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China/United States/South China Sea: South China Sea: China Slams US over Warship Sailing Near Artificial Islands; US Ambassador 'Summoned'

Oct 27, 2015 | ABC News

The United States has defied China by sending a warship close to a series of artificial islands it claims in the South China Sea, prompting…

Myanmar: Caterpillar Disputes Illicit Jade Ties, Says ‘Robust Screening’ Used

Oct 27, 2015 | Seamus Martov, The Irrawaddy

On the back of an explosive report into Burma’s jade trade, global construction giant Caterpillar has told The Irrawaddy that it took measures to ensure…

Iraq: How Climate Change Is Threatening Iraq’s Fragile Security

Oct 27, 2015 | John Knefel, The Nation

In a telling exchange during the first Democratic primary presidential debate earlier this month, the candidates were asked to articulate the greatest threat to US…

Will the European Endgame on Conflict Minerals Put an End to Financing Rape in the DRC?

Oct 26, 2015 | Margot Wallström and Denis Mukwege

In the Eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), armed groups and criminal operators terrorize the population. Sexual violence against women is…

'Greening' of a Dam Prompts Damning Accusations

Oct 26, 2015 | Kyaw Phyo Tha

In Burma these days, there are really only two colors that people are talking about: red and green.

If you say “red,” you are no longer…

How to Fight Conflict Minerals? Mandatory Disclosure.

Oct 26, 2015 | Cass R. Sunstein

At least in theory, one of the best ways for Congress to protect consumers and investors is by requiring companies to disclose information. Credit card…

Myanmar: Chin State Faces Looming Food Shortage after Flood Crisis

Oct 26, 2015 | Yen Snaing, The Irrawaddy

Three months after the nationwide flood disaster, civil society groups say that government has vastly underestimated the damage toll in Chin State, where locals are…

Liberia: Ellen Son’s Kosmos Energy to Inexpensively Purchase Oil Blocks 6&7 from US$30M to US$7M

Oct 26, 2015 | Global News Network

A local daily in Monrovia has reported that one of the sons of Liberian leader, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Robert A. Sirleaf has reportedly established a…

Liberia: Bomi County Citizens Decry Denial of Extractive Benefits

Oct 26, 2015 | FrontPageAfrica

A cross section of Civil Society Actors, citizens and interest groups of Bomi County has decried what they described as denial of benefits from extractions…

DRC: New DRC Mining Regulations Could Encourage Corruption

Oct 26, 2015 | Laura Cornish, Mining Review

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)is planning to remove “crucial regulations banning politicians and senior army figures” from owning mining rights. This is according to a…

Syria: US, Russian Jets Team Up for First Time to Destroy ISIS Oil Field, Pipelines in Syria

Oct 25, 2015 | Andre Mitchell, Christian Today

For the first time, the United States and Russia conducted combined airstrikes on an Islamic State-controlled oil field in Raqqa in eastern Syria, a major…

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Technical Coordinator

Oct 24, 2015 | Bureau of the Environment and Development

Descriptif du poste: Installé (-e) à Brazzaville, le (-a) titulaire du poste sera en charge de la Coordination de l’assistance technique tout au long du programme…

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Chief of Party

Oct 24, 2015 | Wildlife Conservation Society

WCS is recruiting for a Chief of Party to ensure the oversight, administration, and coordination of activities supported by USAID under the Central Africa Forest…

China/United States/South China Sea: US Patrols to Raise Stakes with Beijing in Disputed South China Sea

Oct 24, 2015 | Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom, Livemint

US plans to send warships or military aircraft within 12 nautical miles of China’s artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, possibly within days,…

Iraq/Syria/Islamic State: Amid Anti-ISIS Coalition in Syria and Iraq, Oil Sales Earn $50M a Month for Islamic State

Oct 23, 2015 | Michael Kaplan, International Business Times

The Islamic State militant group brings in up to $50 million each month in oil sales, allowing the militants to prolong their control over large swathes…

Timor-Leste: A Stabilized East Timor Creating Opportunities for Foreign Businesses

Oct 23, 2015 | Sadachika Watanabe, Nikkei

East Timor is looking to upgrade its natural-resource and transportation infrastructure, creating new business opportunities for overseas construction companies and plant builders. As East Timor's…

Myanmar: Booming Chinese Demand for Jade Fuels Armed Conflict and Entrenched Corruption in Myanmar

Oct 23, 2015 | Ron Gluckman, Forbes Asia

Deals with Chinese companies financed modern equipment, and digging scaled up. So, too, did landslides and drug addiction among poor miners–many work, and die, scavenging…

Call for Proposals - Humanitarian Evidence Syntheses

Oct 22, 2015 | The Humanitarian Evidence Program

The Humanitarian Evidence Program has launched a Call for Proposals to synthesize evidence on the topics of (1) the impact of food aid on pastoralist livelihoods in…

DRC: Picks, Pans and Bare Hands: How Miners in the Heart of Africa Toil in Terrible Conditions to Extract the Rare Minerals that Power Your iPhone

Oct 22, 2015 | Nick Fagge, Daily Mail

Scraping through shovels-full of silt for the precious mineral with their bare hands, miners use these primitive methods to harvest coltan - the magical conductor…

South Sudan: Food Security Body IPC Warns of Famine in South Sudan

Oct 22, 2015 | Tom Miles, Reuters

South Sudan faces a serious risk of famine by the end of this year and 30,000 people are already classified as being in a food…

Myanmar: Burma Jade Trade: Former Junta Members Making Huge Profits While Locals Suffer Environmental Effects

Oct 22, 2015 | David Connet, Independent

A damning new report into the jade trade warns the precious stones are bringing misery and death to the people of Burma where it is…

Coffee Capsules Boost Business and Living Standards of South Sudanese Farmers

Oct 21, 2015 | Antonio Pasolini

There’s much more to a cup of coffee than meets the eye - or the nose, for that matter. One of the most beloved hot…

Yemen: Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods Coordinator

Oct 21, 2015 | Oxfam

Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihood Coordinator The Role In charge of EFSVL /FSL strategy and coordination and support EFSVL implementations About the MECIS Region The Middle East and…

Levy and Fischer on Water Security for Sustainable Development

Oct 21, 2015 | School of Professional Studies

Marc Levy and Alex Fischer, of Columbia University’s Environment, Peace, and Security program, were among the coalition of experts that produced a report on the…

Sudan/Darfur: Sudan President Bashir Confirms Referendum in Darfur Next Year

Oct 21, 2015 | Xinhua News Agency

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has announced that an administrative referendum in Darfur would be held in April 2016 to end controversy over the administrative status…

Africa: The Geopolitics: Africa’s Rich Oil-Curse or Blessings for the Inhabitants? ..A Diplomatic Analysis of the Chinese, West And Others’ Quest In Africa (Part 4)

Oct 21, 2015 | Josephus Moses Gray, Global News Network

"This might sound ridiculous”, but it is a glimpsing fact that oil’s curse can be avoidable and turn into fruitful and praiseworthy blessings; but the…