Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

An impressive line-up of leading international and Australian refugee advocates will headline this year's second Refugee Communities Association of Australia (RCAA) National Conference.

Iranian Kurdish journalist, human rights defender and writer Behrouz Boochani and former UNHCR Assistant Commissioner, former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission Dr Gilian Triggs and human rights advocate Nyadol Nyuon, OAM, are among the keynote speakers at the conference held at the Adelaide Festival Centre on March 25 and 26.

Mr Boochani was held in the Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea between 2013 and its closure in 2017. He now lives in New Zealand where he is a research fellow at the University of Canterbury.

Also speaking at the conference will be the Co-Executive Director of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network Noor Azizah, Co-Secretary General Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network Hafsar Tameesuddin, Chief Executive Officer, Scanlon Foundation Research Institute Anthea Hancocks, CEO of the Centre for Multicultural Youth Carmel Guerra OAM, CEO of migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia Melinda Collinson, Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation Hass Dellal AO and CEO of Refugee Legal David Mann.

Also, among the speakers from South Australia are Mr Muzafar Ali, CEO of Cisarua Learning, Ms Mirsia Bunjaku, CEO of the Australian Migrant Resource Centre, Mr Sebastian Geers, Manager of Welcoming Cities, Ms Blur Abdulla SA Manager of AMES Australia, Ms Helena Kyriazopoulos OAM, CEO of the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia (MCCSA), Dr Natasha Elsley, GP Consultant, South Australia Refugee Health Service, and many prominent academics, heads of organisations and advocates.

The Second RCAA National Conference 2026 is supported by a grant from the “Department of the Premier and Cabinet”, Multicultural Affairs, Government of South Australia.

The conference will focus on facilitating conversations, sharing knowledge, and increasing awareness of the lived experiences of new and emerging communities, migrants, and multicultural communities as well as highlighting their contributions to Australia.

Under the theme “Empowering Refugees and Multicultural Communities Together”, the conference will explore how refugee communities move beyond initial settlement to multicultural leadership, ensuring their voices actively influence policies, services, and decision-making at all levels.

The long-term goal of RCAA is to establish a framework fostering a self-reliant, progressive, and culturally inclusive approach, strengthening refugee leadership through policy, advocacy, support, capacity building, and working with all stakeholders.

The conference is expected to bring together more than 250 delegates, representing more than 50 organisations. Attendees will include new and emerging communities, multicultural communities, refugee organisations, service providers, policymakers, academics, businesses, and representatives from all levels of government.

The conference will serve as a platform for meaningful engagement, collaboration, and innovation in multicultural leadership and integration. The conference will provide an opportunity to:

Advance multicultural leadership and amplify their voices within Australian society
Promote awareness of the contributions of refugee communities to the social and economic wellbeing, and rich cultural fabric of Australia
Foster dialogue that encourages the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and solutions between new and emerging communities, service providers, and policymakers
Strengthen the advocacy capacity of 'lived experience' led organisations and build a stronger, more cohesive network
Develop a foundation of lived experience and evidence-based insights to shape policy and service delivery

RCAA Chair Parsu Sharma Luital said the conference would also feature case studies of successful multicultural sector led initiatives and examine how their approaches can be adapted and implemented by other agencies to enhance their leadership and support systems.

“It will also celebrate the role of lived experience in shaping service provision, employment pathways, and community programs and explore opportunities for partnerships between new and emerging communities, service providers, businesses, and government agencies,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

Kamal Dahal, RCAA Treasurer and Co-Chair of the Conference Organising Committee, said, “I am sincerely thankful to the Government of South Australia for generously supporting our RCAA conference. We are delighted to welcome delegates from across Australia and beyond borders, joining a large contingent of our South Australian delegates. South Australia is proudly a multicultural state, which is home to people from over 200 countries, speaking over 250 languages and practising more than 125 faiths and beliefs”.

“As a member of the inaugural Multicultural South Australia Ambassador Program, established under the South Australian Multicultural Commission, I see this conference as a strong reflection of our state's commitment to meaningful engagement and purposeful representation of our multicultural community,” said Mr Dahal.

A conference dinner will honour the rich cultural diversity of South Australia and celebrate the contributions of multicultural communities from across Australia.

Bringing together delegates, community leaders, and stakeholders, the dinner will be a night of connection, recognition, and cultural appreciation, reflecting the strength and resilience of our diverse communities.

The Second RCAA National Conference 2026 is being supported by a grant from the Government of South Australia.

Conference website and registration link: https://rcaaconference2026.com.au/registration/

About RCAA

The RCAA is Australia's first membership-based, refugee-led organisation (RLO), distinguished by its strong grassroots foundation and extensive reach with refugee communities and key stakeholders. RCAA unites over 70 member organisations nationwide and thousands of individuals, each embodying the resilience, strength, and rich diversity of refugee communities.

Together, RCAA forms a collective force that amplifies diverse voices, advocates for systemic change, and strengthens the already rich fabric of Australia's multiculturalism. With leadership drawn directly from those with lived experience, RCAA ensures that policies and programs impacting these communities are shaped by those with lived experience.

Held from 24–25 March 2026 at Gandel Hall in the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Epson Australia will take centre stage as a Platinum Sponsor at the upcoming Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA) National Summit, bringing some of its latest education technology solutions to one of the country’s most influential gatherings of public secondary school leaders.

Held from 24–25 March 2026 at Gandel Hall in the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, the summit will bring together delegates including leading secondary school principals from across Australia, heads of principals’ associations, senior education policymakers, academics, politicians, students and representatives from parent and community organisations.

Organised by the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA) — the national peak body advocating for Australia’s public secondary school principals — the summit provides a unique forum to address critical challenges facing schools and to shape the future of secondary education policy and leadership.

As a Platinum Sponsor, Epson will have a prominent presence throughout the two-day event, demonstrating its commitment to supporting educators and equipping schools with innovative, reliable technology designed to enhance learning outcomes and streamline administrative workflows.

Epson’s participation highlights its ongoing dedication to the education sector, where schools increasingly rely on advanced technology to support teaching, collaboration and efficient document management.

Epson technology on display
Summit attendees will have the opportunity to experience one of Epson’s latest solutions designed for education and enterprise environments, the WorkForce DS-32000 A3 high-speed document scanner, designed to streamline document capture and digital record management for busy education environments.

This powerful scanning solution helps schools digitise records, manage administrative tasks efficiently and support paper-to-digital workflows.

Key features of the DS-32000 include:
• High-speed scanning – capable of handling large volumes of documents
• Support for a wide range of media types – including A3 documents and bound materials
• Advanced image processing – for clear, accurate digital records
• Excellent network connectivity – allows easy integration into school workflows.

20 March 2026 – Parents for Climate says the NSW Government’s updated coal position is a welcome sign that coal expansion cannot continue unchecked, but warns the changes are still too weak to meet the scale of the challenge facing families, workers and regional communities.

Parents for Climate said the government’s no-greenfield position is a step forward, but misses the mark because all major coal mining projects proposed in NSW are extensions and expansions not new mines on greenfield sites. The new policy still allows for extensions and expansions that will unleash billions of tonnes of climate pollution.
While formalising restrictions is a step forward, the Government is still failing to provide the science-based, long-term certainty New South Wales needs: an end to coal mine extensions and expansions, and a funded plan to prepare communities properly for the global decline in coal demand.

Expert warns community‑led resilience is now critical as severe weather intensifies

With heavy rainfall, flash flooding and destructive weather sweeping Australia, and Queensland preparing for a severe tropical cyclone, disaster resilience expert Dr Rebecca McNaught says Australia must urgently rethink how it prepares for worsening climate impacts by placing communities at the centre of disaster planning and recovery.

Dr Rebecca McNaught, Research Fellow, Sydney Environment Institute and University Centre for Rural Health.

Dr McNaught said:

“The idea that communities can ‘bounce back’ after disasters is now a myth, as disasters increasingly overlap and compound. The 2022 Northern Rivers floods, Australia’s costliest, exposed critical cracks: confused evacuation messages, overwhelmed emergency systems and cascading impacts on health, housing and insurance.

“When disasters hit, neighbours, local volunteers and informal networks carry the load alongside essential formal emergency response services. Resilience is built with communities, not simply delivered to them, and it’s time we properly recognise, resource and support these community-led resilience efforts.”

Dr McNaught can discuss:

• How escalating and overlapping disasters are causing long‑term physical, mental and economic strain in affected communities.
• The pivotal role of local residents, particularly women and First Nations groups, who step in when formal emergency systems are stretched.
• Why community‑led resilience groups and hubs are essential for early warnings, welfare checks, sharing food, emotional support and long‑term wellbeing.
• Her research that shows how grassroots organising strengthens mental health, accelerates recovery and fills response gaps no centralised system can fully meet.
• Why Australia urgently needs federal and state funding models that back community‑led, place‑based resilience, especially in rural and regional areas facing repeated climate shocks.

OPEX Corporation, a leading global provider of automation and manufacturing solutions, is working closely with ONEKEY to prepare for compliance with the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

Düsseldorf, March 19, 2026 — The European Union is introducing the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), establishing comprehensive, binding cybersecurity requirements for connected products. For many organizations, this marks the beginning of a new phase of regulatory readiness. To support this transition, ONEKEY offers a structured CRA Readiness Assessment as part of its CRA Fast Start program. The assessment enables companies to evaluate their current level of preparedness against upcoming CRA requirements and identify areas for action. ONEKEY was recently recognized with the prestigious “Best in Show Award” in the Security category at the international Embedded World trade fair.

The Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers of hardware and software products to meet strict cybersecurity standards throughout the entire product lifecycle. These include transparency around software components through a software bill of materials (SBOM), systematic vulnerability management, and secure update mechanisms.

First Phase of CRA Implementation: Assessment of the Current Situation

ONEKEY's CRA Readiness Assessment enables companies to make an informed assessment of their current status. As part of a structured analysis, existing development processes, security controls, and documentation are reviewed. The goal is to determine the organization's maturity level, identify regulatory gaps, and provide concrete recommendations for next steps.

Based on established international standards, such as IEC 62443-4-1, and the audit principles of ISO 19011, the assessment ensures objective, traceable, and reproducible results.

Practical Example: OPEX Corporation

The collaboration with OPEX Corporation shows how a CRA Readiness Assessment works in practice. OPEX Corporation, a leading international automation company headquartered in the USA with a European location in Germany, wanted to review its existing secure development processes to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act.

OPEX had already established security processes in accordance with IEC 62443-4-1. However, it was unclear whether these processes covered all CRA obligations, such as SBOM transparency, vulnerability management, and secure software updates.

Working closely with ONEKEY, OPEX conducted a structured CRA Readiness Assessment. Development guidelines, security mechanisms, update processes, and vulnerability management procedures were systematically analyzed and mapped against CRA requirements.

Clear Results and Documented Evidence

The assessment provided OPEX with a clear mapping of its existing engineering processes to CRA obligations. It also identified specific areas for improvement, including lifecycle documentation, vulnerability reporting, and audit preparation.

In addition, OPEX received formal validation of its current maturity level. These documented results enable the company to transparently demonstrate to management, customers, and partners its progress toward CRA compliance.

“With ONEKEY's support, we confirmed that our design engineering team meets the Cyber Resilience Act's expectations. The structured assessment provided the clarity we needed to validate our existing practices and define the next steps,” explained Nenad Vujovic, OPEX Corporation's Director of DMA Design Engineering. He added, “The collaboration has been very positive, especially in aligning our activities with the CRA and IEC 62443. We really appreciate the cooperation.”

A Growing Challenge for Many Organizations

According to industry analyses, around 68 percent of organizations are not yet familiar with the requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act, while only around four percent have implemented comprehensive measures, indicating a great need for structured preparations.

With its CRA Readiness Assessment, ONEKEY aims to provide organizations with a clear starting point for regulatory compliance. By combining an automated analysis platform with expert guidance, the company helps integrate cybersecurity and compliance early into product development, manufacturing, and operations.

About OPEX

OPEX® Corporation is a global leader in Next Generation Automation, providing innovative, unique solutions for warehouse, document and mail automation. With headquarters in Moorestown, NJ—and facilities in Pennsauken, NJ; Plano, TX; France; Germany; Switzerland; the United Kingdom; and Australia—OPEX has nearly 1,600 employees who are continuously reimagining and delivering customized, scalable technology solutions that solve the business challenges of today and in the future. For more information, visit opex.com.

About ONEKEY

ONEKEY is the leading European specialist in Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Management and part of the investment portfolio of PricewaterhouseCoopers Germany (PwC). The unique combination of the automated ONEKEY Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) with expert knowledge and consulting services provides fast and comprehensive analysis, support, and management to improve product cybersecurity and compliance from product purchasing, design, development, production to end-of-life.

Critical vulnerabilities and compliance violations in device firmware are automatically identified in binary code by AI-based technology in minutes – without source code, device, or network access. Proactively audit software supply chains with integrated Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) generation. “Digital Cyber Twins” enable automated 24/7 post-release cybersecurity monitoring throughout the product lifecycle.

The patent-pending, integrated ONEKEY Compliance Wizard already covers the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and requirements according to IEC 62443-4-2, ETSI EN 303 645, UNECE R 155 and many others.

The Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is effectively supported by the integrated automatic prioritisation of vulnerabilities, significantly reducing the time to remediation.

Leading international companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas already benefit from the ONEKEY Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) and ONEKEY Cybersecurity Experts.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved Nasdaq's proposal to introduce tokenized securities trading, marking a significant development in the integration of blockchain technology within traditional financial markets.

Tokenized Securities Enter Regulated Market Infrastructure

Under the approved framework, select equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) will be eligible for trading and settlement in tokenized form through a controlled pilot program operated in coordination with the Depository Trust Company (DTC).

The initiative represents one of the first regulated implementations of tokenization within a major U.S. exchange environment.

The SEC emphasized that tokenized securities must remain fully equivalent to their traditional counterparts. Tokenized shares will carry identical rights, including ownership, voting, and dividends, and will trade on the same order books alongside standard securities, with no distinction in execution or pricing.

Importantly, the introduction of tokenization does not alter Nasdaq's core market structure. Existing processes, including order routing, trading sessions, and settlement cycles, will remain unchanged. Transactions will continue to follow the standard T+1 settlement framework, highlighting that the current phase focuses on infrastructure compatibility rather than immediate settlement innovation.

Pilot Program Signals Broader Market Transition

The pilot program will initially include a limited set of large-cap equities and widely traded ETFs, with participation restricted to eligible market participants under regulatory oversight.

“This development signals a meaningful step toward bridging traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain-based systems,” said Rokas Baltrusaitis, Senior Market Analyst at TechGaged.com. “While the initial rollout is deliberately controlled, it establishes a regulatory and operational foundation that could accelerate broader adoption of tokenized assets across global markets.”

The SEC noted that the proposal is designed to enhance market efficiency while maintaining investor protections, concluding that existing regulatory frameworks are sufficient to address potential risks associated with tokenized securities.

The approval reflects a broader shift in regulatory posture, as U.S. authorities move to integrate digital asset technologies into existing financial frameworks, reinforced by recent guidance confirming that tokenized securities are treated on par with traditional assets—reducing uncertainty and accelerating institutional readiness.

Read the full story: https://techgaged.com/sec-opens-door-for-tokenized-stocks-on-nasdaq-a-major-shift-for-wall-street/

March 19 2026 – War-proofing wealth must be investors' number one priority amid escalating tensions across the Middle East, warns the CEO of global financial advisory organisation deVere Group.

The warning from Nigel Green comes as missile strikes hit Iran's South Pars gas field—the world's largest—Qatar reports “extensive damage” at the Ras Laffan LNG terminal, and Brent crude surges more than 4% to push past $110 a barrel, highlighting the growing threat to global energy supply and trade flows.

 A vessel has also been struck east of the Strait of Hormuz, underlining the growing risks to global shipping routes.

He says: “Investors need to review their wealth strategies following direct attacks on critical energy infrastructure and rising risks to the movement of oil and gas through key routes like the Strait of Hormuz.

“This is already feeding through into prices. And it appears to be escalating.”

Roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside a substantial share of global LNG.

Qatar's Ras Laffan alone accounts for around 20% of global liquefied natural gas output, much of it destined for Asia.

Disruption at this scale carries serious implications for inflation, corporate margins, and global growth.

Nigel Green warns that the situation bears comparison with the energy shocks of the 1970s, when supply disruptions triggered prolonged inflation and forced a major repricing of risk across global markets.

He says: “There are clear parallels with the 1970s energy crisis. Supply shocks of this nature rarely remain contained. They ripple through economies, push up costs, and force investors to rethink positioning.

“Markets are only beginning to adjust to that reality.”

He stresses that “portfolios built around assumptions of stable energy prices and frictionless global trade are increasingly vulnerable.”

The deVere CEO adds that investors need to think carefully about how their wealth is positioned in this environment. War-proofing is about resilience—ensuring portfolios can withstand disruption rather than relying on stability,” Nigel Green adds.

He outlines key considerations for investors seeking to strengthen resilience.

Gold should be considered as a diversifier within portfolios. “Periods of geopolitical escalation typically increase demand for hard assets that can help offset currency volatility and market stress.”

Energy exposure is also becoming more relevant. “Oil and gas producers, particularly those operating outside high-risk regions, are likely to benefit from sustained supply constraints and elevated prices as markets adjust to disruption.”

Commodities more broadly may warrant attention. “Rising energy costs often feed through into wider input prices across the global economy, reinforcing their role during inflationary periods.”

Sector exposure should be reviewed. “Industries reliant on cheap fuel and uninterrupted global logistics, including airlines and parts of heavy manufacturing, face increasing pressure if disruption persists.

“In contrast, sectors linked to energy, defence, and infrastructure may see stronger demand as governments and companies respond to heightened risks.”

Geographic diversification remains important. “Concentrated exposure to regions heavily dependent on Middle East energy, particularly parts of Asia, “may increase vulnerability, while broader global exposure can help reduce risk.”

Currency positioning should also be assessed. “Energy-importing economies may come under pressure, while the US dollar and commodity-linked currencies have historically strengthened during periods of geopolitical stress and rising oil prices.”

Nigel Green says: “This is a structural shift in how risk is being priced. Energy infrastructure is being targeted, and supply chains are under strain in a way that echoes previous global shocks.

“Investors who remain positioned for calm conditions are taking on unnecessary risk.”

He concludes: “History shows that energy shocks reshape markets in profound ways.

“The 1970s crisis drove inflation higher, altered capital flows, and rewarded those who were diversified across real assets, regions, and currencies.

“The current situation carries many of the same characteristics, with direct threats to supply, transport routes, and pricing stability.

“Investors should be taking a clear-eyed view of their exposure—considering diversification across asset classes, sectors, and geographies, and ensuring they are not overly reliant on any single outcome.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

LONDON, March 19, 2026 – Deaths from terrorism in the West surged by 280 per cent in 2025, contrasting starkly against a global decline of 28 per cent, reveals the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). In the wake of the widening Iran conflict, the report warns that future trends in terrorism will be shaped by emerging conflicts, breakdown of international norms and declining economic conditions.

Key Findings:

• Deaths from terrorism fell by 28 per cent to 5,582, and incidents decreased by 22 per cent to 2,944, marking the lowest figures since 2007
• In contrast, Western terrorism fatalities rose sharply by 280 per cent to 57 in 2025, largely driven by antisemitism, Islamophobia and political terrorism
• Iran risks becoming another breeding ground for terrorist militias if it becomes a failed state
• Six of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are in sub-Saharan Africa, maintaining its position as the epicentre
• For the first time, Pakistan leads the Index as the country most impacted by terrorism, experiencing a sharp resurgence with 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025, its highest level since 2013
• Youth radicalisation fuelled lone-wolf attacks, with youth terrorism investigations rising threefold since 2021. 93 per cent of all fatal attacks in the West were lone-wolf attacks
• Islamic State (IS) and affiliates remained the deadliest terrorist organisation, responsible for 17 per cent of attacks worldwide.

Globally, deaths from terrorism reached their lowest level in a decade; however, this improvement may be short-lived. Many negative factors are converging in 2026, including the escalation of conflicts in Iran and South Asia, deteriorating economic prospects in the West, and the rising use of drone technology by terrorist organisations.

Seven of the 19 countries that deteriorated on the Index were Western nations, and the conditions driving that trend, such as the rapid radicalisation of youth, political polarisation, rising antisemitic violence, and the compression of online radicalisation timelines, show no signs of abating. Recent polling indicates public support for Israel is declining in several countries, while the Gaza war has coincided with increased concern about antisemitism and heightened political polarisation.

The GTI is produced by international think tank the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). It is the most comprehensive resource on global terrorism trends and uses multiple factors to calculate its score, including the number of incidences, fatalities, injuries and hostages, before combining these with conflict and socioeconomic data to provide a holistic picture of terrorism.

Steve Killelea, Founder & Executive Chairman, IEP: “The underlying conditions that drive terrorism are worsening despite improvements seen in 2025. Unless Iran can be stabilised quickly, it risks becoming a failed state and another breeding ground for terrorist militias. The lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan are clear: when states fragment and security vacuums emerge, terrorist groups quickly exploit the instability.

Terrorist activity along ungoverned international borders has also increased substantially over the past five years, with the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict the most recent example. Viewed in totality, these trends point to one sobering conclusion: a fracturing world order risks erasing the hard-fought gains made against terrorism over the past decade.”

The Iran Conflict & Escalating Risk

Iran has deteriorated nearly 30 places on the GTI over the past decade, reflecting a steady increase in the impact of terrorism driven by separatist groups on the Pakistan border area. The GTI data shows that while terrorism deaths in the Middle East and North Africa fell by 95 per cent over the last ten years, this progress remains fragile and contingent on regional stability.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been linked to 157 terrorist plots across 15 countries in the past five years. Although Iran's long-range capabilities have been substantially degraded, if not destroyed, groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis have decentralised networks with significant capabilities for launching terrorist attacks. The breakdown in communication with Iran means these groups are acting autonomously and unpredictably.

The IRGC has provided funding, training and strategic direction to over 70 militia groups in Iraq, with an estimated combined strength of at least 160,000 fighters. Escalation of the conflict in Iran could further destabilise the region and increase the risk of groups sympathetic to Iran carrying out terrorist attacks overseas.

The Iraqi government faces the prospect of being drawn into the conflict. Balancing its reliance on Iran, keeping the militias onside while responding to US pressure and avoiding US military strikes will be difficult. A sustained exchange between militias and US forces would divert Iraqi security resources, complicate international support, fragment territorial control and create local vacuums that could be exploited by Islamic State or other militias loyal to Iran.

Youth and Online Radicalisation

Terrorism in Western nations is increasingly driven by youth radicalisation and lone-wolf actors. Children and adolescents accounted for 42 per cent of all terror-related investigations in Europe and North America in 2025. The average radicalisation timeline has compressed from 16 months in 2002 to a few months today, driven by algorithmic amplification and the exploitation of developmental vulnerabilities. An estimated 87 per cent of radicalised minors had a history of neglect or psychological abuse, while 77 per cent suffered from abandonment.

Further challenging, lone wolf actors carried out 93 per cent of fatal terrorist attacks in the West since 2015 and remain three times more likely to successfully execute an attack than groups.

Recruiters are leveraging platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and Discord to establish social bonds while extremist networks employ a funnel strategy via social media platforms to channel users towards increasingly extreme content before migrating to encrypted messaging apps.

Geography of Terrorism

Pakistan has, for the first time, emerged as the country most impacted by terrorism, recording 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025. This resurgence is driven partly by the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan and the resulting increase in cross-border militant activity by the TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army. Without reconciliation, the current Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict is likely to result in high levels of terrorism.

Border proximity is a defining feature of modern terrorism, with the GTI finding that terrorism in these areas has more than doubled over the past 15 years. Over 76 per cent of attacks occurred within 100 km of an international border in 2025, up from just under 60 per cent in 2007, with hotspots including the Ecuador-Colombia-Venezuela frontier and Central Sahel tri-border area. Regions such as the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin suffer from weak state control, which enables groups to recruit and operate with relative freedom.

Drivers of Terrorism in sub-Saharan Africa

The Sahel region in sub-Saharan Africa continues to be strongly impacted by terrorism. Although deaths fell in 2025, the region still accounts for over half of all terrorism-related deaths globally. Violence has also spread beyond the Central Sahel's traditional hotspots, with JNIM launching coordinated strikes in western Mali and IS claiming its first attack in Niger's southern Dosso region.

Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded the largest increases in deaths from terrorism, rising by 46 per cent and 28 per cent respectively. In Nigeria, deaths surged in the north-west amidst growing political instability related to Boko Haram, whilst in the DRC, IS-linked forces carried out several large-scale attacks along the country's eastern border. IS' largest increases in impact occurred in Niger, with deaths caused by the group nearly quadrupling.

Motivations for joining terrorist groups in sub-Saharan Africa contrast sharply with the West. For 71 per cent of recruits, the final catalyst for joining was human rights abuses by state security forces. Economic factors are also critical, with a quarter of voluntary recruits citing a lack of job opportunities as their primary motivation. In regions with weak governance, armed groups exploit this vacuum by offering tangible benefits such as salaries to young people without legitimate employment.

Notes

The full GTI 2026 report and interactive map are available at: economicsandpeace.org & visionofhumanity.org

Global Terrorism Index (GTI)

The GTI by the Institute for Economics & Peace provides a comprehensive summary of the key global trends and patterns in terrorism over the last 17 years. The report ranks 163 countries (99.7 per cent of the world's population) according to the impact of terrorism. The indicators include the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries and hostages.

The GTI report is produced using data from TerrorismTracker and other sources. TerrorismTracker provides event records on terrorist attacks since 1 January 2007. The dataset contains over 76,000 terrorist incidents for the period 2007 to 2025.

Institute for Economics & Peace

The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) is the world's leading think tank dedicated to developing metrics to analyse peace and to quantify its economic value. It does this by developing global and national indices, including the annual Global Peace Index, calculating the economic cost of violence and understanding Positive Peace which is the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.

19 MARCH 2026 – Energy markets have evolved over the last years, with demand for broader and more integrated energy solutions.

Equinor is establishing two new business areas to position the company for safe, efficient operations and increased value creation.

The two new business areas, which will replace the existing Marketing, Midstream and Processing (MMP) business area, are established to better capture market opportunities and increase long-term value creation as a reliable provider of energy.

“This is about setting Equinor up for success in the future. I want to create the best possible conditions for safe and efficient operations of our onshore plants, while ensuring that we become better at identifying and pursuing opportunities in the market,” says Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor.

“We have identified a clear value potential we can deliver through strengthening our trading business. This part of our business also ties together all our production and products, and will ensure that market insights and future customer demand will more actively drive strategy, portfolio decisions and business models for Equinor,” he continues.

The two business areas will be:

A new business area for midstream, processing and infrastructure

This area will be responsible for the onshore refinery, operated terminals, pipelines, storages and processing plants. The goal is to ensure safe, secure, efficient and reliable operations, while creating value through increased flexibility and closer collaboration with the business area Exploration and Production Norway (EPN).
The business area will be led by Geir Sørtvedt.

A new business area to drive and accelerate Equinor's market orientation

This area will focus on developing and growing value from trading and capture value across different products, supported by innovative digital solutions. This will set Equinor up for even better insight into market developments and customer demand, and turning that insight into better commercial decisions across the company. The trading and marketing activities will sit in this business area and will play an important role in this change and will build on the updated commercial strategy MMP has developed.
The business area will be led by Irene Rummelhoff.

The separation into two business areas enables a closer integration between strategy, operating model and organisational setup, with clearer accountability and better use of assets, insights, data and capabilities across Equinor.

A project is ongoing to further mature operating model and organisational structure. Potential changes to reporting segments or other impact will be assessed as part of the project. The ambition is to have a final solution ready before summer, with the new organisation to be operational in early 2027.