Armed Conflicts

‘Nuclear Weapons Are Not Just Tools of War. They Are Weapons of Mass Suffering.’

By Naureen Hossain
"We choose hope because despair is a form of surrender that we cannot accept,” UN Ambassador to the Philippines, Enrique Manolo, told civil society representatives and the diplomatic community, considering the question of whether to pursue nuclear disarmament in a world that is becoming more polarized on the issue.

The War in Iran Isn’t Just Raising Food Prices — It’s Revealing Who Really Sets Them

By Mihaela Siritanu
As the United States and Israel’s 2026 attack on Iran remains on pause, most eyes have fixed on oil. Tankers reroute around the Strait of Hormuz, oil benchmarks climb, and insurance costs spike. But while the headlines focus on energy, warning signs are already flashing from the food commodities markets.

Rivalry Within Limits

By Sebastian Sons
While the world watches the Strait of Hormuz and the discord in negotiations between Iran and the United States, the role of the Gulf states is fading into the background. Iran’s attacks on the Arab Gulf states have triggered a threefold shock.

Addressing the Mental Health of Ukrainian Children living on Frontlines of War

By Ed Holt
“What’s important is to make sure that you can immerse yourself in an environment that is positive for your mental health and wellbeing,” says Olena*.

American-Israeli War on Iran Risks Fuelling the very Nuclear Proliferation it Claims to Prevent

By HMGS Palihakkara
As delegates from 191 countries, including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, gathered Monday at UN headquarters for a month of diplomacy at the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the stakes could hardly be higher.

US Military Strategy Document Misleads. Deliberately?

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Nurina Malek
The January 2026 US National Defense Strategy (NDS) departs significantly from those preceding it, including from Trump’s first term. Is it deliberately misleading? Or is actual policy, including war, being driven by other considerations?

Indonesia’s Genocide Case Shines the Spotlight on Myanmar Atrocities

By Andrew Firmin
Yasmin Ullah, from Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya minority, is determined to see justice. On 13 April, she filed a complaint alleging genocide against Myanmar’s president, Min Aung Hlaing, to Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office. Min Aung Hlaing led the 2021 coup that ousted a democratically elected government and this month was named president following a sham election held amid intense repression, rubber stamping the army’s continuing grip on power. However secure he appears in his position, Yasmin Ullah’s legal action offers hope his impunity may not be guaranteed.

African Institutions in Plan to Stabilise Food, Fuel and Fertiliser Amid Mideast War

By Busani Bafana
Fearing the Middle East war could drive millions into hunger and cripple economies, Africa’s leading institutions are drafting a strategy to mobilise domestic and "innovative" finance and harness national competitiveness to stabilise food, fuel, and fertiliser supplies.

Feminist Governance and Democratic Change in Armenia

By Sania Farooqui
The period after Armenia's 2018 "Velvet Revolution" maintains a fragile status which presents both substantial democratic and feminist achievements and rising internal and external international pressures.

The Impact of the Middle East Crisis on Women and Girls

By UN Population Fund
Six weeks into the 2026 Middle East military escalation, UNFPA Arab States Regional Office warns that its impact on 161 million women and girls living in conflict-affected areas across the region remain largely invisible in conflict analysis, humanitarian response, and funding priorities.

Trump’s Apocalyptic Rhetoric Echoes Nuclear Annihilation

By Alon Ben-Meir
It is hard to exaggerate the dire implications of Trump’s April 7 post on Truth Social, stating that a civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if no deal is reached with Iran. Such a damning statement implies that he would use ‘weapons of mass destruction,’ i.e., nuclear, to execute his threat.

The Middle East War Triggers a Move to Boost North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal

By Thalif Deen
The ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East—involving the US, Israel, Palestine, Iran and Lebanon—have indirectly bolstered North Korea’s plans to expand its nuclear arsenal.

Russia’s African Cannon Fodder

By Andrew Firmin
On 7 April, the government of Cameroon published a list of 16 of its citizens confirmed killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine. That means the number of Cameroon citizens killed in this distant war has likely surpassed a hundred, making the country the biggest victim of a Russian recruitment drive increasingly focused on Africa.

Using Better Data to Break the Cycle of Permanent Crisis

By Mukul Bhola and Devanand Ramiah
We are stuck in response mode. But what good is an ambulance without a hospital? Climate shocks are intensifying. Conflict is at record levels. Economies are fragile. Humanitarian appeals grow larger each year, while donor countries prioritise domestic and security concerns. One emergency follows another. Recovery slips further out of reach.

Aid Groups Appeal for Lasting Ceasefire to Address Lebanon’s Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis

By Ed Holt
Aid groups have welcomed a ten-day ceasefire agreed between Israel and Lebanon but warn only a permanent halt to fighting can allow for the kind of response needed to address the dire humanitarian situation in the country.

Gaza Crisis Deepens as Aid Restrictions and Ongoing Strikes Strain Humanitarian Operations

By Oritro Karim
Roughly six months after the ceasefire in the Occupied Palestinian Territory went into effect, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains precariously fragile, despite a relative decline in hostilities. The crisis, marked by ongoing Israeli airstrikes and shelling, continued blockades on humanitarian aid, and widespread displacement, has pushed the majority of Palestinians in Gaza to the brink. Amid the vast scale of needs, basic services are increasingly strained, and humanitarian experts warn that the situation could deteriorate further in the coming months unless sustained aid and funding are secured.

Global Shocks Push Geoeconomics to the Center Stage at Foreign Policy Forum

By Umar Manzoor Shah
As war in the Middle East ripples through global markets, policymakers, economists, and industry leaders gathered in Washington this week to agree that economics is no longer separate from geopolitics. It is now its core instrument.

Shipping Industry Seeks Certainty as Experts Back Strong Net-Zero Framework

By Kizito Makoye
As global shipping braces for another round of high-stakes negotiations, a volatile mix of rising fuel costs, geopolitical tensions and deep political divisions is testing the fragile consensus around a proposed Net-Zero Framework (NZF) aimed at decarbonising one of the world’s most polluting industries.

Wars Impose Lasting Economic Costs, While More Defense Spending Means Hard Choices

By Hippolyte Balima, Andresa Lagerborg and Evgenia Weaver
War is again defining the global landscape. After decades of relative calm following the Cold War, the number of active conflicts has surged in recent years to levels not seen since the end of the Second World War.

The Five Enablers of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By Alon Ben-Meir
Every powerful actor in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict professes to seek peace. The US and EU repeat the two-state mantra, the Arab states invoke Palestinian rights, AIPAC proclaims its defense of Israel’s security, and Israeli opposition parties promise “responsible” leadership and stability.

Why the Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Need Work, Not Just Rations

By Mohammed Zonaid
While global attention right now is on escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, another crisis continues quietly in Bangladesh.
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