USA Says No to Ceasefire in Gaza & more – 12th Dec 2023

Saluton from BA! This is Rorshok’s Multilateral Update from the 12th of December twenty twenty-three A summary of what's going down in the world's major multilateral institutions.

The U.S. vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Friday the 8th supported by most members, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The U.S., a permanent council member, rejected the resolution, citing its failure to condemn Hamas for attacks that have been going on since the 7th of October. Robert Wood, U.S. Deputy Ambassador, argued the resolution was flawed and didn't support a durable peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Dame Barbara Woodward, UK's ambassador, backed extended pauses for humanitarian aid and Israeli hostage release but abstained due to the resolution's lack of condemnation of Hamas. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General called the meeting highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and condemning Hamas's actions but opposing collective punishment of Palestinians.

Speaking of the conflict in the Middle East, Eman Nafii, wife of the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israel, was among Palestinians who met International Criminal Court (or ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan in the West Bank. They hoped to discuss Israeli occupation and injustices, but Khan allowed them only ten minutes to speak, leading to frustration. Palestinians are concerned about Khan's focus on Hamas, neglecting alleged Israeli crimes, especially since Khan visited Israeli communities but not the West Bank's settlements and refugee camps. Furthermore, Israel barred Khan from Gaza, where over 17,000 people have been killed. Critics, including Palestinian officials and legal experts, doubt Khan's willingness to investigate Israel. This skepticism is fueled by the ICC's actions in other conflicts, suggesting a possible bias in its approach to Israeli and Palestinian issues.

From the Middle East to an emerging conflict in South America, the UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday the 15th upon Guyana's request, following Venezuela's recent referendum asserting control over the Essequibo region, rich in oil and minerals. Hugh Hilton Todd, Guyana's Foreign Minister, accused Venezuela of breaching the UN Charter by attempting to annex this significant portion of its land. This longstanding dispute traces back to an eighteen ninety-nine arbitration, intensified by ExxonMobil's oil discovery off Guyana's coast in twenty fifteen.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has ordered state-owned companies to start exploiting resources in Essequibo, countering a recent International Court of Justice ruling prohibiting any actions until it decides on the competing claims. Guyana's appeal to the UN Security Council aims to assess whether Venezuela's actions threaten regional peace and security. Maduro's government urges dialogue, while Guyana criticizes its actions as a direct challenge to international law and regional stability.

Moving on to Sweden’s NATO candidacy saga, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s President, stated on Wednesday the 6th that the country will approve Sweden's NATO membership only if the U.S. Congress simultaneously approves his country’s request for F-16 fighter jets. This stance officially links Sweden's NATO bid with Turkey's desire for military aircraft. Turkey initially opposed Sweden and Finland joining NATO due to concerns over Kurdish groups. While Finland was allowed to join, the Turkish parliament delayed Sweden's application. Erdogan's recent statements indicate that his country’s approval for Sweden hinges on the U.S. fulfilling its F-16 request, amid U.S. congressional concerns over Turkey’s human rights record and past tensions with Greece.

On the same tone, in its quarterly meeting that took place between Tuesday the 5th and Thursday the 7th, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers strongly urged Turkey to release jailed Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtaş and businessman Osman Kavala, citing non-compliance with the European Court of Human Rights rulings. Despite dropping initial charges, Demirtaş remains detained on new accusations, and the Committee called for a swift review of his case. The Committee sees Kavala's ongoing detention as a violation of the Convention on Human Rights, with calls for immediate release.

The situation reflects broader concerns about the independence of Turkey's judiciary and its alleged subservience to the executive branch, particularly post the twenty sixteen coup attempt. An infringement proceeding against Turkey has been launched, which could lead to expulsion from this major human rights body.

Carrying on with another human rights topic, a recent UNICEF report reveals that over 69 million children, more than one in five, live in poverty in the world's forty richest countries that are also members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development and/or the EU. The report, based on relative poverty— meaning households earning less than 60% of the average national income— highlights disparities in child poverty rates. Countries like Poland, Slovenia, and the Republic of Korea are making progress, while others like Greece, New Zealand, France, and the UK still struggle with high rates.

Significantly, the report notes that children of migrant parents in the EU are 2.4 times more likely to live in poverty than those of citizens. Inequalities also exist between rural and urban areas and among children from racial or ethnic minorities. The report stresses the need for governments to prioritize child and family benefits and suggests expanding social protection, improving essential services, and promoting decent work.

Moving on to Africa, at their meeting in Abuja, West African leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (or ECOWAS) officially recognized Niger's ruling junta on Sunday the 10th, following the July coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. Despite this recognition, they maintained sanctions, opposing the junta's proposed three-year transition to civilian rule and demanding a shorter period. ECOWAS called for the immediate release of Bazoum, though they remained silent on his reinstatement as president. This decision acknowledges the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland or CNSP as the military administration in Niger, reflecting the ongoing issue of military takeovers in West and Central Africa. Niger's junta, defying international pressure, has sought alliances with Burkina Faso and Mali and turned to Russia for military support, while publicly affirming their unwavering stance on social media.

The African Union has endorsed a report calling for a moratorium on the donkey skin trade, highlighting the severe decline in Africa's donkey population due to this trade. The endorsement came during the 5th Ordinary Session of the Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment.

This trade, largely driven by demand for Traditional Chinese medicine, has led to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of donkeys, significantly affecting African communities reliant on them. Representatives from organizations like The Donkey Sanctuary, Brooke, and World Horse Welfare have lauded this move. They see it as crucial for protecting donkeys, preserving natural heritage, and supporting the livelihoods that depend on these animals in Africa.

The International Energy Agency or (IAEA) World Energy Outlook twenty twenty-three predicts that demand for coal, oil, and gas will peak before twenty thirty, driven by existing climate and energy policies. This marks the first time the IAEA projects that all three fossil fuels will decline within this decade. The report highlights that 80% of new power capacity by twenty thirty will be renewable, with photovoltaic solar power alone contributing over half of this growth.

Economic development, particularly in emerging economies, plays a key role in this shift. As these economies progress, their energy demands initially increase but later decrease with the transition from industrial to service sectors. This transition, coupled with enhanced energy efficiency measures, contributes to the decline in fossil fuel use.

Despite this positive trend, the report warns that current efforts are not enough to meet climate goals. Additionally, factors like market volatility and geopolitical changes, including a shift towards more democratized energy production and changes in international trade dynamics, are influencing the global energy landscape.

Maybe the IAEA’s position on fossils is connected to the COP28 climate conference and the fact that the organization issued a significant statement, which many countries have endorsed, highlighting the need for nuclear power to combat climate change. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi underscored nuclear energy's role in achieving net-zero emissions by twenty fifty, emphasizing its importance in providing reliable, low-carbon energy. Currently, nuclear power contributes 10% of global electricity and a quarter of the low-carbon supply. The statement also focused on innovations like small modular reactors and the necessity of maintaining safety in existing plants. The IAEA acknowledged nuclear power's contribution to preventing tonnes of greenhouse gasses in the 21st century, and stressed its potential beyond electricity generation, including district heating, desalination, and hydrogen production. However, challenges in securing equitable investment for nuclear projects remain.

Aaand that's it for this week! So here's to a bit of holiday spirit. We wanted to thank you for listening, learning, thinking, and for joining us on this new thing called Rorshok we're all doing together. Really. Thank you.

See you next week!