Ethiopia: Can war lead to peace?
An extensive war is currently raging in the Ethiopian Tigray province, with troops from the Ethiopian central government facing troops from the TPLF movement that previously ruled Ethiopia. If Prime Minister Abiy’s federal troops win the war, it could open the way for a more peaceful development in the region, writes Donald Boström. This is …
“Kill her when you see her.” Hind Al-Eryani tells her story
Hind Al-Eryani is a writer and journalist from Yemen. She received the Arab Woman of the Year Award in 2017 in the category of Achievement in Public Awareness and is a member of the Yemenite Women Pact for Peace and Security. She is a well-known peace negotiator, journalist and activist for LGBTQ rights. Because of her …
Landslide victory for CCM in Tanzania – but was it free and fair?
The incumbent President John Magufuli got 84,4 per cent of the valid votes. It is the largest share of the votes a Presidential candidate has got since the multi-party system was introduced in 1994 in Tanzania. The question is how legitimate the election results are, writes Jonas Ewald in this analysis. CCM – Africa’s oldest …
Global Podd #35: Lebanon under pressure
Hezbollah, corruption, devastation. Lebanon is under a lot of pressure – can it rise from the ashes of the explosion that devasted Beirut? Are the present peace talks with Israel just a diversion from the problem with the political elite? How will the next US president impact Lebanon’s future – and what does it take …
Global podd #31. Is International IDEA legitimising hate against Rohingyas?
Global Bar Magazine recently published an interview with Marcus Brand at International IDEA about the controversial election app that is financed by IDEA and the EU in Myanmar. As the article was published in Swedish, we are sharing the original version of the interview in a special episode of Global Podd. Interview with: Marcus Brand, …
China Reshapes the United Nations
Four out of fifteen specialized UN agencies are directed by Chinese nationals. At the same time as China’s influence is growing, the US is gradually withdrawing from the UN system. Is China seeking to metamorphose the United Nations (UN) into an organisation that better suits its hegemonic ambitions? The Diplomat draws attention to the fact …
The UN at 75: Breaking deadlocks in the Security Council
The Security Council is often stuck in its own deadlock, with permanent members putting in their veto. But there is a way forward. The Uniting for Peace mechanism states that in cases where the five permanent members fail to act, the General Assembly can issue appropriate recommendations to UN members for collective measures, including the use of armed forces. This …
The Syrian Crisis: Searching for Peace
The war in Syria has entered its tenth year and there is no solution in sight. Since fighting started in 2011, almost half of the country´s pre-war population has been displaced. The war has killed more than 500,000 people and displaced 11.7 million and whole cities have been destroyed. A political solution needs to include amendments of …
Sida to end cooperation with the UN agency IOM
In an email, similar to the one received by three Swedish organizations, Sida announced on the 7th of July that it intends to end the strategic humanitarian cooperation with the UN agency IOM, which works with migration issues. “Many of us working with humanitarian issues are in shock and do not understand anything”, say several …
Julia Cimafiejeva: My European Poem
”Sorry, it’s a long poem/Because it’s a long story/I spent more than two thirds of my life/Under the power of the man/ I’ve never voted for”, writes Belarus poet Julia Cimafiejeva in this poem, that we are honoured to publish just a few days prior to the presidential election in Belarus. This poem should be …
