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2024 Paris Olympics – The Whole World is Watching

It would be an understatement to say that the Olympics is a monumental event that touches the hearts of everyone around the world. To some, the Olympics is a sporting event that happens every 4 years. To others, the event is the moment that they have been dreaming of since they watched the Olympic Games at a young age. Nevertheless, the Olympics means something to everyone in the world. This article will explore the impact of the 2024 Paris Olympics on people around the world including event highlights, new records broken, and new Olympic sports.

Highlights:

  • Celine Dion closed the Olympic opening ceremony with a beautiful performance of L’hymne à l’amour (The Hymn to Love) on the Eiffel Tower.
  • This was the third Olympics in which a Refugee Team—which was established in 2015—competed in the Olympic Games. Twenty-five-year-old Cameroonian boxer Cindy Ngamba became the first athlete competing as a refugee to win an Olympic medal after securing a Bronze medal by advancing as far as the semifinals.
    • She told reporters: “It means a lot to me to be the first refugee to win a medal. I want to say to all refugees around the world: keep working hard, keep believing in yourself.” – Africa News
  • Four non-traditional sports were incorporated into the Paris 2024 Games after making their debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games: skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing. Additionally, breaking, also known as break dancing, is making its Olympic debut after becoming an official sport qualified for the Olympics on Dec. 7, 2021.
  • Simone Biles, a USA Gymnast who earned 3 gold medals at the Paris Olympics and holds 7 gold medals in her entire Olympic career, responded to questions about her retirement saying “Never say never. The next Olympics is on home turf. So you just never know. I’m just going to relax and see where life takes me.” – Today

Athletes from countries all around the world come together to share their unique talents and skills with the support of their homelands behind them. Here are some of the World Records broken during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Notable Records Broken

  • Mondo Duplantis (Sweden) broke his own world record after clearing a height of 6.25 meters and winning his second pole vaulting gold medal.
  • Gabriel Medina (Brazil) achieved the highest Olympic score ever given for surfing a single wave earning a 9.90 from judges.
  • Thea LaFond (Dominica) earned her country’s inaugural gold medal in triple jump by achieving a distance of 15.02 meters.
  • Adriana Ruano Oliva’s (Guatemala) won her country’s first gold medal in women’s trap shooting while also setting the new Olympic record by scoring a 45 out of 50, higher than the previous 43 out of 50 at Tokyo 2020.
  • Kaylee McKeown (Australia) broke a 12-year-old record first created by Missy Franklin (USA) in London 2012 by earning a swim of 2:03.73 in the 200 meter backstroke.
  • Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia) earned her country its first ever gold medal after beating Sha’Carri Richardson (USA) in the 100-meter race with a time of 10.72s.
  • Sheng Lihao (China) broke William Shaner’s (USA) Olympic sport shooter record, from the 2020 games, of 251.6 by earning a 252.2 in the 10-meter air rifle.
  • Oh Ye-jin (South Korea) set the record for the women’s 10-meter air pistol by earning a whopping 243.2, surpassing Vitalina Batsarashkina’s (Russia) record of 240.3 from Tokyo 2020.
  • Katie Ledecky (USA) earned her second gold medal after beating her own time in the 2020 Games with a 15:30.02 in the 1500m freestyle. Ledecky came out of the competition as the second female Olympian with the most gold medals tied alongside former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.

Citations

AfricaNews. “Paris 2024 Olympics: Cindy Ngamba Wins First Refugee Medal.” AfricaNews, Africanews, 5 Aug. 2024, www.africanews.com/2024/08/05/paris-2024-olympics-cindy-ngamba-wins-first-refugee-medal/

Gharib, Anthony. “What Are New Sports at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 11 Aug. 2024, www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40537496/2024-paris-olympic-games-new-sports-breaking-climbing-skateboarding

Le, Brendan. “Every Record Broken at the 2024 Summer Olympics.” People Magazine, 12 Aug. 2024, https://people.com/every-record-broken-at-the-2024-summer-olympics-8687091

TodayShow. “Is Simone Biles Going to the 2028 Olympics? What She Told Hoda Kotb.” TODAY.Com, TODAY, 6 Aug. 2024, www.today.com/news/simone-biles-olympics-2028-los-angeles-rcna165066

Written by Special Projects Intern, Amanda Nguyen

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Mexico’s First Female President & the World’s 29th Female Head of Government

According to Courthouse News, some of President Sheinbaum’s promises during her presidency include scholarships for basic education, better salaries for teachers, increases in minimum wage, harder crack-downs on crime including a five-pronged security plan, and a transition to renewable energy for the country.

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s symbolic rise to the highest position of power in Mexico demonstrates the progress of some countries towards gender equality in government, directly making strides to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5.5 Target that aims to “ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life” (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs). 

Although Mexico’s most recent election demonstrated a great feat towards global gender equality, many countries have yet to follow, including the United States, Spain, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands who have never had a female leader in the history of their existence. UN Women states, “women’s equal participation and leadership in political and public life are essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.” But with the historical trends of women coming into power, the UN reports that gender equality in the highest positions of power may not be reached for another 130 years.

Now that Mexico has shown a country’s capacity to embrace female leadership, how can other nations do the same?

Written by Special Projects Intern, Amanda Nguyen

Citations

Clancy, Laura. “Fewer than a Third of UN Member States Have Ever Had a Woman Leader.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 28 Mar. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/28/women-leaders-around-the-world/#:~:text=Women%20currently%20serve%20as%20the,a%20Pew%20Research%20Center%20analysis.

“Facts and Figures: Women’s Leadership and Political Participation.” UN Women – Headquarters, 7 Mar. 2023, www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures

“Goal 5 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs.” United Nations, United Nations, sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5#targets_and_indicators. Accessed 12 June 2024.

Madry, Kylie, and Valentine Hilaire. “Mexico’s Sheinbaum Wins Landslide to Become Country’s First Woman President | Reuters.” Reuters, 3 June 2024, www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexicans-vote-election-seen-crowning-first-female-president-2024-06-02/

Martin, Roland. “Claudia Sheinbaum.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 9 June 2024, www.britannica.com/biography/Claudia-Sheinbaum. Savinar, William. “What Can Mexico Expect from a Sheinbaum Presidency?” Courthouse News Service, 7 June 2024, www.courthousenews.com/what-can-mexico-expect-from-a-sheinbaum-presidency/#:~:text=Sheinbaum%20was%20responsible%20for%20updating,north%20and%20southeast%20of%20the.

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Global Impacts of U.S. AI Policy: Balancing Regulation, Competition, and Optimism

U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law hearing on artificial intelligence. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulation and Competition

Between COVID-19, global conflicts, democratic backsliding, and escalating U.S.-China tensions, the 2020s have not had an inspiring first half. Amidst this backdrop, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have changed the long game for international relations. According to Nathaniel C. Fick, ambassador for cyberspace and digital policy at the State Department, tech is increasingly becoming “the whole game,” and will be a defining sector for U.S.-China competition. Given the risks associated with unfettered AI use and development, regulation is inevitable. However, U.S. AI policies and regulations should remain conscientious of the potential global impacts of domestic policies.

Currently, the U.S. and China are leaders in AI research and technology, with Silicon Valley alone hosting several major AI developers such as Anthropic, Google, Meta, and Open-AI. AI presents various concerns surrounding data privacy, job replacement, and disinformation. Consequently, significant discourse in the U.S. revolves around ways to regulate AI, and has resulted in an emerging patchwork of legislation at the state and federal levels. Despite this, global uses are often secondary in U.S. AI policy discourse, as discussion is often framed in the context of domestic impacts, cyber security, and U.S.-China tech competition. As other countries will largely be subscribing to U.S. or Chinese AI systems, the U.S. should pursue its tech policy through a global lens if it aims to assert leadership and set responsible global norms for this technology. China has already established a variety of AI regulatory policies from which the U.S. can learn from and refine with global applications in mind.

Despite being a top AI developer, the U.S. is comparatively less optimistic about the positive potential of AI than its global counterparts. In Google and Ipsos’ 2024 report “Our Life with AI,” there is a disconnect across surveys on AI outlooks, with the U.S. reporting the least optimism around AI of countries surveyed. In contrast, countries categorized as emerging had the most optimistic outlooks on AI’s potential. This disconnect in optimism could impact U.S. attempts to regulate AI. If domestic efforts are less receptive to AI’s positive potential and are not globally conscientious, then well meaning policies could inadvertently contribute to the global tech divide, and neglect AI’s positive uses towards development.

Optimism for Sustainable Development

A major source of global optimism surrounding AI is its potential to accelerate sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 goals to improve socio-economic and political issues adopted by all United Nations Member States (193 countries) in 2015 for achievement by 2030. Now, more than halfway to 2030, 84% of SDG targets have stagnated or seen progress regression, and only 16% are on track or have been met. This stagnation can be partially attributed to the socio-economic strains caused by COVID-19, however, current action is necessary if these goals are still to be met by the 2030 target. There is optimism surrounding AI’s potential to accelerate and recuperate progress across all 17 goals.

Based on the 2024 research brief “AI in Action,” by Google, AI can especially impact progress on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This is particularly motivating given that these goals currently face challenges ranging from “major” to “significant”. Currently, the largest category for AI’s potential use towards the SDGs is within healthcare (SDG 3), constituting 28% of SDG use cases. These uses span diagnosis, research, clinical, and preventative care, and can improve progress on SDG 3 by expanding medical knowledge and improving treatments. A similar optimism can be seen with AI’s potential for assisting SDG 4 towards quality education via access to affordable education and individualized instruction given access to the internet.

Perhaps most promising is the potential for AI to improve progress on climate action (SDG 13). According to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Risks Report, the three greatest concerns in the next ten years were environmentally related across experts surveyed in the civil society, international organization, academia, government, and private sectors. This is due to climate change’s ability to amplify threats to human security through forced displacement, food scarcity, and extreme weather. In this regard, there is significant potential for AI to assist with emission monitoring and preventative action before climate disruptions and displacement.

Globally Minded Policy

It is important that U.S. AI policy bears global application in mind to encourage AI’s positive uses for development. Participants of the September 18th 2023, United Nations’ 78th Session High Level Week expressed agreement that the development of AI has the potential to accelerate SDG progress, but could worsen the global tech divide if not responsibly and inclusively developed. One recommendation for improving AI’s global application includes promoting standards of reliable and representative datasets to avoid algorithmic bias. Algorithmic bias is already a concern surrounding AI in the U.S., however, promoting measures for cultural, linguistic, and perspective diversity in data sets will strengthen its potential for positive impact globally.

Developing effective regulations will also involve learning from the pitfalls of past technology policies. With the rise of social media, as detailed in David Kay’s book “Speech Police,” digital privacy and safety concerns by governments drove regulations that placed pressure on private companies to self-regulate their user’s content, resulting in a concentration of censorship power in some private companies. With AI, it is important that emerging policies do not end at company self-regulation, but maintain governmental review for accountability. Furthermore, given the U.S.’ global AI leadership and competition with China, U.S. AI policies should regularly include global considerations into regulation to ensure that legislation does not limit positive potential and that the U.S. remains a competitive global provider for beneficial AI uses.

Conclusion

Globally-minded U.S. policies on AI could provide advantages for the U.S. in its tech competition with China by appealing to global markets and making AI’s positive applications globally more attainable. AI has the potential to advance progress on stagnating SDGs, and U.S. policymakers should maintain global perspectives in developing regulations to help facilitate these applications. This should include policy emphasis on representatively diverse datasets and accountability measures at the company and government levels. While this decade has had a tense start, globally conscious U.S. leadership in AI could help secure a more prosperous turn of the decade.

Written by Research & Development Intern, Eli Sepulveda

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Mexico’s First Female President & the World’s 29th Female Head of Government

From Reuters, “‘for the first time in the 200 years of the republic I will become the first woman president of Mexico,’ Sheinbaum told supporters to loud cheers of ‘president, president.’”

Since 1960, 77 women have held the most powerful positions of executive power in 59 countries; 28 of those women served as the official Head of State or Head of Government for their country (UN Women). On June 3, Mexico made history by becoming the 60th UN Member State to elect a female as the head of government, making President Claudia Sheinbaum the first female president of Mexico and 29th woman to hold the head of government seat in world history. Not only did Sheinbaum win the presidency in a landslide with about 60% of the vote, but Reuters stated that this is “set to be the highest vote percentage in Mexico’s democratic history.”

Who is Claudia Sheinbaum?

Claudia Sheinbaum was born in Mexico City on June 24, 1962. She is the daughter of biologist and professor, Annie Pardo Cemo, and chemical engineer, Carlos Sheinbaum. She earned her Ph.D. in energy engineering from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico).

As a climate scientist and physicist, Sheinbaum worked in environmental policy serving as the Minister of the Environment for Mexico City. She also contributed to assessment reports for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, one of which helped the IPCC win the Nobel Peace Prize. 

During her time as mayor of Mexico City, her administration focused on waste management reform and began a reforestation program. She also took it upon herself to change the city’s subway system in order to invest in the modernization of currently-dilapidated infrastructure.

Now as president, Sheinbaum has called for the transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy. Although President Sheinbaum is known for having similar ideological views as her predecessor, Former President López Obrador, she holds different views in regards to climate change and job creation. She remains true to many leftist ideals, believing that citizens have basic rights to healthcare, education, shelter, and jobs (Britannica).

Public Reactions

When being interviewed by a reporter from Reuters, Edelmira Montiel, a Sheinbaum supporter from Tlaxcala said, “I never imagined that one day I would vote for a woman. […] Before we couldn’t even vote, and when you could, it was to vote for the person your husband told you to vote for. Thank God that has changed and I get to live it.”

From Reuters, U.S. President Joe Biden responded to President Sheinbaum’s win stating, “I congratulate Claudia Sheinbaum on her historic election as the first woman President of Mexico. I look forward to working closely with President-elect Sheinbaum in the spirit of partnership and friendship that reflects the enduring bonds between our two countries.”

With recognition and praise from South America, “I am very happy with Sheinbaum’s victory—a progressive woman presiding over Mexico, a victory for democracy—and also for my great friend Lopez Obrador, who led an extraordinary government,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva said. “I plan to travel to Mexico this year to strengthen our trade relationships. We are the two largest economies in Latin America and could have a greater business flow.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted on X, “Congratulations to @Claudiashein on her convincing victory in Mexico’s presidential elections. I look forward to fruitful cooperation and the further strengthening of Ukrainian-Mexican relations. We are also confident that Mexico can play a significant role in global efforts to bring about just and lasting peace in Ukraine, as well as to restore the full force of the UN Charter globally.”

For the Future

According to Courthouse News, some of President Sheinbaum’s promises during her presidency include scholarships for basic education, better salaries for teachers, increases in minimum wage, harder crack-downs on crime including a five-pronged security plan, and a transition to renewable energy for the country.

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s symbolic rise to the highest position of power in Mexico demonstrates the progress of some countries towards gender equality in government, directly making strides to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5.5 Target that aims to “ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life” (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs). 

Although Mexico’s most recent election demonstrated a great feat towards global gender equality, many countries have yet to follow, including the United States, Spain, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands who have never had a female leader in the history of their existence. UN Women states, “women’s equal participation and leadership in political and public life are essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.” But with the historical trends of women coming into power, the UN reports that gender equality in the highest positions of power may not be reached for another 130 years.

Now that Mexico has shown a country’s capacity to embrace female leadership, how can other nations do the same?

Written by Special Projects Intern, Amanda Nguyen

Citations

Clancy, Laura. “Fewer than a Third of UN Member States Have Ever Had a Woman Leader.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 28 Mar. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/28/women-leaders-around-the-world/#:~:text=Women%20currently%20serve%20as%20the,a%20Pew%20Research%20Center%20analysis.

“Facts and Figures: Women’s Leadership and Political Participation.” UN Women – Headquarters, 7 Mar. 2023, www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures

“Goal 5 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs.” United Nations, United Nations, sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5#targets_and_indicators. Accessed 12 June 2024.

Madry, Kylie, and Valentine Hilaire. “Mexico’s Sheinbaum Wins Landslide to Become Country’s First Woman President | Reuters.” Reuters, 3 June 2024, www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexicans-vote-election-seen-crowning-first-female-president-2024-06-02/

Martin, Roland. “Claudia Sheinbaum.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 9 June 2024, www.britannica.com/biography/Claudia-Sheinbaum

Savinar, William. “What Can Mexico Expect from a Sheinbaum Presidency?” Courthouse News Service, 7 June 2024, www.courthousenews.com/what-can-mexico-expect-from-a-sheinbaum-presidency/#:~:text=Sheinbaum%20was%20responsible%20for%20updating,north%20and%20southeast%20of%20the

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What is “All Eyes on Rafah”?: A Social Media Slogan Turned Social Advocacy Movement

Following an Israeli ground offensive operation in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, an AI-generated image containing the slogan “All Eyes on Rafah” gained attention after over 40 million shares of the image on Instagram and over 195,000 posts with the hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah on TikTok, according to Forbes. Included in this discussion have been several popular public figures such as “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan, model Bella Hadid, singer-songwriter Kehlani, and one of India’s top actors, Varun Dhawan.

Origin

The phrase comes from a comment made by the Director of the World Health Organization’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Rick Peeperkorn, who stated “All eyes are on Rafah” in February after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation of the city in order to enact a planned attack to eliminate the “last remaining strongholds of the militant group Hamas”.

Background

On May 24, 2024, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its military operations in Rafah. On May 26, 2024, the Israeli military sent missiles into what they believed was a Hamas installation in Rafah that ended up killing 45 Palestinians and 2 senior Hamas militants. The strike sparked a fire that spread into a nearby neighborhood called Tal al-Sultan where many Palestinians were seeking shelter, burning down several houses and those residing within. A comment by Prime Minister Netanyahu states that the attack was “a tragic mistake” (Al Jazeera Staff). Just two days after this attack, the New York Times reported that an air strike conducted by the Israeli military killed 21 people in the city’s “safe zone” called al-Mawasi.

Purpose

The slogan calls attention to the situation in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip near the border with Egypt, where Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of several Palestinians seeking shelter and safety in the city. The slogan has been spread widely through social media and can now be seen on protest posters and social media graphics.

Future

In the coming days, action on the part of the Israeli military is unpredictable with the United States President stating “if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem”. US-Israel relations are now up in the air with many White House officials claiming that Israel did not cross President Biden’s outlined red line. Spokesperson John Kirby supports this claim by telling BBC that there were “no policy changes to speak to” when answering a question about whether the strike on Rafah crossed President Biden’s limits to supporting Israel. However, Mr. Kirby went on to say, “We don’t support, we won’t support a major ground operation in Rafah”. The question is whether the recent attacks in the city constitute “a major ground operation”.

Written by Special Projects Intern, Amanda Nguyen

Citations

Al-Shalchi, Hadeel, and Anas Baba. “An Israeli Airstrike Killed 45 Palestinians in an Encampment for Displaced People.” NPR, NPR, 27 May 2024, www.npr.org/2024/05/27/nx-s1-4982690/rafah-encampment-israeli-airstrike-hamas

Cooney, Christy. “Israel Gaza: Operation in Rafah Doesn’t Cross US Red Lines – White House.” BBC News, BBC, 28 May 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv22pl9p212o

Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill. “All Eyes on Rafah” Slogan Spreads on Social Media: What to Know about Its Origins.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 29 May 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/28/all-eyes-on-rafah-slogan-spreads-on-social-media-what-to-know-about-its-origins/?sh=627a54582217

Shamim, Sarah. “What Is ‘All Eyes on Rafah’? Decoding a Viral Social Trend on Israel’s War.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 29 May 2024, www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/29/what-is-all-eyes-on-rafah-decoding-the-latest-viral-social-trend#:~:text=“All%20eyes%20on%20Rafah”%20is%20an%20artificial%20intelligence%20

Staff, Al Jazeera. “What Happened When Israel Attacked Rafah?” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 28 May 2024, www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/28/what-happened-when-israel-attacked-rafah

Yazbek, Hiba, and Abu Bakr Bashir. “Gazan Officials Say a Strike Killed 21 in Al-Mawasi.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 May 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/05/28/world/middleeast/gaza-al-mawasi-strike.html

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Interruption of Ramadan Might Bring Chaos into the World Order

Ramadan has come to an end. However, peace in the Middle East is yet to be established. During this year’s Ramadan, which started from March 10 to April 9, the holy month in Syria was violently interrupted by an airstrike operation. The embassy of Iran in Syria was destroyed to the ground with the efforts of anonymous international powers. At least, any possibly involved parties never officially confirmed the attack. On April 1st, it was still unknown; however, now that more information is available from diverse sources, it is more likely that the suspicions are confirmed.

In a recent New York Times article on the Iranian embassy bombing and tension in the Middle East rising, four Israeli military officials, who chose to stay anonymous, identified Israeli’s direct involvement in the seven deaths of Iranian military advisors during the strike, including senior officers. This appearance has led to an increase in tensions in the region. The Iranian media, after the New York Times release, stated that the most possible goal of the attack was the death of Zahedi, who is a senior commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He is known for being the one building and strengthening the relationship between Iran and Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon.

A comprehensive background of the region is necessary to understand the full picture. This was not the first time Syria’s sovereignty was violated. After the October 7 attack last year, Syria was struck by Israel in response, often interpreted by Israeli leaders as a “punishment” for their cooperation with Israel’s “enemies”, which includes Iran and Hezbollah. These attacks included two airport strikes, particularly on Damascus and Aleppo, and an assassination of a general, Razi Mousavi, in the Syrian capital. These events led to many casualties and the deaths of innocent civilians.

This combination of incidents led to Iranian officials issuing a statement that this violence and violation of the security of Iran and all their allies “needs to be punished.” 

After the attack, Iranian commander Yahya Rahim Safavi said that Israeli embassies were no longer safe, which is a direct threat to Israel by Iran. This leads to a direct rise in tension between the two countries and a high risk of conflict escalation in the Middle East region.

As their response to the embassy being burned down by the enemies, Iran did not stop there. Iran’s foreign minister on April 8th accused the United States of giving Israel the “green light” for a strike on their embassy in Syria, as neither of the states tried to stop the attack. This open statement, which was not too unknown to Iranian officials, increased the tension in the region and worldwide. However, denying US influence in this military operation is also impossible. 

Hezbollah, who is seen as the most powerful ally of Iran, also chose not to stay aside and openly stated in the media that “this crime will not pass without the enemy receiving punishment and revenge.”

At the same time, Israel does not seem to question the methods being used in the process of deterrence applied to their immediate neighbors, “the Israelis are convinced that if they seek to hang back, the threat will grow and not diminish,” referred Jon Alterman to the methods.

The Iranian embassy bombing in Syria did not symbolize a new beginning, nor was it out of the blue. The constantly rising tension was once again fueled in the Middle East. 

Now, the world is once again left to wonder what will happen next.

Written by: Sofiia Lobas, Event Intern

Notes:

Image taken by Marek Studzinski

Iran aims to contain fallout in Israel response, will not be hasty, sources say | Reuters. (n.d.-a). https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-aims-contain-fallout-israel-response-wont-be-hasty-sources-say-2024-04-11/

Iran says Israel bombs its embassy in Syria, kills commanders | Reuters. (n.d.-b). https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-bombs-iran-embassy-syria-iranian-commanders-among-dead-2024-04-01/

Maloney, S. (2024, April 18). Iran’s Order of Chaos. Foreign Affairs. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/irans-order-chaos-suzanne-maloney

Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, April). Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Israeli_bombing_of_the_Iranian_embassy_in_Damascus#:~:text=The%20New%20York%20Times%20reported,discussing%20the%20war%20in%20Gaza.

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A Safe Games for All: Deterring Terrorism at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

As the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics are set to begin in four months’ time, taking account of the security preparations needed to deter terrorism and other acts of violent extremism that could threaten the Games’ safety is a necessary task. While international sporting events and other large public gatherings always hazard becoming potential targets for terrorists, the ongoing Israel-Hamas War substantially heightens the risks involved in the Paris 2024 Games. 

In particular, Jewish and Israeli athletes face a greater risk of being targeted, and French authorities will need to take considerable efforts to ensure that the Games’ grounds are secure and adequately patrolled and monitored to mitigate the danger. The failure to enact sufficient security protocols hazards the occurrence of an attack reminiscent of the Munich massacre, when members of the Palestinian militant organization Black September infiltrated the Olympic Village at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games, kidnapping and then killing eleven members of the Israeli team.[1] 

Security Challenges 

Paris has experienced devastating terrorist attacks before. On January 7, 2015, two gunmen stormed the Charlie Hebdo magazine office, killing twelve people. The attack was followed by a second two days later at the Hypercacher kosher supermarket, in which four more people were killed. Later that year on November 13, a series of suicide bombings and shootings took place throughout Paris, 

including an attack on the Bataclan theatre in which 90 people were killed.[2] In both attacks, the perpetrators had sworn allegiance to either al-Qaeda or the Islamic State. More recently, law enforcement agencies in Europe have reported an uptick in the number of terrorist plots that they have uncovered over the past several months, adding that these foiled plots reveal an increased involvement on the part of Iranian-backed proxy groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.[3] 

The Paris 2024 Games come with a variety of security challenges. Not only does the current unrest in Gaza raise the specter of potential attacks by pro-Palestinian terrorist organizations, but the move to conduct the Games’ opening ceremony outside of a stadium venue – a first for any Summer Olympic Games – poses a unique hurdle. The opening ceremony, set to take place on July 26, is planned to consist of a flotilla of the Olympic teams down the River Seine. Effective surveillance and crowd control over such a broad area will be extremely difficult, and French security forces will need to make a concerted effort to coordinate their communication both with one another and with Games personnel in order to carefully manage the event. 

To address this challenge, France will deploy some 40,000 police officers and 20,000 private security personnel along the River Seine during the opening ceremony to help ensure public safety.[4] In an effort to facilitate crowd control, French officials have also cut the number of permitted spectators for the opening ceremony from an initial allowance of 600,000 down to roughly half that number, and they will further require visitors and residents to use QR codes to gain entry into certain controlled areas.[5] Additionally, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France has a variety of contingency plans in place should events leading up to the Games warrant a change in the ceremony’s format.[6] Government posters in Métro stations have also advised Parisians to work from home during the Games in order to reduce strain on public transportation, and French military forces have even prepared special anti-drone units.[7]

These actions are prudent and will likely help render the Games a more manageable event for security personnel. Nonetheless, the following recommendations are additional steps that French officials can take to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack occurring at the Games. 

Practice Targeted Strategic Communication 

First, French officials should engage in strategic communication with the public. Such strategic communication can, first and foremost, be preparatory and proactive. This includes measures such as educating the French public in the protocol for reporting suspicious activity, which might entail setting up a multilanguage hotline that the public can call or text. It also means educating the public in what constitutes suspicious activity, although this must be done carefully to avoid inadvertently promulgating stereotypes. 

Additionally, officials must inform the public in advance of what to do in the event of a terrorist attack, which response might be built off the “Hide-Run-Fight” model used in the United States during active shootings. French officials need to also coordinate with Games personnel to relay this important information to international ticket holders before their arrival in Paris. At the same time, however, French officials should reassure the public of the low probability of such an attack occurring and emphasize the efforts that security forces have taken to provide a safe environment for spectators and athletes alike. 

Strategic communication can also deal with managing active crises. French officials should have in place crisis response plans for different types of terrorist attacks including shootings, bombings, hostage crises, cyber attacks, and even pathological or radiological events. French officials must ensure that not only are all security forces – police, military, and private – aware of the proper protocols to be followed in such situations, but that public officials and Games personnel are knowledgeable of them as well. French officials must take the time to drill and coordinate their responses with one another in order to facilitate effective communication in the event of an actual terrorist attack. 

Conduct Inspections, Rehearsals, and Drills 

Second, French security forces should begin undertaking preliminary inspections of Games premises well in advance of the start of events. Doing so will increase familiarity with these grounds and reveal potential weak points that need to be hardened in order to deter their exploitation. Greater familiarity 

with patrol routes also provides security forces with the opportunity to discern these routes’ vulnerabilities and blind spots. Security forces should also conduct periodic exercises in which they perform basic crowd control management in order to gain on-the-ground insight into how these checkpoints might be avoided by those with malevolent intentions endeavoring to bypass security. 

Security forces would also benefit from running off-site drills rehearsing their response to various types of potential terrorist attacks at mockups laid out according to key Games premises. Running such drills would provide security forces with increased familiarity with timing and terrain, enabling more facile responses in the event of an actual attack. At the very least, commanding officers should simulate their crisis communication responses to improve timing and clarity. Additionally, commanding officers of security forces must see to it that security personnel – especially private contractors – undergo rigorous background screenings. While such screenings should be routine, conducting them before the Games begin may help detect, for instance, social media posts that express hateful sentiments toward Jews and Israelis or any other anti-Western beliefs.

Leverage Technology 

Finally, security forces are advised to take advantage of a wide range of technological capabilities in order to simplify and bolster their safeguarding of the Games. In addition to visual feeds from cameras, drones provide an exceptional tool for monitoring crowds and quickly surveying large areas. Security forces should also take advantage of the expertise that defense specialists in cyber and information operations can provide. An often overlooked but crucial component of ensuring the safety of the Games is the effective monitoring of social media and discussion forums. This monitoring not only allows security forces to gauge public opinion and perceptions of security forces’ conduct and actions, but it also facilitates the detection of any plans by malevolent actors to engage in violent acts. In the months leading up to the Games, French security services would benefit from monitoring online chatter about the Games on discussion forums and social media sites known to host extremist sentiments. As a final point of consideration, French security forces must also liaise with their counterparts in the energy and transportation sectors to help deter the risk of cyber attacks against roadways, waterways, utilities, and other infrastructure. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Securing the safety of the Paris 2024 Games will require careful coordination among a number of different government ministries and private entities. French officials and security forces should wisely use these remaining four months to improve their interagency communication. They must also foster an environment that values integrity and transparency about the challenges present in providing spectators and the French public with a safe experience in order to ensure that problems are addressed before they can be exploited. Despite these challenges, by engaging in proactive strategic communication with the public, undertaking preliminary inspections and drills, and utilizing the wide range of technologies at their disposal, French officials and security forces can take significant and substantial steps toward deterring terrorism at the Paris 2024 Games. 

Author Bio: Mason W. Krusch is a master’s candidate in the Global Studies and International Relations program at Northeastern University (Boston, MA). His research interests include Eurasian security, unconventional warfare, information warfare, and strategic communication. He holds a BA in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Notes 

[1] James Doubek, “50 Years Ago, The Munich Olympics Massacre Changed How We Think about Terrorism,” NPR, September 4, 2022, 

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/04/1116641214/munich-olympics-massacre-hostage-terrorism-israel-ger many. 

[2] “What Happened at the Bataclan?” BBC News, December 9, 2014, 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34827497. [3] Bojan Pancevski and Bertrand Benoit, “A New Terror Threat Is Emerging in Europe Linked to Iran, Gaza War,” The Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2024,

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/a-new-terror-threat-is-emerging-in-europe-linked-to-iran-gaza-war -fb297119. 

[4] Jens Krepela, “Olympics a ‘Huge Challenge’ for France’s Security Agencies,” Deutsche Welle, December 22, 2023, 

https://www.dw.com/en/olympics-a-huge-challenge-for-frances-security-agencies/a-67801883. [5] Victor Goury-Laffont, “France Slashes Olympics Opening Ceremony Crowd Size amid Terror Attack Fears,” Politico, March 5, 2024,

https://www.politico.eu/article/france-slash-olympics-opening-ceremony-crowd-size-terror-attack-fear -emmanuel-macron/. 

[6] “Macron Says Paris Ready to Deal with Olympic Terror Threat,” Deutsche Welle, December 21, 2023, 

https://www.dw.com/en/macron-says-paris-ready-to-deal-with-olympic-terror-threat/a-67789496.

[7] Angelique Chrisafis, “‘It’s Like Covid All Over Again’: Olympic-sized Trepidation Strikes Paris,” The Guardian, March 9, 2024, 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/09/its-like-covid-all-over-again-olympic-sized-trepidati on-strikes-paris; Julien Pretot, “Anti-drone Units a New Tool to Keep Paris 2024 Safe,” Reuters, March 14, 2024, 

https://www.reuters.com/sports/anti-drone-units-new-tool-keep-paris-2024-safe-2024-03-14/.

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Unraveling Alliances: Texas A&M’s Decision and the Future of Qatar’s Educational Diplomacy

Texas A&M ended its 21-year long-term education alliance with Qatar with immediate plans to end operations in Qatar by 2028. This unexpected turn is affecting Qatar’s public education diplomacy as the system board of regents of Texas A&M voted 7-1 in favor of ending its contract.

The university cited various factors that contributed to the withdrawal, including the heightened instability in the Middle East, the core mission of advancing Texas A&M solely in the United States, and the disinformation campaign regarding the Qatar campus potentially having a connection to nuclear reactor research done in Texas or the Los Alamos National Lab. 

The withdrawal of Texas A&M University had a negative impact on Qatar’s Education City, established in 1997. As of February 2024, Qatar hosts prestigious American universities, including Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medicine, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, and Northwestern University. These distinguished American Universities have allowed Qatar to successfully carry out education diplomacy campaigns to diversify its economy, attract global talent, address the nation’s developing needs, and promote cultural exchange. 

Texas A&M’s withdrawal paves a way for similar actions by other American universities, creating a domino effect that can ultimately alter the need for Qatar’s Education City and educational diplomacy efforts. 

Professors and students currently teaching or attending Texas A&M Qatar’s campus voiced their opinions and concerns across social media platforms. Khalid Al-Sada, the student government president and a senior majoring in chemical engineering at the Qatar campus, spoke to various media outlets, including the Texas Tribune, stating, “we were all just left wondering what is going to happen to the dreams, the hopes we had, our hopes, what we wanted to achieve with all the different studying and all of that.” 

Texas A&M’s exit could leave Qatar with a negative reputation in education and business. The potential negative reputation will have financial implications in Education City that will affect operational funding, causing Qatar to seek alternative funding sources or adjust its financial structure. Texas A&M’s decision would lead to a decrease in enrollment and the potential discontinuation of research and innovation programs that once filled an educational gap. 

Furthermore, this will prompt Qatar to reconsider its strategy for attracting and maintaining international educational partnerships. The new educational approaches would involve exploring fresh partnerships. However, the withdrawal of American universities can leave a gap, allowing Qatar’s Gulf neighbors and competitors, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Saudi Arabia, to influence higher education significantly. The U.A.E. has already established a New York University (N.Y.U.) Abu Dhabi campus and continues to establish American medical school campuses such as Baylor College of Medicine in Dubai. 

The future of Qatar’s education city and education diplomacy efforts are still being determined, with a trail of pressing questions. If Qatar’s Education City begins to fail due to the withdrawal of universities, will Qatar pivot and focus on its ambitious climate change and sustainability goals? How will Qatar persuade its international peers that it is a stable and safe region to do business after the disinformation campaign? Either way, with the anticipation of Qatar’s responses, the Texas A&M board will continue to implement its plan to withdraw from Qatar by 2028, thus leading to an unraveling of alliances between Qatar and Texas A&M that could negatively impact the diplomatic relationship between Qatar and the United States. 

Samia Rodriguez is a master’s candidate in Northeastern University’s Global Studies and International Relations program. 

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Tackling Terror in the Sahel: Steps to Counter Resurgent Islamist Militancy in the Lake Chad Basin Region

A spate of mass kidnappings this past week shook Nigeria, underscoring the persistent threat of Islamist militant groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) region and the need for renewed and coordinated responses to counter them. On March 7, armed men wearing military uniforms on motorbikes abducted over 280 children between the ages of seven and 18 from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna State.[1] Then, two days later, bandits abducted 15 children and one woman while they were asleep from Gidan Bakuso, a village in Nigeria’s northwest Sokoto State.[2] Although no group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, local and state officials, as well as regional analysts, suspect that Boko Haram and Ansaru, an offshoot of the former that broke away in January 2012, are to blame.[3] The attacks were preceded by the purported abduction of nearly 200 persons in Ngala, Borno State on March 1, although regional security analyst David Otto, director of the Geneva Center for Africa Security and Strategic Studies, has asserted that the disappearance of these persons is in fact more likely a case of recidivism, as internally displaced persons (IDPs) flee squalid living conditions in government-run IDP camps.[4] These recent events are alarming not only because they demonstrate that regional efforts to combat Boko Haram and Ansaru are failing, but because they also suggest that government efforts to manage the situation are worsening the plight of many Nigerians and driving them into the arms of the insurgency. As such, now is the time to conduct a new appraisal of the instability plaguing the LCB region and to offer fresh insights into how best to counter Islamist militant groups operating in the area.


Rectifying Grievances


Nigerian state officials must undertake scrupulous and dedicated reforms to reduce the appeal of Boko Haram and other Islamist militant groups. This means that Nigerian officials must engage in the sustainable development of impoverished regions by improving infrastructure – particularly roadways, water, and sewage – as well as providing more far-reaching access to healthcare and education. Such development is especially needed in areas that Nigerian military forces have recaptured from militants. Officials must also find a way to better manage persons migrating to Nigerian agricultural lands and cities as a result of climate change. Desertification in Chad has driven Chadians into Nigerian agricultural land, creating “sons of the soil” conflicts in which local inhabitants feud with migrants over access to limited water supplies and housing.[5] Such desertification has also driven Fulani pastoralists of northern Nigeria into southern cities, risking a spike in ethnic tensions that have already led to the targeted killings of Fulani in nearby Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ghana.

[6] These migrants are especially susceptible to being radicalized by Islamist militant groups because of their unstable economic situation. Nigerian officials should also engage in systematic institutional reform to counter rampant corruption and nepotism. Officials must look to improve the Nigerian public’s trust in the government by enhancing transparency and accountability. Creating initiatives that help educated Nigerians find suitable employment is imperative to help stem disillusionment. Additionally, providing training in trades and other technical skill sets will help to alleviate the strain on Nigeria’s economy and augment the workforce with workers whose skills can be used to repair and construct much-needed infrastructure. A further point of consideration lies in improving the conditions of IDP camps. Life in IDP camps is often a little easier than living in areas controlled by militants, and many camp inhabitants suffer from malnutrition.[7]

Consequently, Nigerian officials must take steps to ensure that camp inhabitants have access to adequate food, potable water, and shelter. An additional concern is providing camp inhabitants with access to healthcare, including psychosocial counseling for those who have suffered from sexual violence and other traumatic experiences. Officials must also work to provide job training and education for inhabitants to provide them with a sense of direction and purpose, lest the lack thereof prove an enticement to return to areas controlled by militants.
Finally, Nigerian officials must establish offramps for militants seeking to rejoin society. Many members of Boko Haram and Ansaru are forcibly conscripted when captured by militants during raids. As a result, forced conscripts become trapped in militant groups out of fear that surrendering will result in their execution, a valid concern in light of the regional military force’s frequent human rights violations. The Nigerian National Security Agency has created deradicalization and reeducation programs, but these programs require greater funding and must be more readily publicized to be effective at winning over potential militant
defectors.[8]


Military Reform


In addition to enacting transformative institutional, economic, and social policies, Nigerian officials must also reform the national military and work to convert the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) into a competent counterinsurgency organization. The Nigerian military’s history of human rights violations has eroded Nigerians’ trust in it, and as such, the Nigerian government must work to ensure stricter troop discipline and greater accountability.[9] Enhancing civilian-military relations is a part of this process, and moving the MNJTF’s human rights office out of the military chain of command and transferring it to a civilian authority will likely help to restore trust while improving accountability for crimes committed by military personnel.[10] Regional government and military officials can also work to bolster the MNJTF by resolving certain funding deadlocks. Doing so would enable the MNJTF to provide its troops with more adequate equipment and training, thus raising morale and effectiveness while decreasing the likelihood of defection or human rights abuses. MNJTF headquarters needs to also improve trust among the force’s various Cameroonian, Chadian, Nigerian, and Nigerien national contingents, something that can be accomplished through joint training exercises, further language training, and officer development programs. The MNJTF must also seek to establish a common counterinsurgency doctrine among all national contingents, seeing as each national contingent’s individual school of practice hampers collective force integration and coordination.[11] By aligning national counterinsurgency practice with a coherent organization-wide doctrinal framework, time can be spent preparing MNJTF forces for offensive campaigns rather than teaching preliminary force integration techniques. As a final point of consideration, the MNJTF national contingents should partake in greater intelligence sharing to facilitate joint planning and operations. This will first require building greater trust between governments, but doing so will strengthen interstate relations and improve the effectiveness of counterinsurgency campaigns.

Looking Ahead: The Risk of Inaction


The recent mass abductions in Nigeria attest to the enduring threat that Boko Haram, Ansaru, and other Islamist militant groups pose to the national and regional security of the LCB region. Previous efforts to counteract these groups have been hamstrung by persistent grievances such as corruption and limited economic opportunities, as well as an ineffective counterinsurgency force. Engaging in reforms to reduce the appeal of joining these militant groups will help deprive militants of recruits. In order to ensure security and diminish the risk of further abductions and attacks, however, national and regional military systems need to be better funded to sufficiently equip their forces. They also need to create mechanisms that improve accountability, bolster civil-military relations, and establish a common doctrine in order to become a competent fighting
force. Delaying much-needed reforms not only exacerbates current problems but elevates the risk that Islamist militant groups will come to possess the resources and networks that enable them to conduct more sophisticated and coordinated attacks in concert with one another. While the problems driving regional insecurity will take years to fully address, the aforementioned recommendations are a starting point for waging a comeback against Islamist militant groups wreaking havoc throughout the region.

[1]Angelique Chrisafis, “Search Continues for Hundreds of Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolchildren,”
The Guardian, March 10, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/10/search-
continues-kidnapped-nigerian-schoolchildre n.

[2] Taiwo Adebayo, “A Decade Since the Chibok Abduction, More Than 1,400 Nigerian Students
Have Been Kidnapped,” Associated Press News, March 9, 2024,
https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-abduction-gunmen-e7d9ba127485e893d80eae1218b702fd.
[3] Mansur Abubakar, “Kuriga Kidnap: More Than 280 Nigerian Pupils Abducted,” BBC, March
9, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68504329.
[4] Sarah Carter, “Mass Kidnappings from Nigeria Schools Show ‘The State Does Not Have
Control,’ One Expert Says,” CBS News, March 11, 2024,
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nigeria-kidnapping-schools-state-does-not-have-control-expert/.
[5] Jennifer Dabbs Sciubba, “Population, Climate, and Conflict: New Data Point to Greater
Challenges Ahead,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, October 29, 2021,
https://www.csis.org/analysis/population-climate-and-conflict-new-data-point-greater-challenges-
ahea d.
[6] James Courtright, “Ethnic Killings by West African Armies Are Undermining Regional
Security,” Foreign Policy, March 7, 2023, https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/07/mali-burkina-faso-
fulani-ethnic-killings-by-west-african-armies -are-undermining-regional-security/.
[7] Brit McCandless Farmer, “Beyond the Chibok Girls: Inside Nigeria’s IDP Camps,” CBS News,
February 17, 2019, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/beyond-the-chibok-girls-inside-nigerias-idp-
camps-60-minutes/.
[8] Jennifer G. Cooke, “Statement before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee
on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, ‘Boko Haram: The Islamist Insurgency in West
Africa,’” Center for Security and International Studies, February 24, 2016, https://csis-website-
prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/legacy_files/files/attachments/ts160224_Coo ke.pdf.
[9] Olabanji Akinola, “Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria: Between Islamic Fundamentalism,

Politics, and Poverty,” African Security 8, no. 1 (2015): 18,
https://doi.org/10.1080/19392206.2015.998539.
[10] International Crisis Group, “What Role for the Multinational Joint Task Force in Fighting
Boko Haram?” Africa Report No. 291, July 7, 2020, https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/west-
africa/291-what-role-multinational-joint-task-force-fighting-b oko-haram.
[11] Gershon Adela, “Institutional Counterinsurgency Frameworks in the Lake Chad Basin: The
Case of the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram,” Defense & Security Analysis
39, no. 1 (2023): 102-103, doi:10.1080/14751798.2023.2166520.

Photo courtesy of utenriksdept on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Mason W. Krusch is a master’s candidate in the Global Studies and International Relations
program at Northeastern University (Boston, MA). His research interests include Eurasian
security, unconventional warfare, information warfare, and strategic communication. He holds a
BA in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Sweden’s Right of Passage: A Game Changer In Global Politics 

Sweden’s NATO Process 

Sweden’s official entrance marks a historic step as it became the 32nd member of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on March 7, 2024. The country’s flag will be raised alongside those of the other 31 Allies in a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on March 11 and at NATO commands across Europe and North America.  

The ratification process was finally completed in Washington D.C. as Sweden and Hungary, the only two countries left to ratify Sweden’s membership, submitted the necessary documents after an 18-month  process. Turkey was reportedly withholding in approving Sweden’s bid, accusing the country of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regarded as security threats as well as a series of demonstrations by supporters of the outlaws Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), located in Sweden. During the official vote, the ruling party emphasized that Sweden’s “tougher stance” on Kurdish militants will play a pivotal role in securing voting approval. Senior legislator of the Turkish ruling party, Fuat Oktay, highlighted that Sweden’s modification to its anti-terrorism legislation curbed the PKK’s financial activities, convicted a terrorist suspect and extradited another, and lifted restrictions on arms sales to Turkey. As Turkey finalizes its approval, Hungary remains the last hurdle on Sweden’s road toward NATO.

 Following Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kirstersson’s reluctant visit to Budapest, Hungary back on Feb 20, and a deal through which Hungary is set to acquire four more Gripen C fighter aircraft and another 10 years of support and logistics for its existing fleet, Hungary’s parliament ratified Sweden’s membership status after a 2-year process last month. 

At a press conference in Stockholm on Thursday, Sweden’s Minister for Employment and Integration Johan Pehrson labeled the accession “ a new security policy era for Sweden”, adding that he had personally been waiting for such a decision for 20 years.”

Its History of Neutrality

When the battle against Norway fell silent, the once-battled power would not take up arms again as its last war ended in 1814. For the next two centuries, Sweden embraced a policy of neutrality, refusing to take sides in wars or join any military alliance. It was a stance that contributed to the country’s ability to become a prosperous welfare state and humanitarian superpower. 

Speculation follows that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, pushed Sweden along with Finland to abandon its traditional position of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO’s security umbrella. Finland joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO’s 31st member after Turkey’s parliament ratified the Nordic country’s bid.

The invasion “had a shock effect on Swedish political life,” said Henrik Ekengren Oscarsson, a political scientist at the University of Gothenburg. He analyzed polling data showing that support for NATO membership surged from 35% in 2021 to 64% after the invasion.

Global Political Implications

Sweden’s membership is a monumental geopolitical boost for NATO as alliance members now encircle the Baltic Sea (with the exception of the narrow entry to St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland and Russian exclave of Kaliningrad). Not only does this allow the alliance to monitor physical pipelines and cables beneath the surface, but it also gives the alliance access to a pocket of military power. Despite having a population of a little more than 10 million and an annual 1.54 percent of its GDP gross on defense last year, the country’s centuries of neutrality have forced it to develop a world-class military-industrial complex.

When selected equipment stocks are compared across NATO countries, Sweden’s supply numbers tend to place them in the upper middle of the inference graph. In some cases, the country punches well above its weight as Sweden possesses the fifth most armored personnel carriers in NATO, more than much larger countries such as Germany, Spain, and the U.K.

The Russian reaction to Sweden’s decision to join NATO has focused more on its implications for the Arctic region. The Arctic North is an area of deep strategic concern for Russia as it is where the Russian nuclear-armed submarine fleet is based. While Sweden and Finland do not directly touch the Arctic Ocean, their membership in NATO does potentially significantly strengthen the military power of the alliance in that vital region.

The Future of Sweden

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Sweden’s 2023 defense budget amounted to $9.2 billion and 1.54 percent of GDP. In anticipation of NATO membership, last year Sweden announced investments in military defense and estimated that this increased spending, combined with additional budget items that fall under NATO’s definition of defense expenditures, will ensure Sweden meets the 2% target in 2024. Beyond the defense equipment that Sweden currently has at its disposal, its export defense industry can meet most domestic equipment needs.

 Additionally, “In NATO, they will have access to far more conversations/tenders/info sharing particularly with regards to very sensitive tech that they previously weren’t admitted to, even if their study was NATO standard in design,” says Tom Waldwyn, Research Associate for Defense Procurement at IISS. 

Written by Community Outreach Intern, Tammy Gia Han Nguyen

Photo Credentials: 

KENDALL WARNER / AP

References:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/7/sweden-officially-becomes-32nd-member-of-nato-military-alliance

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/07/sweden-joins-nato-after-ratification-hungary-drops-opposition

https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-nato-membership-military-power/

https://apnews.com/article/turkey-sweden-nato-ratification-expansion-3686af974e7f9238ee9698451e649ea9

https://globalaffairs.org/bluemarble/sweden-tells-citizens-prepare-war-russian-aggression-nato-membership#:~:text=Micael%20Byd%C3%A9n%20said%20all%20Swedes,have%20joined%20the%20military%20alliance.

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