MULTILATERAL: UN Penalties on Iran & more – 25th Sep 2025

Saluton from BA! This is the Rorshok Multilateral Update from the 25th of September twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

To begin this week, on Friday the 19th, The United Nations Security Council voted in favor of strict economic penalties on Iran, after determining that the country hadn’t met its commitments on nuclear activities.

Britain, France, and Germany triggered the mechanism, citing concerns over uranium enrichment, limitations on inspections, and a general lack of cooperation on its nuclear program. Iran protested, calling the move unjustified and unlawful, while European nations insisted diplomacy remains on the table.

In defense updates, on Friday the 19th, two British RAF Typhoon jets flew over Poland for the first time as part of a new NATO mission. The flights followed an incident that we reported a few weeks ago in which Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, which raised security concerns. The aim was to guard NATO territory and show that allies are ready to respond if needed. UK officials said the patrols are a clear signal of support for Poland and other partners. After completing the mission, the jets returned to the UK.

Speaking of drones on Sunday the 21st, UNICEF announced that a mosque in North Darfur, Sudan, was hit by a drone during dawn prayers, killing at least eleven children and injuring many. The strike also damaged nearby homes. Meanwhile, another drone struck a water tanker funded by UNICEF while delivering clean water to 8,500 displaced people, including hospital patients. The agency is calling on all conflict parties to protect children, investigate what happened, and hold the perpetrators accountable.

In finance news, on Friday the 19th, EU finance ministers agreed on a plan to launch a digital euro currency, partly to reduce dependence on the U.S.-run payment systems like Visa and Mastercard. National finance ministers will have a say in key decisions, including when the digital euro would be issued and how much citizens can hold in digital euro accounts.

Since twenty twenty, the European Central Bank and EU institutions have studied the idea of a central bank digital currency that would run alongside cash, and in twenty twenty-one they launched a formal investigation phase. In twenty twenty-three the project moved into a preparation phase focused on technical design, rulebooks, and privacy safeguards.

Speaking of European investment, on Thursday the 18th, Finland pledged 1 million euros in flexible core funding for the UN development program in twenty twenty-five, giving the agency more leeway to reach communities most in need, especially in volatile situations. The UN development program says that this kind of funding helps it respond faster and more strategically where challenges are deep and stretched out, such as in Ukraine, where it’s helping with recovery, resilience, and essential services.

Finland and the UN body will also work together on shared goals like empowering women and girls, boosting governance and rule of law, pushing digitalization, climate action, and drawing in more investment for sustainable development.

In more finance news, on Thursday the 18th, the Inter-American Development Bank approved a loan valued at almost $200 million US dollars to help upgrade Peru’s prison system. It will support the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights in improving how prisons are run, training staff, and expanding rehabilitation, education, employment and treatment programs. The plan is called Comprehensive Improvement of Social Reintegration Services in Peru and it aims to reduce repeat offenders.

On Friday the 19th, the World Health Organization or WHO announced that its updated International Health Regulations are now in full force. These changes mark a major step for the WHO’s role in coordinating global health preparedness after COVID-19. The organization introduced a new pandemic emergency category to clarify when a threat goes beyond regional concerns. The WHO will also guide countries in applying the reforms, including new oversight bodies and commitments to fairer access to treatments.

In some more health news, on Friday the 19th, the Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO, sounded the alarm as measles cases surged across the Americas. Most cases are in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., with younger children hit hardest and many infections among those unvaccinated. The PAHO is pushing for stronger vaccination rates, rapid response in outbreak zones, better tracking of cases, and combating misinformation. They also want vaccination requirements tightened for travelers and more community outreach.

On Thursday the 18th, the World Economic Forum released a report titled Building Economic Resilience to the Health Impacts of Climate Change. It highlights that climate-driven health challenges across areas like food, construction, healthcare, and insurance could amount to around $1.5 trillion US dollars in lost productivity by twenty fifty.

Climate change is already having huge impacts on human health. It is driving rising global temperatures, extreme weather, and shifting ecosystems, all of which threaten people’s health. These changes specifically increase risks such as heat-related illness, respiratory problems from poor air quality, the spread of infectious diseases, and food and water insecurity. Overall, climate change acts as a threat multiplier, worsening existing health challenges and creating new ones across populations.

Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, on Thursday the 18th, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund launched a joint effort in Haiti’s Northern and Central provinces to help vulnerable rural households facing harsh climate shocks, mass displacement, and deportations. Actions include handing out seeds and animal fodder, restoring farmland via irrigation canal work, building shelters for small livestock, and offering training in climate-adapted farming.

For context, many farmers in Haiti are struggling with severe soil erosion and land degradation, as much of the region’s forest cover is gone and hillsides have become unproductive. They lack access to water and irrigation infrastructure, so crops often fail during droughts or irregular rains. At the same time, security problems, poor market access, and shortages of seeds, fertilizers, and credit are worsened by political instability and gang violence, making farming risky and unprofitable.

On Tuesday the 16th, the International Organization for Migration released a report detailing how Venezuelan households in Ecuador contribute about $900 million US dollars each year through buying goods and services, and pay nearly $47 million US dollars in taxes.

Even though Ecuador has improved access to documentation, formal jobs, financial services, and recognition of qualifications, which helps unlock migrants’ potential, two-thirds of Venezuelans work in informal jobs. All this despite some holding professional degrees. On top of that, only 30% are employed in their field. Women are especially affected: about 69% are in informal employment, earning less than minimum wage.

On Monday the 22nd, the International Labor Organization announced that Botswana had held a three-day workshop in Gaborone with government bodies, and employers’ and workers’ groups to push decent work and ethical business practices at the heart of trade and investment.

The event aimed to make sure workers’ rights remain protected. Discussions surfaced challenges like formalizing informal work and shifting the economy toward more private-sector-led models.

In more news from Africa, on Monday the 22nd, the Economic Community of West African States adopted new protocols to improve the Seme-Krake border point between Nigeria and Benin to check and fix key equipment, like cargo and luggage scanners, and the axle weighbridge. The goal is to cut down congestion, speed up customs checks, and make crossing easier for people and goods.

This move is part of a wider drive to strengthen trade links in West Africa and make border operations more efficient.

Finally, on Tuesday the 23rd, the UN Population Fund announced or UNFPA that it is backing a school-based health services program across Côte d’Ivoire to give young people easier access to sexual and reproductive care.

Through one hundred school health centres and 135 high-school clinics, the UNFPA is helping to provide free counselling, contraceptive options, medical checkups, and youth outreach via safe spaces and a dedicated app. They also support fixed facilities and mobile clinics to extend coverage.

The goal is to let teenagers choose for themselves, avoid surprise pregnancies, and build confidence.

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

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