MULTILATERAL: The UN on Syria’s Government & more – 29th April 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 29th of April twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

First up this week, on Friday the 25th, the UN Security Council announced it had been briefed on the new government in Syria. Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy, told the Security Council that unless Syria brings more people into the political process and fixes its broken economy, the unstable political situation could deteriorate further.

Recall that Syria’s older leader, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted in December twenty twenty-four after over a decade of civil war. The new government is facing internal instability, and many international observers think that the leader has too much power in the country.

On top of the political issues, despite the urgent health and safety needs of the population, international aid programs are running low on cash, putting critical services like healthcare and food distribution at risk.

Speaking of having little money, on Friday the 25th, the World Food Program said it is having funding issues in Sudan. It only has $100 million US dollars secured out of the $800 million it needs to adequately support seven million people in the next few months.

This shortfall, driven by a global decline in humanitarian contributions, threatens to severely disrupt food assistance, particularly as the country enters its rainy and hunger seasons amidst a civil war, which has already been going on for about two years.

Sudan has been unstable for years as a result of a military coup and now the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people. Essential food items like cereals, pulses, and ready-to-use food may soon be unavailable, and rations in famine-prone areas have already been reduced.

Next up, in Latin America, on Thursday the 24th, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries announced that they have teamed up to jointly fund projects across Latin America and the Caribbean. Their focus areas include infrastructure, clean energy, transportation, agriculture, and environmental conservation.

They've signed an agreement to co-finance both public and private sector initiatives and to offer technical support, and are already looking into collaborative projects in countries such as Mexico, and Peru, for the twenty twenty-five–twenty twenty-seven period.

In some unfortunate news, on Wednesday the 23rd, the International Organization for Migration announced that over 90% of homes in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged due to ongoing Israeli military actions. The organization highlighted the severe impact on civilians, many of whom are now sheltering in unsafe ruins. Many international efforts are underway to help Gazans, but Israel’s ongoing military campaign has greatly hindered efforts to help them.

Onto technology, on Wednesday the 23rd, the European Union formally fined Apple €500 million euros and Meta €200 million euros under its new Digital Markets Act, marking the first enforcement of these digital competition rules. With this law, the EU regulates big tech companies, and prevents them from abusing their market power. Its main goal is to promote fair competition in digital services.

Apple was penalized for restricting app developers from directing users to cheaper alternatives outside its App Store, while Meta faced sanctions for forcing users to choose between personalized ads or a paid ad-free experience, infringing on their right to freely consent to data usage. Both companies have sixty days to comply or face further penalties.

They plan to appeal the decisions.

On another note, on Thursday the 24th, following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, the International Labor Organization, or ILO, ramped up its support to assist communities that were set back. The organization is collaborating with local workers' and employers' organizations to provide immediate financial assistance, helping them address urgent needs.

In addition to emergency aid, the ILO is focusing on long-term recovery by promoting employment opportunities and sustainable livelihoods. This includes initiatives aimed at rebuilding infrastructure and restoring economic activities disrupted by the disaster.

Even though the ILO is not primarily a disaster response agency, it still supports recovery efforts by promoting employment, rebuilding livelihoods, and strengthening social protection systems. Its focus is on long-term resilience, and not usually immediate humanitarian aid.

Going back to Syria for a minute, on Friday the 25th, Syrian officials made their first appearance in over two decades at an International Monetary Fund, or IMF, meeting, signaling a push to rejoin the global economic community. Discussions centered on rebuilding Syria's financial institutions, particularly the central bank, and improving the country's ability to generate revenue.

A major hurdle identified was the lack of reliable economic data, which is crucial for informed decision-making. To address this, the IMF appointed a mission chief for Syria for the first time in over a decade, aiming to facilitate closer cooperation.

Despite these developments, ongoing U.S. sanctions continue to pose significant challenges to Syria's economic recovery.

On Friday the 25th, the Organization of American States, or OAS, announced that it will oversee Suriname's general elections next month. An agreement was signed in Washington, D.C., ensuring the OAS mission's independence.

Suriname's Permanent Representative to the OAS expressed gratitude for the organization's role in promoting democratic governance, emphasizing the mission's importance in building public trust and institutional confidence.

Also on Friday the 25th, The World Food Program said it has completely run out of food in Gaza after more than seven weeks of closed border crossings, which is the longest shutdown the region has faced. All twenty-five World Food Program-supported bakeries closed by the end of March due to a lack of flour and fuel, and the last of the food stocks were delivered to community kitchens, which are expected to run out soon. With no humanitarian or commercial supplies entering, food prices have skyrocketed, and malnutrition, especially among children, is on the rise.

In climate news, on Thursday the 24th, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations had a meeting to talk about the future of the environment. More specifically, regional experts and officials gathered to tackle the increasing challenges posed by climate change, including the rise in heatwaves and their impact on public health.

Climate change has caused severe problems in Southeast Asia, including more frequent and intense floods, droughts, and typhoons. These environmental effects can threaten people’s lives, destroy infrastructure, and compromise food security. Lastly, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism are being disrupted, increasing poverty and inequality across the region.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday the 22nd, the World Economic Forum or WEF announced that it would start an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct from its founder, Schwab. An anonymous whistleblower letter accused him and his wife, Hilde, of misusing the Forum’s resources for personal expenses, including luxury travel and private services, and of directing staff to perform personal errands.

The letter also said that Schwab manipulated the WEF's Global Competitiveness Report to favor certain governments and sought personal accolades using organizational channels.

Schwab has denied all allegations and announced plans to pursue legal action against the whistleblower and others disseminating the remarks.

And to wrap up this edition, on Thursday the 24th, the World Health Organization and UNICEF formally warned that diseases that were previously thought to be under control, like measles, meningitis, and yellow fever, are making a comeback.

Measles cases alone hit 10 million in twenty twenty-three, up 20% from the year before, with outbreaks reported in about 140 countries. Meningitis is also surging in Africa, with over 5,000 suspected cases and nearly 300 deaths in just the first three months of twenty twenty-five.

Vaccination and treatment campaigns have helped to reduce the prevalence of some kinds of meningitis, but others are rapidly making a comeback. This surge has been reported consistently over the last few years, with the continent accounting for nearly half of the world's major outbreaks in twenty twenty-three. Yellow fever, once declining, is now reappearing in both Africa and the Americas.

Overall, funding cuts and misinformation have disrupted vaccination programs, especially in low-income countries.

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

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See you next week!