Under the MOU, Amazon India will share relevant job openings with AWPO, which focuses on the three pillars of the military community 1. Veterans, 2. Military spouses and 3. War widows – for employment opportunities. Amazon will also conduct awareness sessions, including webinars and workshops, to guide prospective applicants through available roles and career progression opportunities within the company.

“At Amazon, our commitment to building a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace is paramount. We recognize that veterans and military spouses exemplify Leadership Principles such as Bias for Action, Ownership, and Deliver Results—bringing operational excellence, mission focus, and leadership that align strongly with Amazon’s culture. This partnership with the Army Welfare Placement Organization is a vital step in deepening our support for ex-service personnel, military spouses, and war widows, providing them with meaningful career opportunities that leverage their unique strengths and experiences. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Army for enabling this strategic partnership,” said Deepti Varma, VP – People Experience and Technology at Amazon Stores India, Japan, and Emerging Markets.

This collaboration is aligned with Amazon’s global commitment to supporting military families through initiatives such as the Military Spouse Fellowship Program and the Military Hiring Program, which provide career pathways, mentorship, and flexibility for veterans, including spouses.

Speaking about the MoU, Maj Gen Ajay Singh Chauhan, Shaurya Chakra, Sena Medal (Retd.), Managing Director at Army Welfare Placement Organization, said, “The AWPO is deeply committed to the welfare of our service personnel and their families. Our collaboration with Amazon India significantly strengthens our mission to connect deserving veterans, military spouses, and war widows with meaningful employment opportunities. These individuals bring exceptional resilience and a diverse range of skills to the workforce. This partnership establishes a structured pathway for them to access corporate roles, fostering economic independence and enhancing their overall well-being. We sincerely appreciate Amazon’s recognition of the valuable skillsets and unwavering dedication of military veterans, spouses, and war widows to bring them into their organization.’’

Amazon has already successfully integrated hundreds of military veterans into its workforce in India. The company offers specialized career support, including tailored interview preparation, peer mentorship networks like ‘Warriors At Amazon’, and career advancement pathways designed for the military community.

The initiative also reflects Amazon’s broader commitment to foster an inclusive workplace by expanding opportunities for all underrepresented communities—including women, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and now military spouses and war widows. The MoU is another step towards enabling diverse talent to thrive across Amazon’s vast network of roles spanning multiple functions and job families.

Sharing her experience with Amazon as an employee of 8 years and a military spouse, Priyanka Bali, Senior Product Manager, Amazon Devices, shares, ”Being a military spouse comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to maintaining career continuity through frequent relocations and transitions. Amazon’s flexibility and support have allowed me to build a stable, fulfilling career while continuing to honor my family’s commitments to military service. It’s empowering to be part of a company that truly understands and values the military spouse community.”

Interested veterans, military spouses, and war widows can find more information about career opportunities at Amazon India by visiting the Amazon India Career Page: https://amazon.jobs/en/?cmpid=PR_OTIS203799C

The post Amazon India Partners with Army Welfare Placement Organization to Enhance Career Opportunities for Veterans and Their Families appeared first on NRI News.

• EBRD lending up to €10 million to the city of Lviv to tackle the impact of war
• Emergency liquidity to help ensure that essential public services continue functioning
• The bank is also providing technical support to the Lviv Veterans Centre

UKRAINE: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a senior loan of up to €10 million to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine to help ensure the provision of vital municipal services and mitigate the effects of the ongoing war.

The European Union (EU) is supporting the EBRD’s loan by providing 25 per cent first loss risk cover under its Municipal, Infrastructure and Industrial Resilience Programme (which was established as part of its Ukraine Investment Framework) to address war-related risks. That programme focuses on emergency support and future reconstruction efforts across various sectors (including industry, energy, and municipal infrastructure) and will see the EU provide a total of €150 million in guarantees, €25 million in investment grants, and €7.5 million in technical assistance via the EBRD.

Lviv is the seventh largest city in Ukraine and the largest in the west of the country. A total of 758,000 people live in the city itself, with around 1 million living in the wider Lviv agglomeration. This number has increased recently, since Lviv is a natural destination for internally displaced people on account of its location and its role as a major educational and economic centre.

Due to the ongoing war and its impact on the local economy, forced displacement, and labour market instability, there is a significant risk of disruption to infrastructure services. This could affect the provision of infrastructure necessary for Lviv’s economic stability and the city’s private-sector operations.

The EBRD’s loan will provide liquidity to key municipal operators such as transport company Lvivelectrotrans, waste management operator Zelene Misto, and water operator Lvivvodokanal. The emergency funds will support those municipal operators by helping to address their critical liquidity needs, helping to ensure the uninterrupted provision of essential public services.

The EBRD will also provide technical support through its ongoing Human Capital Response for Ukraine programme in order to address the capacity-building needs of the Lviv Veterans Centre, which provides legal, educational, and administrative services in cooperation with local partners. The Bank will help the city to enhance the services and support that it provides to its veterans and their families.

The EBRD is Ukraine’s largest institutional lender. It has significantly increased its lending to the country in recent years, making more than €7 billion available since February 2022. It has also secured agreement from its shareholders for a capital increase of €4 billion to continue lending at this level in wartime and increase its financing further when the time comes for reconstruction.

The post EBRD and EU Support for Lviv appeared first on NRI News.

BANJUL, GAMBIA: The 15th Islamic Summit Conference of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (www.new.OIC-oci.org) commenced its deliberation in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, in the presence of their Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses, heads of states, and governments of the OIC member States, and high-level dignitaries from non-member states.

The summit is being held under the theme: ‘Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development’, from 4 to 5 May 2024.

The session was addressed by the chair of the 15th Islamic Summit, President of The Gambia, H. E. Adama Barrow, who, as the Chairman of the OIC Summit, stressed that he pledged to promote unity, solidarity, and sustainable development within the Islamic world. He added that his approach will include prioritizing initiatives that enhance economic cooperation, foster cultural exchange, and address pressing issues, such as poverty and access to education and healthcare.

The 15th Islamic summit is being held in light of the dangerous and unprecedented developments taking place in the Palestinian cause, especially the crimes of the brutal Israeli military aggression against the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip.

The Secretary-General emphasized that the Palestinian cause remains the OIC’s central issue and urged the member states to redouble efforts to mobilize the responsibility of the international community toward stopping the aggression and genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

H. E. Hissein Taha called on the OIC Member States to continue to mobilize international support for the recognition of the State of Palestine and help it attain full membership in the United Nations.

He announced the establishment of a media observatory at the OIC General Secretariat to document and highlight, within the media, the numbers of martyrs, wounded, detainees, and various crimes of the Israeli occupation. The OIC is also concurrently working towards activating the Legal Observatory to document Israeli crimes, in line with the decision of the recent Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh.

Furthermore, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the OIC’s commitment to addressing pressing political and humanitarian challenges facing the OIC Member States. He emphasized that the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir remains a priority for the OIC.

On Afghanistan, the OIC Secretary-General noted that the organization continued its engagement within the framework of its humanitarian approach and constructive dialogue with the de facto authority in Afghanistan.

He urged the member states to contribute generously to the OIC humanitarian efforts, particularly in Afghanistan, through the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF) under the supervision and management of the Islamic Development Bank.

Recognizing the importance of dialogue and reconciliation, The Secretary-General emphasized the OIC’s support for conflict resolution in Member States such as Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and the Sahel region.

The Secretary-General Stressed that OIC continues to support the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan over its entire territory as well as for the unity, sovereignty, and security of the Federal Republic of Somalia, in addition to its solidarity with Turkish Cypriot Muslims, alongside cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

H. E. Hissein Taha, salutes the vanguard role played by The Gambia, in defending the Cause of the Rohingya Muslim community before the International Court of Justice and calls on Member States to contribute to the financial costs required for this matter, which has recorded significant achievements. He also reiterates deep gratitude to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and other Member States for welcoming the Rohingya refugees.

In the field of humanitarian action, the Secretary-General Highlighted that the General Secretariat and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are currently working to coordinate the arrangements for organizing the Donors Conference for the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin for the mobilization of adequate resources to support refugees and displaced people.

The 15th Islamic Summit Conference was also addressed by H. E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, chair of the previous 14th Summit H. H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the President of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Special Envoy of the President of China.

At the end of the two-day conference, the 15th Islamic Summit is expected to adopt a special resolution on the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds Ash-Sharif, a comprehensive communique, and the Banjul Declaration.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The post 15th Islamic Summit: Organisation Of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Calls On Member States To Redouble Efforts To Stop Israel’s Genocide And War Crimes Against The Palestinian People appeared first on NRI News.