Health

Fighting in Gaza has led to calls for the suspension of hostilities, whether in the form of humanitarian pauses or broader ceasefires. But what are they and what is required for them to be effective?

Explaining the key issues at the COP28 summit in Dubai.

Explaining the UN cybercrime treaty, its potential benefits and risks, key issues in the negotiations, and likely paths forward.

Examining what is on the agenda for COP27, a critical test of whether the international process can respond to the increasing climate crisis.

Emma Ross outlines the differences between a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and a pandemic.

Exploring key questions around Putin issuing what was interpreted as a threat to use nuclear weapons against NATO countries if they interfere in Ukraine.

Aanu Adeoye outlines how the invasion of Ukraine is affecting perceptions of Russia across the Africa region.

The Common Futures Conversations community share their priorities for rebuilding their communities in the wake of COVID-19.

Explaining the likely reasons behind India’s abstention from various procedural votes relating to the Ukraine conflict.

Explaining what war crimes are and how, in the circumstances of Ukraine, could war crimes be prosecuted.

Exploring key questions about chemical and biological weapons as, although large-scale use in Ukraine appears unlikely, concerns remain about targeted attacks.

Dr Patricia Lewis, director of the International Security programme at Chatham House, explores the question of both biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine.

How, when, and where could a new pandemic occur, what measures might prevent such an event, and is the world well-prepared if it does happen?

Short animation outlining the importance of cyber capacity-building in maintaining international peace and stability in cyberspace.

Richard King and Dr Helen Harwatt explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the UK’s interactions with the global food system.

Short video explaining how the Policy for Recovery Series provides careful analysis and evidence-based policy solutions for Africa.

Short animation examining how, within the next decade, climate change will increasingly disrupt lives with climate hazards such as droughts, flooding and wildfires striking harder and more often.

This short video explainer outlines how, within the current decade, climate hazards are expected to have increasingly serious disruptive impacts.

What is meant by deglobalization, what does it mean for efforts to address global challenges, and are there any benefits to having a less globalized world?

Chatham House experts from the Global Health Programme tackle the main questions and issues around the use of vaccine passports.

Short animation explaining the significance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference.

Outlining key issues raised by the UK government’s plan to reduce its commitment to spend 0.7 percent of gross national income on overseas assistance each year.

Imagining a world where we can prevent pandemics is an ambitious yet achievable aspiration, according to Professor David Heymann and Emma Ross.

Laura Wellesley and Ana Yang explain why a healthy diet will lead to a healthy planet.

The first few gatherings of the G20, at the height of the global financial crisis, yielded concrete results, and seemed to promise an auspicious future for global governance. But in the years since, the group has increasingly replaced action with empty talk.

Rachel Thompson and Asha Herten-Crabb explain the key issues around gender in global health.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were a hot topic at this year’s UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Amid concern about lack of progress on the SDGs, an opportunity is emerging to put the ‘circular economy’ at the heart of international action on everything from tackling climate change to reducing poverty.

UN secretary-general António Guterres hopes the summit will better equip the faltering organization for new global challenges. But restoring faith in multilateralism may take longer, writes Richard Gowan.

The organization has failed to give voice to the Global South and the countries it most represents. With new approaches to peacekeeping and trade, an African secretary-general can change this, writes ’Funmi Olonisakin.

The declaration of the rapidly spreading mpox outbreak in Africa as a public health emergency will test global solidarity in the wake of COVID-19 – and could provide a litmus test for the effectiveness of a future pandemic treaty.

Increasing use of nuclear energy – due partly to innovations in reactor design – will make it more important than ever to protect civil nuclear facilities from cyberthreats, including by applying existing international law.

A principles-based approach to cyber capacity-building offers significant advantages for countries developing the essential capabilities to defend themselves against ever more sophisticated cyberattacks.

A new Chatham House report indicates that by dedicating an additional one per cent of GDP, countries of all kinds can deliver universal healthcare for their citizens.

In this episode, His Excellency Timothy Musa Kabba, Foreign Affairs Minister for Sierra Leone, shares insights into his country’s key priorities during its tenure on the Security Council.

Tanzania’s rising economic influence and its ambitions for major cross-border infrastructure projects demand a more proactive approach to foreign policy. The policy review currently under way is a chance for the country to reach its potential as a regional leader and reliable global partner.

To break through Libya’s political stalemate, the UN must be willing to pursue a bolder strategy, despite the risks of failure.

With a UN Security Council increasingly stymied by great power politics, the US and its regional allies must lead efforts to constrain an increasingly dangerous North Korea.

The discussion series brings together African stakeholders to discuss the continent’s response to geopolitical trends.

The UN may be about to make history in the realm of cybercrime. Why?

America and Europe must respect the growing status of individual states, invest in long-term relationships and consider Security Council reform, writes Catherine Ashton.

As money and influence shift eastwards, the Euro-Atlantic world must engage with Global South institutions to remain relevant, writes Arif Lalani.

The scale of death and destruction in Gaza is increasingly viewed as an indictment of a system facing perhaps its most daunting and most stubborn challenge – global perceptions of hypocrisy.

Protracted and increasingly complex armed conflicts are impacting the ability of assistance organizations to work in accordance with humanitarian principles. Coherent and shared approaches to the principles and greater local participation are central to improving civilian outcomes.

It is increasingly difficult for assistance organizations to provide aid in an impartial and neutral manner, particularly where gender-based marginalization is systemic. Project planning that considers gender and inclusivity can boost the reach of aid and provide more equitable assistance.

International humanitarian efforts are disconnected from the people affected by armed conflict contexts. This paper looks at how the international humanitarian system should respond to rejections of humanitarian principles and improve systems of accountability.

Reducing opportunities for human error must be a top policy priority to reduce the risk of potentially catastrophic laboratory accidents involving high-consequence pathogens.

The former International Development Secretary tells Roxanne Escobales about the importance of overseas aid commitments and why conservatism is failing the world.

An ambitious agreement to tackle the threat of plastics pollution requires a solid understanding of its scientific complexities.

The laws of armed conflict provide clear protections for hospitals and medical personnel. Both Hamas and Israel are obliged to respect their special status, says the former surgeon-general of the UK armed forces.

After decades of fragmented expansion, Algeria’s social protection system is under financial strain. With rising demand across the region, strategic reforms are needed to boost fiscal space in order to improve social welfare outcomes for the country’s citizens.

Fighting in Gaza has led to calls for the suspension of hostilities, whether in the form of humanitarian pauses or broader ceasefires. But what are they and what is required for them to be effective?

Catastrophe is imminent for civilians trapped in Gaza. States cannot provide the medical care needed without significant risk. The UN must step up and coordinate efforts, regardless of public rows with Israel.

The dwindling role of aid financing could provide the impetus for developing countries to expand domestic public health spending.

Episode 40 of our weekly podcast discusses the future of the United Nations.

Banks need to democratize decision-making and realign their portfolios to build on renewed commitment at the UN General Assembly.

During this period of major global challenges, the UK’s young people deserve directly elected youth representatives to make their voices heard at the heart of the multilateral system.