South-South

The Emerging Economies and the G20 Summit at St. Petersburg

By Shyam Saran
The eighth G20 Summit convened in St. Petersburg on Sept. 5-6, 2013 was dominated by the Syrian crisis, deflecting attention from the mandate of the gathering to serve as the premier forum for international economic coordination.

Despite Recession, Global Migration on the Rise

By Roger Hamilton-Martin
New international migration figures released by the United Nations Wednesday show that more people than ever are living abroad. Around 232 million of the global population of seven billion are considered international migrants, simply defined as persons living outside their country of birth.

Africa in Debt to Brazil: Forgiveness Isn’t Always Free

By Fabiana Frayssinet
The Brazilian government projects the cancellation of nearly 900 million dollars in debt owed by a dozen African countries as a gesture of solidarity. But others simply see an aim to expand the economic and political influence of South America’s powerhouse.

Venezuelan Pullout from Rights Pact Called “Deeply Concerning”

By Carey L. Biron
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) says it is “deeply concerned” over the Venezuelan government’s decision to withdraw from the American Convention on Human Rights, a move that went into effect Tuesday.

If You Want to Conserve Biodiversity, Protect Latin America

By Stephen Leahy
A team of scientists who analysed the richness of plant species around the world concluded that the ecosystems in need of immediate protection in order to meet the 2020 conservation goals set by the Convention on Biological Diversity are largely concentrated in Latin America.

Russia Throws Obama a Life Preserver on Syria

By Jim Lobe
With President Barack Obama facing increasingly certain defeat in his quest for Congressional authorisation to carry out military strikes against Syria, the Russian government Monday appeared to offer the White House a way out of the crisis.

Obama Increasingly Isolated on Syria Military Action

By Jim Lobe
With a week of intense lobbying behind him, U.S. President Barack Obama looks increasingly beleaguered - both at home and abroad - in his effort to rally support for a military strike against Syria to punish its government for its alleged Aug. 21 chemical-weapons attack outside Damascus.

Cash Transfers a Strong Tool Against Inequality

By Marcela Valente
Latin America’s cash transfer programmes are a more effective weapon against poverty and social inequality than economic growth alone, according to a study by two Argentine economists.

Brazilian Hydroelectricity Giant Promotes Biogas

By Mario Osava
The massive Itaipú hydroelectric dam, shared by Brazil and Paraguay, has now become a model for the micro-scale production of an energy source that is not only clean, but also helps to reduce pollution and promote local development: biogas.

Water Scarcity Could Drive Conflict or Cooperation

By Thalif Deen
When the General Assembly declared 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation (IYWC) three years ago, the U.N.'s highest policy-making body was conscious of the perennial conflicts triggered by competition over one of the world's most critical finite resources.

Pink Dollars Emerge as New Currency

By Sudeshna Sarkar
Naomi Fontanos is seeing a change from when she went holidaying in 2002. Then she had run into ignorance about transgender people or worse at hotels, restaurants and other business establishments in Boracay, the popular tourist destination south of Manila.

Cuban Doctors Bring Eyesight, Healthcare to Haiti

By Patricia Grogg
It's Saturday, and the entrance hall of a police station in front of the busy market in Salomon in the Haitian capital has become an improvised health post. In a few minutes there is a long queue of people waiting to be seen by the Cuban medical brigade.

Q&A: Everyone Loses in War Over Amazon Dams

By Mario Osava
In the war over major hydropower dams in the Amazon jungle, everyone loses - even the winners who manage to overcome the opposition and build them, but who suffer delays, costs that are difficult to recoup, and damage to their image.

New Initiative Aims to Integrate Agriculture and Conservation

By Fabíola Ortiz
It took Brazil four decades to overcome food insecurity and earn a place as a major global food supplier. Now its experiences will contribute to the evidence base for a new initiative that seeks to reconcile agriculture and the conservation of biological diversity.

Doctors in Brazil: Too Few, or Just Too Far Between?

By Fabíola Ortiz
Brazil plans to import doctors to provide healthcare in poor suburbs of large cities, impoverished regions of the interior and border areas. But is there really a shortage of doctors in this country?

Higher Temperatures, More Dengue

By Patricia Grogg
The spread of the virus that causes dengue fever has created an emergency situation for institutions, governments and scientists in Latin America seeking sustainable solutions for a health problem that could worsen as a result of climate change.

Hard to Stay, Harder to Return

By Simba Shani Kamaria Russeau
After working in Thailand legally for four years, many Myanmar migrant workers are facing an uncertain future in the coming weeks as their visas expire. Tired of the lack of security, they want the Myanmar government to improve the current labour agreement with Thailand.

The World Trade Organisation after Eight Transformational Years

By Pascal Lamy
On Aug. 31, I will be stepping down after eight years as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Little Islands Take On Australian Dominance

By Kalinga Seneviratne
A new Pacific islands forum will seek to challenge the dominance of Australia and New Zealand in a regional body. The new grouping’s approach is being billed the ‘Pacific Way’, and also the ‘green and blue’ way for its commitment to environmentally sustainable oceans as well as land.

When Disaster Rains, Talk

By Amantha Perera
Gulam Rasul, chief meteorologist at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, was sure early this month that the second leg of the annual monsoon due in the latter half of the month was going to be bad. “Normally it peaks towards late August,” Rasul told IPS.

‘Deserts Can Save Forests’

By Manipadma Jena
It may take development of the deserts to save forests, say experts, who stress that desert ecology needs to be preserved and enhanced.
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