👨‍💻Media houses feel attacked on social media

Happy Monday!

This week we cover the attacks on the media houses on social media, the president attending the 79th UN General Assembly, and the IMF’s seventh evaluation

Media inform the public about platform attacks

• Media houses are facing two forms of cyberattacks: hacking of social media channels and mass reporting of news articles.

• These attacks are negatively affecting the financial stability, reputation, and reach of media companies, especially on platforms like Facebook.

• Disputes with social media platforms often go unresolved, as monitoring is handled by bots and AI, leading to warnings and restrictions without clear reason.

• Hacked pages are sometimes filled with inappropriate content that, strangely, does not violate platform guidelines, frustrating both users and media companies.

• The attacks appear organized, but the motives and origin remain unclear, posing a threat to both press freedom and individual expression.

• The attacks are expected to escalate with upcoming elections, potentially influencing public opinion and damaging reputations of politicians, parties, and media outlets.

President plans to contact Meta/Facebook to voice the country’s concerns

• President Santokhi has acknowledged the severity of the situation and plans to collaborate with Meta/Facebook to address the issue by recognizing legitimate media houses.

• Media companies, with support from the government and cybersecurity experts, are working on solutions to combat the increasing cyberattacks on media and financial sectors.

President Santokhi attends UNGA

• The Summit of the Future emphasized global solidarity, multilateral cooperation, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on addressing modern world challenges like climate change and inequality.

• The summit stressed shared global responsibility for tackling pressing challenges like conflict, climate change, and economic inequality, while also promoting innovation and cooperation for a better future.

• President Santokhi called for international support for small and vulnerable nations like Suriname, which faces economic and environmental challenges, while advocating for a stronger multilateral system that includes youth and marginalized communities.

• Suriname, despite being carbon negative and implementing reforms for fiscal stabilization, still struggles with inequality, marginalized groups, healthcare, education, and infrastructure issues, especially in rural areas.

• President Santokhi called for collective global responsibility to support sustainable development for vulnerable nations, emphasizing youth involvement in shaping the future and advocating for a strengthened multilateral system based on international law and humanitarian solidarity.

President briefs UN Secretary-General on challenges

• President Santokhi met with UN Secretary-General Guterres to discuss Suriname's economic challenges and sustainable development efforts.

• Suriname faces difficulties in obtaining concessional financing but has significant offshore oil and gas reserves, which Santokhi highlighted along with the country's industrial history.

• Despite industrial activities, Suriname remains one of the few carbon-negative countries, contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.

• Santokhi emphasized Suriname’s need for access to green technologies and innovations to reduce the environmental impact of oil extraction.

• Suriname’s climate change performance is notable, and Santokhi will use the upcoming COP29 to advocate for conservation, climate finance, and loss and damage compensation.

• He also stressed the importance of global financial reform and better representation for developing countries, urging the introduction of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.

Suriname, Aruba and St. Maarten want to strengthen ties

• Santokhi met with the Prime Ministers of Aruba and Sint Maarten to strengthen cooperation in areas like agriculture, energy, transportation, and tourism.

• Prime Minister Wever-Croes of Aruba noted recent successful trade missions and plans to expand collaboration, despite the current caretaker status of the government.

• Prime Minister Mercelina of Sint Maarten emphasized the need for better transportation links to support economic growth and proposed collaboration with other Caribbean islands.

• The meeting showcased the commitment of Suriname, Aruba, and Sint Maarten to deepening partnerships and exploring investment opportunities, especially in energy, tourism, and climate-related projects.

Suriname passes seventh IMF evaluation

• The IMF approved Suriname's seventh economic evaluation, enabling the country to access US$62.5 million.

• President Santokhi described this evaluation as the toughest due to financial constraints, which limited government spending.

• Suriname’s IMF-supported program was extended until March 2025, with another evaluation scheduled next year.

• The evaluation showed positive outcomes, including economic growth, declining inflation, lower bond spreads, and increasing investor confidence.

• Moving forward, Suriname's priorities include maintaining fiscal discipline, protecting vulnerable populations, and implementing structural reforms to strengthen governance.