Armed Conflicts

Weaponizing Food Worsens Starvation

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Nadia Malyanah Azman
Wars, economic shocks, planetary heating and aid cuts have worsened food crises in recent years, with almost 300 million people now threatened by starvation.

The Risk of Famine Looms Throughout Multiple Sudanese Counties

By Oritro Karim
Over the course of 2025, the food security situation in Sudan has taken a considerable turn for the worst. Compounded by the Sudanese Civil War, millions of civilians face alarming levels of food insecurity and are at risk of experiencing famine. Humanitarian experts have described the situation in Sudan as being the worst hunger crisis in the world today.

Private Sector Key to Unlocking the Future of Development

By John W.H. Denton AO, José Viñals and Shinta Kamdani
Geopolitical tensions – from deepening rivalries between major powers to regional conflicts – have placed acute pressure on the international development agenda. Development assistance from major funders has been on the decline. The world is becoming more unpredictable.

US Threatens UN Members Seeking a Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestine Conflict

By Thalif Deen
The United States, a longstanding and unyielding Israeli ally, is threatening UN member states urging them to keep off an upcoming high-level meeting aimed at recognizing a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestine conflict. The meeting, to be co-chaired by France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and Saudi Arabia, a strong political ally of the US, is scheduled to take place June 17-20.

Military Conflicts at Historic High as US Signals Retreat from World Stage

By the Peace Research Institute Oslo
The world is experiencing a surge in violence not seen since the post-World War II era. 2024 marked a grim new record: the highest number of state-based armed conflicts in over seven decades.

Why Are We Failing to Protect Gaza?

By Melek Zahine
During President Trump’s tour of Gulf monarchies last month, he mentioned Gaza only two times. The first time was in Doha, when he expressed his desire to make Gaza a “freedom zone.” Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, nearly half of whom are children, would like that, too.

How to Spur Economic Growth in Africa’s Fragile and Conflict-Affected States

By Wenjie Chen, Michele Fornino, Hamza Mighri and Can Sever
More than half of sub-Saharan Africa’s population lives in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS)—economies that face profound challenges such as stagnant economic growth, weak institutions, inadequate public services, extreme poverty, war, and forced internal displacement.

CIVICUS’ New Leader Speaks on Global Declines in Civic Freedom

By Oritro Karim
On June 1, CIVICUS Global Alliance, announced the appointment of Mandeep Tiwana as its new Secretary-General. With his tenure underway, Tiwana sat down with an IPS correspondent to discuss CIVICUS’s work in promoting civic freedom and solidarity in an increasingly autonomy-restrictive world.

Hundreds of Cholera Cases Are Declared Per Day in Sudan

By Oritro Karim
A particularly virulent outbreak of cholera was detected in the Khartoum State of Sudan and is a direct result of the Sudanese Civil War, warns the United Nations.

Why the World Bank Should Lift Its Outdated Ban on Nuclear Energy

By Todd Moss
On June 10, the World Bank’s board will meet to consider lifting an outdated ban on nuclear energy – one that has remained in place for decades despite the growing global need for clean, reliable electricity.

Kazakhstan’s Path From Tragedy to Tolerance: Interfaith Dialogue, Peace, and Disarmament

By Katsuhiro Asagiri
On the windswept steppe west of Astana, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev led a solemn ceremony this week to mark Kazakhstan’s Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repressions and Famine—an annual reflection on one of the nation’s darkest chapters.

Truce on the Line: After the War Stops, the Suffering Continues

By Umar Manzoor Shah
In the war-worn borderlands of Jammu and Kashmir, the silence that followed the May 10 ceasefire between India and Pakistan is not the comforting kind—It is uneasy.

If This Isn’t Genocide, What Is?

By Alon Ben-Meir
For over a year, I refused to ascribe Israel's war against Hamas and the reign of horror it is inflicting on the Palestinians in Gaza as genocide, but now I feel shaken to the core by what I am witnessing. If what I see is not genocide, then I do not know what is.

Palestinians Call Out Israel’s Mission To Destroy Their History and Cultural Heritage in Gaza

By Catherine Wilson
Israel’s ongoing war of annihilation in Gaza has wiped out hospitals, schools, homes, water, and food, reducing the Palestinian territory to a wasteland and leaving a death toll of more than 53,000 people. But an equally lethal campaign has been unleashed against the foundations of Palestinian society and identity.

The Children of Gaza Deserve Their Humanity – Their Education Cannot Wait

By Yasmine Sherif
22 May 2025, New York – In the past two months alone, more than 950 children have reportedly been killed in strikes across the Gaza Strip. That’s 15 children every day who lose their lives in this horrific conflict. Those who survive face the risk of famine, illness, and the collapse of essential services, including education.

The Largest Multi-Billion Dollar Deal in US History– & a Potential 51st American State?

By Thalif Deen
When US President Donald Trump offered to declare neighboring Canada as America’s 51st state, the Canadians vehemently rejected the proposal. “We don’t want to be part of America,” was the rallying cry. And the short-lived offer was shot down in flames.

A New Pope at a Pivotal Moment: Civil Society’s Hopes for Leo XIV

By Andrew Firmin
The new pope, the latest in a line dating back almost 2,000 years, was quickly subjected to a very modern phenomenon: no sooner had Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address than people started trawling his social media history for clues about his views. In the context of an ongoing culture war, the fact that far-right grievance entrepreneurs were quick to decry the new pope as ‘woke’ seemed reason enough for progressives to welcome him. But for civil society and the global human rights community, it’s how Leo acts that matters.

Agenda for Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference Still Unclear

By Naureen Hossain
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must not be allowed to collapse under the weight of geopolitical cynicism, the preparatory committee at the UN heard.

Civilians Face Humanitarian Disaster in Great Lakes, Horn of Africa Conflicts

By Wambi Michael
Political instability and conflicts in the Great Lakes, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, and South Sudan have led to massive displacements and civilian suffering, and because the whole region is in crisis, the civilian population has few places to find refuge.

Fostering Dialogue for Disarmament Ahead of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference

By Naureen Hossain
The argument for nuclear disarmament is perhaps more relevant than it has been since the end of World War II, especially in a world where there is a growing gulf between nuclear states and between nuclear states and those who don't have the weapons.

Will Europe Wage Peace?

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram
With President Trump’s efforts to end the Ukraine war, Europeans are now mainly responsible for prolonging it. Despite lame protestations of peace, Europe seems committed to fighting ‘to the last Ukrainian’.
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