News


Myanmar: Authorities Permit Vigilantes in Myanmar to Destroy Poppy Fields

Feb 24, 2016 | Latin American Herald Tribune

Christian anti-narcotic vigilantes in Myanmar's northern Kachin State have agreed a deal with local authorities on a bid to destroy large areas of poppy fields,…


Colombia: Colombia Becomes Second Largest Exporter of Trout and Tilapia to US

Feb 24, 2016 | Fish Info & Services Co.

The strategy adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture to conquer international markets for Colombian agricultural products has consolidated Colombia as the second largest exporter to…


India/Vietnam/South China Sea: Vietnam Invites India to Explore Resources in Disputed South China Sea Region

Feb 24, 2016 | Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, Economic Times

Vietnam on Wednesday invited strategic partner India to explore and explot natural resources within the Southeast Asian countries 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the…


Sudan: Oil Minister Discuss with Chinese Officials Building Sudan’s First Natural Gas Pipeline

Feb 24, 2016 | Sudan Tribune

Sudanese oil minister Mohamed Zayed Awad Wednesday held discussions with Chinese officials to build the first gas pipeline in Sudan and ways to develop gas…


Myanmar: MP Submits Urgent Proposal for El Niño Preparedness

Feb 23, 2016 | Eleven Myanmar

A parliamentary representative from the Union Solidarity and Development Party submitted an important proposal to Lower House of Parliament yesterday urging the Union government to…


Myanmar: El Niño Drives Up Temperatures Across Swaths of Burma

Feb 23, 2016 | The Irrawaddy

As El Niño hits the most extreme of its 12- to 18-month cycle, large swaths of Burma have been beleaguered by high temperatures and water…


DRC: As UN Chief Comes to Congo, New Report Tracks Efforts to Dismantle Resource Curse

Feb 23, 2016 | ENOUGH Project

As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrives today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Enough Project released an in-depth status report on initiatives…


Conflict Minerals: The Dutch Approach to the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation

Feb 23, 2016 | Justmeans

The trialogue negotiations taking place between the EU Commission, EU Council, and EU Parliament have proved to be challenging.  However, there has been one promising…


China/South China Sea: Contest Over South China Sea Spurred in Part by Resources

Feb 23, 2016 | Shannon Van Sant, Voice of America

With tensions mounting over maritime disputes in the South China Sea, the cause of the problem, at least in part, is believed to lie at…


Conflicting Views Surface on UNEP’s Work on Armed Conflicts Ahead of UNEA-2

Feb 22, 2016 | Doug Weir

Some States would rather UNEP’s only role in relation to armed conflicts is that of a voluntary post-conflict environmental helpline, but this view fails to…


Liberia: Two IFAD-Supported Projects Contribute to Post-Ebola Recovery in Liberia

Feb 22, 2016 | International Fund for Agricultural Development

The Republic of Liberia and the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) signed two agreements today to finance the Tree Crops Extension Project…


Sudan: Project Manager

Feb 21, 2016 | UNEP

Result of Service

Project Manager for NRM and Peacebuilding, including:

•             Management of the overall project budget, schedule and logical framework

•             Management of government relations for the…


How a Pink Flower Defeated the World’s Sole Superpower

Feb 21, 2016 | Alfred W. McCoy

After fighting the longest war in its history, the United States stands at the brink of defeat in Afghanistan. How can this be possible? How…


Colombia: Colombian Court Bans Oil, Gas and Mining Operations in Paramos

Feb 21, 2016 | David Hill, Guardian

Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled against a controversial legal loophole permitting oil, gas and mining operations in the country’s paramos - high altitude eco-systems. Colombia’s…


Myanmar: Myanmar Vigilante Opium Stand-Off Continues

Feb 21, 2016 | BBC

A stand-off is continuing in Myanmar between police and Christian anti-drug vigilantes, who want to destroy poppy fields in the northern state of Kachin. Police…


Cyprus: Water Wars Jeopardises Coalition in North

Feb 20, 2016 | Cyprus Mail

The National Unity Party (UBP), which is part of the ‘government coalition’ in the north along with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), gave an ultimatum…


Turkey: Sabotaged Oil Pipeline to Turkey to be Repaired Next Week: Source

Feb 20, 2016 | Reuters

A pipeline sabotaged in Turkey last Tuesday halting oil flows from northern Iraq to a Turkish port is expected to be repaired next week though…


Iraq/Kurdistan: Abadi Promises 17% of Budget to KRG in Exchange for Ceasing Oil Sales

Feb 20, 2016 | NRT

Iraqi Member of Parliament Bakhtyar Shaways announced on Saturday (Feb. 20) that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has reaffirmed his offer to provide the Kurdistan…


Afghanistan’s Opium Solution

Feb 19, 2016 | Ryan Mernin

For fourteen years, beginning in 2001, the U.S. fought a war on two fronts in Afghanistan: one to destroy the Taliban, the other to destroy…


The Role of Women in Creating Climate Resilient Communities: Focus on the Philippines

Feb 19, 2016 | Laura Fairman

The Philippines is one of the world’s most vulnerable populations to the effects of climate change. When the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction…


Myanmar: Myanmar Activists Say Destruction of Opium Fields Blocked

Feb 19, 2016 | Associated Press

Anti-drug activists said Friday the military and local police are preventing them from destroying fields of opium poppies in northern Myanmar, a major cultivation area…


Myanmar: Chinese Company to Begin Controversial Copper Mining Operation in Myanmar

Feb 19, 2016 | Radio Free Asia

A Chinese mining company will begin copper production at a controversial site in central Myanmar in May, a month after the new government led by…


Iraq: Post-War Iraq: 'Everybody is Corrupt, from Top to Bottom. Including Me'

Feb 19, 2016 | Martin Chulov, Guardian

One of Iraq’s anti-corruption leaders sat in his office, waving his hands in exasperation. “There is no solution,” he said. “Everybody is corrupt, from the…


Myanmar: Kachin State Authorities Continue Illegal Timber Seizures, Myanmar Official Says

Feb 18, 2016 | Radio Free Asia

Kachin state government authorities in northern Myanmar seized more than 20,000 metric tons (22,046 U.S. tons) of illegal timber near the country’s border with China…


Iraq: Iraq to Shrink Paramilitary Forces Due to Shortage of Funds

Feb 18, 2016 | Sinan Salaheddin, Associated Press

The Iraqi government has decided to cut the number of state-financed paramilitary forces due to a shortage of funds as the international oil price declines,…


Fair Share: Toward an Equitable Resource Revenue System

Feb 17, 2016 | Andrew Bauer

Myanmar’s government currently collects much of the trillions of kyat generated by oil, gas, gemstones and other minerals each year, primarily through its state-owned economic…


From Fragility to Resilience: Managing Natural Resources in Fragile Situations in Africa

Feb 17, 2016 | African Development Bank and ELI

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) have produced a new report on natural resources management in fragile and conflict-affected…


Myanmar: Local Mining Applications Delayed by New Gemstones Law

Feb 17, 2016 | Chan Mya Htwe, Myanmar Times

New concessions to explore gem-rich areas in upper Myanmar will not be granted until by-laws to the Myanmar Gemstones Law have been passed, which is…


Abyei/Sudan: Dinka Council of Elders Accused of Trying to Annex Parts of Abyei to Twic State

Feb 17, 2016 | Radio Tamazuj

'Elites of Twic Mayardit community' including at least one member of Salva Kiir Mayardit's advisory group, the Dinka Council of Elders, have been accused of…


China/South China Sea: China Foreign Minister Downplays Missile Deployment Reports

Feb 17, 2016 | Christopher Bodeen and Ralph Jennings, Associated Press

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday sought to downplay reports that China had positioned anti-aircraft missiles on a disputed South China Sea island, accusing the…