MULTILATERAL: ICC Cyberattack & more – 8th July 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 8th of July twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

To kick things off this week, on Friday the 4th, Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO’s top military commander, said that even though the alliance’s challenges are getting harder to face, they’re still not enough to shake NATO. Speaking in Belgium, he highlighted NATO’s strong sense of purpose and teamwork as its greatest strength. Grynkewich, chosen by President Trump and backed by NATO leadership, plans to keep pushing forward through new challenges, particularly as some European nations have become increasingly worried about Russian aggression beyond Ukraine.

Meanwhile, on Monday the 30th, during a NATO Summit, a focused cyberattack hit the International Criminal Court — the second major breach it has faced in under two years. The court, which handles cases like war crimes and genocide, said it caught and contained the intrusion quickly, but didn’t say if any data was lost or exposed. It’s not totally clear who was behind this particular attack.

However, around the same time, a pro-Russian hacking group launched other attacks across Dutch systems, including local governments and possibly train infrastructure, some of which was severely damaged. Dutch officials are now investigating, raising doubts about whether sabotage was behind the disruptions.

In some tragic news, on Friday the 4th, UNICEF revealed that between March and May of this year, the number of Ukrainian kids hurt or killed jumped to over 200, more than triple the figure from the previous three months due to Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Most of the harm has come from explosive weapons hitting towns and cities. Alongside the rising toll, attacks are wrecking hospitals, schools, utilities, and safe spaces. Families in the northeast and east are being forced to move again, with a growing need for aid, mental health support, and basic services.

In the last several months, Russia has been bombarding Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, much more than in previous times during the war, leading to many more civilian casualties.

On the following day, the Financial Times reported that the EU is getting ready to start storing key minerals to avoid running into shortages. The EU cited an unpredictable world, with cyber threats, climate issues, and political instability — all playing a part in the need for mineral security.

The EU is seeking to reduce its heavy reliance on China for these minerals, which currently dominates global processing and production. Minerals such as lithium and cobalt are important for manufacturing clean energy technologies like batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines, which are central to the EU’s green transition and climate goals.

In unrelated news, on Monday the 30th, dozens of world leaders met in Spain at a UN forum to tackle global inequality, but the U.S. skipped the event. Some UN officials, including the Deputy Secretary General, called the move unfortunate, drawing attention to the crucial role the United States usually has in funding the UN and its broad initiatives.

Over seventy leaders backed what's now called the Seville Commitment, which lays out a bold set of steps aimed at closing worldwide financial gaps quickly.

The talks happened as many countries are dealing with rising debt, falling aid, and tougher trade.

Now, to development finance: On Wednesday the 2nd, the Inter-American Development Bank and the European Investment Bank signed a deal to work more closely on funding sustainable development across Latin America and the Caribbean. The plan includes teaming up on loans, finding new ways to draw in private investment, and coordinating on environmental and social standards. It’s also meant to better connect European resources with local priorities through the EU’s Global Gateway.

Shifting gears, on Friday the 4th, the International Organization for Migration or IOM endorsed Italy’s new three-year migration plan, which lays out a long-term strategy for bringing in foreign workers through safer, legal channels. It sets quotas that will begin next year and run until twenty twenty-eight, and makes it easier to hire for roles in fields such as agriculture, care work, and tourism.

Despite some controversial policies on migration, the IOM works closely with Italy regularly. In recent years, the organization has worked with the Italian government to improve migrant reception systems, expand voluntary return and reintegration programs, and support legal migration pathways. Italy also hosts the organization’s coordination hub for the Mediterranean region, with the IOM leading efforts on migrant health, protection, and collaboration with civil society and government actors.

Also on Friday the 4th, an expert group from the World Health Organization said they still can’t say for sure how Covid started. They said most signs still point to the virus moving from animals to humans. The team couldn’t properly explore the idea that the virus escaped from a lab because China didn’t share key genetic and safety data, despite repeated requests. The group didn’t reach a full consensus, and the origin question remains open for now.

Still on health, on Wednesday the 2nd, the Pan American Health Organization noted that deaths from chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes have jumped 43% in the Americas since two thousand, now accounting for nearly two-thirds of all deaths. The Organization’s latest report says the rise is mostly due to preventable risks—like poor diet, inactivity, smoking, and alcohol. While some progress has been made in treatment and tobacco use, the region is still falling short of global goals.

In other news, on Thursday the 3rd, the Economic Community of West African States finished up a meeting with human rights institutions from across West Africa, where they talked about justice and reparations for Africans and people of African descent, in relation to the long history of colonialism, slavery, and systemic injustice.

The event focused on improving protections for migrants, detention conditions, and civic space, while pushing for stronger human rights frameworks.

In legal updates, on Friday the 4th, Equatorial Guinea filed a legal case against France at the International Court of Justice in a dispute over a high-end mansion in Paris worth more than 100 million euros. The French government seized the property after the country’s vice president—who’s also the president’s son—was found guilty of corruption.

As of now, he will not face jail time, but there could be additional criminal proceedings. He does not have any form of political immunity. Now, Equatorial Guinea wants the building back and is challenging the confiscation through legal channels.

On Wednesday the 2nd, Ghana officially joined the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. The deal bans support for illegal or unregulated fishing and aims to protect ocean health and coastal livelihoods. A representative from the country said this move aligns with global sustainability goals.

On another note, on Tuesday the 1st, the European Commission announced its support for a new World Economic Forum initiative aimed at boosting the EU’s economic edge. Launched in Brussels, the Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness project targets four key areas: clean energy, tech, finance, and global partnerships. Commissioners are heading each pillar, with support from top EU leaders.

For our last story this week, a new project called ReformNavigator is aiming to shake up how policymakers tackle reform at the United Nations. The initiative’s goal is to equip diplomats and advisors with an AI-powered platform that breaks down lessons from past reform efforts—what worked, what didn’t, and why. Drawing from UN records, research, and expert insights, the tool aims to offer real-time guidance just as negotiations heat up.

Backers of the campaign can help shape the prototype and get early access ahead of the next UN General Assembly session.

ReformNavigator is aiming to help UN workers learn from past successes and mistakes so that the organization can be more effective overall.

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

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See you next week!