MULTILATERAL: Impacts of Trump’s Presidency & more – 28th Jan 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 28th of January twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

Kicking off this week, on Friday the 24th, the International Criminal Court, or ICC, said it was implementing measures to safeguard its personnel against anticipated U.S. sanctions with the new Trump presidency. The US proposed legislation aims to sanction any foreign individual involved in investigating or prosecuting U.S. citizens or allies who are not ICC members. Judge Tomoko Akane, the ICC President, has warned that such sanctions could severely hinder the court's financial operations, potentially threatening its existence. It is not common for a US president and their allies in Congress to take aim at an international organization so intensely and early in a Presidency.

Many multilateral organizations are feeling the pressure of the new Trump presidency. On Thursday the 23rd, Trump expressed uncertainty about the nation's financial commitment to NATO, questioning whether the U.S. should be spending anything on the alliance on Thursday the 23rd. He emphasized that while the U.S. provides protection to NATO members, these countries do not reciprocate in defending the United States.

Previously, Trump advocated for NATO allies to allocate 5% of their GDP to defense, a significant increase from the current 2% target, which no member, including the U.S., currently meets. Some experts believe that Trump is only threatening changes to the alliance for leverage and will not carry them out.

Our next story concerns the United Nations: on Tuesday the 21st, it launched a comprehensive initiative to address the worsening global water shortages, emphasizing the need for sustainable management of water resources. This effort seeks to improve access to clean water and sanitation, particularly in underserved regions, and to promote efficient water use across various sectors.

The UN underscored the importance of international cooperation and innovative solutions to tackle water scarcity, pollution, and the impacts of climate change on water systems.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS urged global leaders to ensure swift and equitable access to innovative long-acting HIV treatments on Tuesday the 21st. The organization’s leaders emphasized their potential to significantly reduce new infections and AIDS-related deaths. These treatments, administered less frequently than daily pills, could improve adherence and outcomes, especially in regions with limited healthcare resources. UNAIDS highlighted the importance of affordable pricing and widespread availability, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the majority of HIV cases occur. The leadership of the organization also called for collaborative efforts among governments, pharmaceutical companies, and international agencies to overcome barriers to access, aiming to meet the twenty thirty goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

In health news, the World Health Organization, or WHO, announced on Friday the 24th that it will reduce hiring and travel expenditures in anticipation of financial challenges following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the organization. The U.S., previously contributing approximately 18% of the WHO's budget, has been a significant supporter of global health initiatives, including programs targeting HIV and tuberculosis. The withdrawal raises concerns about the WHO's capacity to manage health emergencies and disease control efforts without its primary funder.

Following the recent ceasefire in Gaza, the International Organization for Migration dispatched its first convoy of aid trucks into the region on Thursday the 23rd. The shipment included essential items such as sleeping mats, mattresses, blankets, pillows, plastic sheets, and hygiene kits, aiming to support approximately 10,000 individuals.

The organization emphasizes the critical need for unblocked humanitarian access to deliver life-saving assistance to those affected by the conflict. Aid organizations have previously operated in Gaza, but before the ceasefire, it was difficult to carry out these missions without risking the lives of their own people.

On Sunday the 26th, The United Nations Security Council demanded that the M23 rebel group immediately halt its military operations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and withdraw from occupied territories. For context, the group, sometimes called the March 23 Movement, is a Congolese militia mainly consisting of former soldiers. The call comes amid reports of M23 capturing the city of Goma. The Council also insists on the prompt removal of external forces from the region. The United States, France, and the United Kingdom have condemned Rwanda's alleged support for M23 — accusations that the country denies. The African Union made a statement of similar sentiment on the same day.

The UN has been particularly active in multilateral politics in the last week: on Sunday the 26th, the United Nations Development Program, or UNDP, reported that the recent conflict in Gaza has reversed decades of development progress, setting back the region's development by approximately sixty years. The war has caused extensive damage to infrastructure, housing, and essential services, leading to a humanitarian crisis.

The UNDP emphasizes the urgent need for international assistance to rebuild Gaza and restore its development trajectory.

In Europe, Hungary blocked a joint European Union statement condemning Belarus's presidential election as undemocratic. Kaia Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, issued a statement on Sunday the 26th, declaring the election neither free nor fair and calling for the release of political prisoners. Hungary's refusal to sign the joint statement, along with Slovakia, highlights differing views within the EU on how to address Belarus's political situation. Slovakia and Hungary are some of the closest allies of Russia within the EU, and at the same time, Belarus and Russia are tight-knit allies. Belarus is not viewed as a country with free and fair elections, and in the last several decades, there have been several large scale protest movements against Belarus’ leader, Alexander Lukashenko.

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, concluded a mission to Yemen, focusing on the nation's economic developments and policy reforms on Tuesday the 23rd. The organization’s team engaged with Yemeni authorities to discuss recent economic trends and progress on key reforms. The mission emphasized the importance of external assistance in addressing Yemen's humanitarian and developmental needs, highlighting that predictable and consistent financial support is crucial for implementing critical reforms.

The purpose of IMF country visits are often to assess a nation's economic policies, stability, and financial health. These visits, like the one in Yemen, involve discussions with government officials to provide policy advice and identify risks, aiming to support sustainable economic growth and stability.

On Friday the 24th, Faisal Alibrahim, the Economy Minister of Saudi Arabia, announced that the country would begin hosting regular World Economic Forum global meetings starting in twenty twenty-six. This decision aims to establish the Kingdom as a major venue for international economic discussions and collaborations.

The announcement aligns with the country's broader economic diversification strategy under Vision twenty thirty, a national framework that aims to diversify the economy, reduce reliance on oil, and develop public service sectors like health, education, infrastructure, and tourism. The meetings are a key platform for global leaders, business experts, and policymakers to address critical economic challenges.

For our final story this week, on Friday the 24th, the Pan American Health Organization called for intensified efforts to combat leprosy and other neglected tropical diseases in the Americas. The organization made the announcement several days before World Neglected Disease day. It emphasizes the importance of implementing strategies such as surveillance, mass drug administration, expanded vaccination coverage, and vector control to address these health challenges. Leprosy is not a particularly common disease, but it can be treated. It primarily affects the skin and nerves of people infected, It spreads through prolonged close contact and can lead to nerve damage and disability if untreated.

Luckily, leprosy rates have significantly declined due to international health cooperation. Efforts by organizations like the World Health Organization, combined with global access to free multi-drug therapy and public health campaigns, have drastically reduced the disease's prevalence, with millions of cases cured worldwide.

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

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See you next week!