Challenges loom a week from DR Congo election
13/12/2023: Confidence in conduct of the elections in Democratic Republic of Congo is strained, as conflict rages in the east, logistical problems remain unresolved and fears over fraud linger. The sheer size of the DRC is a logistical nightmare. The European Union cancelled its election observation mission after it failed to receive permits to use satellite equipment.
Source: The East African
UN human rights declaration turns 75
10/12/2023: The UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. Germany's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has warned of the threat posed to the principles enshrined in that document. She opposed the position that "human rights were for fair-weather politics that are only important when there are no other problems."
Source: DW
Somalia secures $4.5bn debt relief from lenders
10/12/2023: The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have led the way to reducing Somalia's debt to $600 million from a high of $5.2 billion, under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. Over the past few weeks, Somalia has also been admitted to the East African Community and the UN has lifted its arms embargo.
Source: The East African
COP28 is a farce rigged to fail
9/12/2023: George Monbiot outlines alternative voting systems that could replace the consensus rule for UN conferences on climate and biodiversity. This permits minority special interests, led by fossil fuel countries, to block progress.
Source: The Guardian
Finance for adaptation is Africa’s call to action at COP28
4/12/2023: The chair of the African Group at COP28 highlights the shocking gap between the adaptation needs of vulnerable countries and the funding that has been made available so far. The UN’s Adaptation Gap report has estimated that adaptation needs are now 10-18 times as great as the flows of international public finance.
Source: African Arguments
Financing agro-ecology to cut emissions from food systems
5/12/2023: A policy brief from the Research Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience at Coventry University calls on governments to mobilise finance for the transition to climate-friendly food and farming. This will involve switching subsidies away from fossil-fuel intensive agri-food systems.
Source: Third World Network
Phase out of fossil fuels critical to right to water in MENA
8/12/2023: The climate crisis is severely exacerbating water scarcity in the Middle East and North Africa region. Governments at COP28 should act to urgently phase out fossil fuels and deliver climate finance, two measures that are critical to ensure people’s right to water.
Source: Amnesty International
COP 28 declaration on cycle of conflict and climate change
4/12/2023: Poor governance and conflict leave people more vulnerable to climate change, while climate impacts fuel further tensions. At COP 28 more than 70 countries and 40 humanitarian organizations have approved a declaration to tackle this vicious circle.
Source: Devex
UN view on progress and prospects for COP28
7/12/2023: COP28 is expected to close on 12 December. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happened so far and what’s ahead. Negotiators must focus on how to bolster emissions-cutting targets set by the Paris Agreement and what to do about the future of fossil fuels.
Source: UN News
Guterres invokes Article 99 for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
6/12/2023: Invoking a rarely used article of the UN Charter, Secretary-General António Guterres has summoned the Security Council to call for a full humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants. This is the first time Mr. Guterres has felt compelled to invoke Article 99 since taking office in 2017.
Source: UN News