The European Union and Turkey agreed to a controversial deal late last week aimed at stemming the movement of refugees into Europe. The deal, much maligned by the UN and human rights groups, would essentially expel any new arrivals from...
It’s been four days since the cessation of hostilities went into effect in Syria. For a conflict that has only consistently and relentlessly intensified for the past five years, there has now been the longest period of sustained de-escalation around the...
At the start of the Syrian conflict, the UN Human Rights Council created an independent commission of inquiry, made up of a team of investigators and human rights lawyers, to investigate alleged human rights violations. Back then, the bulk of...
The United Kingdom plays host to a major conference this week intended to raise money and political support for the Syrian humanitarian disaster. There are now over 4.6 million Syrian refugees who have fled abroad, mostly to surrounding countries and...
A sliver of good news came out of Syria yesterday with the announcement that the Syrian government would allow aid into the besieged city of Madaya. Located on the border with Lebanon, reports of starvation emerged earlier this week, highlighting once...
This is a big moment for Syria. And the world. Foreign ministers from most of the Security Council, including John Kerry and his Russian counter-part Sergei Lavrov are in New York today to debate, discuss and (hopefully) approve a Security...
The numbers don’t lie. The United Nations is expecting 2016 to be the most challenging year ever for global humanitarian operations. And the two top culprits are conflicts in the Middle East and El Nino weather patterns Every December, the...
Emma Sky was an Arabist, working at the British Council in 2003 when the United Kingdom joined the US led invasion and occupation of Iraq. Though she strongly opposed the war, she opted to join the coalition provisional authority, which...
For the first time in years, there is actual momentum towards an international political solution to the Syria conflict. Over the weekend, the Arab League, China, Egypt, the EU, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia,...