Two months ago, an opinion piece I wrote, “The Cries of Gaza Reach Afghanistan,” was published with the hope of reminding American and other Western leaders of how quickly wars ON terror descend into wars OF terror because of their disproportionate impact on civilians and the unpredictability once unleashed. The United
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Myanmar’s military catastrophe: Three years and counting
The military must have expected an easier ride. Three years ago, it ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected government. But the coup has been met with fierce resistance, unleashing a bloody conflict with no end in sight. Civil society has scrambled to respond to humanitarian needs, defend human rights and seek a path
Is the reform of UN Security Council a good try in a lost cause?
The myriads of proposals for the reform of the much-maligned Security Council have been kicked around the United Nations for more than two decades—with no significant progress. Speaking at the General Assembly’s (GA) annual debate, GA President Dennis Francis told delegates last November that without structural reform, the Council’s performance and
Settling the Middle East vs West Asia debate
At a time of defensive wars of aggression, what constitutes ethical violence?
As the title suggests, Carlo Bordini’s Ethical Violence studies the ways different forms of violence – especially but not only, war – come to be accepted as morally legitimate. The book builds on the Italian sociologist and journalist’s prior work examining social forces and changes unfolding in modern times. For Bordoni, “ethical
How Asia can unlock $800b of climate financing
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region face a shortfall of at least $800 billion in climate financing. With public finances depleted by the pandemic, policymakers must unlock the vast potential of private capital to join the fight more effectively against global warming. Doing so will demand a coordinated and multi-faceted approach by
Onerous debt making poorest poorer
Contractionary economic trends since 2008 and ‘geopolitical’ conflicts subverting international cooperation have worsened world conditions, especially in the poorest countries, mainly in Africa, leaving their poor worse off. Conditions and prospects are so bad that two well-known globalisation cheerleaders have appealed to rich nations for urgent action. Former IMF Deputy Managing
3 years after military coup, is there any end in sight for a ravaged Myanmar?
Three years since a military coup ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected government on February 1, 2021, a brutal civil war has left the country devastated. In December, a United Nations report on Myanmar’s humanitarian needs said the country “stands at the precipice [of] a deepening humanitarian crisis”, with a third of the
Funding for UN Palestinian Relief Agency is threatened while probe continues
The consequences of the investigation into the 12 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) staffers allegedly linked to the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel have led to major donor countries pulling their support from the UN agency. However, the agency has
How to ease rising debt-service pressures in low-income nations
As 2024 starts, the good news is that there haven’t been any notable requests by a low-income country for comprehensive debt relief since Ghana’s, more than a year ago. Despite this, vulnerabilities remain, with high debt servicing costs a growing challenge for low-income countries. Financing pressures due to relatively high interest