This week's news stories have been dominated by food security, with headlines ranging from a food crisis in the northern-eastern Afar region of Ethiopia to the FATF keeping Pakistan on the 'grey list' of non-cooperative nations. The UK, however, has called for action against the Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. It's also a good time to reflect on the issues that are on your mind.
Food crisis in Ethiopia's northern-eastern Afar region
The government of Ethiopia has imposed fuel restrictions in the troubled region, limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies. The restrictions have severely affected the distribution of food aid and medical supplies. The only way for such aid to reach the affected region is by air, which is expensive and carries less cargo than trucks. In the first week of March, aid convoys were airlifted into the Tigray region, where a half-million children were left without food.
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The situation in the region is largely calm but unreliable, with some locations in the north-eastern Afar region inaccessible due to conflict and insecurity. Insecurity is also a major constraint to humanitarian operations in northern Tigray. While access is generally stable, it is still difficult to access Abergele, Adi Arekay, and Tsagibji. Security concerns also hinder access to the road between Megale and Abala.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the recent conflict in Ethiopia, which has caused a severe food shortage. Currently, the Afar region is suffering from the worst food crisis in recorded history, with 5.5 million people expected to experience acute food insecurity by the end of June 2021. In Tigray, 353 000 people are suffering from Catastrophe or IPC Phase 5 food security.
FATF keeps Pakistan on 'grey list'
The Financial Action Task Force, the global body which monitors anti-money laundering and terrorism financing, has placed Pakistan on its 'grey list.' Although the country has largely implemented the FATF's recommendations, it still failed to meet all of its targets, and will continue to monitor its progress. FATF president Marcus Pleyer told a news conference that the country will be removed from the grey list if it successfully completes its onsite visit.
The Financial Action Task Force, the global body that monitors terror financing, has placed Pakistan on its 'grey list' for now until June 2022. The decision was made after Pakistan failed to implement its own plan to combat terror financing. In an official statement, the group said Pakistan has failed to meet its responsibilities and constituted an 'increased monitoring list' as a result. The grey list is a temporary designation that requires the government to improve its financial and tax systems.
The Financial Action Task Force is an international watchdog that monitors money laundering, terror financing, and threats to global financial networks. This group's goal is to develop international standards to prevent and combat these crimes, as well as foster political will to implement the reforms. Pakistan is on the grey list for the same reason as most other countries: it fails to meet its reporting requirements, so it needs to work harder to improve its financial systems.
UK calls for action on Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine
The UK government has called on Russia to recognize the rebels in eastern Ukraine as independent states. The rebels seized two Ukrainian regions in 2014, Luhansk and Donetsk. These two regions remain under Ukrainian control. Top Russian officials have said that Moscow should recognize them as independent states, but the Kremlin has said that recognizing them would be a "big mistake" and that the conflict would not be resolved peacefully.
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On Tuesday, the Kremlin said it had declared "another phase of the war" on the eastern part of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian forces shelled Ukrainian military targets along a three-hundred-mile front, and seized Kreminna, a town in the Luhansk region. Ukraine's government said it is unable to evacuate civilians. On Wednesday, the U.S. and its allies would meet virtually and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen would chair a high-level meeting on food security.
While there has been no formal recognition of the rebels, Western nations remain alarmed over the presence of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has denied that he has any intentions to invade the country. Nevertheless, the recognition of the rebels would likely escalate tensions and a pro-Russian government in Ukraine will not be welcome in the region. Besides, the Russian-backed rebels have also been accused of "false flag" actions by the US and Ukrainian governments.
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