Articles for category: Focus

Afghanistan – wer schützt das Völkerrecht?

In Einem sind sich politische Parteien, Medien und Öffentlichkeit einig: ob man den Rückzug der Bundeswehr aus Afghanistan nun Desaster, Debakel oder Niederlage nennt, er soll gründlich analysiert werden, und mit ihm der gesamte Einsatz seit 2001. Die völkerrechtliche Legitimation des Kriegseinsatzes steht nicht zur Debatte. Doch muss eine unvoreingenommene Analyse zu dem Ergebnis kommen: der Krieg begann mit einem Verstoß gegen das Völkerrecht, produzierte in seinen 20 Jahren zahlreiche Kriegsverbrechen und endete nun mit einem letzten Bruch des Völkerrechts.

The Right to Participation in Global Health Governance

Considering the unprecedented suffering caused by COVID-19, any future pandemic lawmaking should be informed by public consultations that prioritize hearing the experiences of people most affected by the crisis, and that facilitate their identifying the redress and reforms they want. Such a process will be critical to rebuilding trust in public institutions.

A Shared Responsibility Model

Piecemeal and fragmented policymaking during Covid-19 underscored the need for an equity-focused global health agenda. Yet, most responses were nationally-focused, lacked global commitment and solidarity, failed to notify the WHO of novel outbreaks, and were non-compliant with its professional recommendations.

Webinar: Addressing Scientific Innovation through Pandemic Lawmaking

Amid contention that global governance was unprepared and incapacitated in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this November, a special session of the World Health Assembly will convene to discuss a potential international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response. As part of the "International Pandemic Lawmaking: Conceptual and Practical Issues" symposium which is publishing critical insights and recommendations for this potential pandemic treaty each day on Bill of Health and Verfassungsblog, this is the second webinar examines the issues, challenges and opportunities related to scientific innovation.

Addressing IP Barriers in the Context of a Pandemic Treaty

By relying on the private sector in the context of COVID-19, many countries are struggling to secure adequate personal protective equipment, testing kits, and, more importantly. life-saving vaccines. A radical paradigm shift is needed from a market-based paradigm to one that encourages more scientific collaboration transcending national, regional, and global levels.

Taking Data Sharing Seriously

COVID-19 demonstrated the interconnectedness of the world and that our collective protection and well-being is contingent on our individual response. The importance of solidarity and acting in the public interest became key messages in public health, as too were these principles justified as the basis for data-sharing across borders. Accessing this data was critical and its timely access to this data was essential in research for the much-needed new vaccines.

Der Abzug aus Afghanistan läutet eine neue Ära globaler Kriege um Infrastruktur und Lieferketten ein

Für manche stellt der demütige Abzug der Vereinigten Staaten und der NATO-Koalitionspartner aus Afghanistan ein angemessenes Ende der Kriege nach dem 11. September 2001 dar. Doch meiner Meinung nach markiert dieser Abzug einen wichtigeren Anfang: unseren unfreiwilligen Eintritt in eine neue Ära der kompetitiven Kriegsführung - wobei Afghanistan nur den Anfang einer neuen Ära globaler Infrastruktur- und Lieferkettenkriege darstellt.

Exiting Afghanistan as Ushering in a New Era of Global Infrastructure and Supply Chain Wars

Some argue that the humbling exit of the United States and NATO coalition partners from Afghanistan marks a fitting end to the post-9/11 wars and its conceits. My sense is that this exit marks a more important beginning: our unwitting entry into a new era of competitive warfare—with Afghanistan representing the opening salvo of a new era of global infrastructure and supply chain wars.