A year of war in Sudan: "A crisis that receives too little international attention"

Love-Lis Liljeström works for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Sudan. After more than a year of war, she hopes that the situation in Sudan and the widespread humanitarian crisis will receive more attention both in Sweden and globally. Photo (left): Tosco Diaz/Flickr. Photo (right): Love-Lis Liljeström.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

On April 15 this year, it was one year since the war in Sudan broke out. Several UN employees believe that the crisis in Sudan is a forgotten conflict, which is overshadowed by other conflicts in the world. Now the UN is warning that a humanitarian tragedy is unfolding in Sudan due to the lack of attention from the outside world.   - After a year of war, my hope is that the suffering in Sudan is given more attention, so that more aid can reach those in need and the foundations can be laid for a peaceful future, says Love-Lis Liljeström, program manager at UNDP in Sudan 

April 25, 2024, Report

The conflict between Iran and Israel: This has happened

The development magazine explains what has happened in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Pictured (left): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: World Economic Forum. Source: Flickr. Pictured (right): Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme political leader. Photo: Khaminei.ir. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Rania Yassin

Iran and Israel have long used other actors to challenge each other. On April 1, the conflict between the countries escalated when Israel attacked Iran's consulate in Syria, which prompted en Iranian attack on Israel and later an Israeli response. The development magazine finds out what has happened in the escalating conflict between the two countries.  

April 22, 2024, Development magazine explains

Week 16: Demand for a written no against nuclear weapons on Swedish soil in military agreements

Several debaters are worried that the DCA military agreement between Sweden and the USA could, among other things, enable nuclear weapons on Swedish soil. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

A proposal for the bilateral military agreement is due in May Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Sweden and the USA is submitted to the Riksdag. This has created debate over the past week, as several debaters believe that there is no guarantee in the agreement that excludes nuclear weapons in Sweden. Swedish government representatives, on the other hand, believe that the agreement will not lead to nuclear weapons or permanent foreign bases on Swedish territory.  

April 22, 2024, Current debate

Week 11: Debaters call on Israel to take responsibility for famine in Gaza

During the past week, several debaters have written about the famine in Gaza. Photo: Wafa. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: The Chancellery

The people of Gaza are starving and Israel must take responsibility for it, several write debaters. Greta Thunberg's climate demonstration outside the Riksdag has also been the subject of debate during the past week.

March 18, 2024, Current debate

International court decision against Israel: "Has been ignored"

Several actors believe that Israel is not complying with the International Court of Justice's order to protect the Palestinian population. At the same time, the court relies on the willingness of states to comply with the decisions. Photo: Saleh Najm and Anas Sharif. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Rania Yassin

Earlier this year accused South Africa Israel for genocide in the UN's highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The court has decided that Israel must do everything in its power to protect the Palestinian population. Men The ICJ relies on states' willingness to comply with decisions, and many civil society organizations believe that Israel has not lived up to this.  

March 18, 2024, Development magazine explains

Week 10: Debaters welcome Sweden's NATO entry

Sweden is now a member of the NATO military alliance. This has been welcomed by most debaters on Swedish opinion pages. Pictured: Ulf Kristersson (M), Prime Minister of Sweden, and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

On March 7, 2024, Sweden became a full member of NATO, two years after the application process began following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. NATO entry has dominated the debate and editorial pages for the past week, with a clear majority welcoming membership of the military alliance.  

March 11, 2024, Current debate

Week 9: Debaters want Sweden to advocate disarmament - even as a NATO member

On Swedish opinion pages during the past week, most debaters were positive that Sweden's long application process to NATO seems to be coming to an end. Pictured: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) (left) next to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (right). Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Benjamin Frisk

On February 26, Hungary's parliament voted yes to Swedengiven NATO membership, and now is that only formalities left before Sweden becomes a full member of the military alliance. This was the focus of the debate and leader pages during the past week, and most of them debaters were positive about Sweden's move towards NATO. Fclay underlined However, the importance of continuing to be a voice for peace and limitation of nuclear weapons. Aid to UNRWA, the UN aid organization for Palestinian refugees, also continued to be debated. 

March 4, 2024, Current debate

Week 8: Debaters demand increased support for Ukraine

Last week, the war in Ukraine entered its third year. With that, debaters demanded, among other things, increased military support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions against Russia. Photo: President of Ukraine. Source: Flickr.

Of: The Chancellery

Last week it was two years since Russia began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which characterized the Swedish opinion pages. Several debaters believed that Sweden, the EU and the world must do more to end the war. 

February 26, 2024, Current debate

The war in Tigray is over, but peace lingers and famine threatens

Several armed conflicts plague Ethiopia and the country's economy is in crisis. The risk of a large-scale disaster is high. In a guest analysis, Pierre Frühling, who has worked with development issues for 40 years, writes about the ongoing conflicts in the country - and what can be done to curb them. Photo: Voice of America. Source: Garystockbridge.

Of: Pierre Frühling

The situation in Ethiopia is critical. There are several armed conflicts going on in the country, while food shortages are spreading and the economy is in crisis. The risk is great for mass starvation i tigray – the region that has been affected by en of today's bloodiest and most destructive wars. Without dialogue between leaders of the country different ethnic groups about how the borders should look between the regions and what kind of governance the country should have, it is difficult to see how any real peace can be achieved in Ethiopia. It writes Pierre springg, former diplomat, aid worker and journalist. 

February 19, 2024, Analysis

Week 6: Artists call for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision

Over 1 artists - including Eric Saade, Robyn and Timbuktu - want to exclude Israel from Eurovision, citing the country's war in Gaza. But the artists' appeal has drawn criticism on, among other things, Dagens Nyheter's editorial page. Photo (left): WAfa/APAimages. Source: Wikimedia commons. Photo (right): AnnCatrin Blyckerts. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Ina Carlsson and Fleur Riller Lendemar

As the European music competition Eurovision song contest approaches, voices around the world have been raised calling for Israel to be removed from the contest - due to the war in Gaza. In a debate article, over 1 artists call the television union EBU for double standards, and Israel's participation in Eurovision for a "trivialization" of violations of international law. Dagens Nyheter's editorial board, on the other hand, believes that it is not hypocritical at all to want to boycott Russia but let Israel into the music competition.

February 12, 2024, Current debate