Environmental Peacebuilding Association

International

Afghanistan: Salma Dam: Another Key Indian Project in Afghanistan

Dec 31, 2015 | Ranjana Narayan, The Statesman

India’s major development works in Afghanistan are going at a fast pace. The parliament building was inaugurated in Kabul last week by Prime Minister Narendra…

Israel/Palestine: Further Land Grabbing in Jordan Valley

Dec 31, 2015 | International Solidarity Movement

During the past 6 months, the Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign has registered further land grabbing in Fasayal village in the Jordan Valley. The land, which…

Colombia: Landmines in Colombia Biggest Challenge for Post-War Nation

Dec 30, 2015 | Maria Myka, LATINONE

After decades of war, the Colombian government has finally negotiated peace with the rebel group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). However, despite…

Iraq/Syria/Islamic State: Thousands of Foreign Workers Help ISIS Keep its Crude Oil Flowing

Dec 29, 2015 | ARA News

The extremist group of Islamic State (ISIS) has recruited thousands of workers with experience in the oil industry to help the group keep crude pumping…

Colombia: Demining Colombia Will Take 'a Generation': Minister

Dec 29, 2015 | Agence France-Presse

Clearing the landmines from the half-century conflict in Colombia, which has the most mines of any country outside Afghanistan, will take a generation, Defense Minister…

Iraq/Syria/Islamic State: Armed with Intel, U.S. Strikes Curtail IS Oil Sector

Dec 28, 2015 | Ben Van Heuvelen, Iraq Oil Report

An intensifying campaign of U.S. air strikes on the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) has nearly shut down its oil operations in Iraq and has hampered…

Iraq: Iraq Approaches Exxon, Petrochina over Southern Energy Project

Dec 28, 2015 | Aref Mohammed and Ahmed Rasheed, Reuters

OPEC's second-largest producer, has approached PetroChina and ExxonMobil about investing in a multi-billion-dollar project to boost output from its smaller southern oilfields, a senior Iraqi…

South Sudan: Deadly Famine Looms in South Sudan

Dec 25, 2015 | Richard Nield, Al Jazeera

More than two years after the outbreak of civil war in South Sudan, tens of thousands of South Sudanese face starvation, say NGOs. More than…

Iraq: Iraq Seeks to Reopen Oil Pipeline through Saudi Arabia-Paper

Dec 24, 2015 | Saif Hameed, Maher Chmaytelli, and William Hardy, Reuters

Iraq is seeking to reopen its crude oil export pipeline through Saudi Arabia, shut in 1990, state newspaper Assababah reported citing an unidentified Iraqi official.…

Climate Change: War Gaming the Climate: How Global Warming Could Trigger Nationalism

Dec 24, 2015 | Megan Darby, Climate Home

Backed by the UK’s foreign office and Skoll Global Threats Fund, 24 experts met to play out the implications of a heating planet. These included…

Cote d’Ivoire/Liberia/Sierra Leone/Guinea: US$2bn Power Transmission Line for 4 MRU States

Dec 23, 2015 | Global News Network

A 225kv power transmission line costing over US2 billion is to be constructed linking the four Mano River Union (MRU) states to serve the expanding…

Iraq/Kurdistan: Oil Tears Iraq to Pieces

Dec 23, 2015 | Rufiz Hafizoglu, Trend

The division of the Arab countries of the Middle East on a mini "state" is a painful process accompanied by military actions. The common religion…

Vietnam/China/South China Sea: Insight - Vietnam Builds Military Muscle to Face China

Dec 18, 2015 | Greg Torode, Reuters

Vietnam's military is steeling itself for conflict with China as it accelerates a decade-long modernisation drive, Hanoi's biggest arms buildup since the height of the…

Liberia: The Importance of the Land Rights Bill to Liberia’s Land Reform Part II (Land Ownership)

Dec 18, 2015 | Liberian Observer

The Land Rights Bill is a proposed law currently before the Legislature for review. The Bill seeks to establish authentic procedures and well organized processes…

Iraq: World Bank Lends Iraq $1.2 Billion to Face Oil, Security Shocks

Dec 18, 2015 | Sylvia Westall, Reuters

The World Bank said on Thursday it would lend Iraq $1.2 billion in emergency support to help it deal with the economic effects of its…

Iraq/Syria/Islamic State: U.N. Targets Islamic State Oil Finance Network

Dec 18, 2015 | Daniel J. Graeber, United Press International

Finance ministers gathered at the United Nations said that, with millions of dollars coming from illegal oil sales, it was time to target Islamic State…

Vietnam/China/South China Sea: Vietnamese Submarine Patrols South China Sea

Dec 17, 2015 | Reuters

Vietnam's military is steeling itself for conflict with China as it accelerates a decade-long modernisation drive, Hanoi's biggest arms buildup since the height of the…

DRC: Student Leads Wisconsin School District to Go “Conflict-Free” as International Movement Gathers Steam in 2015

Dec 17, 2015 | Enough Project

From high schools and college campuses to cities and states, the “Conflict-Free” movement continued to expand this year. Spurred by the activism of a high…

South Sudan: Fuelled by Corruption, South Sudan War Enters Third Year

Dec 17, 2015 | Karin Zeitvogel, IRIN

South Sudan is an oil-rich country with fertile soil and a wealth of untapped mineral riches. Pilfering money is easy for those who are so…

Food Security: Building Peace: A Path to Resilience in the Face of Food Insecurity

Dec 16, 2015 | Kate McMahon, Devex

This year’s weather forecast is grim for vulnerable communities and households around the world. Recent reports indicate that this year’s extreme El Nino is having…

Libya/Islamic State: Islamic State Looks to North Africa for Oil, Recruits

Dec 16, 2015 | Carla Babb, Voice of America

Libya and the Sinai are “vulnerable” areas that the Islamic State group would like to exploit for potential oil revenue and recruits, officials say, as…

Myanmar: UN: Poverty, Conflict Drive Opium Production in Myanmar-Laos

Dec 15, 2015 | Ron Corben, Voice of America

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime’s latest opium survey for Myanmar and Laos, released Tuesday, said poverty and conflict are the driving forces behind…

Global: Conflict Tops List of Global Risks

Dec 15, 2015 | Strategic Risk

A UNEP report supports the findings of the World Economic Forum that interstate conflict with regional consequences is now rated as the most likely of…

Ethiopia: Five Dead in Ethiopia Protests Sparked by Land Grab Fears

Dec 15, 2015 | Agence France-Presse

Ethiopia's government said Tuesday five people had died in weeks of protests sparked by land grab fears in the country's Oromia region, dismissing opposition reports…

Liberia: 6th EITI Report Shows Gains in Extractive Sector

Dec 15, 2015 | Omari Jackson, Liberian Observer

The Liberian government received more revenues than payments declared by eight reporting companies because of the net difference of U$5,361,233 or 2.9% of the total…

South Sudan: South Sudan, Rocked by Conflict and Economy Reeling from Falling Oil Prices, Devalues Currency by 84%

Dec 15, 2015 | Okech Francis and Neo Khanyile, Mail & Guardian Africa

South Sudan devalued its currency by 84% as the government abandoned efforts to fix the exchange rate and allowed the pound to trade freely, surrendering to…

South Sudan: New Report Exposes South Sudan’s War Machine, Offers Steps to Target Financial Interests and Counter Potential Spoilers

Dec 15, 2015 | South Sudan News Agency

Today, on the two-year anniversary of the start of South Sudan’s civil war, a new report by the Enough Project exposes the political and financial…