Global

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, is the world’s most senior civil servant. His words, especially in the last year, have been tense, terse and delivered with a sense of urgency, as he tries to convey to world statesmen, and the world public, the need for urgent, large-scale action to deal with the global problems that seem to be overwhelming the world body. The challenges are enormous, and the response, if it is to be effective, has to be proportionate in size and scope. 

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold talks in Malaysia on Monday in an attempt to negotiate an end to a conflict that has lasted four days. Thailand said on Sunday a delegation led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai would attend, after US President Donald Trump called the leaders of both countries on Saturday to press for an immediate ceasefire. The Thai government said it had been told by Malaysia that Cambodian Prime Minister Hum Manet would also attend. At least 33 soldiers and civilians have been killed while thousands of Thai and Cambodian nationals have been displaced since border fighting broke out on 24 July.

Clashes continued on Saturday morning (26 July), on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, as the two ASEAN countries resort to military means to resolve a border dispute between them that has been festering for over a hundred years. Casualties are reported on both sides, involving both civilians and military personnel, and the number of civilians displaced has already reached nearly 150,000. Thailand said its navy joined the army in repelling Cambodian attacks, in a sign that the conflict is expanding. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the conflict.

China and the European Union have issued a joint call to action on climate change during an otherwise tense bilateral summit in Beijing on Thursday 24 July but major disagreements remain over trade and the war in Ukraine.  The two sides issued a joint statement on climate change, urging more emission cuts and greater use of green technology and affirming their support for the Paris Climate Agreement as well as calling for strong action at the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil. European Council President António Costa called on China to use its influence over Russia to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, a long-standing plea from European leaders that is likely to fall once again on deaf ears.

Israel’s isolation is increasing as twenty eight countries including the United Kingdom and a majority of Member States of the European Union issued a joint statement on Monday 21 July saying the war in Gaza “must end now” and condemning Israel over 'inhumane killing' of Gaza civilians seeking aid. The foreign ministers of countries, also including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Japan, said “the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.” The statement described as “horrifying” the recent deaths of over 800 Palestinians who were seeking aid, according to the figures released by Gaza’s Health Ministry and the U.N. human rights office.

European Council President, Antonio Costa, Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas, will travel to Beijing next week to participate in the EU-China summit on Thursday (24 July). The summit has already been cut from two days to one, reflecting an increasing realisation on both sides that the chance of making progress on many issues in the bilateral agenda is small. The summit on 24 July, coincides with the 50th anniversary of relations between China and the EU, and no doubt China will want to throw a party. Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and prime minister, Li Qiange, are expected to participate in the summit. But the feeling in Brussels is that in the fifty years China had failed to create a level playing field. Whilst Chinese companies, academics and individuals had a free hand in the open European system across the continent, European companies struggled to exist , let alone compete, in China. In a key speech in 2023, van der Leyen spoke about the need of the EU to “de risk” its ties with China. But the issue that has really marred relations is Ukraine. China has failed to understand the significance of the situation in Ukraine for Europe. Chinese support for the Russian position diplomatically, as well as more tangibly, has cast a serious cloud over relations. This was seen clearly a few days ago in a four hour meeting in Brussels, between Kallas and Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, described as being “respectful, but tense”.

This week, a team of Japanese professionals conducted a landmine detection training programme for Ukrainian demining teams using equipment supplied by Japan. This initiative is intended to support Ukraine's ongoing efforts to clear explosive remnants of war in the context of Russia's ongoing invasion.