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Interfor’s Weekly Digest | Global Security and Policy Insights – September 19, 2023
Global Security Matters
International Affairs
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being behind the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia who was designated as a terrorist by Indian security agencies in 2020. Canada threw out an Indian diplomat who was identified as an intelligence officer. In response, India rejected Trudeau’s accusation as “absurd and motivated” and expelled a Canadian diplomat on Tuesday.
- Taiwan’s defense ministry urged China on Monday to stop “destructive, unilateral action.” The ministry stated that103 Chinese military aircraft had been spotted over the sea since Monday, calling the number a “recent high” and that “The continuous military harassment by the Communist military can easily lead to a sharp increase in tensions and worsen regional security.”
- World leaders are gathering in New York City this week for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Local residents and businesses should expect traffic delays and possible disruptions due to a myriad of potential protests. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. This is Zelensky’s first visit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His first stop was visiting Ukrainian troops rehabilitating in New York. Zelensky and Biden are expected to meet in Washington later this week.
National Security
- Five Americans who were detained in Iran were freed on Monday. The identity of two of the freed prisoners has not immediately been publicized. Their freedom came in exchange for President Biden releasing $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds and the release of five Iranian prisoners held in US custody. The assets are funds South Korea owed Iran and had not yet paid for oil purchased before the US imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019. While the US has stated that the money will be held in restricted accounts in Qatar, according to Iranian officials, Iran would have no restrictions on how to spend the money.
Maritime Security
- The global maritime security market size is projected to grow from USD 32.67 billion in 2023 to USD 43.87 billion by 2030. The expected growth is driven by a significant rise in threats such as piracy, armed robbery, terrorism, transnational crime, geopolitical tensions, cybersecurity risks, and refuge movements. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of digital technologies in maritime operations has introduced cybersecurity risks and prompted the need for cybersecurity solutions. Covid-19 triggered a shift to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to perform remote maritime surveillance. Drone surveillance is rapidly emerging as a prominent trend within the market, as it enables real-time monitoring of vast and challenging environments.
Terrorism & Extremism
- On Tuesday, the German government banned the Hammerskins Germany, a neo-nazi group that is an offshoot of the Hammerskins Nation founded in the US. The Hammerskins Nation seeks to consolidate its right-wing extremist worldview with efforts such as concerts aimed at radicalizing non-members. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that German federal and state governments worked closely with American partners ahead of the ban.
- The Afghan Taliban have detained 18 staffers of the International Assistance Mission (IAM) non-profit, for preaching Christianity. One of the staffers detained is an American. The Taliban raided the IAM offices in central Ghor on Friday.
Cyber & Technology
- According to the FBI, China has a bigger hacking program than all of its major competitors combined. FBI Director Chris Wray stated on Monday that “If each one of the FBI’s cyber agents and intelligence analysts focused on China exclusively, Chinese hackers would still outnumber our cyber personnel by at least 50 to 1.”
Covid-19
- A new Covid-19 variant, BA.2.86, has been identified in 10 states including Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Several countries, including provinces in Canada, have found the BA.2.86 variant in wastewater samples or tests from people infected. The variant is still a small fraction of new cases worldwide. Vaccine manufacturers stated that new vaccines should work against the variant.
Resources:
- US Department of State Travel Advisories
- CISA: nation-state cybersecurity threats and other resources for cybersecurity matters.
- Our most recent blog posts discuss 5 Security Tips for Women and end of the summer safety tips for the workplace.