Explore

Ethiopia Advances Refugee Inclusion Through Institutional Reform and Self-Reliance, Says Deputy PM

Ethiopia Advances Refugee Inclusion Through Institutional Reform and Self-Reliance, Says Deputy PM

Ethiopia is advancing a refugee response strategy that integrates the protection of rights and dignity with economic participation and access to development opportunities for over 1.1 million refugees hosted in the country. Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh stated that the country's responsibility extends beyond safeguarding refugee rights to strengthening their integration with host communities. He highlighted significant institutional reforms undertaken by the Refugees and Returnees Service, which go beyond improving physical working environments to strengthening institutional culture, enhancing service quality, and building lasting organizational capacity. The Deputy Prime Minister specifically mentioned the application of the 'Bounty of the Basket' initiative in livestock development, vegetable and fruit production, poultry farming, beekeeping, and plant cultivation, demonstrating that institutional reform should be assessed by productivity, livelihoods, and tangible results. He also identified th...

Yemen's Historical Coffee Monopoly and Shift to Qat Linked to Houthi Militancy and Ecological Crisis

Yemen's Historical Coffee Monopoly and Shift to Qat Linked to Houthi Militancy and Ecological Crisis

Yemen, historically renowned for its coffee trade from the port of Mocha, which once held a global monopoly on 'Arabica' beans, has seen its economic and ecological landscape dramatically altered. The decline of its coffee dominance, due to colonial powers smuggling seeds and the silting of its harbor, led Yemeni farmers to shift to cultivating qat, a mildly narcotic leaf. This transition has had severe ecological consequences, with qat now consuming over 40% of Yemen's renewable water resources, leading to groundwater depletion at twice the natural replenishment rate. This 'hydrological bankruptcy' is linked to the rise of Houthi militancy in the impoverished northern regions, particularly in Sa'ada, where conflicts between the Houthis and the central government were fueled by state failure and water scarcity. The Houthis have since leveraged their control over strategic locations, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait, to launch attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

Explainer-What are Iran's options to retaliate as open warfare resumes with the US?

Explainer-What are Iran's options to retaliate as open warfare resumes with the US?

LONDON, Sep 2 (Reuters) - The United States launched a new wave of attacks on Iran late on Tuesday six months into a deadlocked conflict, prompting Iranian missile fire at what it called U.S. assets in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq.

African Union's Relevance in Libya Diminishes Amidst Implementation Challenges, Institute for Security Studies Reports

African Union's Relevance in Libya Diminishes Amidst Implementation Challenges, Institute for Security Studies Reports

The African Union's (AU) influence in Libya is at risk of waning unless it can effectively coordinate the implementation of existing peace initiatives, according to an analysis by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Fifteen years after the 2011 uprising that led to the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya remains deeply fragmented, with rival power centers in the east and west hindering national reconciliation, institutional unification, and democratic transition. The ISS highlights that while the AU has played a distinctive role in reconciliation efforts, particularly through the 2025 National Reconciliation Charter, the core challenge in Libya is not a lack of peace efforts but a persistent failure to implement agreements. Numerous roadmaps and accords have been launched since 2011, but they consistently collapse or stall at the implementation stage. This issue is exacerbated by institutional and economic obstacles, as rival authorities benefit from maintaining parallel institutions, especially throug...

UN World Food Programme Halves Aid to West Bank Amid Severe Funding Shortages, Warns of Further Cuts in Gaza

UN World Food Programme Halves Aid to West Bank Amid Severe Funding Shortages, Warns of Further Cuts in Gaza

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a significant reduction in food assistance to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, halving the number of recipients from 400,000 to 200,000 people starting this month. This drastic cut is attributed to severe funding shortages. The WFP also issued a warning about potential further reductions in aid to Gaza, where it already decreased cash assistance by 40% for 375,000 people in July. The agency urgently requires an additional $386 million over the next six months to continue assisting an estimated 2 million food-insecure individuals across both Gaza and the West Bank. According to the WFP's latest food security analysis, 76% of households in the West Bank have experienced a substantial decline in income, with one-third unable to afford a nutritious diet. Increased violence, displacement, and economic deterioration have exacerbated food insecurity in the region, with food needs more than doubling since 2023. Shaun Hughes, WFP's country director, stated ...

Poland Reaffirms Long-Term Support for Ukraine Amidst Regional Security Concerns

Poland Reaffirms Long-Term Support for Ukraine Amidst Regional Security Concerns

Poland has officially confirmed its long-term commitment to supporting Ukraine, as outlined in its new foreign policy strategy for 2026–2030. The strategy emphasizes Poland's readiness to assist Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, which is identified as an aggressor state. Furthermore, the document calls for Europe to assume greater responsibility for security within its own neighborhood. The strategy also addresses the increasingly unpredictable and unstable global landscape, noting attempts by certain states to alter the international order and the growing appeal of authoritarian leadership in democratic countries. While focusing on future cooperation, the strategy acknowledges the difficult historical relationship between Poland and Ukraine, particularly concerning differing narratives surrounding events in Volyn. Kyiv announced in July its intention to declassify all relevant documents and conduct a joint investigation into these historical events. Poland views European integration as crucial ...

Denmark sends conscripts to Greenland as Arctic tensions grow

Denmark sends conscripts to Greenland as Arctic tensions grow

KANGERLUSSUAQ, Greenland, Sept 2 (Reuters) - For the first time in recent history, Danish conscripts have been deployed to Greenland, as Denmark moves to bolster its presence in the Arctic after U.S. demands to acquire the territory. U.S.

Turkey Advances New Black Sea Grain Corridor Plan Amidst Russian Blockade

Turkey Advances New Black Sea Grain Corridor Plan Amidst Russian Blockade

Turkey is actively pursuing a new diplomatic initiative to establish a Black Sea grain corridor for Ukrainian exports. This effort comes after Russia's withdrawal from the previous Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2023, which had facilitated the safe passage of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain despite ongoing conflict. The proposed new mechanism aims to ensure the secure transit of Ukrainian agricultural products through the Black Sea, effectively bypassing the current Russian blockade. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has confirmed these intentions, stating that Ankara is engaged in discussions with both Ukraine and Russia to finalize the agreement. The previous agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey in July 2022, was crucial for global food security, and its collapse led to renewed concerns about supply disruptions. Russia's withdrawal was attributed to alleged obstacles to its own food and fertilizer exports, which Moscow claimed were not adequately addressed under the prior arrangeme...

U.S. State Department to Resume Famine Reporting for Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen After Outcry

U.S. State Department to Resume Famine Reporting for Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen After Outcry

The U.S. State Department has announced it will resume public reporting on food crises in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen through the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) starting in September. This decision follows alarm from humanitarian organizations and former U.S. aid officials after these countries, along with Ethiopia and El Salvador, were omitted from recent FEWS NET reports, including the annual Peak Food Assistance Needs Outlook and the monthly Food Assistance Outlook. FEWS NET, originally created by the now-dismantled USAID and currently overseen by the State Department, is a critical data-monitoring system that forecasts food insecurity trends six to twelve months in advance by combining meteorological, agricultural, economic, and conflict data. The omission raised concerns about a potential information blackout, especially given that these nations are among those with the greatest food needs globally. The State Department initially stated that FEWS NET's focus aligns with the Secret...

CSIS Details Taiwan's Role in Counteracting Chinese Influence in the Caribbean Through Development Work

CSIS Details Taiwan's Role in Counteracting Chinese Influence in the Caribbean Through Development Work

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has published an analysis highlighting Taiwan's development work in the Caribbean as a strategy to counteract China's growing influence in the region. The commentary, authored by Juliana Rubio and Kaela Werchniak, focuses on the five remaining Caribbean countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan: Belize, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These nations are seen as crucial in balancing Beijing's expanding presence in maritime logistics, transport corridors, digital networks, and other critical infrastructure. The report emphasizes that supporting these countries' development is vital for their stability amidst climate shocks, migration pressures, and socio-economic challenges, particularly in resisting coercive influence from abroad. Enhanced international partnerships involving Taiwan and like-minded actors are presented as a means to offer alternatives to China for financing, technical ass...

Houthi Attacks Disrupt Red Sea Shipping, Impacting Global Coffee Trade and Yemen's Water Resources

Houthi Attacks Disrupt Red Sea Shipping, Impacting Global Coffee Trade and Yemen's Water Resources

Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have made the shipping route unsafe for vessels heading to the Suez Canal, forcing many ships traveling between Asia and Europe to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope. This detour adds an expensive 11,000km to journeys, impacting global trade, particularly the coffee industry. Historically, Yemen's port of Mocha was central to the global coffee trade, giving its name to the beverage. However, its dominance waned due to competition and the shift in Yemeni agriculture from coffee to qat, a mildly narcotic leaf. Qat cultivation now consumes over 40% of Yemen’s renewable water resources, leading to severe water scarcity, with the capital Sana’a facing the prospect of running out of water. This ecological crisis is linked to the rise of the Houthis, whose grievances are rooted in a landscape of dying wells and failing farms.

Horn of Africa Nations Advance Trade Facilitation Roadmap in Nairobi

Horn of Africa Nations Advance Trade Facilitation Roadmap in Nairobi

Horn of Africa Nations Advance Trade Facilitation Roadmap in Nairobi