PODCAST: World Food Program Chief David Beasley Discusses Food Crises in the Sahel and North Korea Mark Leon Goldberg June 7, 2018 My guest today, David Beasley is the executive director of the World Food Program. We caught up not long after he visited both the Sahel region of western Africa and from North Korea, where the World Food Program is actively engaged. We kick o...
Scientists Warn of Drought and Famine in the Sahel Mark Leon Goldberg May 29, 2015 There are already 300,000 to 400,000 people in the region without access to a secure food supply. “A global weather phenomenon could cause a famine in the Sahel this year by combining with already dry conditions to create a ‘double whammy’ for the region, scie...
Europe is Totally Ignoring the Root Causes of Migration Across the Mediterranean Katherine Edelen May 20, 2015 On Monday, the European Commission authorized an EU naval program seeking to disrupt and destroy migrant smuggling operations and networks. Not unexpectedly, the plan has been met with a flurry of criticism, with many critics arguing that such an overemphasis...
Inching Towards Peace in Mali Penelope Chester March 3, 2015 A key agreement between the government, pro-Mali groups and the Tuareg minority will hopefully be signed by the end of March
In the Sahel, Time Has Already Run Out on Climate Change Mark Leon Goldberg June 24, 2013 A dispatch from climate change's global ground zero
Mali Refugees, In Their Own Words (Video) Mark Leon Goldberg April 23, 2013 A very well done video from UNICEF lets us hear directly from the people most affected by conflict in the Sahel
Malian Refugees Face Hunger in Niger (Video) Mark Leon Goldberg March 1, 2013 Niger is one of the poorest countries on the planet, yet 50,000 Malians have fled there to escape fighting at home. Niger does not have the capacity to feed, shelter, and provide basic humanitarian relief to these refugees. The international community needs to step up, but so far funding for humanitarian relief is falling short.
David Guetta and Usher Go “CERFing” for the Sahel Mark Leon Goldberg February 26, 2013 PSA: To help raise awareness about the crisis in the Sahel, musicians David Guetta and Usher just contributed this song to the UN's humanitarian efforts in Sahel.
Pieces Starting to Align for Mali Intervention Mark Leon Goldberg October 2, 2012 The diplomatic pieces may be falling into place for a West African lead military intervention in Northern Mali. This story is not getting much attention in the western press, but all signs are pointing to a potential US and French backed intervention against the patchwork of militias that have asserted themselves in northern Mali.