MULTILATERAL: Finland’s New Command Center & more – 1st Oct 2024

mmand center in Finland, near the Russian border. It will lead its land forces in northern Europe in case of a military conflict.

After joining NATO last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in twenty twenty-two, Finland has been organizing NATO’s presence on its soil. The new center, the Multi Corps Land Component Command, will work under the US-based Norfolk Joint Force Command and collaborate with Finland’s own land force command.

European defense is a hot topic this week. On Saturday the 28th, Estonian officials announced that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland would formally request EU funding to build a series of bunkers, barriers, supply routes, and military storage facilities along their borders with Russia and Belarus.

Leaders from each country highlighted that Russian threats to their borders have only increased, and such infrastructure would allow them to better protect NATO’s Eastern lines.

In other news, Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have prompted a strong international response. On Saturday the 28th, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's UN ambassador, called for a meeting of the UN Security Council in response to Israeli forces killing Hezbollah’s leader, warning against attacks on its diplomats and government representatives.

Iranian efforts to reduce Israeli attacks and bring about a diplomatic solution are likely to fall on deaf ears, particularly to Israel and the United States. While President Biden has publicly voiced support for a cease-fire and a solution that brings lasting peace, Israel has continued its campaign involving missile attacks and a Southern ground invasion in Southern Lebanon.

The leadership of Israel and the United States have been sharply critical of Iranian support for Hezbollah and other groups Israel is at war with.

More about Israel as on Monday the 23rd Turkey’s justice minister will present evidence to the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court regarding the killing of a Turkish American woman by Israeli forces in the West Bank.

The woman was killed earlier this month while participating in a demonstration against settlement expansion amid the Gaza conflict. Israel has admitted its troops were responsible for shooting her but stated it was an accident during a protest that became violent. Turkey’s government has been highly critical of Israel’s use of violence against Gazans since the current conflict began nearly a year ago.

Still on Israel, as a coalition of ten global trade unions filed a complaint against the country with the International Labor Organization on Friday the 27th of September, accusing Israel of breaching international law in its treatment of domestic Palestinian workers since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. The complaint focuses on Israel's suppression of Gazan workers' rights, including preventing some from receiving their wages, which unions said could amount to billions of dollars.

Onto Africa: on Thursday the 26th, during a stakeholder forum in Nigeria, The Economic Community of West African States announced plans to invest $380 million US dollars in providing electricity to public schools and health centers in Nigeria, Benin, Chad, and other African countries. The World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund, and the Directorate General for International Cooperation are funding this initiative, which seeks to address power shortages in the region.

Somalia is waiting to receive a boost in digital transformation and financial inclusion through a newly announced partnership between Visa and the United Nations Development Program, or UNDP.

On Wednesday the 25th of September, during the UN General Assembly in New York, the UNDP officially announced the start of the collaborative effort that aims to improve access to digital financial services for both individuals and small businesses.. The partnership’s goal is to contribute to economic growth and stability in the country. The initiative will focus on creating both immediate and long-term programs to enhance the capabilities of national stakeholders, especially targeting private sector organizations and important institutions like the Central Bank of Somalia.

For our last story on Africa, on Saturday the 28th, in a speech to the UN General Assembly, Badr Abdelatty, Egypt's Foreign Minister, urged including African and Arab nations as permanent members of the UN Security Council. He highlighted the injustice of these regions not having a permanent representative on the Council or the associated benefits. Currently, no African country has a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite many having been colonized by countries on the Security Council and overall lack the same political leverage within the UN that many nations enjoy.

Additionally, Abdelatty called for a ceasefire in Gaza, pointing out that the conflict is nearing its twelfth month and stressing that his government is committed to ending the hostilities.

A larger movement to bring African nations into the Security Council, in some capacity, is gaining ground among several countries.

Next, the World Trade Organization may begin dispute settlement proceedings in a conflict between China and the EU over the trade of dairy products. This conflict arose last month when China launched an investigation into the EU's agricultural subsidies related to specific dairy items. While Chinese officials have accused EU leaders of illegally harming the Chinese dairy industry with domestic subsidies, in a press release from Monday the 23rd, EU officials denied using any illegal methods in the market and requested the assistance of the World Trade Organization.

On Wednesday the 25th of September, the International Monetary Fund, or IMF’s executive board announced a $7 billion US dollar loan for Pakistan. The loan, which will be distributed over more than three years, is designed to help stabilize Pakistan’s economy. The country’s Prime Minister praised the agreement. The IMF confirmed that an initial payment of about $1 billion US dollars would be made right away.

While acknowledging Pakistan's efforts to restore economic stability, the IMF also warned that the country continues to face serious structural challenges. It highlighted persistent issues such as a challenging business environment, poor governance, excessive state control, and a limited tax base that continue to hinder investment and long-term recovery.

More on the UN: at the recent General Assembly meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Luis Almagro, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. In a Telegram post on Saturday the 28th, Zelensky highlighted their conversation on ensuring global efforts effectively promote peace and thanked Almagro for his continued support of Ukraine. Zelensky has made efforts to find global allies and rally support for Ukraine from all corners of the world since Russia’s invasion.

And to wrap up this edition, on Saturday the 28th, at a virtual event marking the 5th International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, the Director-General of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization emphasized that reducing food waste could be an important step in reducing overall food access issues and inequality. He suggested how the problem of food waste could be mitigated, including through better storage technology, climate action, and raising awareness for consumers. Reducing food waste could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a key driver of climate change.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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