Activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel – Report of the Secretary-General (S/2022/1019)

  1. Introduction

 

The present report covers the period from 23 June 2022 to 30 December 2022 and contains an overview of developments and trends in West Africa and the Sahel, and the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS). It also highlights progress made in the implementation of the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel, and includes an update on the situation in the Lake Chad basin, pursuant to Security Council resolution 2349 (2017).

  1. Developments and trends in West Africa and the Sahel

 

During the reporting period, some Member States in West Africa and the Sahel continued working towards the consolidation of their democracies while others continued to contend with the challenges of insecurity, democratic consolidation and good governance, as well as worsening humanitarian crises. Peaceful legislative elections were held in Senegal in July. In Côte d’Ivoire, efforts to implement the agreed outcomes of the political dialogue which concluded in March 2022, as well as to promote social cohesion and reconciliation, continued. In Nigeria, ahead of the general elections scheduled for 2023, presidential contenders signed a peace pledge, committing to a peaceful and issue-based electoral campaign. Meanwhile, ahead of their upcoming legislative and general elections, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone continued to grapple with sociopolitical tensions. Against this backdrop, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with support from the United Nations, continued to engage in efforts to ensure the peaceful restoration of constitutional order in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.

 

The security situation in large parts of the Sahel continued to deteriorate. The number of victims and casualties of violence, including women and children, has increased. Threats of a spread of terrorism southward to coastal West African States continued. For the first time, civilians were targeted in Togo, while Benin suffered another attack in its northern region, for which Islamic State in the Greater Sahara claimed responsibility. In addition, for the first time, an individual reportedly affiliated with Boko Haram was captured in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana. To address these challenges, some Member States of the subregion have deepened their cooperation under the Accra Initiative, which was established in 2017 in response to increased security threats to coastal West African States, stemming from the spread of terrorism and transnational organized crime.

 

The humanitarian situation, especially in the central Sahel, remained dire and was compounded by rising food and energy prices, as well as climate-related disasters, prompted by heavy rainfall, floods and water pollution.

 

Some progress was made in the reporting period on transitional justice and in the fight against impunity, although concerns regarding shrinking civic and political space persisted in some countries of the subregion. Furthermore, no significant progress was recorded in terms of women’s representation and participation in decision-making processes.

 

Source: UN Security Council

Refugee Response Plan – Education (As of December 2022)

Within the framework of the 2022 Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP), 22 partners appealed under the plan to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing from Ukraine and multi-sectoral support to authorities in the response to the refugee situation. The current number of RRP partners is not exhaustive of the operational number of humanitarian partners. The figures in this dashboard are reflective of the support that is being reported to the RRP coordination structure. The Education sector activities contribute to measures 13.1-14 and 17 of the National Plan of Measures and SDG 4 and 8.

 

Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Rockwell Automation information, control & safety solutions sit at the operational heart of new Petrobras FPSO vessel

Highly demanding oil and gas application will thrive on the seamless integration delivered at every level and every stage of the vessel’s operations

BRUSSELS, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced that it has been chosen to supply the automation and Integrated Control and Safety Systems (ICSS) systems for P-79, an FPSO vessel in the Petrobras fleet.

Rockwell Automation Logo

Through close support from Sensia – Rockwell’s joint venture with SLB – and cooperation with the P-79 vessel’s builder Saipem/DSME, Rockwell Automation technology and Sensia solutions were selected for their proven track records in the oil and gas industry, as well as for their robust interconnectivity.

“We are specialists, both in terms of technology and domain expertise, in the supply of automation and safety solutions for the oil and gas industry,” explains Barry Elliot, vice president, global industry, Rockwell Automation. “Typical Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels comprise 15 to 20 major process modules, most of which rely on our solutions for their automation, process and information capabilities, and P-79 is no different. By leveraging our control solutions at the higher level, even greater performance can be extracted, and greater yield realized.”

The P-79 project win follows the similar P-78 FPSO project, which also has Rockwell Automation at the core of its automation and ICSS.

About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

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CHiQ Awarded International Accolades for Its Strong Brand Power

ZHONGSHAN, China, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Changhong, a top Chinese electrical household appliance maker and its premium brand CHiQ have recently been named as one of the 2022-2023 Global TV Brands Top 10. The Global Top Brands is a world-class event of authority, professionalism, and credibility – the hall of honor in international consumer electronics. The roster of 2022-2023 Global Top Brands and a number of single product awards were announced at the 56th International Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2023), one of the top ten annual events for the global technology industry, which was held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8. This year’s CES marks the beginning of a broad offline recovery.

Changhong created the CHiQ brand for long-term growth in the home Internet consumer electronics space. The brand offers a diverse range of products, including televisions, refrigerators, and air conditioners. Changhong expects to provide consumers with a more comfortable and self-contained living experience through CHiQ.

CHiQ has steadily expanded into global markets since 2017, with a presence in more than 30 countries and over 40 multi-market e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Lazada, and Shopee. With the garnering of the 2022-2023 Global TV Brands Top 10 award serving as a testimonial to its success, CHiQ is increasingly becoming known to consumers outside of China by virtue of its own strength and the many media channels through which the brand is promoted, all of which serve to increase brand influence.

CHiQ aims to make every person’s home a living space from which they can gain spiritual satisfaction by providing a line-up of intelligent, full-of-design, and innovative products that resonate with their life values (by being colorful, engaging, positive, and enjoyable). To this end, CHiQ developed the idea of +More (“Get + MORE Out Of Your Life”), from which it is possible to draw the concepts of +design, +fun, +creative, +choice, +style, and +value.

Today, CHiQ’s product categories are expanding beyond TVs, refrigerators, and air conditioners to include washing machines, monitors, and floor sweepers. The competitiveness of its product line is also growing at the same time. High-quality products are the foundation of the brand. With this in mind, CHiQ will continue to hone its technical abilities to deliver intelligent and reliable products that create a digitally smart life for its users.

McGraw Hill Expands Engagement with Two Prominent Egypt Schools to Advance Digital Learning

Rajac International School and OWN Heliopolis School to license content and adaptive learning platforms, including McGraw Hill’s ConnectEd and Online Learning Platform (OLP)

CAIRO, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — McGraw Hill today announced that two prestigious institutions in Egypt, Rajac International School and OWN Heliopolis School, intend to expand their use of McGraw Hill’s state-of-the-art digital content for students in grades kindergarten through 12.

McGraw Hill logo

The new agreements expand existing engagements with the institutions, which already use McGraw Hill’s Inspire Science, Reveal Math, and Wonders reading programs with their students.

These multi-year agreements bring personalized learning experiences to the schools’ students through McGraw Hill’s digital learning platforms, including ConnectEd and Online Learning Platform (OLP).

Rajac International School strives to provide the best quality educational experience in order to upbring a generation of youth that is mentally, physically, and socially capable of meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing and highly demanding world. The signing ceremony for the agreement with Rajac International School included the presence of Shereen Kassem, School Principal, senior representatives from McGraw Hill and Modern English Bookshop, a key delivery partner for McGraw Hill in Egypt, who was instrumental in putting this deal together.

“We are honored to have been working with McGraw Hill for over three years,” said Shereen A. Kassem, American School Principal at Rajac International School. “We have been using their platforms on a daily basis for class activities, learning instruction, and assessment of students’ performance to enhance their skills and concepts. In addition, McGraw Hill’s professional development is strongly aligned with the 21st century learning skills and has benefitted us greatly in improving our teachers’ knowledge and learning styles.”

OWN Heliopolis School is dedicated to a student-centered program that promotes academic excellence through enriched, inter-disciplinary curriculum, ensuring that students become critical thinkers, active problem-solvers, interested readers, thorough researchers and creative writers. The agreement with OWN Heliopolis School was signed at a ceremony in the presence of Mr. Hany Sedrak, Chairman of OWN Heliopolis School, along with senior representatives from McGraw Hill and Modern English Bookshop.

“McGraw Hill has been a strategic educational partner for OWN Heliopolis School for many years. The two organizations have decided to deepen their partnership with a multi-year agreement that brings McGraw Hill resources and the benefits of exemplary professional development to our teachers,” said Mark Sedrak, School Director at OWN Heliopolis School.

“Rajac International School and OWN Heliopolis School made bold moves in recent years, introducing digital content to their students in math, science and reading,” said Kareem Kirollos, Sales Director at Modern English Bookshop. “Several years into that project, their digital transformation has matured and paved the way for an expansion of their work with McGraw Hill. We are proud to have been part of this journey at both schools.”

“Rajac International School and OWN Heliopolis School are well-established and respected players in the Egyptian international education landscape across grades K through 12, and we are delighted to see our partnership with them grow and flourish,” said Nanice Khalil, Sales Director for EASTMED at McGraw Hill. “Over the last three years, we’ve enjoyed great success in implementing digital learning for math, science, and English language across all school grades. We are excited about the future of these partnerships and how we can continue to improve learning outcomes by leveraging technology and investing in professional development.”

McGraw Hill
McGraw Hill is a leading global education company that partners with millions of educators, learners and professionals around the world. Recognizing their diverse needs, we build trusted content, flexible tools and powerful digital platforms to help them achieve success on their own terms. Through our commitment to equity, accessibility and inclusion, we foster a culture of belonging that respects and reflects the diversity of the communities, learners and educators we serve. McGraw Hill has over 40 offices across North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions for PreK-12, higher education, professionals and others available in more than 80 languages. Visit us at mheducation.co.uk or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Rajac International School
At Rajac, we strive to an education that meets the needs of all students.

We offer a wide and varied curriculum taught by enthusiastic, talented staff. We acknowledge that academic success is not something all students find easy.

However, our goal is to have all students realize their potential.
We promote the vision that academic success is not enough to meet the needs of today’s students. We encourage involvement in sport, music and the arts. Because we believe students in today’s world need skills to express themselves.

Rajac American School is accredited by Cognia, a prestigious, international board of education. Their assessment ensures that we maintain the most update, pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning.

Rajac family takes great pride in providing our students with strong academic, loving and safe environment, and the opportunity to excel in life.

OWN Heliopolis School
For many years OWN Heliopolis has provided high quality international education to students in Egypt. Numerous generations of OHS graduates have attended some of the world’s leading universities in the Egypt and elsewhere.

Our vision at Own Heliopolis International School is to provide a safe, nurturing, and positive learning environment where all students will learn and achieve their maximum potential. We prepare our students to be lifelong learners, leaders of the future, and productive contributing members of our world by developing their analytical, critical and creative thinking.

The mission of our school is to provide all students with a high-quality education by instilling 21st century skills and inspiring lifelong learning where each individual can grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally. At Own Heliopolis International School, we not only foster each student’s self-esteem through positive relationships with students and staff but also strive to have our parents, teachers, and community members actively involved in our students’ learning.

Contacts:

Tyler Reed
McGraw Hill
(914) 512-4853
tyler.reed@mheducation.com

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PROMISE Technology Goes Greener, Smarter & More Compact with Ecosystem Partners at Intersec 2023 

DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — PROMISE Technology, a global leader in streaming data storage solutions, continues to push the security industry forward through innovation and collaboration with key ecosystem partners. To showcase its latest achievements, the company will display its cutting-edge surveillance solutions at Intersec 2023 in Dubai on January 17-19.

“PROMISE Technology is kicking off a new year of bold leadership in the industry along with our ecosystem partners. The first stop is Intersec Dubai, where we are showcasing how our patented technology — our ‘BOOST Family’ — continues to add immense value,” said Alice Chang, Chief Marketing Officer. “SmartBoost, SecurityBoost, ServiceBoost, and GreenBoost, along with our Vess A-Series and entire lineup, all demonstrate how PROMISE is solving customers’ problems and delivering outstanding performance, reliability, ease-of-mind, and sustainability.”

Embracing sustainability in archive solutions ( partnering  with Toshiba at booth SA-G12)

As the need to reduce energy consumption and emissions grows globally, PROMISE Technology is focusing on energy-efficiency with uncompromising performance, in particular with its own GreenBoost technology. Partnering with Toshiba at SA-G12, visitors can see the latest green solution specially designed for video footage archiving needs. This comprehensive solution includes PROMISE’s widely adopted Vess R3600, Green JBOD VTrak J5960, and all-in-one appliance Vess A8120. In addition, VTrak J5960 is installed with Toshiba 18TB hard drives to offer up to 1PB of capacity for long-term archiving, as well as up to 20% less power consumption to meet the expanding need for sustainable products.

AI in surveillance (partnering with Milestone at booth S1-H19)

PROMISE is actively harnessing the growing importance of artificial intelligence — particularly Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) — in the industry, and the company will showcase its latest AI solution at Intersec Dubai beside its strategic partner Milestone Systems. This comprehensive solution combines the Vess A8600 — enabled with PROMISE’s proprietary SmartBoost technology that supports up to 200 cameras — with four GPUs to accelerate IVA and AI applications. It also is integrated with a custom-made plug-in for Milestone’s video management software (VMS) and PROMISE’s ServiceBoost embedded functions, providing an easy-to-use interface for end-users to monitor and manage their surveillance systems.

Keeping solutions compact (showcasing at Network Optix booth SA-E39)

PROMISE Technology also recognizes the need for compact solutions that can be useful for discreet deployment. Working together with Network Optix, the open and extensible IP video development platform, PROMISE is showcasing the Vess A8020, which also offers the option of Network Optix’s Nx Witness 5.0 VMS as well as a customized plug-in for seamless integration with hardware monitoring and management. This two-bay storage system is perfect for compact use cases such as banking solutions, gas stations, and retail stores, particularly with a design that enables customers to autonomously install and maintain it.

Media Contact
Ya-Ping Hsu
pr@promise.com