#crisis group

[minnesotafollower]

Should the U.S. Modify Its Stance Against the Taliban in Afghanistan?

As discussed in a prior post, on August 22, 2023, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, it had committed at least 800 human rights violations against Afghans who had assisted the U.S. In addition, that U.N. agency also noted that the Taliban had imposed the most radical gender policies, denying education and…

View On WordPress

[rightsinexile]

Ten conflicts to watch in 2020

The following piece was written by Robert Malley, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group (ICG), an independent organisation working to prevent wars and shape policies that will build a more peaceful world. The piece was originally published by ICG on 27 December 2019 and will be of interest to our readership as conflicts create refugees.

Local conflicts serve as mirrors for global trends. The ways they ignite, unfold, persist, and are resolved reflect shifts in great powers’ relations, the intensity of their competition, and the breadth of regional actors’ ambitions. They highlight issues with which the international system is obsessed and those toward which it is indifferent. Today these wars tell the story of a global system caught in the early swell of sweeping change, of regional leaders both emboldened and frightened by the opportunities such a transition presents. Read more here.

[crisisgroup]

Dans cette interview avec Infos Grands Lacs, Thierry Vircoulon, directeur du projet Afrique centrale, commente la situation au Burundi, analysant les enjeux de la crise et le rôle des Etats de la Communauté d’Afrique de l’Est (EAC) suite au sommet de Dar Es Salaam dimanche dernier.

Source: infosgrandslacs.info/productions/in…test-pour-leac

[crisisgroup]

On Palestine joining the International Criminal Court

The political and legal dimensions of Palestine's call on the International Criminal Court to hold Israel accountable for war crimes are examined by Middle East and North Africa Deputy Program Director Robert Blecher in this interview with Voice of the Cape radio. 

 FULL INTERVIEW (via Crisis Group’s Soundcloud Channel)

[crisisgroup]

Ebola crisis in West Africa: Australian military should be involved, International Crisis Group chief says | Chris Uhlmann

The man tasked with overseeing crises around the world says Australia's military should be involved in tackling the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

Jean-Marie Guehenno, a former French diplomat, took on the role of president of the International Crisis Group in August this year.

Currently he is dealing with the crises in Syria and Iraq and the rise of Islamic State, as well as the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa which has killed more than 4,500 people so far.

The Federal Government has donated $18 million to help tackle Ebola but Mr Guehenno says Australia could do more.

"I would say that a contribution - military contribution - can help because there are things, you know, military hospital, that kind of thing, that can help a lot," he said.

"Money is important and Australia, I mean the contribution of Australia I'm sure is much appreciated, but having people on the ground who can make a difference when local structures are collapsing, that can make a big difference."

"Ebola is striking countries that already have very weak government structures and so the health system in many West African countries is just not able to cope," he said.

"The people in those countries will see that failure as another sign that the Government is not doing what they expect of it and so it can really create conflict within countries.

"It can also raise tensions between countries because if borders are closed there will be an impact on the movement of goods, on movement of the food, and that could also create riots and violence.

"So with a very fragile state of political institutions there, I'm quite worried about the political impacts."

FULL ARTICLE (Australia Broadcasting Corporation)

Photo: CDC Global/flickr

[crisisgroup]

Crisis Group thanks outgoing President & CEO Louise Arbour

Brussels  |   30 Jun 2014

The International Crisis Group wishes to thank Louise Arbour for her five years of service as President & CEO. A long-time supporter of Crisis Group, Louise served on the Board of Trustees before taking up her post at the helm of the organisation in 2009. As she concludes her tenure today, the Board of Trustees and the staff send to her all best wishes upon returning to life in her native Canada.

In recognition of Louise’s remarkable career and, in particular, her impact on the field of conflict prevention and resolution, Crisis Group recently launched The Louise Arbour Fund for Emerging Conflicts. This fund will serve to ensure the organisation is equipped to respond swiftly to new and deadly conflicts and will stand in tribute to Louise’s legacy.  

Former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, recently said of Louise that her “energy, dedication, and intellectual and moral integrity are inspiring for all of us”. Crisis Group would like to echo that sentiment and end by saying thank you to Louise for her tireless work on behalf of the organisation these past five years.

Crisis Group will soon be making an announcement regarding the appointment of the next president.

[crisisgroup]

Mali: Reform or Relapse

Dakar/Brussels | 10 Jan. 2014

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta’s current legitimacy and a strong international presence gives Mali a unique opportunity to engage in serious reforms and inclusive dialogue. However, the window for change is narrow and dangerous political habits are resurfacing.

In its latest report, Mali: Reform or Relapse, the International Crisis Group examines the situation in Mali a year after the beginning of the French intervention. Following France’s “Opération Serval” and the election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, territorial integrity and constitutional order are now restored.

However, the north remains a hotbed of persistent intercommunal tensions and localised violence that could jeopardise efforts made so far to stabilise the country. It is time for the government to act beyond wishful thinking, avoid repeating past, unfulfilled promises of change, implement meaningful governance reforms and launch a truly inclusive dialogue on the future of Mali.

The report’s major findings and recommendations are:

The focus on the north should not overshadow the need to lay better foundations for the state as a whole. It is important not to miss the unique opportunity of implementing an ambitious reform on governance and economic development, supported by a well-coordinated international response.

While the June 2013 preliminary Ouagadougou agreement process is stalled, the government is rekindling clientelist links with Tuareg and Arab leaders. This policy is likely to bring short-term stability at the expense of long-term cohesion and inclusiveness, vital for peace and development in the troubled north.

All parties must respect the provisions of the Ouagadougou agreement. The government must show more flexibility and understand that the process of national conferences is not an alternative to truly inclusive talks with all communities, including the armed groups. The latter must accept disarmament and the full return of the Malian administration in Kidal, as well as clarify their political claims.

The UN Security Council and troop-contributing countries should increase without delay the human and logistic resources, especially airborne capacity, of the UN Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The mission should strengthen its presence and activities to support restoration of state authority in the north fully to fulfil its responsibility to protect civilians, while preserving the neutrality necessary to facilitate negotiations .

“Expectations for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta run very high”, says Jean-Hervé Jezequel, West Africa Senior Analyst. “It is time for his government to act rather than simply engage in wishful thinking. An easy mistake would be to maintain, in the short term, the current clientelist system that brought former regimes to a standstill”.

“The country’s new leadership and international partners agree that meaningful reforms are required to break with the past”, says Rinaldo Depagne, West Africa Project Director. “Many believe, however, that these reforms are too early, too soon for a state still reeling from the crisis. But it is important not to miss the opportunity of implementing an ambitious reform on governance; at the very least, bad habits of the past should not resurface”.

READ THE FULL REPORT

[inkivu]