Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

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H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat participated in the ministerial opening session of the Egypt-GCC Trade and Investment Forum, which focused on “Prospects for Trade and Investment Relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and GCC Countries.” The session aimed to review the investment environment in Egypt and the GCC, highlight key developments and supportive legislation, strengthen strategic partnerships between public and private sector representatives, discuss challenges to investment flows, and outline the future of investment cooperation in line with Egypt’s and the GCC countries’ long-term visions.

The session was attended by Eng. Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources; Mr. Mohamed Gabr, Minister of Labor; Mr. Mohamed Abdelrahman Al-Hawi, Undersecretary, UAE Ministry of Investment; Mr. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Dubaikhi, Assistant Minister of Investment, Saudi Arabia; Ms. Ibtisam bint Ahmed Al-Farouji, Undersecretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, Oman; Mr. Mohamed Hassan Al-Malaki, Undersecretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Qatar; and was chaired by Dr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary-General, African and European Chambers of Commerce.

In her speech, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat expressed her pleasure in participating in this important forum, highlighting the depth of historical ties and brotherly relations between Egypt and GCC countries, which are based on mutual trust, shared vision, and complementary interests. She emphasized that Egypt and the Gulf countries have promising and complementary capabilities to enhance regional economic security and that Gulf investments remain the largest in Egypt, with opportunities across multiple sectors supported by economic reform policies.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that the forum comes at a critical time amid rapid regional and global economic and geopolitical changes, requiring deeper strategic partnerships to enhance economic integration and develop shared value chains. She emphasized that Egypt-GCC cooperation establishes strong links across Asian and African markets while strengthening regional value chains.

The minister highlighted that Egypt and GCC countries have complementary economic and investment strengths that enable the creation of sustainable partnerships. GCC countries remain Egypt’s leading regional investment partner and one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in energy, real estate, financial services, tourism, and agriculture.

She added that this long-standing successful partnership can be deepened to align with shared priorities and emerging global and regional developments, particularly following Egypt’s structural, economic, and financial reforms. She emphasized that Egypt adopts an approach that empowers the private sector while redefining the state’s role in economic activity, and that the Egyptian economy continues to recover and grow despite regional and international challenges, with tourism, industry, and telecommunications leading future growth.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reviewed Egypt’s positive economic indicators, which reflect robust performance and continuous recovery. She noted that Egypt’s GDP growth reached approximately 5% in Q4 FY 2024/2025, compared to 2.4% during the same period the previous year—the highest quarterly growth rate in three years. This contributed to an annual growth rate of around 4.4%, up from 2.4%, reflecting the resilience of Egypt’s economy in facing external shocks, supported by policies promoting macroeconomic stability, improved governance of public investment expenditure, and enhanced private sector participation through continued structural reform implementation.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat confirmed that the Egyptian economy has demonstrated resilience and recovery in response to successive external shocks, reflecting the success of government policies in enhancing macroeconomic stability, improving governance of public investment expenditure, and supporting the private sector, in line with the national structural reform program.

She highlighted that the structure and sources of growth demonstrate Egypt’s economic strengths, driven by key sectors including tourism, industry, and telecommunications/IT, which form essential pillars for future development.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat underlined that Egypt has adopted a new economic model through “Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development: Reforms for Growth, Jobs & Resilience,” based on three pillars: ensuring macroeconomic stability as a prerequisite for sustainable growth, structural transformation toward tradable sectors including industry, tourism, agriculture, energy, and IT, and redefining the role of the state to empower and incentivize the private sector. The narrative provides a framework for the success of both domestic and foreign investments, particularly those from Gulf countries.

She also noted that the “Hafiz” platform provides an integrated digital bridge linking private sector institutions with development partners, offering financial, technical, advisory, and capacity-building services. This enhances the business environment and facilitates access to financing and initiatives locally and internationally. Since 2020, the private sector has received around USD 16 billion in concessional financing.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat concluded by expressing confidence that the forum represents a new step in strengthening Egypt-GCC partnerships, supporting an integrated and sustainable Arab economy based on innovation, investment, and capacity integration. She emphasized that the Egypt-GCC Forum marks the launch of efforts to activate institutional frameworks for cooperation between Egypt and the Gulf countries.

She also highlighted that experiences of cooperation with the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain represent a blend of shared expertise and integrated practices, which can be leveraged to implement economic initiatives quickly and strengthen partnerships. Egypt is working with its partners through joint committees to activate institutions effectively and translate ideas into practical steps that enhance economic and investment cooperation.

– on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

Source: APO

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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and ITU, the UN agency for digital technologies, are expanding efforts with partners in Chad and other refugee-hosting countries to ensure that millions of forcibly displaced people and local communities are connected by 2030.

Wrapping up a two-day joint visit to Chad on Friday, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, President of the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation John Giusti and UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements saw first-hand how connectivity is transforming the lives of vulnerable communities. Across the country, Sudanese refugees and Chadians are using digital tools to access education, financial services and health care – taking steps toward greater stability and self-reliance.

While in Chad, the partners sought to cement the regulatory and infrastructure framework to expand the Connectivity for Refugees (CfR) initiative. Launched in 2023 during the Global Refugee Forum as a pledge to mobilize resources so all major refugee hosting areas have available and affordable connectivity by 2030, it has evolved into a private-public partnership active in countries including Chad, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mauritania, Egypt, and Rwanda. Each programme is tailored to local needs, mapping communities most in need to expand connectivity.

“In Chad, we witnessed first-hand how connectivity can restore dignity and hope for displaced people and host communities,” said ITU’s Bogdan-Martin. “The Connectivity for Refugees initiative opens doors to digital opportunity in places where connection to the Internet is a lifeline, not a luxury. Now more than ever, we must act and extend that lifeline so that no one is left behind.”

“Too many people view refugees as passive victims, but we saw in Chad their drive to connect, to learn and enhance their lives and future prospects,” said UNHCR’s Clements. “Our goal is ambitious – connecting 20 million forcibly displaced people and their hosts by 2030. We’ve shifted gears and are starting to deliver results which will help create resilient, inclusive communities. But we need to keep pushing.”

Chad is home to around 1.5 million refugees, mainly Sudanese. Its government is committed to digital inclusion through its development plan, Tchad Connexion 2030, which integrates refugee needs into the broader digital infrastructure. Local mobile operators Airtel Chad and Moov have made infrastructure upgrades to help connect the isolated east of the country. Emergency.LU, a public-private partnership funded by Luxembourg enabling high-performance satellite connectivity, is being deployed across several locations in Chad. Four connected centres are being established in Djabal, Farchana, Idrimi and Oure Cassoni settlements, serving as learning hubs for Sudanese refugees and host communities alike.

UNHCR is calling on partners across sectors to help scale up this work to meet the urgent needs of millions. This includes expanding infrastructure and lifting regulatory barriers to individual access for displaced people. To achieve this, Connectivity for Refugees is seeking at least $20 million in core support, with at least $200 million in direct investment and contributions. 

Driving global efforts to bridge the digital divide, ITU works with telecom regulators and industry leaders to develop innovative digital solutions for underserved regions. Its Partner2Connect Digital Coalition has mobilized commitments from over 70 governments, companies and other organizations to unlock connectivity solutions for refugees, while its Disaster Connectivity Map provides critical data to guide interventions in crisis-stricken regions like Chad.

The GSMA is a founding member of the Connectivity for Refugees Initiative, serving as a bridge between mobile network operators and humanitarian organizations. GSMA’s Giusti added: “Connectivity is often the first thing people ask for when crossing a border seeking safety. This unique partnership with UNHCR and ITU allows the GSMA to broker scalable and sustainable connectivity solutions to support forcibly displaced people and the communities that host them around the world.”

UNHCR is also deepening its engagement with development actors like the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC), seeking to allocate portions of large-scale digital infrastructure projects to refugee-hosting areas.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Source: APO

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At least 117 million people have been displaced by war, violence and persecution, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Monday, while highlighting how much their plight is tied to the growing climate crisis.

“Whether it is floods sweeping South Sudan and Brazil, record-breaking heat in Kenya and Pakistan, or water shortages in Chad and Ethiopia, extreme weather is pushing already fragile communities to the brink,” the UN agency said.

Over the past decade, weather-related disasters accounted for 250 million internal displacements, the equivalent of around 70,000 every day, or two displacements every three seconds. Returns to Syria and Afghanistan this year have contributed to lower global displacement than in 2024. 

Frontline struggle

In a new report, UNHCR also pointed out that three in four of all those who’ve been uprooted now live in countries where frontline communities face “high-to-extreme” exposure to climate-related hazards.

“Extreme weather is putting people’s safety at greater risk; it is disrupting access to essential services, destroying homes and livelihoods and forcing families – many who have already fled violence – to flee once more,” said Filippo Grandi, the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

“These are people who have already endured immense loss, and now they face the same hardships and devastation again. They are among the hardest hit by severe droughts, deadly floods and record-breaking heatwaves, yet they have the fewest resources to recover.”

Protection system strung out

Around the world, basic survival systems for refugees are already under strain, UNHCR warned.

In parts of flood-affected Chad, for instance, newly arrived refugees fleeing the war in neighbouring Sudan receive fewer than 10 litres of water a day, which is far below emergency standards.

Evidence also indicates that by 2050, the hottest refugee camps could face nearly 200 days of extreme heat stress per year, with serious risks to health and survival.

“Many of these locations are likely to become uninhabitable due to the deadly combination of extreme heat and high humidity,” the UN refugee agency maintained.

African land degradation threat

It noted that 1.2 million refugees returned home in early 2025 but half of this number arrived in “climate-vulnerable” areas. Meanwhile, UNHCR also noted that a full 75 per cent of land across the continent of Africa is deteriorating and that more than one in two refugee settlements are located in “high stress” areas.

“This is shrinking access to food, water and income,” the UN agency insisted, driving recruitment to armed groups in parts of the Sahel, fuelling conflict and repeated displacement.

Despite rising needs, funding shortfalls and what UNHCR calls “a deeply inequitable climate finance system” have left millions unprotected. Today, conflict-affected countries that host refugees receive only one quarter of the climate finance they need, while the vast majority of global climate funding never reaches displaced communities or their hosts.

“Funding cuts are severely limiting our ability to protect refugees and displaced families from the effects of extreme weather,” Mr. Grandi said, speaking on the opening day of the UN COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil.

“If we want stability, we must invest where people are most at risk,” the UNHCR chief added. “To prevent further displacement, climate financing needs to reach the communities already living on the edge. They cannot be left alone. This COP must deliver real action, not empty promises.”

Key UNHCR report findings:

•    Three in every four refugees or people displaced by conflict are currently living in countries facing high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards.
•    1.2 million refugees returned home in early 2025, half to climate-vulnerable areas.
•    75 per cent of land in Africa is deteriorating, with over half of refugee settlements in high-stress areas.
•    Nearly all current refugee settlements will face an unprecedented rise in hazardous heat. By 2050, the hottest fifteen refugee camps in the world – located in Gambia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Senegal and Mali – are projected to face nearly 200 days or more of hazardous heat stress per year.
•    By 2040, the number of countries facing extreme climate hazards could rise from three to 65.
•    Since April 2023, nearly 1.3 million people fleeing the conflict in Sudan have sought refuge in South Sudan and Chad, two countries among the least equipped to cope with the growing climate emergency.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Seychelles participated in the United Nations Day celebrations held on 24 October 2025 at the Anse Royale Campus of the University of Seychelles.

The event, organized by the University of Seychelles, featured a range of cultural performances as well as stalls offering traditional cuisine and beverages from various countries. At the invitation of the University, the Sri Lankan community also took part in the programme.

A traditional Sri Lankan Kandyan dance performance served as one of the highlights of the celebration, drawing notable admiration from attendees. Additionally, a Sri Lankan culinary stall showcased an assortment of traditional dishes, including milk rice and a selection of sweet meats, which were warmly received and enjoyed by many participants. These contributions enriched the cultural diversity of the event and highlighted Sri Lanka’s vibrant heritage.

The High Commission extends its sincere appreciation to the University of Seychelles for the opportunity to contribute to this meaningful celebration of cultural diversity and multilateral cooperation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism – Sri Lanka.