Viewpoint by Izumi Nakamitsu The following are extensive excerpts from remarks by Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), at the International Conference on ‘Capturing Technology. Rethinking Arms Control’ in Berlin on 15 March 2019. BERLIN (IDN-INPS) – Many of us feel a growing sense of unease about the challenges rapid […]
Overdue Ban on a Faction of the Nepalese Communist Party
By Ajit Kumar Singh This article is the fifth in a series of joint productions of South Asian Outlook and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate. The writer is Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management. NEW DELHI (IDN) – The Nepal Cabinet during a meeting on March 12, 2019, decided to ban the Netra […]
UN Chief Emboldens the ‘Fridays for Future’ Climate Movement
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – “My generation has failed to respond properly to the dramatic challenge of climate change. This is deeply felt by young people. No wonder they are angry,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres in an opinion piece for The Guardian, in the wake of unprecedented March 15 demonstrations by schoolchildren […]
Reflections on Evolving International Security Landscape
Viewpoint by A.L.A. Azeez The writer is Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva. GENEVA (IDN) – The security landscape in most regions, as well as globally in general, is becoming increasingly constrained by the day. It is, therefore, timely to reflect on some trends and developments in the international […]
Upsurge in Middle East Arms Imports Amid Upswing in Global Weapons Trade
By Jaya Ramachandran BERLIN | STOCKHOLM (IDN) – Global arms trade is on the upswing with the United States increasing dominance in the group of five largest exporters including Russia, France, Germany and China, which together account for 75 per cent of the total volume of weapons exports in 2014-2018. While the Middle East imports […]
Mexico: A Growing Global Crisis of Confidence
By Bill Dahl* At least one child dies from a residential home fire every day. Another three hundred are injured as a result of fire. However, before the fire breaks out, there’s something smoldering before it bursts into flames. The same is true with the economic sectors of nations. In this article, we examine two […]
Strategic Realities Impeding Nuclear Disarmament
Viewpoint by Sergio Duarte The writer is President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, and a former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. He was president of the 2005 Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference. NEW YORK (IDN) – The advent of weapons of mass destruction, in particular the nuclear weapon, was the most dramatic […]
New Study Shows Ups and Downs in Gender Equality
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) – This year’s International Women’s Day on March 8 has been celebrated on an unprecedented scale by the United Nations and other inter-governmental organizations around the world. And, a new analysis shows improvements in gender equality. But there is a rather long way to go until gender parity has […]
New ACP-EU Culture Programme Launched at Pan-African Fest
By ACP Press BRUSSELS (ACP-IDN) – Assistant-Secretary-General of the ACP Group, Léonard-Emile Ognimba, together with the Director General for Development and International Cooperation of the European Commission, Stefano Manservisi, officially launched the new ACP-EU Culture Programme on the occasion of the 26th edition of The Ouagadougou Pan-African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO), on February 24, […]
Getting the Priorities on Human Rights Right in Syria
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – The long war is almost over in Syria. Tyranny has won. Violence has won. Most have suffered, many unspeakably. For too long all sides were stalemated by each other’s brutality. Now the government of Bashar Al-Assad has come out on top, aided by Russia and Iran What […]