February 1st, 2217 - The Zokesian President, HM Maximilian I Vikus-Ward, has declared war on poverty within the Confederacy. In a speech on the steps of the Volkshalle in Ezekialgrad, HM Maximilian I declared "The people of these good nations shall no longer live in squalor. When unprecidented wealth, growth, and security exists, no woman, child, or man should go hungry in these borders. I have therefore declared war on poverty, and will eradicate the social disease that plagues us."
His speech aligns with a declaration of economic friendship with Hearthia and Sarconia, paving the way for his new alternate economic sphere not aligned with either the UIF or Basil. The so-called "New Economic Axis" has expanded from simply the central sea economic powerhouses of the IU and Fegeland to more broad alliances, but remains firmly centered on trade in the Central Sea.
