The Security Council just passed a sweeping expansion of the mandate of the African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM. The most headline grabbing part of the resolution is that the Security Council approved sending an additional 5,000 peacekeepers to Somalia, which would raise AMISOM’s cap to over 17,000 peacekeepers.

This boost in troops is required to sustain a military offensive that AMISOM and the Kenyan national military have been waging against al Shabaab. Over the long term, though, perhaps the Council’s most important action today was a ban on the Somali charcoal industry. If properly enforced, this could have real consequences for al Shabaab’s ability to wage insurgency.  The charcoal trade for al Shabaab is like the poppy trade for the Taliban. It is the single most important source of income for al Shabaab.

Last year a UN report offered a very detailed explanation of just how al Shabaab benefits from the export of charcoal. Investigators found that al Shabaab used its control of ports, mainly the large port city of Kismayo, to exact taxes on the export of charcoal and to trade charcoal for sugar, which is smuggles into Kenya.

Al-Shabaab generates millions of dollars of revenues each month through a coordinated trading cycle built upon the export of charcoal, which in turn finances the import of sugar, much of which is subsequently smuggled across as contraband into neighbouring countries, particularly Kenya. Shipping companies deliver sugar to Kismaayo and collect charcoal for the return journeys. Bank accounts in the Gulf States where the profits of this trade are deposited can be used to launder voluntary contributions to Al-Shabaab through fraudulent invoicing, overvaluing of import proceeds and undervaluing of exports.

This trade cycle is dominated by networks of prominent Somali businessmen operating mainly between Somalia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, notably Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Al-Shabaab not only attracts their business by imposing lower rates of taxation in Kismaayo than at ports controlled by the Transitional Federal Government but also actively promotes large-scale imports of sugar and exports of charcoal by offering preferential access and tax breaks to Al-Shabaab affiliated businesses.

The annex to to the report offers exquisite details about the complex system of taxation that Al Shabaab has set up around the production and export of charcoal.
 

Case study: Al-Shabaab taxation at ports

Charcoal traders with privileged relationships with Shabaab are not directly taxed at export, although producers and transporters of charcoal are taxed up until the point of export and smaller traders with no direct business relationship with Al-Shabaab are also taxed at export locations. Similarly, taxes on imports of sugar are not levied on businessmen who enjoy direct privileged relationship with Al-Shabaab, including those businessmen who are part of the sugar-for-charcoal trading cycle, but are levied on smaller opportunistic traders taking. While Al-Shabaab does not directly control this trade, it nevertheless welcomes it as it generates additional revenues for the armed group. Local charcoal producers pay a “production tax” of 2.5%, in return for which they receive production ‘certificates’. The charcoal is transported to port on trucks, whose owners are also required to pay a tax of 2.5% of the estimated value to Al-Shabaab. In addition, if stopped at a checkpoint, truck owners pay a checkpoint fee per truck. Failure to pay taxes can lead to seizure of the consignment and/or imprisonment.

The six main ports for charcoal export in southern Somalia are all controlled by Al-Shabaab: Kismaayo, Baraawe, Marka, Buur Gaabo, Eel Ma, Qudha. The major export points for charcoal are from Kismaayo in Lower Jubba and Baraawe in Lower Shabelle.

From Kismaayo, high-grade charcoal is exported on large vessels, and from Baraawe, low-grade charcoal is exported via barges for transfer into larger vessels anchored offshore. The port of Kismaayo can accommodate vessels up to 180 meters in length with a maximum draft of about 8 meters. It has 2 berths measuring 340 meters and 280 meters respectively and 2 roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ramps. A Kismaayo resident, who declined to be named, told a UN media office that three to four vessels loaded with charcoal left the port every week.

Baraawe has no infrastructure or facilities and accommodates only small boats or barges to transport charcoal to large vessels anchored offshore.  In April 2011, the Group learned that Kismaayo port authorities fixed the charcoal export tax to $1.20 per sack up from $0.90 per sack in February 2011 and $0.50 per sack in December 2010.Baraawe port authorities f ixed the charcoal export tax to $0.60 per sack in April 2011 up from $0.50 per sack in February 2011.

Larger motor vessels can export between 75,000 and 250,000 sacks of charcoal. Thus, in addition to docking fees, each vessel generates US$90,000-$300,000 in Kismaayo or US$45,000-US$150,000off Baraawe. Smaller vessels, such as dhows, can carry between 15,000 and 55,000 sacks of charcoal.Thus, each dhow generates US$18,000-US$66,000 in Kismaayo, or US$9,000-US$33,000 in Baraawe.

The owners of barges that carry the charcoal from Baraawe to offshore vessels pay a tax of 2.5%of the estimated value of their cargo. While smaller boats are charged $0.5 per sack of charcoal. Porters employed for loading and discharging charcoals must also pay 2.5% of their salaries to Al-Shabaab.

The charcoal trade is affected by seasonal factors. Charcoal is more ex pensive during the rainy season, and freight costs are more expensive during the monsoon season. Thus, depending on the season, the C&F (custom and freight) price of charcoal in the UAE or Saudi varies approximately between $5 and $7 per sack. A sack of Somali charcoal sells approximately between $8 and $11 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Some privileged companies are permitted to export charcoal tax free, using green colored sacks reserved exclusively for Al-Shabaab-approved enterprises. These sacks are not available for purchase on the local market, and are usually sourced in Dubai, the UAE.

With regards to sugar and other commodities, large vessels docking in Kismaayo pay a docking fee, and the porters who offload sugar cargoes also contribute 2.5% of their earnings to Al-Shabaab.11. Al-Shabaab’s revenues don’t end at the port. Once cleared, sugar is delivered to local warehouses, and then onwards to border areas and smuggled to Kenya or Ethiopia. Local sugar buyers and transporters must pay 2.5% of the estimated value of their commerce to the local Al-Shabaab authorities and, if stopped at an Al-Shabaab checkpoint, transporters must pay an additional‘checkpoint fee’ per truck.

Since the Senegalese constitutional council validated President Abdoulaye Wade’s bid to run for a third term – despite statutory term limits – the country has been in political upheaval. Disappointed and angry with Wade’s attempt to undermine Senegal’s long standing democratic tradition, protesters have been taking to the streets for weeks, facing violent repression from the police. According to Reuters, at least six people have already lost their lives. As election day approaches, tensions are rising.

Yesterday, international music star Youssou N’Dour – who attempted to run in the election, only to be barred by the constitutional council – was hurt in a pro-democracy protest in the capital, Dakar. N’Dour has been a vocal critic of the incumbent, and has been calling on Senegalese of all political stripes to unite to stop Wade from gaining a third term. In a previous post on Senegal, we wrote about how the opposition to Wade comes from a popular, grassroots groundswell. The official political opposition is but one of the forces at work here – with no clear candidate to unite this disparate movement, the result of the upcoming vote will depend largely on whether young people will cast a ballot. In spite of his popularity and fame, Mr. N’Dour’s political mobilization represents only one facet of what is happening in Senegal.

Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo arrived today in the Senegalese capital, representing a joint African Union/ECOWAS mission to help mediate between the various opposition movements. (Obasanjo was a two term president himself, and, like Wade, sought a third term, though his plans were foiled by the Nigerian parliament who never ratified his proposal to extend constitutional limits.) Typically, these diplomatic missions only have limited effectiveness, particularly as Obasanjo’s mandate is primarily as an election observer. The build up of tensions that has taken place in Senegal over the course of the last year or so – ever since it has become increasingly clear that Wade was planning on seeking a third term – will be difficult to diffuse ahead of the Sunday election.

As Senegalese head to the polls later this week for the first round of the election, observers will keep an eye out for voter intimidation and other tactics to manipulate the vote. While people are fired up and ready to exercise their democratic right to vote, the potential for violence may keep voters away from the ballot box. If Wade wins with more than 50% of the vote on Sunday (unlikely, given what we are witnessing in the streets), the election doesn’t need to go to a second round, though opposition forces will likely want to challenge that result. If there is no majority winner in the first round, we’ll watch closely what happens between the two rounds. One of the key things to watch for is whether the opposition will be able to unite behind a strong candidate able to defeat Wade. For now, however, all eyes are on Sunday, a critical day in the history of Senegalese democracy.

Top stories from the Development and Aid World News Service–DAWNS Digest. Sign up to receive the full roundup of global humanitarian news.

Security Council to Boost AMISOM in Somalia. Also, Ban the Export of Charcoal.

No one yet knows where these additional troops will come from, or how fast they will get there, but the Security Council is poised to send in the re-enforcements nonetheless. “The United Nations Security Council plans to vote tomorrow to increase the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia to as many as 17,731 troops. The draft resolution obtained by Bloomberg News seeks to raise the strength of the African Union Mission in Somalia, or Amison, from the current 12,000. Amison has a UN mandate “to take all necessary measures” to reduce the threat posed by al- Shabaab, a terrorist organization that the U.S. says has links to al-Qaeda. The UN’s authorization will take place as the U.K. prepares to host an international conference on boosting security in Somalia and tackling piracy off its coast on Feb. 23 in London. The African Union peacekeepers are working alongside soldiers from Somalia’s western-backed transitional government in their fight against a five-year insurgency by al-Shabaab, which controls most of the country’s central and southern regions. The al-Qaeda-linked militia is trying to topple the administration and establish a state ruled by Islamic law. The draft resolution also asks Somali authorities to “take the necessary measures to prevent the export of charcoal from Somalia.” Trade in charcoal is one of the waysthe al-Shabaab militia raises money.” (Bloomberg http://bloom.bg/w5NPfs)

IAEA on Iran: We Came. We Didn’t See. We Left

The International Atomic Energy Agency negotiators who traveled to Tehran to kickstart negotiations over nuclear talks are now on their way back home with not much to show for the effort. “The U.N. nuclear agency says its experts have again failed to dent Iran’s refusal to cooperate in probing allegations that Tehran covertly worked on an atomic arms program. An International Atomic Energy Agency statement says Iran refused an IAEA request for access to a site where the agency suspects explosives testing related to a nuclear weapon took place. It also says that despite “intensive efforts,” no agreement was reached on how to relaunch the probe, which has been stalled for nearly four years. The statement was released early Wednesday, after the IAEA team left on a return flight to Vienna. The unusual timing — shortly after midnight in Europe — reflected the urgency the IAEA attached to the communique.” (ABC http://abcn.ws/zSFBic)

Spotlight on Syria

Syria Envoy: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday he was working urgently to find a special envoy for Syria who would initially have a humanitarian role but would also seek a political solution for the violence-torn country.

Ban, who was asked by the U.N. General Assembly last week to appoint the envoy, told Reuters in an interview that he hoped to select an Arab who would represent both the United Nations and the Arab League. The U.N. chief was speaking after Russia, which voted against the assembly resolution and has vetoed Security Council action on Syria, signaled it would support the dispatch of a U.N. envoy to Syria for humanitarian purposes.

Sustainable Energy for All: Government policies that facilitate private sector investment in energy markets are crucial to help tap Africa’s massive renewable energy potential, which can fuel the continent’s poverty reduction efforts and put it on a path to sustainable development, according to a United Nations report released today. Experts estimate that unless stronger commitments are made to reverse current trends, half the population in sub-Saharan Africa will still be without electricity by 2030.

The report produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi to mark the Africa launch of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, outlines how current obstacles to the scaling-up of sustainable energy solutions in Africa, such as the cost of electricity generation or difficult grid access, can be tackled. UNEP’s Director, Achim Steiner, stressed that access to sustainable energy should be uppermost in the minds of delegates who will attend the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June.

The Sahel:  A rise in transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and piracy are threatening peace and stability across West Africa and the Sahel, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for an increase in regional efforts to tackle this issue. Mr. Ban said he was particularly concerned about reports stating that terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, have formed alliances with drug traffickers and warned that inaction could be catastrophic for oil-producing countries that are frequently targeted for their petroleum assets, and for countries that rely extensively on their ports for national revenue.

Mr. Ban emphasized that the UN is working closely with authorities in countries that are main transit points for drug traffickers between South America and Europe such as Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone to address this issue by creating transnational crime units that have been trained by UN Police (UNPOL).

Kenya: The world’s largest refugee camp – the Dadaab settlement in eastern Kenya – set up to host tens of thousands of people who fled Somalia following the 1991 collapse of the government and the ensuing civil war-related humanitarian crisis is marking its 20th anniversary with the population having grown exponentially, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

On the 20th anniversary, UNHCR is renewing its appeal to the international community to ensure continued support to the approximately one million Somali refugees in the region, and to Kenya and the other countries hosting them.

Morocco: Independent United Nations human rights experts today called on Morocco to consolidate and advance the country’s achievements on women’s rights by tackling gaps in its legal framework which put women at a disadvantage, adding that domestic and migrant workers are at higher risk of having their rights violated.

The experts also called for the participation of women when carrying out reforms and for integration of an equal gender perspective into every aspect of the Government. The group will present its final conclusions and recommendations from their visit in a report to the Human Rights Council in June.

I like these UNICEF videos that shows how relatively inexpensive interventions can make a huge difference in communities. Here’s the story of bringing solar powered water pumps to the outskirts of N’Djamena, Chad.

Thailand is circling the wagons after a recent terrorist bomb scare in the heart of Bangkok—and some Thais are questioning if their nation’s relatively laissez-faire approach towards international visitors is the right one.

The swift police response hasn’t been mirrored by the Thai government, however, which appears to be focusing much more on damage-control than it is on solving the problem, or acknowledging serious gaps in Thailand’s security network exist.  Many have piled on Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who said in a Feb 14 press statement that the attacks “were not acts of terrorism” and the bombers were merely assembling weapons for use in other countries – although he proceeded to request terrorists refrain from using Bangkok as a staging ground for any future violence.

Thailand’s leaders have correctly figured out that they are facing a serious image problem, and its economic race-to-the-top may be on the line. Thailand is well-known as a convenient place for international criminals—from gun-runners to pedophiles—to hide from authorities, thanks to relatively porous borders and a long-standing tolerance for international visitors in the mood for a holiday, X-rated or otherwise. This lawlessness is an unwelcome side-note to Thailand’s dedicated efforts to market itself as a family-friendly and safe destination for international travelers and businesspeople—and this latest bombing could blow a hole in what has been a pretty successful PR campaign.

The past two years have proved difficult for Thailand’s international reputation, in the wake of violent 2010 Red Shirt protests and catastrophic flooding last year. The last thing Thailand wants or needs is a growing international sense that Bangkok is a possible terrorist proxy war zone. Further, the attacks are going to be bad for business—and Thailand’s multi-million dollar trade in both rice and sun-drenched holidays with Iran will take a serious hit if the two nations sever ties over this incident. Thailand’s decision to proceed slowly and avoid condemning Iran’s government along with three of its less illustrious nationals is a wise one.

But foremost in the minds of business-minded Thais is the attack’s possible effect on tourism, an industry which has played a major role in sending this developing nation on the fast-track to wealth, and accounts for 6 percent of Thailand’s annual GDP. Travel alerts have been issued by 10 nations, including the US and Britain, and the attacks have made international headlines. Embarrassingly, the Iranians partook in Thailand’s tourism scene themselves, allegedly partying on the beach in Pattaya with sex workers before coming to Bangkok to assemble their weapons.

The fact that these three Iranians decided to take their grievances—whatever they were—to the streets of Bangkok seems proof positive that Thailand needs to take steps to make its borders less porous and its reputation less amiable to illegal behavior.

Although the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce claimed the bombs would affect tourism for “no more than two months,” Thailand would do well to question if their nation’s reputation as a relatively family-friendly (sex trade aside) and low-stress tourist and business destination is becoming compromised. Hard immigration measures and a serious re-evaluation of the nation’s intelligence agencies may be in order.

Top stores from DAWNS Digest.

Alleged Koran Burning Sets off Big Protests in Afghanistan

NATO is in crisis management mode after word is out that a truckload of Korans may have been set on fire at Baghram air base. “Attempting to contain a violent reaction already gathering steam, the NATO commander in Afghanistan issued a fervent apology on Tuesday for foreign troops having ‘improperly disposed’ of Korans and Islamic materials…It is not clear how close the NATO personnel came to destroying the Korans, but one worker, Abdul Wahid, 25, said that ‘American soldiers brought a pickup truck loaded with new copies of the Koran in its trunk and dropped it in burning pitch and set fire and started burning the Koran.’ Mr. Wahid said that he and two friends tried to stop the soldiers. ‘We said, ‘We will give it to our mullahs,’ ” he said. Western officials said they did not believe that any Korans were actually set on fire, but that an investigation was under way and they would have information later Tuesday. The crowd at Bagram, estimated at more than 2,000, shouted ‘Death to America’ and ‘We don’t want them anymore,’ according to witnesses who were reached by telephone. Witnesses said gunfire could be heard and security forces were firing rubber bullets. (NYT http://nyti.ms/AvMkgY)

South Sudan’s Food Crisis is About to Get Much Worse

The WFP and the FAO are warning that as many as 9 million people in South Sudan could be facing hunger in the next two months. This is a story to watch closely in the coming weeks. “An already dire food situation in South Sudan could deteriorate amid growing economic problems, food shortages and a mass influx of people fleeing Sudan in the next two months, agencies warn. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said that in South Sudan’s first year of statehood, half the population of about nine million people could face hunger. Their Crop and Food Security Assessment report shows that for 2012, 4.7 million people will be food-insecure, up 1.4 million from last year, and the number of severely food-insecure will hit almost one million from 900,000 in 2011…’This is a rapidly approaching crisis that the world cannot afford to ignore,’ said Chris Nikoi, WFP’s country director in South Sudan. South Sudan’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Joseph Lual Achuil, urged people to try to salvage what they could from the planting season before the rains come or 1.7 million people would be ‘severely affected by starvation.’ ‘If we don’t do our best in order to rescue the situation now, 4.7 million will be without food, and if they are without food before the rain, after the rain what is going to happen? We are going to have a disaster,’ he said.” (IRIN http://bit.ly/whryva)

Another Massacre by Boko Haram

Nigeria’s terrible militant sect strikes again. “Suspected Nigerian Islamists opened fire and set off bombs at a market in the northeastern city of Maiduguri on Monday, killing at least 30 people, a medic and a witness said. Gunmen believed to be members of the Islamist sect Boko Haram stormed the fish section of Baga market and sprayed stallholders and vendors with bullets, traders said, reporting that women and children were among the dead. ‘The number of dead could not be less than 30,’ a Maiduguri hospital nurse told AFP. The military confirmed the assault on the market but denied any civilian deaths, saying security forces had killed eight assailants and safely detonated bombs planted by the attackers.” (AFP http://bit.ly/xN8BDx)

SG Travels: The SG will begin a three-nation trip next week that will take him to the United Kingdom, where he will attend an international conference on the situation in Somalia, before proceeding to Zambia and Angola, where he will meet with senior officials. He will also attend the launch of a polio vaccination campaign and meet with young people at a project on water and sanitation.

Libya: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon marked today’s one-year anniversary of the start of the Libyan revolution by calling on the North African country’s people to work together to transition to a democracy founded on justice, the rule of law, transparency and an inclusive political process.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said Libyans now stand “within reach of a democratic future which one year ago seemed only a distant dream.” He pledged the continued assistance of the United Nations, which has a political support mission (UNSMIL) in Libya, during the transition period, especially for the election of a national congress and the subsequent task of drafting a new constitution.

Iran: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that Iran must disprove allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons, but that diplomacy is the only way to resolve international concern about its program.

“All these issues should be resolved peacefully through negotiations, through dialogue,” the U.N. chief told reporters when asked if there was a “Plan B” — a possible alternative to diplomacy. I don’t know what you meant by ‘Plan B.’ But there is no alternative to a peaceful resolution to this issue.” Ban spoke after attending ceremonies marking the 15th anniversary of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, a Vienna-based U.N. agency set up to detect secret nuclear weapons testing, and ahead of a crucial visit to Tehran by International Atomic Energy Agency experts.

Asia-Pacific MDGs: Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have made big gains against poverty and advancing towards other development goals, but need to redouble efforts if they are to meet globally agreed targets to reduce hunger and child and maternal mortality, the UN reported today.

The region — which has more than 60 percent of the global population and incorporates more than 50 countries — has already met the goal of halving the number of people living on less than $1.25 per day to 22 percent from 50 percent in 1990 due to strong economic growth. But the region continues to lose high numbers of children before they reach the age of five and thousands of mothers are dying in child birth unnecessarily. Over three million children died before their fifth birthday in 2010, said the report.

Sudan: The Security Council today extended for another year the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring sanctions imposed on Sudan in connection with the conflict in Darfur, voicing regret that some individuals affiliated with the Government have continued to commit violence against civilians and to impede the peace process. It also requested the panel to coordinate its activities with the operations of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID), and with international efforts to promote the political process in Darfur.

Somalia: The United Nations refugee agency today voiced fears for the safety of thousands of people who have fled fresh violence near the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and urged all armed groups to ensure the safety of civilians.

In the last two weeks, over 7,200 Somalis have been forced to flee the Afgooye corridor, a 40-kilometre stretch of road just north-west of Mogadishu that is home to almost 410,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in sprawling settlements and makeshift camps, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). More than 5,200 of the 7,200 people who have fled did so in the past three days following new clashes that erupted on Tuesday.

I wanted to draw people’s attention to this fascinating philosophical and pragmatic debate over on the website of Global Brief over the provocative question of weather or not rich countries have an obligation to help the 12 million people suffering from the drought and food crisis in the Horn of Africa.  Arguing against the proposition is James Radner, a University of Toronto professor of public policy. Arguing for is friend-of-Dispatch James MacArthur, the former CEO of Millennium Promise who is currently with the UN Foundation.

Both bring an important perspective to this question.  Recommended reading for sure. Here is a taste.

Proposition: Advanced countries have a duty to help feed the Horn of Africa

James Radner (against): A terrible human catastrophe is unfolding day by day in the Horn of Africa. Innocent people are dying, or suffering permanent impairment, for want of food. Individually, as families, and collectively, as nations, we in the industrialized world have resources that could help, and I urge everyone to give generously to avert suffering and death. If there is one thing that people will take away from this debate, may it be a refreshed commitment to stretch ourselves to relieve the Horn.

Why then, beyond perversity and self-subversion, am I saying ‘No’ to the proposition before us? It is because I think that ‘duty’ is the wrong way to look at this, and the wrong basis upon which to decide what to do. Webster’s defines ‘duty’ as “a moral or legal obligation” – something binding. I do not see such an obligation here, and I would not want to try to convince a friend who prefers to spend the resources on, say, a humanitarian cause closer to home – or, more provocatively, for some other type of purpose altogether, like recreation – that she is guilty of shirking.

What – if not a duty – do we have in the face of the famine in the Horn? We have, I think, a choice: we are not bound to offer any particular level of support, and we are entitled, as we choose whether and how to act, to take account of a full range of factors. When we choose as individuals, these factors will include our own life circumstances and the needs of our families. When we choose as nations, they will include considerations of national interest and Realpolitik. But if we cannot – as we make our individual and collective choices – find within ourselves an abiding and genuinely motivating compassion for the afflicted, then I think that we have lost a vital part of our own humanity.

John W. McArthur (for): You and I agree that the hunger, suffering, and starvation affecting more than 13 million people in the Horn of Africa merits urgent action and financing. Everything else is secondary to this first-order agreement.

In that context, you make an interesting case regarding why it is the right thing to do, rejecting notions of duty and obligation, and arguing instead for notions of choice – whether guided by household budget constraints or national interests. I have two main reactions to this argument. The first is entirely pragmatic. I am generally agnostic as to the variety of motivations that different people draw upon when deciding to help solve a problem. For example, many people are inspired by religious beliefs. Many follow secular theories of justice. Some people are driven by security concerns. Still others are motivated by economic interests – short- or long-term. One could easily and legitimately cite any of these schools of thought in order to motivate humanitarian action in the Horn.

If one is focussed primarily on solving the problem on the ground, then, at a practical level, it matters little why one might, say, support the World Food Program to provide emergency food relief and, in turn, invest in local systems to support food security. What matters is that the relief is delivered, and that the local investments are made. The world’s most powerful coalitions for good have been formed when a variety of groups and interests have come together to solve a problem. The past decade’s campaigns to scale up AIDS treatment and malaria control, for example, drew upon leaders from academia, religion, industry, politics and non-profit organizations around the world – each of whom brought his or her distinct blend of motivations. But all of these leaders were united by an interest in solving the problem at hand.

The second reaction is more philosophical, and focusses on the questions of duty and obligation. I probably take a harder line than you on this, since I believe that rich countries and their citizens do have an obligation to support humanitarian emergencies and development investments in low-income countries – primarily because it costs so little for us to do so. In December of last year, the World Food Program – which is financed entirely through voluntary contributions – declared the need for an extra US $92 million for the first four months of 2012. Spread across the one billion people living in the rich world, this works out to nine cents per person. If a country like Canada were to pick up the tab on its own, it would cost less than US $3 per Canadian. Indeed, the entire consolidated UN humanitarian appeal for 2012 is US $7.7 billion to support 51 million beneficiaries across 16 countries, at an average of US $151 worth of goods and services per beneficiary for the year. This works out to US $7.70 per person in the rich world, where average incomes now top US $40,000 per annum. To be sure, this is hardly the stuff of existential trade-offs.

If we do not think that human lives are worth $7.70 of our resources, then we would not just be failing to meet our obligations to humanity; we would be failing to meet our obligations to promote a secure and stable world – and thereby to protect our own countries, our communities, our families and ourselves. Yes, we can always choose not to meet such obligations and reject any sense of duty. But to do so would be very unwise.

Go to Global Brief to read the rest,  You won’t be disappointed.

I, Diavlog.  With Robert Farley. We chat Syria, Bahrain, Russia and the ICC.

Specifically, we “ponder the reasoning behind Russia’s commitment to Syria, on both military and diplomatic fronts. Mark and Rob then explore the expanding writ of the International Criminal Court—is it making authoritarian leaders more reluctant to give up power? Finally, they consider the parallels between Syria and Bahrain and the future of the Responsibility to Protect.”

Enjoy!