The World Today

The northeastern corner of Africa is again witnessing shocking scenes of deprivation. The Horn of Africa, from Sudan through Kenya and Ethiopia to Somalia regularly suffers from prolonged and devastating food shortages and this is one of the worst for many years. Preventing repeats of this suffering depends as much on the politics of the region as on aid and development.

The story goes that Nigerian rebels have kidnapped three western expatriate workers and killed them in cold blood. It is the first time they have murdered hostages and the political and economic fall-out in one of the world’s top oil-producing nations could be huge. Oil companies are under attack from the media for putting their workers at risk. The Nigerian government is threatening an all-out offensive which could trigger full-scale civil war.

While the United States continues to contemplate the least-worst policy towards Afghanistan, Pakistan appears finally to have jettisoned any ambiguity over its relationship with Islamist extremism by launching a major ground offensive on South Waziristan. Whereas the US is focusing on counter-insurgency, Pakistan has simply ordered a military campaign, forcing tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of civilians to flee. Longer-term objectives in both countries are proving even more difficult to achieve.

Israel’s interception of a cargo ship allegedly carrying Iranian weapons bound for the Lebanese Shi’a group Hizbollah has upped the stakes in an already volatile region.

The debate over nuclear issues has found fresh intensity. Russia and the United States are talking about strategic weapons; Iran and North Korea continue to preoccupy; and there is next year’s nonproliferation review conference. But in all this, NATO’s role has largely been overlooked, and this as it reviews its strategy.

Democracy and human rights can be improved in authoritarian states by drawing them closer into international organisations.