Our reporters are on the ground at Davos and the World Health Assembly and they tell us that the war in Ukraine seems to be at the forefront of both gatherings’ discussions.
Today we are also asking who is to blame for Afghanistan’s collapse, and breaking down proposed aid cuts in Sweden and Norway.
My colleagues Jenny Lei Ravelo and Amruta Byatnal are in Geneva covering the 75th WHA. Jenny tells me that Ukraine took center stage at yesterday's discussions where 46 countries are sponsoring a draft resolution condemning Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The resolution urges Russia to cease all attacks on hospitals and health care facilities.
In a video address, Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska also asked for the assembly’s support in building a psychological care center in Ukraine to provide Ukrainians with much-needed mental health and psychosocial support after months of suffering from the ongoing war in the country. In Kharkiv, many of the people who hid in a subway to protect themselves from months of shelling in the city are now finding it difficult to get out, she says.
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“They cannot psychologically force themselves to come up. Perhaps we could call this a ‘bomb shelter syndrome.’ Perhaps WHO experts already have a name for this phenomenon. But it's important to understand that this is how many Ukrainians feel,” she says.
Ironically, Russia and Syria have also put forward a resolution on Ukraine, condemning "all violations of international humanitarian law and violations of human rights" and calling upon all parties to "facilitate safe and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to those in need in and around Ukraine."
A few hundred kilometers away, Ukrainian officials were asked what they needed most for the humanitarian response at the World Economic Forum annual meeting. Adva Saldinger — who is reporting from Davos this week — tells me that their answer was quite unusual for the aid sector: weapons.
The rationale, according to the two members of Parliament, is that the most important element of a humanitarian response is an end to the conflict, which can only be achieved by defeating Russia.
Other urgent needs: medicines, financial aid so the government can fund social programs to support those who are displaced or have lost jobs, and diesel.
+Tune in to our new podcast series Davos Dispatch, for the latest updates and insights on WEF’s annual meeting, and be sure to sign up to Devex Invested for news about business, finance, and the SDGs.
A just transition
“Just transitions” could be set to move up the COP 27 agenda, after nearly a dozen African countries agreed to form an alliance to lobby for the issue at the climate conference, Sara Jerving reports.
Private meetings at the Sustainable Energy for All Forum held last week led to 11 governments, which include Egypt, Kenya, and Nigeria agreeing “on the importance of articulating a collective position as a bloc of African countries on the just and equitable energy transition,” according to Patricie Uwase, minister of state in Rwanda’s Ministry of Infrastructure.
Climate Change: African leaders present unified position on a just energy transition (Pro)
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The blame game
“Enabling their collapse is not smart. Who will go and fix it?”
— Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s minister of state for foreign affairsIn her remarks at Davos, Khar took the opportunity to lay the blame for the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan at the door of the international community. In some ways, foreign powers seem to have “intentionally” enabled the collapse of the Afghan economy, she says.
Davos: Pakistani minister criticizes international community on Afghan policy
‘Not a gay disease’
While the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, another disease outbreak is catching everyone's attention. Monkeypox, a viral zoonotic disease, has been reported in several countries where it's not endemic, raising questions and fears of another health emergency. But it's also creating stigma, and UNAIDS has expressed concerns that some reporting and commentary on the latest outbreak is reinforcing "homophobic and racist stereotypes” and exacerbating stigma.
Andy Seale, who works at WHO's HIV, hepatitis, and STIs program, said on Monday that while there have been identified cases among men who have sex with men, monkeypox is "not a gay disease,” adding that anybody can contract the disease through close contact — and it doesn't require sexual contact to transmit it.
European cuts
After Norway became the third Scandinavian nation — following Sweden and Denmark — to announce it was going to use a large chunk of its aid budget on Ukrainian refugees at home, Vince Chadwick reports that senior officials from the United Nations — whose budgets would be diminished as a result — are lobbying Oslo to reverse its plans.
U.N. chief António Guterres called Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre last week to register his concern at the move — which must still be voted through parliament.
Aid cuts: UN leaders target Norway over proposed budget cuts
Explore: Trends in Norwegian aid (Pro)
Last week, Matilda Ernkrans, Sweden’s minister for international development cooperation, told Vince that Sweden would still be among the top three countries providing humanitarian aid and development assistance despite plans to use almost one-fifth of its annual aid budget to cover the costs of hosting Ukrainian refugees domestically. Adding that her government is still committed to spending 1% of its gross national income on official development assistance.
Read: Sweden defends spending foreign aid at home (Pro)
ICYMI: Sweden pulls $1B in foreign aid for Ukrainian refugees at home
Barton’s head
In the United Kingdom, furious members of Parliament have called for the resignation of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s top official, Philip Barton, over his conduct during and after the evacuation of Afghanistan. On Tuesday, the cross-party group of politicians who monitor foreign policy released a report that was highly critical of the government’s response to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and accused officials of lying to MPs.
The report accused FCDO of repeatedly giving MPs answers that were “at best intentionally evasive, and often deliberately misleading.” It added that “officials should not be expected to engage—nor be complicit—in obscuring the facts in order to shield others from political accountability.”
Read: UK MPs call for resignation of FCDO's top official, Philip Barton
Recap: FCDO's Afghanistan response was 'chaotic,' says UK whistleblower
+ Catch up on the latest news and analysis on FCDO and the U.K. aid sector.
In other news
The U.N. and EU's humanitarian arm have announced Monday that they will boost aid for more than 325,000 people displaced by the conflict in Yemen. [UN News]
Insecurity in the region and lack of funding are just some of the hurdles to building Africa's Great Green Wall, where only 4% has currently been afforested, according to experts. [AP]
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation is mulling around $4 billion worth of additional investment support to India. [Reuters]
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About the author
William Worley@willrworley
Will Worley is the Climate Correspondent for Devex, covering the intersection of development and climate change. He previously worked as UK Correspondent, reporting on the FCDO and British aid policy during a time of seismic reforms. Will’s extensive reporting on the UK aid cuts saw him shortlisted for ‘Specialist Journalist of the Year’ in 2021 by the British Journalism Awards. He can be reached at william.worley@devex.com.
