Tag: Disaster relief

Understanding the Root Causes of Natural Disasters

Post author By Florian Roth
Post date 04/07/2017
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*Image courtesy of schmid91/Flickr.* *(CC BY-NC 2.0)*

This article was originally published on The Conversation on 27 June 2017.

Every year disasters take lives, cause significant damage, inhibit development and contribute to conflict and forced migration. Unfortunately, the trend is an upward one.

In May 2017, policy-makers and disaster management experts from over 180 countries gathered in Cancun, Mexico, to discuss ways to counter this trend.

In the middle of the Cancun summit, news arrived that large parts of Sri Lanka were devastated by floods and landslides, killing at least 150 and displacing almost half a million people.

Tags Security, Poverty, Economy, Natural disasters, Disaster relief, Disaster Risk Reduction

New Book Suggests Rigid Norms Delay Crisis Response Times

Post author By Michael R. Snyder
Post date 23/10/2014
No Comments on New Book Suggests Rigid Norms Delay Crisis Response Times

Peacekeepers in action. Image: Wikimedia

This book review was originally published by IPI Global Observatory on 6 October 2014.

When it comes to responding to conflict, the phrase “they didn’t act fast enough” is one of the most common criticisms of international organizations. From the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s to the recent conflicts in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, swift and timely intervention by peacekeepers and other international actors can mean the difference between life and death.

Tags Disaster response, International Relations, Security, Disaster relief

Business and Finance

Haiti and the Meaning of Generosity

Post author By
Post date 11/02/2010
1 Comment on Haiti and the Meaning of Generosity

The Haiti earthquake has become the new measure of generosity.

The country’s big northern neighbours have earned much praise for their effort: The US has pledged $168 million to date, and Canada $131 million. The bronze medal goes to Spain, with ‘only’ $45 million, although the latest data from ReliefWeb indicates that Saudi Arabia has caught up.

But data journalist David McCandless puts things into perspective: Measured as a percentage of GDP, the most generous countries in the Haiti crisis have been… Guyana and Ghana! Canada and all Nordic countries make it to the top ten in this wealth-corrected ranking as well, but not Uncle Sam.

Beyond its primary purpose of disaster relief, the donation campaign has lifted Haiti out of the realm of forgotten poverty-stricken nations. This is a chance for the country, but I am worried about two potential pitfalls.

Tags Foreign policy, Development, Haiti, Aid, Disaster relief, Donations