Surprise and jubilation in the United Nation Security Council (UNSC): 2028 begins with a bang. The permanent members of the body declare that they will voluntarily renounce their right of veto in cases of mass atrocities. This self-limitation, achieved after a long struggle, would have been unthinkable without the far-reaching reform of the Security Council that preceded it. The initiative, based on an earlier Franco-Mexican proposal and the Code of Conduct of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group (ACT Group), came from the new members of the enlarged UNSC. Since 2027, it has consisted of 27 instead of 15 members. Germany is among the new members. In her first speech after the enlargement, the German Ambassador to the UN noted with a wink that her country had hoped to be represented in 2027/28 even without the reform. After all, Berlin had already announced in 2023 that it would stand for election as a non-permanent member in 2027/28. However, it was not foreseeable at the time that Germany would now be one of the six new semi-permanent members of the Security Council.
European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched the third phase of its Modular Lightweight Minesweeping Next Generation (MLM-NG) project. The main objective is to further raise the technology readiness level (TRL) of relevant systems and to demonstrate the use of modular lightweight minesweeping in an operational setting, building upon the developments within the first (2011-2014) and second (2018-2021) phases. This third phase, which has a budget of around € 9.2 million, brings together six Member States: Belgium, Germany, France, Finland, Poland and is led by Norway.
Across Europe, several nations are planning a replacement or reintroduction of their maritime minesweeping capability. Most concepts for new capabilities are based on a flexible solution with autonomous and remotely operated sweeping systems, but the technology is not mature enough to be adopted by most nations.
The aim for future mine sweeping solutions is to develop and utilise smaller Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) with lightweight sweep sources. These sources can be operated with a single platform or by a formation of several USVs, depending on the operation.
The previous, MLM-II project, developed technology demonstrators and proved the feasibility of the modular and lightweight concept for minesweeping. MLM-NG will use the results from the MLM projects and further develop the relevant technologies. The project will also look into tactics, procedures and the concept of operations for such systems.
MLM-NG aims to culminate with a live demonstration in sea trails, currently foreseen for Summer 2026 in Norway. Those tests are planned to include an operational assessment in addition to the technological and conceptual evaluations. During the demonstration all systems will be controlled from a command center on land, without personnel in the mine danger area. In the build up to the demonstration, the project will also address operational use, procedures, command and control (C2) principles, concept of operations (CONOPS) and functional requirements. All of which should contribute to the main objective of this project; further raising the TRL of relevant systems and to demonstrate the use of modular lightweight minesweeping in an operational setting.
Consortium members
The ten consortium members will come from the six participating Member States, namely;
L'Albanie a fini par publier le 28 juin les premiers chiffres du recensement 2023. Le pays a perdu près de 15 % de sa population en une décennie. L'ampleur de la saignée démographique pourrait être encore pire selon l'opposition, qui dénonce des manipulations.
- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Albanie, Populations, minorités et migrations, Recensement Balkans occidentaux, ExodeLes dates se téléscopent et les mémoires s'opposent. Le 27 juin, la justice monténégrine a inculpé l'ancien Procureur général Milivoje Katnić pour des crimes de guerres commis durant le siège de Dubrovnik. Le lendemain, le Parlement adoptait une résolution controversée sur le « génocide » commis par les Oustachis dans le camp de Jasenovac, provoquant l'ire de Zagreb.
- Le fil de l'Info / Croatie, Monténégro, Courrier des Balkans, Histoire, Relations régionales, Criminels de guerreLes dates se téléscopent et les mémoires s'opposent. Le 27 juin, la justice monténégrine a inculpé l'ancien Procureur général Milivoje Katnić pour des crimes de guerres commis durant le siège de Dubrovnik. Le lendemain, le Parlement adoptait une résolution controversée sur le « génocide » commis par les Oustachis dans le camp de Jasenovac, provoquant l'ire de Zagreb.
- Le fil de l'Info / Croatie, Monténégro, Courrier des Balkans, Histoire, Relations régionales, Criminels de guerreUn individu armé d'une arbalète a attaqué l'ambassade d'Israël à Belgrade, samedi midi, blessant un policier avant d'être abattu. L'incident a également conduit à l'arrestation d'une personne et à la recherche active de plusieurs autres suspects.
- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Israël-Palestine , Serbie, Défense, police et justicePlusieurs dizaines de malades monténégrins attendent en vain un don d'organe. Certaines finissent par se tourner vers la Biélorussie, qui compte parmi les dix plus grands centres de transplantation au monde. Mais la procédure est compliquée, surtout avec les sanctions imposées au régime Loukachenko.
- Le fil de l'Info / Monténégro, Radio Slobodna Evropa, SantéWeniger als einen Monat nach den Europa-Wahlen stimmen auch die Bürgerinnen und Bürger im Vereinigten Königreich (UK) über ein neues Parlament ab. Nach der wechselseitigen Entfremdung durch den Brexit bietet sich damit eine Chance, die Beziehungen zwischen der EU und London zu re-intensivieren. Vor allem in der Außen-, Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik hat die Zusammenarbeit im Zuge des russischen Angriffskrieges ohnehin wieder zugenommen, bislang jedoch auf Ad-hoc-Basis. Mittelfristig geht es nicht um eine Rückabwicklung des Brexits, wohl aber um den Aufbau einer Gemeinsamen Strategischen EU-UK-Initiative – das heißt eines neuen Modells von strukturierten Beziehungen mit einem für die EU und Deutschland sehr wichtigen Partner. Dabei sollte auch die EU mehr Flexibilität zeigen als bisher.
NATO’s 2023 summit in Vilnius was dominated by Russia’s war against Ukraine. The summit in Washington, D.C., in July 2024 will be influenced by an additional major conflict in NATO’s neighbourhood: the war in Gaza and the related heightened tensions in the Middle East. These have also negatively impacted attitudes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region towards many of the Alliance’s members. The Vilnius summit decision to reflect deeply on NATO’s southern neighbourhood turned out to be timely. An independent expert group appointed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg contributed towards this reflection process. The group, which included the two authors of this paper, found there are shared security interests between NATO and countries in the south, including on counterterrorism and maritime security. Yet, security perceptions are far from identical, especially when it comes to the role of strategic competition. NATO needs to adapt its mindset to take advantage of opportunities for problem-solving cooperation with partners who may not share its views about international order, and who have concerns about the risk of importing a new Cold War.
Pour les pays des Balkans, l'Euro 2024 est un cru contrasté marqué par la surprise slovène, les déceptions croate et serbe et les promesses venues d'Albanie. Mais aussi par le retour de la Roumanie et la Turquie sur le devant de la scène. Revue d'effectifs.
- Articles / Serbie, Albanie, Roumanie, Croatie, Slovénie, Turquie, Sports, Courrier des BalkansPour les pays des Balkans, l'Euro 2024 est un cru contrasté marqué par la surprise slovène, les déceptions croate et serbe et les promesses venues d'Albanie. Mais aussi par le retour de la Roumanie et la Turquie sur le devant de la scène. Revue d'effectifs.
- Articles / Serbie, Albanie, Roumanie, Croatie, Slovénie, Turquie, Sports, Courrier des BalkansPour les pays des Balkans, l'Euro 2024 est un cru contrasté marqué par la surprise slovène, les déceptions croate et serbe et les promesses venues d'Albanie. Mais aussi par le retour de la Roumanie et la Turquie sur le devant de la scène. Revue d'effectifs.
- Articles / Serbie, Albanie, Roumanie, Croatie, Slovénie, Turquie, Sports, Courrier des Balkans