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This week, Australia and India expand defence cooperation, UAE’s DP World renews its call for Somaliland’s recognition, and DR Congo’s president urges Rwanda to pursue peace as regional diplomacy falters.

Our lead story moves to Haiti, where after years of deadlock, the UN Security Council has approved a new international “gang suppression” mission aimed at restoring order and stability.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇫🇷 Le Pen demands snap elections: France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen called for immediate snap elections after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned. Le Pen’s National Rally is surging in the polls and preparing for power, claiming France has reached “the end of the road.”

2️⃣ 🇸🇾 Syria holds first post-Assad elections: Syria’s first parliamentary elections since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster have filled more than half the seats in the 210-member People’s Assembly but left the country divided over whether the vote marks genuine transition or renewed control. While officials claim the process promotes balance and technocratic governance, critics allege manipulation, forged results, and exclusion of key communities.

3️⃣ 🇲🇲 Myanmar military airstrike kills dozens at candlelight vigil in Chaung-U: At least 40 people were killed and many more injured when Myanmar’s military launched airstrikes on a candlelight vigil in Chaung-U township, where residents had gathered for a Buddhist festival and to protest junta rule.

4️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇺🇸 UN to withdraw thousands of peacekeepers after US funding cuts: The United Nations will scale back its peacekeeping operations by roughly 25 percent, withdrawing up to 14,000 troops and police from missions including the DRC, South Sudan, and Lebanon. Secretary-General Guterres warned that despite representing just 0.5 percent of global military spending, UN peacekeeping remains among the world’s most cost-effective tools for maintaining international stability.

5️⃣ 🇪🇨 Ecuador’s president Noboa survives alleged assassination attempt amid protests: Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa escaped unharmed after protesters attacked his motorcade during a visit to inaugurate a water treatment plant in Cañar. The attack comes amid escalating nationwide unrest over fuel price hikes and led Noboa to declare a state of emergency as drug cartels allegedly exploit the chaos to destabilise the country.

Major Story

🇭🇹 🇺🇳 HAITI’S RARE DIPLOMATIC BREAKTHROUGH

After years of paralysis, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has approved a new international “gang suppression” mission for Haiti—its first significant move since the country descended into chaos. The decision, passed on 30 September after China and Russia abstained, follows months of negotiation and marks a diplomatic victory for Washington, Ottawa, and several Global South partners such as Mexico and Panama. It reflects an unexpected consensus to address one of the world’s most intractable crises, in a nation where over 90 percent of the capital is under gang control and more than one million people have been displaced.

The resolution builds on the earlier Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), first approved in October 2023 but hobbled by limited funding and participation. Kenya was the only country to deploy forces—800 police officers instead of the planned 2,500—who remain largely confined to barracks in Port-au-Prince. The new mission seeks broader backing, though it may take six to twelve months before deployment is complete. Canada has already pledged $60 million to bolster maritime patrols and stem arms smuggling, setting an important precedent for tangible support.

A Fragile Political Context

Yet the mission arrives amid political uncertainty. Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), established in April 2024 after gangs blocked interim leader Ariel Henry’s return, is due to dissolve in February. Originally mandated to organise elections, the council has instead become mired in internal disputes and allegations of ineffectiveness. With gangs expanding their control beyond the capital, holding elections next year appears both impossible and perilous.

Three succession options now dominate debate: extending the TPC’s mandate, establishing a technocratic interim government involving civil society and business leaders, or entrusting temporary authority to a member of the Supreme Court. Each option carries risks—from provoking gang retaliation to constitutional controversy—but all underscore the urgent need for legitimate, accountable governance to coordinate with the incoming UN mission.

A Last Chance for Stability

The UNSC vote represents more than an operational milestone—it offers a glimmer of renewal for multilateralism itself. For years, fatigue and geopolitical divisions stymied global engagement with Haiti’s crises. Now, the hope is that this intervention will not become “another rescue” but the foundation for the last one. Success will depend on sustained financial commitments, local leadership, and a shift from short-term stabilisation to rebuilding institutions, restoring justice, and laying the groundwork for Haiti’s long-term recovery.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇵🇸 UN commissioner condemns Trump’s Gaza plan as unlawful: UN Commissioner Navi Pillay has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, saying it sidelines Palestinians from governance and violates international law. Pillay reaffirmed that the UN Commission of Inquiry’s finding of Israeli genocide “still stands,” noting that a ceasefire proposal cannot erase the ICJ’s 2024 ruling declaring Israel’s occupation unlawful.

2️⃣ 🇸🇸 South Sudan peace deal unravels: Diplomats have warned of “repeated and consistent breaches” of South Sudan’s 2018 peace accord after President Salva Kiir arrested rival Riek Machar, the deal’s main co-signatory. Fighting between Kiir’s forces and Machar’s SPLM-IO faction has now escalated across multiple states, collapsing the ceasefire and threatening a return to full-scale war.

3️⃣ 🇻🇪 🇻🇦 Venezuela seeks papal mediation amid US military strikes: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced that he has appealed to Pope Leo XIV to help safeguard peace as US forces intensify operations against alleged drug-running vessels in Caribbean waters. Caracas has condemned the campaign as a pretext for regime change, warning that Washington’s expanding use of military force risks destabilising the region.

4️⃣ 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Zelenskyy accuses Russia of using shadow oil fleet for sabotage operations: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of using its so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers for reconnaissance and sabotage missions, including launching drones for attacks in Europe. The claim came as Ukrainian drones struck a refinery deep inside Siberia and as fires continued to burn at Crimea’s Feodosiya terminal.

5️⃣ 🇸🇾 Damascus and SDF agree to nationwide ceasefire after violent clashes in Aleppo: Syria’s Defense Ministry announced that it had reached an agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) for an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire across northern and northeastern Syria. The accord comes after violent clashes in Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority districts overnight, sparked by government road closures.

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Tips & Suggestions

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Book Shelf

Here are some books we recommend 📚:

Prisoners of Geography

The Revenge of Geography

The World: A Brief Introduction

The Shock Doctrine

Sea Power

The Tragedy of Great Power Politics

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