Major Global Security Challenges
Macron’s statements were issued in an interview with a French TV channel during the 18th summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie in Tunisia. The OIF is an international organization representing 88 member countries with large French-speaking populations.
The OIF conference and Macron’s interview came after the formal withdrawal of French troops from Mali at the start of this month. France pulled its troops out from an eight-year counterterrorism campaign against jihadi groups following a coup in 2021, which resulted in Mali’s new military government inviting the Russian Wagner mercenary group to train and assist its forces. The withdrawal of French troops and ongoing Russian disinformation will potentially weaken France’s influence and bolster Russia’s power in West Africa.
Follow the Money
Australia is under increasing pressure to impose economic sanctions on Myanmar’s military junta. A recent Amnesty International report exposed supply chain links to Myanmar’s military rulers and called for states to suspend exports of aviation fuel to the country. After leaked documents revealed transactions between ANZ Bank and Innwa Bank—owned by military conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation—ANZ faced significant pressure to cease operations in Myanmar. The revelations also prompted requests for Australia to join the UK, US and EU in introducing financial measures against Myanmar Economic Corporation.
While Australia has banned arms exports to Myanmar and frozen the assets of five military commanders of the regime, the government has been reluctant to impose broad sanctions. One of the reasons for this was the uncertainty surrounding the fate of an Australian citizen being held in Myanmar. Last week, however, Sean Turnell, an economist and adviser to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was released from prison in Myanmar and returned home to Australia.
Yet if Australia imposes sanctions now, it may lose the bargaining chip thought to be instrumental in Turnell’s release. That raises the question of how Australia can maintain its negotiating power while assisting the international community in limiting the junta’s access to the global financial system.
Terror Byte
Turkish police have arrested 17 suspects accused of facilitating the street bombing that killed six and injured at least 80 civilians on Istanbul’s crowded Istiklal Avenue two weeks ago. While Turkish authorities are reporting that the suspected bomber confessed her connection to the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party in interrogations, the globally blacklisted Kurdish terror group is denying any involvement.
Nonetheless, Turkey launched retaliatory airstrikes against almost 100 Kurdish targets throughout Syria and Iraq, reportedly killing ‘many terrorists’. Kurdish forces, unable to counter Turkish airpower, responded with mortar attacks from inside Syria that killed a teacher and student when shells landed in a school near the Syrian border.
Following the airstrikes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised ‘serious concerns’ internationally when he said that the operation wouldn’t be limited to an air campaign. Turkish airstrikes in Syria’s north are now compounding the widespread damage wrought by Israeli and Russian raids further south, prompting commentators to suggest that the airstrikes mark ‘a new era’ in the ongoing Syrian war.
Joshua Dunne, Jasmine Latimore, Yvonne Lau, Hsi-Ting Pai, Stephan Robin and Ben Stevens are research interns at ASPI. This article is published courtesy of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).
