The United Nations Environmental Assembly has opened a consultation period on the governance of mineral resources in June 2020. This consultation is an opportunity to develop an international treaty requiring all countries to better manage mineral resources in a way that respects human rights and the environment. The development of telecommunications, technology, transport, industry and…

The near unanimous condemnation of the mutiny in Mali followed by the forced resignation of president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta questions the consensus around unconstitutional changes of government in Africa. In a rare alignment, various international peace and security actors condemned Mali’s 18 August coup d’état. They also called for a return to constitutional order, despite…

2020 is an optimal year for Mars missions, given the close distance between Earth and Mars. This opportunity occurs every 26 months, enabling us to send probes to the Red Planet with less time and less fuel. Consequently, there were three Mars missions planned for mid-July through August: the U.S. Perseverance Mars rover mission, the…

An entire generation of children globally have had their education disrupted due to the pandemic. Children who have been forced to flee their homes are at most risk. Ten reasons why we should support displaced children’s right to education: 1 – This emergency comes on top of an existing learning crisis. Even before the Covid-19…

The binding agreement of the Paris Conference (COP 21) on climate change established the objective of reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This reduction of CO2 is considered essential to significantly reduce the risks produced by climate change, as well as the rising sea level. The Agreement established a global action plan to limit the…

A former army general with reformist credentials was sworn in as president of Burundi last June following the sudden death of Pierre Nkurunziza, whose extended and authoritarian rule set off a political crisis that caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighbouring countries. But the appointment of a new government that includes ruling…

Anti-racism protests and the removal of colonial-era statues are signs of dealing with historical injustices. Africa must decide whether to retain names of colonial times or scrap them. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon. Armstrong would later utter the now famous quote: “That’s one small step…

Africa is suffering a double whammy after many years of success. The Coronavirus, while not taking down great numbers of people like in Europe, Asia and the Americas, has had a severe impact by curbing its exports in the face of the formers’ severe economic depression. For example, flowers grown in Kenya and Ethiopia have…

The economic system imposed by globalization has progressively ignored the real concerns and needs of citizens. In the European Union, the governments of member states have been adopting labour rights cuts, the privatisation of health care system, salary cuts and promoting private pension schemes into their economic policies following the advice of the market economy.…

Later this year, Myanmar is scheduled to hold its third general election in six decades in a landmark development for the country’s democratic transition. While details remain unclear amid the global coronavirus pandemic, as of now the Southeast Asian state is set to hold its expected polls as the ruling party faces manifold challenges that…

The Turkish President sides with NATO but flirts with Moscow and uses Syrian refugees and the spectre of Jihadism to blackmail Brussels. Libya, too, is going it alone. Diplomatic relations between the European Union and Turkey are still sailing in troubles waters. One of the main points of disagreement concerns the refugees sojourning on Turkish…

Migration from Africa to Europe is increasingly being framed as a security threat to states and societies. The result is tighter border controls and visa policies. These efforts have led to fewer African migrants reaching Europe, but have also had several unintended negative consequences. European Union (EU) policies to deter Europe-bound African migration include the…