ICC: Afghanistan inquiry can resume
31/10/2022: The International Criminal Court has announced that the investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan can resume. The judges considered that Afghanistan is not presently carrying out genuine investigations that would justify any further deferral.
Source: Human Rights Watch
UN chief concerned at stalled Black Sea Grain Initiative
30/10/2022: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed deep concern at Russia's suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The deal was demonstrably successful in bringing down prices, preventing some 100 million people from falling into extreme poverty.
Source: UN News
G20 still paying billions in fossil fuel subsidies
27/10/2022: The G20 group of nations provided nearly $200 billion in support of fossil fuels in 2021, despite the worsening impacts of the climate crisis and their pledge in 2009 to phase out “inefficient” subsidies. The countries with the highest total subsidies for fossil fuels were China, Indonesia and the UK.
Source: China Dialogue
ASEAN ministers hold emergency Myanmar meeting
26/10/2022: As military atrocities continue in Myanmar, an estimated 70,000 refugees are seeking asylum throughout the region. Southeast Asian leaders should respond to evidence that their own governments are forcing refugees to return to Myanmar where their safety is at risk.
Source: Human Rights Watch
Global Rule of Law recession enters 5th year
26/10/2022: For the fifth year in a row, the rule of law has declined globally, according to the 2022 Rule of Law Index. Respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms is down in three-quarters of countries since 2015.
Source: World Justice Project
Will Africa’s metals boom suffer the same curse as oil?
25/10/2022: African soil is rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel and lithium - crucial ingredients in clean energy technology. But the exploitation of resources in Africa has a long history of unequal distribution of wealth, corruption, environmental damage and rights violations.
Source: The East African
Access to safe drinking water requires increased investment
24/10/2022: The State of the World’s Drinking Water report notes that over 2 billion people have gained access to safe drinking water in the past two decades. However, one-quarter of the world’s population has been left behind and governments must dramatically increase political commitment and quadruple investment in drinking water.
Source: World Health Organization
Forest Declaration Assessment: are we on track for 2030?
24/10/2022: To be on course to halt deforestation completely by 2030, a 10 percent annual reduction is needed. In 2021, loss of irreplaceable primary tropical forest decreased by only 3.1 percent.
Source: Forest Declaration Assessment
Global leaders commit $2.6 billion to end polio
18/10/2022: Global leaders have confirmed $2.6 billion in funding toward the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s 2022-2026 Strategy. There is concern about recent detections of polio in previously polio-free countries.
Source: World Health Organization
Famine should not exist in 2022
17/10/2022: The past four rainy seasons in Somalia have failed to materialise. The UN predicts more than 300,000 people will be in famine by December, despite global commitments to never let the 2011 famine happen again.
Source: The Conversation