Uzbekistan is set to begin a pioneering education and infrastructure initiative funded by previously confiscated assets. On 1 October 2025, the country will launch a $20 million “Modelling Climate Resilience and WASH in Schools” programme, aimed at renovating rural schools with climate-adapted water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) systems, energy upgrades, and governance reforms.

This Saturday marks the fifth anniversary of the Second Karabakh War. To be honest, and personally speaking, it had always seemed the continuation of the first waged between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. After all, in the three decades between both, the conflict had nearly always been described as ‘frozen’ rather than resolved – at least until it wasn’t.

Turning the page for his country, Syria’s president addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday 24 September, marking the first time any president from his country has done so in almost 60 years. As he spoke, AP reported that hundreds of people gathered in front of giant screens in Syrian cities and towns to witness the speech while waving the country’s flags. 

On Tuesday (23 September), the high-level General Debates opened at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York under the theme “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.” The title may sound uplifting, almost celebratory, but beneath the polished words lies a chilling undertone: a desperate plea for unity. The General Debates unfold during a time when the world order faces multiple challenges: global conflicts at their highest level since World War II, genocide and famine in Gaza, humanitarian crises in Sudan and Yemen, a grinding war in Ukraine, bombings in the Middle East, accelerating climate breakdown, deep cuts to international aid and among many others a dangerous surge in human rights and international law violations.

Yesterday (23 September) around thirty Armenians involved in the five Armenian-Azerbaijani Thematic Groups gathered in Yerevan to be briefed by Leonid Narsisian, co-Chair of the thematic group on Peace and Security; Narek Minasyan, Chair of the thematic group on regional connectivity; Sargis Harutyunyan, Chair of the thematic group on Governance; Aghavni Harutyunyan, Deputy Chair of the thematic group on Environment; and Andranik Shirinyan, Deputy Chair of the thematic group on gender and diversity. The Thematic Groups are a LINKS Europe initiative aimed at promoting a new style of Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue, fit for the new reality. They will present their five reports in mid-November. We were delighted to welcome to the meeting in Yerevan, Murad Muradov, Azerbaijani co-Chair of the thematic group on peace and security who also spoke. Others to address the meeting included Erik Jessen, Political Officer at the EU Delegation in Armenia, Stepan Grigoryan, Senior Member of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Expert Strategic Platform (under the auspices of LINKS Europe), and Dennis Sammut, Director and George Simonishvili, South Caucasus coordinator, of LINKS Europe. It was a very good and engaging meeting, also attended by representatives of various embassies, including HE Marieke Monroy-Winter, the Ambassador of The Netherlands. A similar meeting with Azerbaijani members will take place in Baku on Friday (26 September). The Armenian and Azerbaijani members have been meeting on line since April. On 27 October they will meet together in Tbilisi to finalise their work.

US President Donald Trump relentlessly mocked the United Nations on Tuesday23 September  in his first address since his White House comeback, blasting it for failing to bring peace and claiming the world body encourages illegal migration. In his return to the UN General Assembly podium, Trump accused the UN of fostering an "assault" through migration on Western countries that he said were "going to hell". He likewise used the major forum to denounce efforts to reduce global warming, calling climate change concerns "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world". Trump also lashed out at European allies, as well as China and India, for failing to stop oil purchases from Russia, while remaining relatively restrained on Moscow even as he said Washington was ready to impose unspecified sanctions.

As Gaza continues to burn, France recognised Palestinian statehood on Monday 22 September at the start of a summit at the United Nations aimed at galvanizing support for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. More nations are following, in defiance of Israel and the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement in the U.N. General Assembly hall received loud applause from the more than 140 leaders in attendance. The Palestinian delegation, including its U.N. ambassador, Riyad Mansour, could be seen standing and applauding as the declaration was made. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas was denied a visa by the US authorities forcing him to attend only virtually.

The 108th Rose Roth Seminar, organised by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, is taking place in the Armenian Capital, Yerevan 22-23 September 2025. The Rose-Roth Seminar has not been held in Armenia since 2015, and the Armenian National Assembly put effort in ensuring the success of the event. Among the speakers at the opening session on Monday was Defence Minister, Suren Papikyan; Security Council Secretary, Armen Grigoryan; and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Ruben Rubenian. But the panel immediately following got a lot of attention because quite uniquely it included an Armenian, an Azerbaijani and a Turkish speaker. Chaired by the Director of LINKS Europe, Dennis Sammut, the panelists were Armine Margaryan, Murad Muradov; and Nigar Goksel. They made robust presentations, but were elegant and courteous in their demeanor. The panel was an expression of a new Armenia and a new South Caucasus. It also marked a new beginning in public diplomacy.

The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal, announced on Sunday (21 September) that they were formally recognising the State of Palestine. British prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, announced the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state, in what represents a significant change in government policy. In a video statement on X, the prime minister said: "In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution." Australia, Canada and Portugal also announced formal recognition of the state of Palestine, with France and other EU states expected to follow. Responding on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a Palestinian state "will not happen".