MULTILATERAL: Hurricane Melissa’s Aftermath & more – 11th Nov 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 11th of November twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

Starting things off this week, on Thursday the 6th, the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution removing the Syrian president and Syria’s interior minister from the sanctions list tied to ISIS and Al‑Qaeda. The draft resolution by the US passed with fourteen votes in favor and China abstaining. No one voted against it. The US envoy said it signals Syria entering a new phase, while China criticized the process for not fully addressing all members’ concerns.

For context, Ahmed al-Sharaa is the newly appointed President of Syria. He rose to prominence as the leader of a rebel group and commanded the offensive that toppled former President Bashar al‑Assad’s regime in late twenty twenty-four. Al-Sharaa’s appointment marks a dramatic shift in Syria’s trajectory, from civil war toward a transitional government that pledges constitutional reform, inclusive governance, and reintegration into the international community.

In defense news, on Friday, the 7th, NATO’s Secretary General declared that the alliance is now turning the tide in ammunition production compared with Russia. He noted that Europe’s output of artillery shells has increased sixfold in just two years, and dozens of new production lines have been launched across NATO states.

While he stopped short of saying full parity has been achieved, he affirmed that NATO’s capacity is much improved and ramp-up will continue into twenty twenty-six.

Still, Ukraine has struggled with ammunition shortages throughout the war due to high consumption rates on the front lines, limited domestic production capacity, and delays in foreign military aid. Soviet-era stockpiles were quickly depleted, and transitioning to NATO-standard ammunition has been slow and costly. These shortages have at times forced Ukrainian forces to ration artillery fire and rely heavily on international support to sustain their defense.

Weapons and ammunition aren’t the only ones causing harm. On Thursday the 6th, the UN development agency said Hurricane Melissa left an enormous amount of wreckage across western Jamaica, estimated at more than 4.8 million tonnes. The storm damaged large numbers of buildings, with some towns seeing nearly everything impacted. Officials said clearing it quickly is important so people can get back to work, reopen services, and restart daily life in the affected areas.

On Friday the 7th, the Pan American Health Organization announced a ramp-up of its health emergency efforts across the Caribbean following Hurricane Melissa. The organization’s rapid response included deploying specialists in water-sanitation, mental health, structural assessments, and epidemiology, and delivering medical supplies.

In more health news, on Thursday the 6th, the World Health Organization introduced a new plan to improve how medical treatments are tested in young children. The organization pointed out that kids are still often left out of clinical trials, which means doctors don’t always have clear evidence about the safest or most effective treatments for them.

The new agenda lays out priority research areas and encourages countries, researchers, and health agencies to work together on studies that are practical. The goal is to close long-standing gaps in child healthcare knowledge.

Meanwhile, on Thursday the 6th, the World Customs Organization announced that it wrapped up a large coordinated effort known as Operation Stingray, which brought together almost one hundred national customs services to track the movement of dangerous materials. They reported fifty-one seizures, including several that involved nuclear or radioactive items moving through normal trade routes.

The World Customs Organization supports international customs administrations by developing global standards, promoting cooperation, and improving the efficiency and security of cross-border trade. It provides guidance on customs procedures, fights illegal trade, and works to streamline customs operations so that trade flows smoothly while ensuring proper revenue collection and border protection.

Also on Thursday the 6th, international judges confirmed a long list of war crimes and crimes against humanity charges against Joseph Kony, the Ugandan rebel leader who has been wanted for years. The accusations stem from his group’s actions in the early two thousands, including killings, abductions, sexual slavery, and forcing children to fight. The court has had a warrant out for him since two thousand five, but he has remained out of reach.

Going back to the UN for a second, on Tuesday the 4th, a new assessment by the UN Environment Program said that recent national climate promises barely shift the long-term outlook for global warming. The world is still on track for temperature increases well above what scientists consider a safe limit.

In some news from Europe, on Tuesday the 4th, ministers from the European Union gathered in Brussels to push through new emissions commitments ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. The draft plan under discussion could allow more flexibility, such as international carbon credits, so that economic and energy-security concerns are given extra weight.

Listen to Rorshok Ocean Update to learn more about the COP30. Link in the show notes.

On Wednesday the 5th, African Union observers said Tanzania’s recent national election did not meet basic democratic standards. Their preliminary review pointed to problems like ballot stuffing, some people receiving more than one ballot, and an internet blackout that made it harder to verify results.

Opposition figures also complained of intimidation and restricted access for monitors. Even though the electoral commission announced a sweeping victory for the President, the observers said the overall atmosphere didn’t allow for a fair contest and urged steps to rebuild trust in the process.

On Friday the 7th, the UN High Commission for Refugees issued a funding appeal to help support efforts for the return of refugees. So far this year, more than 40,000 refugees have gone home in West and Central Africa. There have been over 270,000 returns logged since twenty twenty-one. The agency warned that without more flexible, multi-year funding, it will be hard to sustain safe and dignified returns and reintegration efforts in the future.

On the same day, the International Labour Organization said it has expanded its digital labour platform policy tracker to include collective bargaining agreements, not just laws and court rulings. The idea is to show how platform workers in different countries are negotiating for pay, working conditions, and protections, and not only how governments are regulating these jobs.

On Friday the 7th, a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said countries in Latin America and the Caribbean could see stronger and more sustainable growth if they broaden their economies instead of relying heavily on a few dominant sectors.

The analysis pointed out that investment in areas that build innovation and higher-value industries is still relatively low, and a large share of jobs remains informal. It suggested that improving skills training, strengthening local industries, and encouraging regional cooperation could help create more stable jobs and long-term development opportunities across the region.

Meanwhile, in Asia, on Friday the 7th, a new report from the World Economic Forum says that Australia and countries across the Asia-Pacific could get ahead in the shift toward low-emission iron and steel. Emissions from these resources primarily come from their transportation.

Australia already ships a huge share of the world’s iron ore, and the study argues that producing lower-carbon iron at home could bring in far more value while also cutting a significant chunk of global emissions. It suggests moving quickly on a couple of large demonstration projects, building stronger regional supply chains, and coordinating policy.

And to close this edition, in the Diplomat media outlet, Dr. Eric Rudenshiold looked at the C5+1 format that links the United States with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, saying the arrangement has hit a turning point after a decade. He argued that while the platform has supported cooperation in sectors like energy and transport, the surrounding political landscape has shifted due to Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s growing influence, and new trade corridors.

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

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See you next week!