MULTILATERAL: Military Exercises in Greenland & more – 20th Jan 2026

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 20th of January twenty twenty-six. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

First up this week, on Thursday the 15th, several European countries, including Germany, France, Norway and Sweden, moved ahead with planned military exercises in Greenland, shortly after U.S. officials met with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Washington.

French officials said the drills were meant to show backing for Denmark and underline cooperation among allies in the Arctic. The exercises involve small numbers of troops and focus on operating in harsh northern conditions.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the 18th, Ireland’s prime minister warned that the European Union would respond if the United States introduced new tariffs on European goods. He said the EU would prefer dialogue and de-escalation, but made it clear that countermeasures are ready if Washington moves ahead.

The comments followed U.S. threats linked to disagreements with European countries, which have raised concerns across the bloc. Irish officials stressed that the EU is united on trade policy and will defend its economic interests, while still pushing for talks to avoid a damaging trade standoff.

In some UN news, on Thursday the 15th, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency session at the request of the United States to talk about the deadly protests sweeping Iran after weeks of nationwide demonstrations and a harsh government crackdown.

U.S. and Iranian representatives traded sharp comments, with the U.S. envoy saying Washington supports those in the streets while Iran’s deputy ambassador warned against foreign interference and said his country would respond to any offensive action.

On Wednesday the 14th, Annalena Baerbock, the president of the United Nations General Assembly, spoke in Canada about her priorities for the year and warned that global cooperation through multilateral bodies is not just strained but facing real assaults from multiple directions, particularly through countries not valuing cooperation as much as they used to.

She pointed to ongoing conflicts and political tensions around the world as examples of why international cooperation needs strong backing.

On Friday the 16th, the human rights office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe released a new report on Ukraine showing the growing toll of warfare on civilians and humanitarian efforts. It found that Russian strikes with short-range drones and other weapons have driven up civilian deaths and made it harder for aid groups to operate near front lines.

The report also documented the Russian side engaging in arbitrary detentions, unfair trials and harsh treatment of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners. It said attacks on energy and housing continue to displace people, and recommended that all sides respect international humanitarian and human rights law.

In some more news on Ukraine, on Friday the 16th, UNICEF said children in the country are facing one of the toughest winters since the war began, as repeated attacks on power and water systems have left millions without heat, electricity or running water in freezing temperatures. Families are struggling to stay warm and safe.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missile and drone strikes, hitting power plants, substations, and transmission lines to cripple electricity and heating supplies. These attacks are especially damaging in winter, when millions rely on electric power and district heating to stay warm, forcing rolling blackouts and emergency repairs. By striking the grid, Russia is trying to weaken civilian morale and strain Ukraine’s ability to sustain daily life during the cold months.

More updates on Eastern Europe, as on Friday the 16th, Moldova officially opened a new Passenger Information Unit, with help from the International Organization for Migration, to boost the country's efforts to tackle people-smuggling, human trafficking, and related cross-border crimes.

The unit will help authorities share passenger data more effectively and support efforts against terrorism and other serious offences, while also promoting cooperation with international partners.

In Asia, on Friday the 16th, the International Labour Organization kicked off a two-day workshop in Bangkok meant to give Thai trade unions stronger tools to push for safer and healthier workplaces as part of workers’ rights. Union representatives from several organizations took part in training on occupational safety and health, aiming to better involve workers in shaping and monitoring conditions at their jobs.

Going back to Europe for a bit, on Wednesday the 14th, Belgium’s government announced it would give the United Nations Development Programme a four-year package worth more than $30 million U.S. dollars to help its core work until twenty twenty-eight. The funding is meant to be flexible, letting the UN office support rapid responses when problems pop up and also plan longer-term development efforts.

On the following day, the Inter-American Development Bank completed a benchmark bond sale worth more than $1 billion U.S. dollars, marking its biggest sterling deal ever and its first such issuance in this currency for twenty twenty-six. Global investors showed strong interest.

On another note, on Sunday the 18th, African Union and other regional leaders wrapped up talks in Lomé where they agreed to step up a coordinated mediation effort to try to push forward peace efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

They backed a mediation process led by Togo and supported a new joint secretariat and panel of facilitators to keep negotiations on track. Participants called on the Congolese government, armed groups and neighbouring states to act on past accords and return to talks, including renewed discussions in Doha aimed at resolving remaining issues in the peace framework.

For context, conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo stems from weak state control after decades of corruption and war, combined with competition over mineral resources like coltan and gold. It has been fueled by the involvement of armed groups and neighboring states such as Rwanda and Uganda, leading to ongoing violence, mass displacement, and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

On Friday the 16th, the World Health Organization, with funding from the UK, announced it had kicked off Egypt’s second national training-of-trainers program on mass casualty management for hospital emergency units.

Egypt has a large and expanding medical workforce with ongoing efforts to improve training and professional development through national programs, continuous education, and international partnerships, but challenges remain in standardizing and updating skills across the system.

Still on health, on Wednesday the 14th, the Pan American Health Organization shared findings from a new study showing drug use disorders are affecting millions across the Americas and are now one of the top ten factors tied to death and disability there. Young adults, especially men, are being hit hardest.

In finance news, on Friday the 16th, the International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board approved more than $415 million U.S. Dollars in an emergency financing loan for Jamaica to help deal with the fallout from Hurricane Melissa. The money is meant to help Jamaica manage urgent balance-of-payments needs caused by widespread damage and lost tourism income.

This funding functions like a quick-disbursing loan, designed for emergency situations, and is provided in one lump sum to help immediate relief and recovery efforts. However, Jamaica is still responsible for repaying it over time, but this kind of loan has fewer or no long-term policy conditions compared with traditional programs offered by the International Monetary Fund.

And to wrap up this episode, on Wednesday the 14th, an opinion piece by columnist Gilles Paris argued that, due to growing unilateral moves by the U.S. President Donald Trump, defending legal norms and international law has become more essential than ever. Paris contended that Trump’s actions are eroding checks and balances both at home and on the world stage, and that upholding legal frameworks and cooperation offers the best way to manage power politics and protect sovereign states in a shifting global landscape.

To read the full piece, check out the link in the show notes.

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

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See you next week!