The first famines of the coronavirus era could soon hit four chronically food-deprived conflict areas — Yemen, South Sudan, northeast Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo — the top humanitarian official of the United Nations has warned.
Narrow self-interest makes it unlikely that the global north will commit the resources and know-how necessary to combat the global pandemic — which would also eliminate one of the factors contributing to civil conflict, writes Elizabeth Schmidt for Foreign Policy in Focus.
What if more of the arms and defense sector moved into manufacturing health and other products permanently? Surely this is the time for a focus on what peace and security really mean for us all, writes Martin Butcher for Oxfam International.
"These numbers should serve as a wake-up call to the international community on the human cost of war, and the social and economic implications exacerbated by Covid-19." By Jessica Corbett for Common Dreams.
With a “UN 911” first responder for complex emergencies, the UN would finally have a rapid, reliable capacity to help save millions of lives and trillions of dollars, writes H. Peter Langille for Foreign Policy in Focus.
