Will new African Union mission in Somalia succeed?
1/4/2022: A transitional force has been given less than two years to hand over security responsibilities to Somalia's national army and withdraw from the troubled country. Analysts say progress on security cannot be achieved while the country is stuck in political deadlock. Elections are more than a year overdue.
Source: The East African
UN announces 2-month truce in Yemen
1/4/2022: The two sides in Yemen's ongoing conflict — the Saudi-backed government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels — will put down their weapons for two months, to coincide with Ramadan. The UN Special Envoy plans to intensify efforts to reach a permanent cease-fire, and address urgent economic and humanitarian measures.
Source: DW
Aboard trawlers fishing illegally in West Africa
31/3/2022: Authorities in West Africa seem unable or unwilling to tackle the mostly Chinese trawlers depleting stocks and undermining the local fishing industry. This undermines food security in a country like Ghana in which fish accounts for 60% of animal protein in diets.
Source: African Arguments
UN Refugee Agency calls for sustained funding for Rohingya refugees
29/3/2022: As global displacement continues to rise, the UN Refugee Agency and partners are emphasizing the need to ensure that the Rohingya situation does not become a forgotten crisis. The 2022 appeal for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis seeks more than US$881 million to support approximately 1.4 million people.
Source: UN Refugee Agency
Refugees deserve language of humanity, not crisis
29/3/2022: The current outpouring of support for Ukrainian refugees may be jeopardised by the many human rights groups, aid organisations, and media outlets that are using inappropriate crisis headlines. The language of fear leaves the door open to divisive politicians who scapegoat refugees.
Source: The New Humanitarian
DRC to become 7th member of East Africa trading bloc
23/3/2022: Ministers of the East African Community have recommended the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The bloc has been implementing protocols on a customs union and a common market in order to improve trade and investments in the region.
Source: The Conversation
The Ukraine crisis threatens a sustainable food future
1/4/2022: The decisions that farmers and policymakers make over the next few weeks and months will have long-term consequences for the future of the world’s food systems. The wrong decisions will worsen food insecurity and fuel climate change.
Source: World Resources Institute
Donor countries pledge over $2 billion for Afghanistan
31/3/2022: The UN says that funds will go directly to aid agencies and not through the Taliban. Donors voiced concerns after the Taliban banned girls from returning to secondary schools.
Source: DW
UN Security Council votes for new Somalia peacekeeping force
31/3/2022: The current African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) includes 20,000 soldiers, police and civilians, resisting Al-Shabaab insurgents who have been seeking to overthrow the fragile government for more than a decade. The new mission will work to enable Somali forces to take primary responsibility for security, before a scheduled withdrawal in 2024.
Source: The East African
Lessons from the last global food crisis
30/3/2022: In 2007-2008 the price of wheat went up 136% while the prices of rice doubled, leading to global social and political unrest. As the Ukraine war threatens similar price instability, policymakers should avoid export bans, sustain social safety nets and improve real-time data about food supplies.
Source: Devex