adjustment Application As the authorised project is implemented and the emission reductions and removals have been verified by a third-party auditor, the carbon crediting programme will issue carbon credits to the project. Applicants are to submit a Proof of Issuance from the carbon crediting programme accompanied with the verification report from the third-party auditor, to be considered for corresponding adjustments to be applied to the issued carbon credits, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

     

    Annex C

    Singapore’s Eligibility Criteria and the Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement

    Eligibility Criteria

     1               The Eligibility Criteria requires ICCs to represent emissions reductions or removals that occur within the timeframe specified under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and meet seven principles to demonstrate environmental integrity (see Table C-1 below).

     Table C-1: Eligibility Criteria for ICCs

    Principle Definition
    To comply with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the certified emissions reductions or removals must have occurred between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2030.
    Not double-counted The certified emissions reductions or removals must not be counted more than once in contravention of the Paris Agreement.
    Additional The certified emissions reductions or removals must exceed any emissions reduction or removals required by any law or regulatory requirement of the host country, and that would otherwise have occurred in a conservative, business-as-usual scenario.
    Real The certified emissions reductions or removals must have been quantified based on a realistic, defensible, and conservative estimate of the amount of emissions that would have occurred in a business-as-usual scenario, assuming the project or programme that generated the certified emission reductions or removals had not been carried out.
    Quantified and verified The certified emissions reductions or removals must have been calculated in a manner that is conservative and transparent, and must have been measured and verified by an accredited and independent third-party verification entity before the ICC was issued.
    Permanent The certified emissions reductions or removals must not be reversible, or if there is a risk that the certified emissions reductions or removals may be reversible, there must be measures in place to monitor, mitigate and compensate any material reversal of the certified emissions reductions or removals.
    No net harm The project or programme that generated the certified emissions reductions or removals must not violate any applicable laws, regulatory requirements, or international obligations of the host country.
    No leakage The project or programme that generated the certified emissions reductions or removals must not result in a material increase in emissions elsewhere, or if there is a risk of a material increase in emissions elsewhere, there must be measures in place to monitor, mitigate and compensate any such material increase in emissions.

    Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement

     2               The Eligibility List of carbon crediting programmes and methodologies in Table C-2 adhere to the Eligibility Criteria and meet the requirements of both Singapore and Ghana. The carbon crediting programmes and methodologies that are eligible may be different for each host country, as host countries also have their own criteria.

     Table C-2: Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement 

    Carbon Crediting Programmes  Methodologies 
    Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG)  All active methodologies published before 31 March 2023, except those under the “Land Use and Forestry & Agriculture” category of GS4GG 
    Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)  All active methodologies published before 31 March 2023, except those that are under the “Sectoral Scope 14” category of VCS, with these allowable exceptions: 
    ·     Scenario 2a and 3 of VCS Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR) framework  
    ·     VM0012 
    ·     VM0017 
    ·     VM0021 
    ·     VM0022 
    ·     VM0024 
    ·     VM0026 (and VMD0040) 
    ·     VM0032 
    ·     VM0033  
    ·     VM0036  
    ·     VM0041 
    ·     VM0042 
     
    Where any VCS methodology is used, the project participant will be required to demonstrate the Sustainable Development contributions or co-benefits of the relevant mitigation activity by submitting to the Joint Committee its verification report under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCB Standards), the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) or another standard recognised by VCS for such purpose. 

    Annex D

    Information on the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement

     1               Singapore and Ghana signed an Implementation Agreement on carbon credits cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on 27 May 2024. Since the signing, Singapore has been working with Ghana to operationalise the Implementation Agreement.

     2               As an additional contribution to mitigation of global emissions, Singapore has committed to having 2% of the correspondingly adjusted carbon credits authorised under this Implementation Agreement cancelled at first issuance. These carbon credits cannot be sold, traded, or counted towards any country’s emission targets, and will instead contribute towards a net reduction in global emissions.

     3               Singapore has committed to channelling the value from 5% of the correspondingly adjusted carbon credits authorised under this Implementation Agreement towards adaptation measures such as heat resilience measures and coastal protection in Ghana.

     4               This is the second Implementation Agreement for Singapore, after the first with Papua New Guinea which was signed in December 2023. Singapore signed MOUs / Letters of Intent on carbon credits collaboration with countries such as Bhutan, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Mongolia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Vietnam, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sri Lanka, with the aim of inking similar Implementation Agreements.

     5               Effective international cooperation, such as through carbon markets, is an important part of Singapore’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, given Singapore’s national circumstances as an alternative-energy disadvantaged country with limited domestic mitigation potential.

     

     

     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Student Olympiad “I am a professional”: the new season has started

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    September 26th was held press conference, dedicated to the opening of the VIII season of the student Olympiad “I am a professional“, the co-organizer of which is the Higher School of Economics. This project of the presidential platform “Russia – the Country of Opportunities” is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    “I am a professional” is a large-scale platform for testing the knowledge and applied skills of students from Russian universities. The Olympiad has been held since 2017 and covers more than 70 subject areas – from aircraft manufacturing to artificial intelligence. The list of areas is updated annually, taking into account the requests of participants and current changes in the labor market. In the VIII season, such new disciplines as “Project Management” and “Digital Product Management and Innovation” will be presented.

    Participants of the Olympiad learn to solve industry practical problems, which allows training highly qualified specialists already at the stage of study at the university. All tasks are developed by experts from leading universities and research institutes, of which there are more than 30, together with specialists from more than 600 partner companies, including Yandex, Sber, VTB, Rosatom and others.

    “I am a professional” pursues two global goals: to create conditions for professional and personal development of Russian youth and to increase the number of those who seek opportunities for self-realization and want to be successful in the Russian labor market. Therefore, the main idea of this season was the theme “Work and study in Russia”.

    “In Russia, the need for professionals is enormous — all industries need fresh ideas and people who can implement them. Today is the best time to study and work in Russia, because it is here that the best opportunities open up, the most interesting professional challenges, and therefore career prospects, are available. “I am a professional” helps a talented student and his potential employer find each other. The largest and most technologically advanced companies in our country are looking for ambitious interns. “I am a professional” is not just an Olympiad, it is a community that supports you, where your potential is revealed, where you grow both as an individual and as a highly competent specialist,” says Andrey Betin, Executive Director of ANO “Russia — Country of Opportunities”, Rector of the Senezh Management Workshop.

    Over the past seven seasons, more than 1.2 million students have taken part in the Olympiad. The number of registrations is several times higher: in the seventh season alone, over 850 thousand were received, of which more than 17 thousand were students of the Higher School of Economics, which corresponds to the second position in the university rankings by total number of registrations. Moreover, in 2023, HSE was the university that organized seven areas – economics, design, sociology, journalism, business informatics, urban studies and quantum technologies – for which more than 100 thousand registrations were recorded.

    The best participants of the Olympiad receive benefits when entering the master’s and postgraduate programs of the National Research University Higher School of Economics and other leading universities, as well as the opportunity to do an internship and start a career in a large Russian company. Prizes from 100 to 300 thousand rubles are provided for the medalists of the Olympiad: over seven seasons, the total amount of cash prizes amounted to more than 500 million rubles for 3,500 medalists.

    The Olympiad includes the Career Development Center “I am a Professional”, which provides access to internships and vacancies in leading Russian companies, consultations with career experts, educational events and excursions to the offices and production facilities of industry leaders – partners of the Olympiad. More than 300 thousand Olympiad participants gained experience in career navigation, and more than 100 thousand completed internships with the possibility of subsequent employment.

    In Season VIII, it is planned to expand access to the career portal – a platform where each participant can find a vacancy in the profile they are interested in. The opportunity to respond will also be available to Olympiad participants who have successfully passed the selection stage.

    “Today’s economic situation and challenges require new approaches to personnel training. The main task is to help young people not only gain knowledge, but also develop the skills that will allow them to confidently look to the future, adapt to changes and become leaders in their fields. The Olympiad participants are the people who will move the Russian economy forward tomorrow, create innovations and make our country stronger. And we, for our part, are doing everything possible to ensure that these young talents receive support and motivation for further development,” commented Alexander Shokhin, President of the HSE University and President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.hse.ru/nevs/edu/968285066.html

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –