A message from Executive Director, Ellen Tannor
Even amid a pandemic with limited in-person engagement, 2021 was certainly a busy year for OSAC. From assisting evacuation for U.S. persons and organizations from Kabul, Addis Ababa, and Rangoon, to supporting the Tokyo Olympics, and providing critical information on ever-evolving COVID travel alerts around the globe– OSAC has remained engaged and out front!
As we reflect on the past year, we also take a moment to mourn the loss of two great Secretaries of State: George Shultz and Colin Powell. I’m honored to have had the chance to work directly with Secretary Powell on his security detail and to now lead the team in Secretary’s Schultz creation and vision which is OSAC. OSAC exists to connect public and private sectors for the shared goal of protecting U.S. interests around the world. Please view our commemoration of these leaders’ impactful contributions.
Turning our attention to the new year, we focus on maximizing what’s already working well: technology is allowing our members to stay connected from homes or offices around the world and global member engagement is at an all-time high. We are closely monitoring the evolving situations in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Mali to bring you the latest security information to keep people and organizations informed and safe. We’ve completed a powerful benchmark survey on the situation in Ukraine and conducted real time snap calls with the Regional Security Officer in and Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. I want to continue to ensure our content and resources are relevant, timely and accessible to all members. To that end, in 2022 we will offer more hybrid events, with the option to be part of the conversation both in-person and virtually. We're already seeing this hybrid format successfully executed by several OSAC Country Chapters including the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Colombia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.
Finally, I’d like to be the first to officially welcome Pete Short, OSAC’s new Private Sector Co-Chair. Pete has been on the Council as Ball Corporation’s representative since 2013. His tenure has been marked with productive engagement with the Council, the Program Office, and attending and speaking at numerous Common Interest Committee and Country Chapter events. I certainly look forward to working with Pete over the next few years and watching OSAC blossom under his leadership! I hope everyone is rested, relaxed, and recharged – and ready to join me as we take on 2022!
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OSAC Analysis - Eye on Security
OSAC’s analysts published nearly 50 reports this quarter, looking at security threats in 30 different countries, including election-related insecurity in Honduras, Iraq, Libya, and Nicaragua; the evolving political/military threat in Ethiopia (rebel advance, regional trends, benchmarking); criminal landscape in Mexico (nationwide, Cancun/Riviera Maya); cross-border crises affecting Eastern Europe (Poland-Belarus and Ukraine-Russia); and a joint series of benchmarking reports with RANE risk intelligence.
Other recent highlights:
"Ukraine and Russia: Private Sector Response to Heightened Tensions" This report outlines how OSAC members with operations and travel within Ukraine are assessing and mitigating any risks from heightened tensions and the build-up of Russian troops. The report also highlights mitigation efforts and potential tripwires for a change in operations.
"Kazakhstan Security Assessment" Following a snap call with the officials at the U.S. Embassy in Nur-Sultan on January 10, OSAC released an assessment about the security situation in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan – particularly Almaty – continues to stabilize following a period of turmoil. This report reviews the fluid situation and provides updates based on U.S. Embassy and U.S. private-sector perspectives on the ground.
"Common Standards & Significant Gaps in Private-Sector Security Programs" In cooperation with the Risk Assistance Network + Exchange (RANE), OSAC surveyed a cross-sectional sample of private-sector leaders across industry and organizational size regarding components of their organization’s security program. These findings are part of a benchmarking series, and offers insights on the commonalities, and more interestingly, some significant gaps in policies and practices.
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OSAC Annual Briefing 2021
OSAC members deftly navigated the digital halls of our second consecutive virtual Annual Briefing (AB) for another great exchange of ideas and opportunities to build strong connections.
This year's AB saw a record 2,534 registrants with members tuning in from 70 different countries– predominantly the U.S. and UK, followed by Canada, Mexico, and Brazil and as far-reaching as China, India, Australia and more. Seeing so many reduced geographical and financial boundaries with the virtual environment, OSAC is determined to continue incorporating hybrid formats for ABs to come.
The panels and presentations focused on “Strategic Competition and Emerging Security Challenges:” U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, and Diplomatic Security's Assistant Secretary Gentry Smith, dove deep into the climate-security nexus and impacts. Katya Sienkiewicz of the Global Security Team at Starbucks led a panel on benefits and obstacles to creating sustainable supply chains with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment & Energy Resilience at the Department of Defense, Richard Kidd, and Alice Hill of the Council on Foreign Relations. U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Michele Sison together with representatives from the Brookings Institution, Internews, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace delved into how geopolitical rivalries can support the rise of non-state actors like organized crime groups, protesters, and extremist networks. Senior Adviser for Homeland Security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Suzanne Spaulding, with representatives from the Atlantic Council, Harvard Kennedy School, and VAST-OSINT explored the geopolitical impact of radical online speech and disinformation in elections, and more. You can still access much of this great content online.
Riding alongside these great discussions was a unique opportunity to build personal connections with OSAC’s introduction of “Braindate” technology into the mix. Braindate is a virtual platform where attendees can spark up conversations naturally in small groups or one-on-one. AB guests hosted panel and presentation follow-ups, discussed regional concerns with OSAC Analysts, and connected with Regional Security Officers (RSOs) and other Diplomatic Security (DS) professionals on topics like “Doing Business in Baghdad and Beyond.” With 148 Braindates on 128 different topics, forging 4,490 individual connections, we found this to be a great networking tool we’ll consider using again.
The International Security Foundation (ISF) provided a wonderful chance to wrap up the AB and celebrate one another at the OSAC Awards, honoring those in the OSAC community who went above and beyond in support of the safe operations of U.S. interests overseas. This virtual reception featured speakers, Secretary Madeleine Albright and former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Susan Gordon, and a rousing performance by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Choir with the U.S. Navy Band. This also marked the ISF's 10th year supporting the vital work of OSAC programs all over the world. We are truly grateful to the ISF for their tremendous impact over the past decade and send a special heartfelt thanks to its Executive Director, Peggy O'Neill, for leading the way.
Meet New Private Sector Co-Chair, Pete Short
At the close of 2021, we welcomed Director of Corporate Security at Ball Corporation, Pete Short, as OSAC's new Private Sector Co-Chair. Read more about his journey from national parks to global security to his vision for the future of OSAC.
OSAC: What first got you interested in the security industry and where has that taken you?
Pete: My first job was actually at Yosemite National Park. I graduated with my bachelor's in forensic science and wanted to work in a national park before going to graduate school. The only logical job to do there would be security so I felt like this would be a great way to spend my summer. It led to a career choice, meeting my lovely bride, Audrey, and a lifelong love of the outdoors and our great national park system. Instead of heading back to graduate school, I was recruited while I was in the park to work for Hughes Electronics at their corporate offices in Southern California. This was the beginning of a long career in aerospace, defense and manufacturing.
I often tell my teams and young security professionals that the foundation really starts with security operations and learning security compliance as a discipline. Because as you advance in your career – whether in pharma, aerospace, defense, manufacturing, whatever you're doing – it's still those same building blocks.
OSAC: How did you learn about OSAC and how have you benefitted from being a part of this community?
Pete: So I worked at Hughes, went on to do a NASA project with Lockheed, then came back to Hughes, which at the time was owned by General Motors, who divided their aerospace and defense business between Boeing and Raytheon.
When I became a Raytheon employee and started advancing through management I worked for senior leaders there like Dan Schlehr, who became an OSAC Council Private Sector Co-Chair, Don Morris, who was also former Diplomatic Security, along with Keith Waddell, a former Council member – so all Raytheon security leaders were encouraged to take part in the Annual Briefing or other engagements with the OSAC Program Office. I’ve always seen products and services from OSAC throughout my entire career but watching those leaders utilize that public-private partnership as a force multiplier and a business enabler for our company was where I started recognizing the true value of OSAC participation.
When I became the Chief Security Officer (CSO) at Ball Corporation in 2010 – a large multinational – it was a natural progression to leverage the resources of OSAC. And the biggest early benefit to me was the access to the RSOs in the regions where we operated. Being able to travel to places like Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and meet with them to do due diligence, to visit multiple embassies and consulates, and go to the OSAC missions like Geneva to work on specific issues – it really opened my eyes to the wider benefits OSAC brings to risk professionals.
And the community we're in – all of us are faced with risk doing international business and it's been huge to connect with the wider network of OSAC members and develop lifelong friendships.
OSAC: As we start 2022, with a relentless pandemic and shifting global political landscape, what are some of Ball Corporation’s top security concerns?
Pete: I think in 2021, I worked an equal number of crises around the world as in years past, whether they were weather-related or geopolitical. The COVID pandemic just compounds things. The curtailment of travel limited our ability to directly influence geopolitical risk: I usually travel six months out of the year and since March of 2020 I've had to manage international portfolios from Colorado. The challenges we face in the manufacturing sector with the supply chain: raw materials, ability to meet customer needs, or immigration complications because of COVID. Some of the geopolitical concerns that indirectly affect all of us whether it's the military coup in Myanmar, the threat of conflict with Russia over Ukraine, or the shifting political climate with China. All of those things cause our corporation concerns and with COVID they’re augmented.
But in many ways there's been positive outcomes. I have to brag about my own organization because I don't think we've ever been as high performing a team as we've been in the last two years. When I meet with my managers I tell them – whatever you did in the last several months with your teams out of the office, don't change it as they are returning to the office because they are performing and they are invested in the outcome.
OSAC: How has the pandemic shaped organizational health and safety operations at Ball? What’s the “new normal”?
Pete: In the initial phase, it was all about trying to prevent COVID from happening in our facilities. Lots of controls, PPE, and trying to manage through close contact tracing, etc.
When Delta came around, it was a little less possible to put up a forcefield to prevent COVID from happening, so we kept our manufacturing facilities operating with lots and lots of controls coupled with a strategy to encourage the vaccine.
Then we did a staged return to office where we were limiting the number of people in. We had the majority of employees who could work from home, work from home. We used mask policies driven by the company or state or local guidance.
And now as we are all essentially working back in the office, it's about controls and as my CEO (John Hayes) likes to say “we're better together... presume good intentions, value diversity and inclusion, and really take time to collaborate and check in on your teams.” We started opening the international travel aperture where immigration policies allowed and business necessity dictated. But with the recent surge of Omicron we are seeing a little pullback. So the new normal of navigating through the remaining pandemic/endemic situation is going to be adapting to changing requirements and being innovative and collaborative.
OSAC: As the new Private Sector Co-Chair of the Council, you’re now in a position to influence the organization's course for years to come. What’s your vision for OSAC?
Pete: First I want to acknowledge DSS Director Carlos Matus for selecting me. It was an honor and a privilege and his faith in me to be a leader is a huge compliment. And past private sector Co-Chairs during my tenure like Claude Nebel, Sandy Cowie, Dan Schlehr, and Jim Snyder – they really set the table for the opportunity we have as a Council and Executive Board that I now have in this position. We are fortunate that our current Council members are terrific advocates of OSAC and my fellow Executive Board members under Carlos’ leadership (Ellen Tannor, Christina Johnson, Greg Wurm, and James Weston – and Rebecca Spingarn who keeps all of us focused) are tireless change agents.
Something Carlos is passionate about and that really resonates with me is focusing on two-way communication with RSOs and member organizations at the local level. Even though Ball is a large corporation, there is someone either dotted line or matrixed to me across the entire global enterprise. And having a Ball regional director or plant manager be able to attend regional threat meetings and being able to take them to an embassy or consulate and have them directly talk with an RSO is huge for influencing international mitigation of risk.
So instead of Ball being alone in a problem, through OSAC, we have an expanded network with an RSO and a Country Chapter of peers or representatives from the State Department who can work together. I remember in September 2014 – there were wide-scale violent protests in Vietnam against China. And we were actually able to pull the member companies of the industrial parks that were facing these challenges together, forward facing to the RSO so we could communicate as a community. It's that network of like-positioned people who are experiencing the same issue coming together – I can't think of anywhere else where we have that opportunity. It’s one of one of the things I've benefited from the most in OSAC and one of the things I’d like to see our Council focus on in the next couple of years is really leveraging that unique network.
Something I'm also excited about is in the last couple of years we've really taken time to address change and refinement. Whether it's how we approach membership guidelines and governance, to leveraging greater inclusion and diversity, fostering collaboration and adapting to virtual platforms and how we enable the Common Interest Committees and Country Chapters. Because the ultimate goal is greater access for our member organizations and greater access to the resources not only in the Program Office but across the globe with our RSOs and Country Chapters and the network of members themselves.
OSAC: Makes me think of our tagline: informed, connected and secure.
Pete: Yeah that’s really what it's all about.
OSAC: What are some top “OSAC moments” or memories from your almost 9 years as a Council member?
Pete: One of my favorite interactions early on being a Council member was traveling to the ISMA-OSAC regional threat conference in Bangkok, Thailand, in March 2014, where we brought in RSOs from Southeast Asia and member companies from that area. Immediately after the conference, several of us traveled to Yangon, Myanmar, where we opened up the inaugural Country Chapter meeting. Attending with Jim Snyder and Alan Orlob from the Council and James Weston from the OSAC Program Office along with three other Ball in-country managers to launch that Country Chapter was a big highlight for me.
And working with the International Security Foundation (ISF) and Peggy O’Neill: Ball Corporation actually had an employee who was one of the victims of the Westgate Mall attack in Kenya. Watching ISF grow through the years from a small organization that literally helped enable funding for the initial recovery meetings in Kenya, to what it is today as a solid and critical partner to OSAC and having been a Council member through all of that has been a highlight.
And traveling as a member of the Executive Board in 2019 with Rebecca Spingarn and James Weston from the OSAC Program Office to the Embassy in Guatemala City. I had the opportunity to meet as a group with the RSOs in Central America, listen to their concerns and challenges implementing OSAC in their AORs, and then the following day give introductory remarks at the regional Central America OSAC Conference in Antigua, Guatemala, sitting on a panel with Council Members Scott Sheafe and Jose Freig.
Academia Sector Committee (ASC)
On November 18, the ASC held their annual all-membership meeting. The steering committee's subcommittees presented reports on activities over the past year including continuous benchmarking on international student and faculty programs, the establishment of an Orientation webinar series for new members, and the creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group. The All-Membership Meeting concluded with a panel discussion on lessons-learned during the pandemic.
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Africa Regional Committee (ARC)
On December 1, the ARC hosted a two-and-a-half-hour-long webinar comprised of two keynote presentations. The first presentation focused on the rise of non-traditional foreign powers on the African continent like Russia and the United Arab Emirates. The presentation was given by Dr. Robert Besseling of Pangea Risk. The second presentation focused on the dynamics of Islamist terrorist organizations operating in Western and Eastern Africa. The presentation was given by Keri Leicher of Castor Vali Group. Over 150 members attended tuning in from 27 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and South America.
Aviation Sector Committee (AVSC)
The AVSC Steering Committee hosts quarterly meetings open to all its members (129 members representing 42 carriers). On November 18, the AVSC held its fourth quarter meeting, where they reviewed plans for AVSC-sponsored events and products for 2022. The AVSC is aiming for two in-person quarterly meetings in 2022: one held in the U.S. and the other internationally (location TBD), covering topics such as overflight risk regions, unmanned aerial vehicles, and information-sharing obstacles.
On December 14, the AVSC Steering Committee met in-person for the first time since the start of the pandemic at OSAC headquarters. The AVSC Steering Committee consists of six volunteer positions, currently held by representatives from United, American, Delta, Lufthansa, KLM, and WestJet. The Steering Committee formalized a schedule of events for 2022 and met with Senior Department of State – Transportation Security Administration Liaison, Paul Fujimura, to explore the possibility of a more formalized relationship for better information-sharing.
Cybersecurity Sector Committee (CSC)
The CSC recently released a Cybersecurity Terms Glossary (log into your OSAC account then click the link). This document is an eight-page list of commonly used or referenced cybersecurity terms. The CSC hopes the glossary will be helpful to OSAC but understands that this is not a definitive nor exhaustive list. As such, the CSC’s Products and Engagement Subcommittee will put out a call for new submissions to the glossary and update the document on a quarterly basis.
International Development Sector Committee (IDSC)
On November 2, OSAC's IDSC Steering Committee coordinated an event on the developing situation in Ethiopia for OSAC members less than 48 hours after the onset of the crisis. With more than 180 attendees, the advice and Q&A shared was timely and actionable, especially for security professionals with operations on the ground in Ethiopia. RSO Jeffrey Dee, along with OSAC Africa Analyst, Andrew Ziegler, and Dragonfly Intelligence's Senior Intelligence Analyst, Tobias Wellner, served as panelists alongside event moderator, Cris Bohanski, of the IDSC Steering Committee.
Women in Security (WiS)
Women in Security has wrapped up a busy quarter with the launch of its Spanish language mentorship program. This initiative has paired 20 mentors and mentees across the region. WiS's fall benchmarking survey of hiring managers reported a robust appetite for hiring in 2022. The Rundown - WiS's quarterly member update featuring women newsmakers, movers, and shakers - was distributed in December, while a WiS webinar explored how women approach leadership during crises. The webinar attracted attendees from 14 countries and 74 unique sectors.
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Ethiopia - Addis Ababa
On November 5, the OSAC Africa Team created an Ethiopia Conflict Management WhatsApp Group to enable conversation between RSO Addis Ababa and local private sector staff as the civil conflict began to show signs of deterioration. Members signed up for the WhatsApp group via a SurveyMonkey distributed through the OSAC Common Interest Committee Google Groups. The WhatsApp group is active with 145 participants who are either located in Ethiopia or responsible for individuals on the ground. Should the situation continue to deteriorate, the WhatsApp group is primed as a critical channel of communication between the private sector, OSAC Program Office, and the Regional Security Office.
Kenya - Nairobi
On December 14, the Kenya - Nairobi Country Chapter held its "End of Year" meeting. This meeting was held outdoors at the U.S. Embassy and was the chapter’s first in-person meeting since December 2019. The OSAC Africa Team joined over live video chat to introduce themselves, explain the role of the OSAC Program Office, and provide a presentation on ongoing security concerns in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Somalia.
Norway - Oslo
The OSAC Norway - Oslo Country Chapter held their first in-person meeting in over 10 years on November 9, with attendance reaching 50 members. This OSAC event highlighted the role of U.S. law enforcement and the importance of public-private partnerships. The program featured a keynote speech by former Executive Vice President for Global Protection Services at Sony Pictures, Stevan J. Bernard, who detailed his experience handling the North Korean cyber-attack against Sony in 2014. Bernard underscored the importance of early and close collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Participants included representatives from the Diplomatic Security Service, FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service, who detailed for guests the partnerships that U.S. federal law enforcement agencies can offer firms, large and small, facing the growing threat of cyber-attacks.
Europe In-Person "End of Year" Meetings
RSOs across Europe held annual virtual and hybrid end-of-year meetings and events for their respective Country Chapters. On November 30, OSAC United Kingdom hosted a well-attended hybrid annual fall conference titled "Extremism, Terrorism, and Corporate Preparedness" at the U.S. Embassy in London. OSAC Switzerland focused on VIP travel and security and the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos on December 7 during a hybrid event at the U.S. Embassy in Bern. That same day, OSAC Belgium met to discuss public-private cooperation, regional security, and cybersecurity risk management. OSAC Netherlands held a timely briefing titled, "Europe's Turbulent Eastern Neighborhood" on December 8 with Clingendael Senior Research Fellow on Security and Defense, Bob Deen.
Tunisia - Tunis
On November 18, the OSAC Tunisia - Tunis Country Chapter held its first in-person meeting since early 2020 at the Sheraton Hotel Tunis. The meeting featured discussions on forecasts for the Tunisian political landscape and updates on the upcoming elections in Libya. Members who were unable to participate in person were able to join the meeting virtually via a Zoom session hosted by the OSAC Program Office.
All China
On October 28, Mission China successfully held the first event under a unified OSAC Chapter with presentations on the new data privacy laws, COVID situation, and security and protocols for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Approximately 50 people were present in person at the Shanghai American Center for this event and dozens more dialed in virtually to view the presentation from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenyang, and Wuhan via RSO-arranged and coordinated venues.
All India
On December 7, Mission India virtually hosted the annual All-India General Meeting with over 130 people in attendance. The agenda featured a CEO roundtable discussion, a briefing on U.S.-India-China relations, and OSAC India program achievements.
The OSAC Major Events team supports global sporting and industry events with a large private-sector nexus
2021 saw the return of some major international events, often in modified form to account for COVID countermeasures. OSAC’s Major Events program was able to support members on three occasions with on-the-ground support: the Summer Olympics in Japan (July-August), COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in the United Kingdom (November), and the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar (December).
The Major Events team is now gearing up to remotely support the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics (Feb. 4-20; Mar. 4-13). Though the White House announced on December 6 that there won't be official or diplomatic U.S. representation at the Beijing Games due to the "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses," the announcement included an exception for diplomatic security and consular services for U.S. athletes and citizens participating in the Games. OSAC issued a report highlighting the key implications of this decision; in short, it does not prevent U.S. athletes, U.S. government staff providing security or consular services, or U.S. private-sector entities (sponsors etc.) from traveling to Beijing in support of their Games-specific roles. To receive daily safety and security-related updates during the Beijing Olympics, sign up for our dedicated email distribution list here.
U.S. Embassy Doha hosted an OSAC Qatar World Cup sponsors meeting on December 2. Security representatives from FOX Sports, Visa, The Coca-Cola Company, Qatar Airways, Northwestern University in Qatar, and American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar shared security and logistics findings from the FIFA Arab Cup test event and discussed the challenges and opportunities of the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar (Nov-Dec 2022). To join a dedicated OSAC Qatar World Cup email distribution group, sign up here (login required).
Claude Nebel Retires from the OSAC Council
After nearly 10 years on OSAC’s Council, we bid farewell to our esteemed Co-Chair, Claude Nebel, who retired this past December. Claude has been integral to shaping OSAC’s direction through crises and long-term planning throughout his tenure, lending expertise from his time in both public and private service.
Claude's work as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of State, Head of the Office of Foreign Missions, and in Global Security at the Cargill Corporation, made him the perfect blend to head up the Council of this public-private partnership. We are grateful for his guidance over these many years and for his wise counsel on the path ahead.
Jason Kight Retires From Service
We’re a small team here at the OSAC Program Office in Rosslyn, Virginia, so when Jason Kight walked through our doors, his big energy and booming voice rang extra loud in the most wonderful way. Jason took the helm just before the start of the pandemic when staff began working partially from home. Despite the physical distance, Jason made every single team member feel like family. He listened intently to their vision for their projects and deftly guided them toward success. He was resolute in his drive for excellence in all OSAC products and programming and he raised the bar for member engagement expectations and opportunities.
Last year, Jason left OSAC to become the Acting Assistant Director for the Threat Investigations and Analysis Directorate (DS/TIA) and the Deputy Assistant Director for the Office of Intelligence and Threat Analysis (DS/TIA/ITA). This culminated his nearly 25 years with Diplomatic Security. As he moves on now into retirement, we wish him many well-deserved relaxing days and restful nights.
Jason began working with the Department of State in 1998. In 2017, he was promoted into the Senior Foreign Service. His most recent overseas assignment was as Regional Security Officer at Embassy Amman, Jordan, during 2013-2016, with previous assignments in Karachi, Paramaribo, La Paz, Afghanistan, and Vienna. Domestically, Jason has served in a number of positions including International Programs, Antiterrorism Assistance, Career Development, and the Secretary of State’s Protective Detail. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the Virginia Military Institute.
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