Rutania

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With the province's futures clearly in mineral extraction and the downstream oil and natural gas sector, Toiseach of North Glenshire Elijah Jamieson announced tentative steps being taken by the provincial government to rationalise the province's aspirations of becoming a major oil and natural gas processing hub within the Artanian continent. Speaking at a press conference in Colkirk, Toiseach Jamieson stated that although the province and to a wider extent, Rutania did not possess crude oil or natural gas reserves, the province was well-positioned to take advantage of the lack of an integrated/robust downstream oil and natural gas processing hub within the region. He noted that within the continent's major oil and gas producers, although there was an in-house capacity to refine/process said products, as it pertains to the wider region, much of its refined petrochemical products came from external sources, particularly those in Dovani, Keymon and Majatra. With this in mind, Toiseach Jamieson piloted the recently approved Fuel Trading (Imports and Exports) Company Act, which gave birth to the North Glenshire Fuel Trading Company. According to the Toiseach, the company had been created to lead the charge on developing North Glenshire and to a larger extent, Rutania as the Artanian continent's premier midstream and downstream hub. Speaking on the midstream, Toiseach Jamieson stated that although crude oil and natural gas production within the continent had been on a slow, steady increase amidst small production increases on the part of Dorvik, the continent's capacity to store crude oil and LNG was rapidly declining. He noted that although the storage facilities within Dorvik were vast, their capacity was finite. "Given that, we must develop premier fuel storage/bunkering facilities in Rutania to benefit from this potential increase in demand for storage," the Toiseach explained. In making the province's economic plans viable, Toiseach Jamieson stated that the province would have to enhance the import of crude oil and natural gas. Pointing to recent discussions between Rutania and Dorvik on a potential economic alliance between the two nations, Toiseach Jamieson stated that he hoped that in the future the province can negotiate a fuel supply agreement with Dorvik's Natural Resources Technical Management Corporation. However, some financial analysts have pointed to the Federal Government's warnings of foreign exchange pressures. Drew McGowan, a financial analyst for FABC (FirstArtanian Bank of Commerce) highlighted that significant vulnerabilities were arising out of the future project's dependence on imports. He explained that with the entire project running on imported fuel, this could present significant pressures on the nation's already strained foreign exchange situation. Recently appointed CEO of the North Glenshire Fuel Trading Company Martha Gilmour stated that as the company makes profits, it hopes to bring in foreign exchange through the export of refined products such as methanol, urea, gasoline, diesel, bitumen among others. Construction on the company's first crude oil refinery has already begun with plans for methanol, urea and ammonia plants coming soon.

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Rutania's political transformation, that being the transformation of the nation's once centralised structure to a semi-autonomous, near federal political system allows for numerous opportunities to bring about real, long-lasting changes in the way business is done in Rutania. Principle among those opportunities is the chance to reform how law enforcement is structured and operates within the country as well as the way the nation goes about enhancing its domestic security standing. According to a recent report commissioned by the Department of Home Affairs, the decentralisation of law enforcement to the provinces could bring about numerous transformations within law enforcement and could allow for the necessary breathing room for tailor-made public security measures. The report noted that numerous government failures coupled with a "one-shoe fits all" approach to law enforcement throughout the nation had created the impetus for the repeated failings of the former National Police to reign in crime within the nation. It notes that policing tactics/strategies utilised in one region may not have been effective in another. "Although standardisation should remain an important pillar in any decentralised law enforcement network as it would allow for ease of cooperation between numerous law enforcement agencies, strategies need to be specific to the regions they are being implemented within," the report noted. The new decentralised law enforcement system creates five (5) provincial/autonomous law enforcement agencies: Police Service North Glenshire, Barrymore Constabulary, Garraway Police, Ardern Constabulary and Moorland Police. The aforementioned law enforcement agencies will be primarily responsible for law enforcement within their corresponding provinces. The appointment of the Chief Constables of the aforementioned police forces will become the responsibility of the provincial ministers responsible for law enforcement and/or justice. Apart from the appointment of the heads of the respective police forces, the policies/strategies said police forces would adhere to would be both the responsibilities of the police forces themselves and the provincial governments. Consensus has been gained on maintaining special firearms units within these police forces, following the model developed within Luthori, however, the provinces will remain the ability/right to change said policy to be specific to their needs. In those instances, although regular officers could be allowed to carry firearms, automatic weapons will remain strictly/exclusively to special firearms units.

On the national level, the Geàrdan Sìthe (National Peace Guards) will be responsible for law enforcement coordination and operations requiring national oversight. Some of the responsibilities of the Geàrda would include investigating and disrupting transnational crime among other notable criminal activities including financial crimes. Apart from this, the Geàrda would be responsible for the protection of diplomatic and political officials as they traverse the nation as well as be responsible for law enforcement within the capital city, Dunblane. As it pertains to law enforcement coordination, the Geàrda will be responsible for conducting national/federal investigations. Although similar to territorial police (wherein it will maintain special firearms officers), the Geàrda will maintain special counter-terrorism units capable of being deployed throughout the country. These units will also be responsible for assisting in hostage negotiations, training territorial law enforcement in counter-terrorism tactics among other responsibilities. Speaking to the new domestic security arrangement, Secretary of State for Home Affairs Lewis McIntosh stated that new agencies will be formed to assist the Geàrda and the territorial police including the Serious, Complex and Organised Crime Agency (SCOCA) which will be responsible for investigating and prevent serious, complex and organised crimes including gang-related activity. The Rutanian Security Intelligence Organisation (RSIO) will be created to coordinate counter-intelligence with the special branch and intelligence units of the various territorial police and the Geàrda, responding to political threats as well as counter-terrorism, acting as the premier agency responsible for information gathering as it pertains to domestic security issues. Incoming Commissioner of the Geàrdan Sìthe, Albert O'Donnell stated that there was a unique opportunity arising out of the aforementioned transformation, pointing to a potential reduction in crime and increases in numerous policies statistics including the crime detection rate and the safety perception index.

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Against the backdrop of the need to enhance the nation's defensive capabilities and complete the reforms initiated by the Rutanian Armed Forces decades prior, a Joint Select Committee of the House of Representatives has approved some 5.5 billion dollars for the purchase of dorvish-made combatant aircraft, as the government seeks to rebuild the fleet of the Rutanian Air Force. ADG (Artanian Defence Group), the manufacturer of the Unionfighter multi-role aircraft had been awarded the contract following an intense bidding process that saw numerous designs from multiple nations including Lourenne, Kazulia, Hutori and Dorvik. According to a report commissioned by the Department of Defence on the capabilities of the aircraft compared to others within the process, "the Dorvish-made Unionfighter, is by far the most capable and technologically advanced aircraft presented during the bidding round. Its ease of operation and advanced avionics set it aside from the other aircraft present." The decision to procure the aircraft comes amidst concerns from defence planners that although it had committed to making such a purchase, the Department of Defence had not approved the decision of numerous parliamentary committees, which had approved funding for the purchases. Secretary of State for Defence Logan MacLean explained that amidst the Labour Party's temporary withdrawal from Rutanian politics and the return of caretaker administrations, much of the procurement decisions enacted by the previous Labour Party government had not been following through. He states that problems arose wherein the Defence Appropriations Committee had been approved funding for purchases or the DoD had not approached the producers/manufacturers in communicating Rutania's interest to acquire certain pieces of equipment. Aside from the Unionfighter (of which 100 are expected to be bought over a period of time), the appropriations committee had also approved funding for the purchase of interceptor/strike aircraft. A separate bidding round had been initiated wherein similar to the multi-role fighter aircraft bidding round, ADG had come out on top. For strike purposes, 100 ADG Tornado IDS' will be purchased and will become the backbone of the Rutanian Air Force's Ground attack and interdiction capabilities. For interception, 50 ADG Tornado ADVs will be purchased and will become the backbone of the Rutanian Air Force's interceptor fleet. Chief of the Air Force, Lt.General Jackson Gardner stated that with Rutania possessing multi-role, ground strike & interdiction and interceptor aircraft, the Rutanian Air Force can finally begin honing in its skills and training assiduously to become an extremely capable and competent fighting force. Officials from the Department of Defence have stated that the government intends on launching a programme to re-evaluate the nation's air bases, with an extreme emphasis on moving a large per cent of the future combatant aircraft into underground hangers, in accordance with the air force's Bas 90 doctrine.

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Amidst domestic pressure to allay concerns among Rutanian citizens on the situation and relatively unstable nature of Luthorian domestic politics, the Department of Home Affairs earlier this morning approved the construction of a permanent border fence between Rutania and Luthori, ending decades of cursory border control measures. Speaking to members of the media following the decision, Secretary of State for Home Affairs Arthur Milligan explained that the government had been contemplating measures as the Luthorian political situation worsened. Domestically, Luthorian politics has been a hotbed of contention among the numerous political factions. The most recent political scandal saw the attempted ousting of a political party within the nation and multiple successful and attempted assassinations. "We remain in constant communication with our partners in Luthori until the most recent cabinet resignations. Through that, we have no means of maintaining close contact with the Luthorian Home Secretary or any other persons responsible for domestic security," Secretary Milligan lamented. Orders to construct a border fence between Rutania and Luthori were approved by Secretary Milligan following a brief meeting of the National Security Council, wherein Prime Minister Henderson expressed his deep concern for the potential knock-on effect of continued/systemic instability within Luthori, on Rutania and the wider region. In terms of the operationalization of the orders, the Geàrdan Sìthe (National Police) will be responsible for processing road-crossing between Rutania and Luthori. Cursory checks will come to an end as the Geàrda would be expected to conduct detailed searches of vehicles and verify documents from travels (including passports, work permits and/or visas). When pressed on whether the new policy represents a shift from the government's established policy of promoting immigration and ensuring the process of smooth, Secretary Milligan stated that whilst the established policy for the wider Artanian region had been to encourage immigration and to allow for the process to be as smooth as possible, the situations which continue to hinder stability in Luthori present clear and present dangers to the domestic security of Rutania. "We believe that the situation remains extremely fluid and would continue to communicate with our Luthorian counterparts when/if a government is hopefully appointed in the short/medium term. Rutania's domestic security is extremely important and the instability with which Luthori continues to portray is testament to the importance of caution."

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Having been largely ignored by successive governments, the seriousness of Rutania's demographic situation is finally gaining the attention it needs. A damning report by the Department of Economic Planning and Development revealed that Rutania's ageing population will soon cause major distributions in economic development and a collapse of the social welfare system if not addressed in the medium term. The report posits that on its current trajectory, the Rutanian workforce could reach its inflexion point in the next 3-6 decades, whereafter the decline of labour force participation and general productivity would collapse at an alarming rate. Businesses are among the many entities experiencing the impact of these pressures on the labour market. As more and more people enter retirement, businesses are finding it extremely difficult to replace lost staff, with many tethering on the brink of shutdowns or major productivity cuts amidst the difficulty. President of the Rutanian Confederation of Business and Industry, Joey McEwan stated that a larger percentage of the companies within his association had been experiencing difficulty in hiring staff, as economists point to the nation's interesting employment phenomena. Preliminary data from the Office of Statistics and Information points to the fact that as the national and provincial economies sprung back into action, job creation sky-rocketed and the situation soon evolved whereby there were more job openings than there were unemployed people to fill said spaces. Although it has not completed the national census, preliminary data from the DoEPD's National Census points to collapsing fertility rates and declining life expectancy. With little investment being poured into improving both the accessibility and quality of healthcare, life expectancy declined as persons forego life-saving surgeries, didn't have access to life-saving medication and did not seek treatment for ailments. This coupled with an increase in contraception (which is not an economic negative) has contributed to the nation's depressed demographic situation. Elaborating on fertility, Sociologist Dr Matilda Byrne explained that as more women were liberated from the household and sought jobs outside, less and less attention had been placed on having babies as women shifted their focus towards expanding their education and wealth. "With fewer women at home, there was an incentive to have babies frankly. Women became more focused on pursuing their goals/dreams and sought to bring themselves to equal standings with their husbands/male companions."

Lord Treasurer Dr Arran Singh notes that the nation's collapsing demographics and the shrinking workforce situation can seriously dampen the effect of the government's economic reforms. Although economists have called for the government to increase the retirement age and working hours, others including Dr Singh have advocated for a new approach: Immigration. Dr Singh believes that through a comprehensive reform of the nation's immigration laws, Rutania could encourage migrant workers to come to the nation either temporarily or through a pathway to become naturalised citizens whereby under either circumstance they can aid in filling many of the employment openings mentioned prior and contribute towards economic growth. He believes that efforts of the previous administration to reorient Rutania's foreign policy objectives to align with those of the wider Artanian continent could potentially aid in easing the nation's demographic situation and address labour shortages. Incoming Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Development Leah McCallum has stated that she intends on continuing the work of her predecessor in formalising an economic cooperation agreement with the larger economies of the region and helping to establish an economic alliance of some sorts among the economies of the continent. In an interview following Dr Singh's comments on wanting to encourage a transformation of the nation's immigration policy, Secretary McCallum stated that her Department along with the Department of Home Affairs had already begun work on crafting a new immigration policy for Rutania which will reflect the needs to address the nation's labour shortages and encourage migrants to settle in the nation. "We are currently in consultations with both the Secretary of State for Home Affairs Lewis McIntosh and Minister of State for Immigration and Refugees Haris Davis on the creation of a seamless immigration system and preparing for future economic agreements which could encourage student exchanges and free movement between the nations of the continent." Secretary of State for Labour and Social Development Ethan MacPherson stated that although the question of how the government can encourage migrants to come to the nation is in the works, his Department along with the Department of Education and Research was responsible for how said migrants are trained and how the government upskills the current workforce to meet the needs of the future. To this, he stated that he intends on addressing the question to a full extent at a later date.

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Although the province's economic development has been firmly planted in the blue economy (i.e.) maritime operations, shipbuilding and eco-tourism, the Barrymore Development Agency believes that the province's future is also in the biotechnology industry. Preliminary studies by the agency point to the lack of an established biotechnology centre within Rutania and the wider Artanian region. It notes although advanced nations such as Dorvik continue to make significant investments into science and technology, much of those investments are planted in manufacturing and heavy industry. Chairman of the Barrymore Development Agency Oscar Graham believes that Barrymore and Rutania to a larger extent are capable of securing their position as the biotechnology capital of the region and potentially the wider western/northern hemisphere. Speaking at a meeting of the Barrymore Assembly's Committee on Economic Development and Growth, Mr Graham stated that the Barrymore Development Agency, as the statutory body responsible for executing the economic development objectives of the Barrymore Executive and providing recommendations where needed, believed that a strong biotechnology industry within Barrymore would be a boon to economic development primarily due to the multiplier effect it could have on other industries/sectors. "We have been involved in a series of consultations with key stakeholders throughout the business community within Barrymore and have sought technical assistance from the central government on how we can implement such a cluster. Being the first of its kind within the nation and within the wider region, we believed that it would be extremely beneficial in aiding the economic development of Barrymore and Rutania," Chairman Graham told the committee. Earlier this morning, Toiseach of Barrymore Theodore Lawson and Minister of Finance and the Economy Cillian Edwards announced the creation of the Barrymore Biotechnology Development Company (BBDC) and the Biotechnology Development Fund with the hopes of operationalising the research and recommendations of the Barrymore Development Agency. Minister Edwards stated that the structure of the BBDC was unique to state-owned enterprises within the nation noting that there was a statutory requirement for the Vice-President of the company to anyone possessing a degree in biotechnology, biochemistry or any other degree related to science and the environment. The Biotechnology Development Fund will be managed by the company and would be used to fund/sponsor innovative biotechnology ideas/innovations. The BBDC would be a subsidiary of the Barrymore Development Agency with a special task force to be created between the BBDC and the Rutanian Universities Board with the aims of developing synergies between universities students and the company and aiding utilising the BDF to fund biotechnology (and related) innovations by university students.

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One of the major centrepieces of the transformation and modernisation of the Rutanian Armed Forces is the re-development of the nation's expeditionary warfare capabilities. Already some plans have been operationalised, namely the Quick Reaction Force and the Royal Rutanian Paratroopers. However, defence planners note that although the nation's ability to respond to situations on its border and potentially around the region has been enhanced by the formation of the Quick Reaction Force, the formation of an amphibious warfare capability is next in line for the Department of Defence. Speaking to the media on the plans for the Royal Rutanian Marine Corps, Lord Admiral and Chief of the Navy Admiral Frederick Marshall stated that the Royal Rutanian Marine Corps' objectives would include conducting amphibious landings and engaging in expeditionary warfare operations beyond Rutania's borders. He stated that the RRMC would enhance the Rutanian Armed Forces' reach into nations and regions beyond Rutania's borders. He explained: "One of the major strategic objectives in the transformation of the Rutanian Armed Forces is to mould a force capable of conducting operations beyond our natural borders. We have seen over the period half-decade the rising instability within numerous nations, particularly those in Dovani. We view the continent as extremely important to our economic security and thus we must be in a position to defend our interests in that region should a threat present itself." Commandant-General of the Royal Rutanian Marine Corps Major General Mark McAllister has stated that he intends on building the Marine Corps into the nation's premier fighting force. "We have been given a unique task/purpose. Expeditionary warfare is extremely different compared to those of the regular army and the paratroopers. It requires a fighting force to be ready and equipped to respond to any situation. I intend on moulding this Marine Corps into an extremely flexible and competent fighting force." Major General McAllister stated that he had been approved to build a force of around 8-10,000 marines in the interim. He hinted at some of the tactics/disciplines the future Marine Corps would be drilled in including jungle warfare, cold-weather warfare, mountain warfare, urban warfare and desert warfare to name a few. Specialised units are reportedly being formed with Major General McAllister confirming that a special forces unit would be attached to the Royal Rutanian Marine Corps known as the Special Boat Group whose operations will become the amphibious warfare equivalent of the Rutanian Army's Special Services Regiment and the Rutanian Paratrooper's Special Air Group. Being an amphibious warfare formation, the marines will have access to unique equipment suited for their purpose/future roles. The Department of Defence has already launched bids for equipment with the BvS 10, CB90, LCAC/L and SDV being short-listed for immediate purchase.

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Having decommissioned the nation's legacy combat vessels, the Department of Defence has announced that it has greenlit the construction of a new variant of the legacy destroyers previously under the service of the Royal Rutanian Navy. According to the DoD, the procurement programme is a part of the government's wider Armed Forces Rearmament Programme (AFRP) and is expected the cost the federal government some 50 billion RUT over 10 years to see the construction of at least ten (10) Series 200 Destroyers, ten (10) Tolmach-class submarines and twenty (20) Series 300 Frigate. The ships are expected to be constructed in Rutania by the joint Rutanian shipbuilding firm Pennington-Reid. According to Lord Admiral and Chief of the Navy Admiral Frederick Marshall, the project would allow for the Royal Rutanian Navy to rebuild its capacity and capabilities in light of the central government's decision to scrap legacy equipment. Admiral Marshall stated that the Royal Rutanian Navy should solidify itself as the direct successor of the once prominent Luthorian Navy amidst the relative decline of the nation's standing in the international community. Although there are plans to potentially rebuild the nation's surface fleet to potentially include aircraft carriers, Admiral Marshall stated that the nation had to virtually rebuild its navy from scratch, focusing on green water operations before it could contemplate the idea of blue water operations. "We have to find our footing once more and it is important to we start the process of becoming familiar with our equipment. We cannot thrust headfirst into operations under these new reforms. I have heard talk that we are considering the construction of an aircraft carrier, however that is furthest from the truth. For now, our operations remain within the constraints of these new vessels which we intend on introducing in the coming decades." Admiral Marshall stated that although the designers were reintroducing legacy hull designs, the equipment and general purpose of these combatant vessels will be significantly different from their historic interactions. Advanced radar, fire control systems, and larger engines are some features expected to be added to the new ships as they are unveiled to the public. Admiral Marshall stated that he hopes the Royal Rutanian Navy can rearm and reposition itself as a major player in the Artanian Region and the wider northern hemisphere sometime in the not too distant future.

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In building a strong foundation for the Rutanian economy, financial sector reform is rapidly becoming the yardstick of success. For much of the past century, Rutania's financial services sector has been allowed to languish under outdated regulations and have operated within the sector without proper regulation/scrutiny amidst roll-backs by previous political administrations. This, coupled with the collapse in consumer savings, has contributed to the relatively unstable nature of commercial and investment banking within Rutania. Although the nation is expected to experience economic growth as a direct result of movement in the economies of Barrymore, North Glenshire, Ardern and Garraway, for Moorland the province's economic recovery is directly tied to long-term efforts in the financial services sector among others. Rutania's financial system—which is comprised of numerous commercial, private and investment banks—is becoming an extremely important determinant for the nation's economic development trajectory. Financial policy experts point to the importance of private investment and savings in supporting short, medium and long-term investments by the nation's entrepreneurs as they note that in many instances, a lack of funding acts as a clear disincentive to entrepreneurs and thus contributes to low growth. In its annual report on Financial Stability, the Central Bank of Rutania notes that although growth is occurring in many other sectors, the multiplier effect on the financial services sector could be dampened without proper regulation and strict adherence to financial conduct. To this extent, the Central Bank has noted that it intends on conducting stress testing for financial institutions within Rutania, noting that the relative "weakness" of the banks within their current environment creates a sense of unease among investors and financial analysts as to the sector's ability to withstand external shocks. Given the importance of a strong financial services sector to national growth, two new appointments have been made to address the situation. Lord Chancellor Elizabeth Baird appointed Secretary of State for Financial Services and Markets Abigail Thompson and Governor of the Central Bank of Rutania Dr Harrison MacLennan appointed Oscar Cook as Inspector of Financial Institutions. According to the Lord Chancellor, Secretary Thompson's appointment comes as a direct result of her experience in the financial services sector having worked as a Senior Compliance Officer within the Central Bank of Rutania.

Speaking to members of the media following her appointment, Secretary Thompson lamented that a holistic transformation of Rutania's financial services sector was evident. Pointing to numerous priority areas as it pertains to reform, she explained that the sector should expect numerous disruptions as the government changes the very foundation upon which the sector was built on. She pointed to the importance of an independent financial services regulator, noting that although the Central Bank had done yeoman services in terms of supervising the relative stability of the sector, there was a need for more detailed/meticulous focuses on the operations/activities of financial institutions. "Without a doubt, the Central Bank has done the nation well in continuously monitoring the sector from a macroscopic perspective (i.e) providing updates on the stability and outlook of the sector, however as we've seen in other territories the Central Bank is not equipped, be it legislatively or operationally, to provide the type of regulation we'd like to see in the sector. We need an independent financial regulator, on par with the Central Bank and the Securities Exchange Commission, in terms of its powers." To this extent, Secretary Thompson has stated that she intends on working closely with sector stakeholders in creating an independent financial services regulator for Rutania. As a subordinate of Lord Treasurer Dr Arran Singh, Secretary Thompson explained that fiscal policy reforms would also have to be considered. She explained that she intends on expanding on Dr Singh's existing work with fintech with the hopes of utilising technology to bridge the gap between the bank and the unbanked. During his most recent state of the economy update, Dr Singh stated that the informal economy remained an extremely important issue for the central government. Amidst the jumpstart of economic activity throughout the nation, transactions within the informal economy have been at an all-time high, with the Rutanian Revenue Authority estimating that the government is losing out on billions of dollars in potential tax revenue. "The Lord Treasurer has expressed his intention of addressing the issue that is the informal economy. Whilst I cannot speak to the jobs crisis within that sector, I can speak to how we can bring people back into the formal economy. E-commerce solutions allow for those in the formal economy to contribute to national growth via taxation from e-commerce transactions. Businesses within these sectors will soon be mandated to conduct their business via e-commerce/e-payment platforms. As it pertains to cleaning up the black market developing in the informal economy, I believe that harsher penalties are in order," Secretary Thompson posited.

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In the pursuit of greater economic cooperation with the Artanian continent, the Rutanian Parliament is set to approve the ratification of the Charter of the Artanian Union, which when passed would make the nation the second member of the reformed regional economic and political cooperation organisation. The event marks a historic turning point in Hutorian foreign policy history as traditionally the nation has avoided cooperation agreements between itself and other nations, especially those which seek to expand in terms of membership and scope. This isolationist position has surely been cast down with the arrival of the Rutanian Labour Party on the political scene as the party campaigned heavily on expanding the nation's cooperation with the wider Artanian continent. The reformed Charter of the Artanian Union had been the birth child of deep stakeholder consultations between numerous bodies in Dorvik and Rutania, with the rationale behind the rebirth of the organisation arising out of Rutania's economic resurgence. Recent history would serve to remind us that the Artanian continent has been a hotbed for political contention, primarily spurred out of the unique divide between the nations of the northern and southern portions of the continent. Similarly, history would note the controversy which usually arises out of regional integration organisations. Both the original AU and the ACON, although different in terms of structure and purpose, suffered from the same problem: retention. The original AU had failed to account for the proposed geopolitical fault-lines indigenous to the region and ACON had fallen into obscurity as the member states of that organisation fell in terms of economic and political standing, thus making the organisation's primary purpose (political and economic unity) extremely difficult to attain. In her maiden address to the House of Representatives, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Leah McCallum spoke to some of the driving forces behind Rutania's decision to aid in rebuilding the AU, with the principal reason being the potential effect regional economic cooperation could have on the individual economies of the continent, both for members and those existing outside of the organisation.

"There is tremendous economic potential arising out of economic cooperation and integration. In aiding to develop economies of scale, economic cooperation and integration enables nations to benefit from enhancing access to larger consumer markets, greater access to the factors of production and enables greater mobility among members." She argued that Rutania's role in the reformed AU was primarily predicated on the belief that greater mutual benefit would arise out of cooperation among the nations of the region, noting that the conviction of some have led to the conclusion that economic development and trade is not inherently tied to geography. She notes that although it can be argued that globalisation has enabled greater interconnectedness among nations, closing the gap between nations on other ends of terra, regionalism continues to trump global trade volumes as nations are more likely to trade with regional partners in the long-term, as the issues of balance of payments and foreign exchange leakage enter the conversation on globalisation's inter-regional trade problem. Speaking to the history of the organisation, the Secretary noted that there was still much to be reconciled. "Although we remain comfortable with the AU beginning out as a handful of nations, we'd hope that through our efforts to build capacity within the organisation we can see the regional benefit from the economies of scale we work to build today." She noted the fierce criticism of the organisation by Luthorian Foreign Secretary Charlie Thurland who described the revamped AU as a "tool of Dorvish interventionism", explaining that the Luthorian Government believed that Dorvik could potentially use the AU to advance its interests, separate and more sinister from the revamped organisation's "rosy" outlook. She explained that the contentious relationship between Luthori and Dorvik is one of the many flatlines that future Rutanian administrations would have to navigate should they want their dream of closer economic cooperation within the Artanian continent to become a reality.

Seeking to allay the fears of the Luthorian Government, particularly its fierce objection to the organisation as a whole due to Dorvik's position in the organisation, Secretary McCallum explained that although Dorvik was the only nation on the continent which could be considered an economy of scale, the concerns raised by Luthori could potentially aid in making the AU a more successful organisation. "I would urge the Luthorian Government to consider the benefits of the organisation. Issues arising out of history and the structure of the organisation can be addressed but all of this is predicated on an eagerness to at least view the revamped structure with an open mind. We believe that the Luthorian Government should at least leave some room within their collective consciousness to see the organisation's benefit manifest themselves." She offered to either mediate the situation between Luthori and Dorvik or propose a third party arbitrator to bring those sides to an agreement but noted that there had to be a commitment on all sides to see said negotiations through and to see the AU prosper as a reformed organisation. "Our optimism for the AU's future should not be viewed as us breathing life into the conviction of the Luthorian Government that the revamped AU is a Dorvish geopolitical tool, but it should be viewed as a commitment on our part to promote cooperation within the continent at all levels."