Friday, January 31

Diplomacy

The GER covers diplomacy, international organizations, and meetings. Looking beyond our individual political systems we find people and organizations working to make life better for people in both conflict-ridden places as well as secure, developed countries. It is not enough to focus on the end results of international relations. It’s worth focusing on the day-to-day work of diplomacy. Often, that’s where breakthroughs occur.

The Hidden Heroes of the Afghan Refugee Crisis
25Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Human rights, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

The Hidden Heroes of the Afghan Refugee Crisis

August 25, 2021--As observers around the world watch in horror the collapse of human rights in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, humanitarians are stepping up to the plate to assist vulnerable members of Afghan society. Governments Relocating Refugees In a press briefing this week, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price discussed successful relocations from Afghanistan. He credited a number of contributions by countries in the relocation efforts. Specifically, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Bahrain, and Germany. These governments have assisted in the transit of at-risk Afghans, US citizens, and other Afghan evacuees. Alongside those efforts, Germany, Spain, and Italy have deployed armed troops to Afghanistan to assist in the evacuation. These forces are...
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In Emergency Meeting, G7 Makes Coordinated Plan on Afghanistan
24Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Geopolitics, Human rights, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos

In Emergency Meeting, G7 Makes Coordinated Plan on Afghanistan

European Council Urges U.S. Military to Keep Kabul Airport Open 'As Long As Necessary' to Complete Evacuations August 24, 2021--In an emergency meeting on Afghanistan held virtually today along with heads of NATO and the United Nations, leaders in the G7 industrialized countries promised a series of steps to stay active in dealing with a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the fallout of the ensuing humanitarian crisis. The G7 includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany and Japan. Facing the largest humanitarian crisis of the year due to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the G7 leaders met to coordinate a diplomatic strategy. Namely, the G7 leaders promised to take the following actions: Coordinate the immediate international humanitar...
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Haitian Gangs Disrupted Lives Before the Quake; Now They’re Disrupting Relief Efforts
23Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Foreign Aid, International Development

Haitian Gangs Disrupted Lives Before the Quake; Now They’re Disrupting Relief Efforts

August 23, 2021--Even before the 7.2 magnitude earthquake shook Haiti and dislocated tens of thousands of people from their homes, thousands of others fled the safety of their homes imperiled by violent clashes between gangs. In fact, the small country experienced an "unprecedented rise" in gang violence this Summer. In June alone gang violence uprooted 5,000 people from their homes. "Widespread incidents of gang violence and the burning of hundreds of houses in the metropolitan area has led to numerous victims, deaths, and injuries," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported in June. Gangs Disrupting Aid Distribution Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Its population is heavily reliant on humanitarian aid, with about 40 percent of it...
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China’s Belt And Road Projects Involved With 679 Human Rights Violations, Researchers Say
12Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Foreign Aid, International Development, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Human rights, Types of News: Brief

China’s Belt And Road Projects Involved With 679 Human Rights Violations, Researchers Say

Report Takes A Critical Look At China's Development Projects Abroad And Calls for Greater Transparency August 12, 2021-A report released yesterday links China's Belt and Road Initiative with 679 allegations of human rights abuse between 2013 and 2020. "China’s aspiration to become a ‘responsible great power’ is set to be undermined by high rates of human rights abuse linked to its overseas business operations," according to the report publisher, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Worst-Case Scenarios in Places With Weak Governments Counties with the highest number of abuse allegations include Myanmar, Peru, Ecuador, Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia. The authors discovered that the highest rates of alleged abuse were prevalent in countries with weaker governance....
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US, Canada And UK Mark One-Year Anniversary Of Belarus Election With More Sanctions
10Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

US, Canada And UK Mark One-Year Anniversary Of Belarus Election With More Sanctions

Lukashenko Defiant In Face Of Sanctions On One-Year Anniversary Of Disputed Election August 10, 2021 --A year after Belarus's contested presidential election, several Western governments added more names to their sanctions program against Belarusian officials and entities. The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom launched a coordinated action on Monday to demonstrate resolve against the government of Belarus President Lukashenko. "The Lukashenko regime continues to crush democracy and violate human rights in Belarus," said UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. "These sanctions demonstrate that the UK will not accept Lukashenko’s actions since the fraudulent election. The products of Lukashenko’s state-owned industries will not be sold in the UK, and our aerospace companies will...
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Earth To Warm By 1.5 Degree Celsius By 2040, UN Report Warns
9Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos, UN Security Council

Earth To Warm By 1.5 Degree Celsius By 2040, UN Report Warns

Consensus Now Says Human Influence on Climate Warming Is 'Established Fact' August 9, 2021--In a massive 3949-page report, a United Nations working group warns that the climate is warming and humans influence is a cause. The report covers every area of the world. It discusses both the cause and effect. Most notably, it warns that even under the best-case scenario, scientists predict the Earth will warm by 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040. "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land," the report said."Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred." It is the sixth of eight reports by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report comes in advance of the UN Climate Change Conference i...
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Troika To Meet Again In Effort To Get Afghan Peace Talks Moving
9Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Diplomacy, Types of News: Brief

Troika To Meet Again In Effort To Get Afghan Peace Talks Moving

The photo is of a past Trioka meeting. August 9, 2021--Representatives from the United States, Russia, China, and Pakistan are meeting this week in an effort to breathe life into intra-Afghan peace talks. The members say there's "no military solution" to the conflict in Afghanistan. Even so, the Taliban continued to make military advances over the weekend. The Troika is scheduled for Wednesday in Doha, Qatar. This comes after a special representative briefed the UN Security Council on Friday about the mounting violence and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. What is the Troika The August 11th meeting will be the third Extended Troika gathering of the four countries this year. Similarly, the representatives of the Troika also met on March 18th and April 30 of this year. R...
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EU Sanctions Eight More Individuals Over Nicaraguan Political Situation
6Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

EU Sanctions Eight More Individuals Over Nicaraguan Political Situation

August 6, 2021—In reaction to more political arrests in Nicaragua, the European Union sanctioned an additional eight individuals. As the GER previously reported, the Nicaraguan government has been arresting political opponents and people who have criticized the government ahead of elections scheduled for November. The EU references the continued deterioration of Nicaragua's political situation, "The political use of the judicial system, the exclusion of candidates from the elections and the arbitrary delisting of opposition parties are contrary to basic democratic principles and constitutes a serious violation to the rights of the Nicaraguan people." More Arrests Last week, the Nicaraguan police arrested José Antonio Peraza, a political science professor and the leader of the...
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UN Security Council Looks At Syrian Chemical Weapons
6Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

UN Security Council Looks At Syrian Chemical Weapons

August 6, 2021--Since Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has worked to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons program. On Wednesday, UN Security Council members met to discuss that work. 'Gaps, Inconsistencies And Discrepancies' Thomas Markram, deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, addressed the council with an update. First, the COVID-19 pandemic has faced greater difficulty advancing progress. Second, the Syrian government has yet to fully disclose and destroy its chemical weapons program. "As a result of the identified gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies that remained unresolved," Markram said he could not consider Syria's declaration to be "considered accurate and complete i...
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Ice Cream Maker Under Fire For Stopping Sales In The Occupied Palestinian Territory
6Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Human rights, Middle East, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Ice Cream Maker Under Fire For Stopping Sales In The Occupied Palestinian Territory

EDITORIAL: Backlash Against Ben & Jerry's Draws Attention to Israel's Use of Settlers to Drive Palestinians Out August 6, 2021—A company that takes pride in its logo, "Peace, love and ice cream," finds itself in the hot seat this Summer as the government of Israel, politicians in the U.S. states of Florida, and activists in nonprofit organizations and on social media launch campaigns against it. On July 19, Ben & Jerry's announced that it would no longer sell ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian West Bank. "We believe it is inconsistent with our values for our product to be present within an internationally recognized illegal occupation," the company founders Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen wrote. Ever since that decision, the company and its parent company Unilever have b...
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