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📰 Egypt wants 'Arab NATO'

📰 Egypt wants 'Arab NATO'

and Pakistan clashes with TTP

Billy Robinson & Ross Crabtree
September 16, 2025

Hello and welcome back.

Egypt renews its push for a joint Arab military force following Israel’s strike on Doha, South Sudan charges Riek Machar with treason in a move that risks reigniting civil war, and Pakistani security forces kill dozens in fierce clashes with the TTP.

Our lead story examines why the UN must put politics back in command to reclaim the credibility of multilateral mediation.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇸🇩 🇸🇦 🇦🇪 U.S., Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt propose roadmap for Sudan peace: The United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt jointly urged a three-month humanitarian truce in Sudan, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a nine-month transition to civilian rule. Their statement called for an inclusive, transparent process free from control by either warring party, rejecting the involvement of Islamist groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The move comes amid mounting civilian deaths, fears of de facto partition, and new U.S. sanctions targeting Sudanese Islamists and militias.

2️⃣ 🇻🇪 🇺🇸 Trump orders second strike on alleged Venezuelan drug smuggling boat: The U.S. military struck and destroyed a second vessel in international waters, killing three Venezuelans whom President Trump described as “confirmed narcoterrorists” smuggling cocaine and fentanyl. Trump framed the strikes—unprecedented since the 1989 Panama invasion—as a deterrent against drug cartels, though experts and lawmakers warn they may lack legal justification and risk targeting civilians. Venezuela’s government condemned the attacks as violations of sovereignty, likening Washington’s escalation to the Gulf of Tonkin incident that preceded its invasion of Vietnam.

3️⃣ 🇮🇱 🇺🇸 Rubio backs Netanyahu in Jerusalem and rejects calls for ceasefire: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting Jerusalem, pledged full support for Benjamin Netanyahu, prioritising hostage recovery and Hamas’s destruction while avoiding any mention of a ceasefire. Rubio said that planned recognition of Palestine by US allies could embolden militants and hinted at Israeli retaliation, even annexation of West Bank land. The visit comes amid Israeli starvation of the enclave, heavy bombardment of Gaza City, mounting civilian deaths, and growing dissent within even the Israel military over the offensive’s goals.

4️⃣ 🇶🇦 🇮🇱 Arab and Islamic leaders condemn Israeli strike on Doha and back Qatari sovereignty: Leaders from across the MENA region gathered in Doha for an emergency summit after an Israeli strike killed six people in the Qatari capital, with Emir Sheikh Tamim denouncing the attack as “blatant, treacherous and cowardly.” Qatar’s draft resolution condemned Israel’s actions as an assault on all Arab and Islamic nations, pledged collective measures to protect Qatar’s sovereignty, and warned of “disastrous consequences” if Israel annexes more Palestinian land. While some states called for strong retaliatory steps, analysts expect the summit to agree on measures such as economic sanctions, airspace closures, and coordinated diplomatic pressure rather than direct military action.

5️⃣ 🇰🇵 🇺🇳 North Korea declares nuclear status irreversible and rejects denuclearisation: North Korea reaffirmed that its nuclear-armed status is “permanently enshrined” in its constitution and “irreversible,” denouncing U.S. calls for denuclearisation as a grave provocation. Pyongyang said it will reject any attempt to change its status and accused the IAEA of lacking authority to interfere, citing its decades-long withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The statement follows Kim Jong Un’s inspection of weapons facilities and renewed pledges to strengthen both nuclear and conventional forces.

Major Story

🇺🇳 RECLAIMING MULTILATERAL MEDIATION: WHY THE UN MUST PUT POLITICS BACK IN COMMAND

Eighty years after its creation, the UN faces a profound crisis of credibility. Dag Hammarskjöld’s dictum that the UN was created “not to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell” feels urgent as ceasefires are celebrated as though they were peace itself. Nowhere is this clearer than in the Horn of Africa, where transactional bargains manage violence without addressing its underlying causes, leaving multilateral mediation marginalised and stripped of ambition.

From Peacebuilding to Transactional Deals

Once the gold standard of peacemaking, UN-led mediation was anchored in international law, collective legitimacy, and inclusive dialogue. Namibia’s independence process and Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement showed how patient, principled diplomacy could deliver real political settlements. Today, however, the Security Council’s pen-holders reward politically “safe” mediators with short tenures, resulting in revolving-door diplomacy. Libya’s ten envoys in a decade epitomise this dysfunction.

The Hollowing of Mediation’s Moral Core

Mediation once sought to prevent war crimes, address grievances, and enable self-determination. Today, global priorities have narrowed, with mediation often reduced to migration management or security containment. Ceasefires have become endpoints rather than bridges to politics, allowing belligerents to regroup and rearm, as seen in Sudan’s stalled peace tracks since 2023. This drift risks hollowing out the UN’s moral authority at precisely the moment it is most needed.

Restoring Political Courage and Legitimacy

Reclaiming multilateral mediation requires moving beyond performative peacemaking. Ceasefires must be paired with monitoring, confidence-building measures, and clear pathways to talks. The UN, AU, and IGAD must stop serving as conduits for transactional bargains and reassert impartial platforms rooted in universal norms. Mediators should be selected for political courage and strategic vision, not bureaucratic caution, and empowered to confront power realities rather than paper over them.

A Call to Reimagine Multilateralism

At its eightieth anniversary, the UN faces a choice: remain a bystander to transactional politics or reclaim its vocation as a convenor of meaningful settlements. Putting politics back at the centre means resisting the seduction of quick deals, holding external patrons accountable, and ensuring that every pause in fighting becomes a step toward legitimate, inclusive governance. Abdul Mohamed, former head of the UN’s Sudan mediation body, writes that true success cannot be measured by the mere silencing of guns but by the presence of justice, dignity, and a shared political horizon.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇪🇬 🇶🇦 Egypt revives proposal for joint Arab military force after Israeli strike on Doha: Egypt is pushing to revive its long-standing plan for a NATO-style joint Arab force, with discussions expected during the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha after Israel’s strike on Qatar. The proposal envisions a rotating command among Arab League members, integrated land, air, and naval units, and deployment only with member approval—Egypt would lead the first term and contribute 20,000 troops. Analysts see the plan as a bid to bolster Arab security coordination and deter future regional threats, particularly amid rising tensions over Gaza and fears of Palestinian displacement into Sinai.

2️⃣ 🇸🇸 South Sudan charges Riek Machar with treason: South Sudan’s First Vice-President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity over a March militia attack that killed 250 soldiers and a general, prompting fears of renewed civil war. Machar, under house arrest since March, has been suspended from office along with several detained allies, while his spokesperson denounced the charges as a political ploy to dismantle the fragile 2018 peace deal. Tensions between Machar’s Nuer base and President Salva Kiir’s Dinka supporters remain high, raising concerns of a return to large-scale conflict.

3️⃣ 🇵🇰 🇮🇳 Pakistan security forces kill dozens in clashes With TTP: Fierce fighting erupted near the Afghan border as Pakistani forces raided two Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts, killing 12 soldiers and 35 militants. The operations, in Bajaur and South Waziristan, underscore Islamabad’s struggle to contain a resurgent TTP, emboldened by the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Afghanistan. Pakistan has urged Kabul to stop cross-border militant activity, while also accusing India of backing the group—claims New Delhi denies.