Global endeavour to restore child immunization progress
24/4/2023: The pandemic saw essential immunization levels decrease in over 100 countries, leading to outbreaks of measles, diphtheria, polio and yellow fever. Global and national health partners have joined forces to boost vaccination among children.
Source: World Health Organization
Former UN chief advocates an International Tribunal for Ukraine
23/4/2023: Ban Ki-moon, the former UN secretary-general, believes that the best way to hold the top Russian leadership accountable is through the establishment of an international tribunal on aggression, based on international law. There can be no lasting peace without justice.
Source: PassBlue
Background to the crisis in Sudan
28/4/2023: A turbulent transition to civilian rule had been underway in Sudan since the ouster of former President Omar Hassan El-Bashir in April 2019. The UN has been supporting the incomplete process through the efforts of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan.
Source: UN News
Violence continues in Myanmar two years into military coup
24/4/2023: The Five-Point Consensus agreed between the junta and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in April 2021 has not been implemented. With its annual summit due next month, ASEAN continues to be criticised for its ineffective role.
Source: CNA
Military spending increases worldwide
24/4/2023: For 2022, researchers from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute have recorded a year-on-year jump of 3.7% in worldwide military expenditure. Inflation, Russia's war on Ukraine and US efforts to outpace China are major factors.
Source: DW
India has the world’s biggest population but no census
23/4/2023: India hasn’t conducted a proper census since 2011 and there is no sign of preparation for the scheduled update. The government hasn’t figured out the demographic makeup of its massive populace because it’s afraid of what the numbers might say.
Source: CNA
New mRNA vaccine hub launched in Cape Town
21/4/2023: The World Health Organization's new mRNA vaccine technology facility in Cape Town plans to offer equitable access to COVID-19, malaria and HIV/AIDs vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted major disparities in access to health care in different parts of the world.
Source: DW
EU takes major step for ‘deforestation-free’ trade
19/4/2023: The European Parliament has voted for the Deforestation-Free Products Regulation which requires companies importing commodities to trace their source back to the plot of land where they were produced. Deforestation is second only to fossil fuels as a global source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Human Rights Watch
Sudan conflict marks failure of transition plan
21/4/2023: The 2021 civilian-military power-sharing deal was supposed to kickstart a two-year transition to democracy in Sudan and the international community urged all sides to get behind it. Those local pro-democracy groups and political parties that doubted the sincerity of the two forces’ willingness to hand over power have been proved right.
Source: Inter Press Service
Recommendations for the G7 summit on nuclear weapons
10/4/2023: The current war in Ukraine has shown that nuclear deterrence is deeply flawed. It relies on the assumption of “rational actors” in power - which we know is far from reality. This year’s G7 summit presents an opportunity to seriously rethink our understanding of security and international peace.
Source: Inter Press Service