Humanitarian Unknown 045.
1. The Risk of Outsourcing Ambition
"External actors have no incentive, inclination, or obligation to imagine an expansive future for you."
Perhaps my favorite read this week, from Liberia’s former minister of public works, W. Gyude Moore.
2. Elbridge Colby and the Return of Republican Realism
"Colby has spent the past eight years attempting to systematize the anti-interventionist themes Trump has espoused. The result is a China-focused, national-interest realism that accepts the need for tradeoffs and limits in the exercise of U.S. power, and rejects adventurism and “democracy promotion” through regime change."
Highly informative. From Alexander Zaitchik.
3. You Can’t Optimize Your Way to Being a Good Person
"I tried to make the perfect moral choice every time. It eroded my humanity."
From Sigal Samuel.
4. Starlink Now Cheaper Than Leading Internet Providers in 16 African Countries
In at least five of the 16 African countries where the service is available, a monthly Starlink subscription is cheaper than the leading fixed internet service provider.
From Khadija Alam and dámiláre dòsùnmú .
5. In a Major Reversal, the World Bank is Backing Mega Dams.
"Despite continued opposition, the World Bank has approved the first of five big dam projects expected to get its support in the coming months. Climate change has upped the need for renewable energy, but the environmental and social costs of building such massive projects remain."
From Jacques Leslie .
6. The Great Decentralization
"Beyond the challenges of addressing illegal or harmful content, the Great Decentralization raises deeper questions about social cohesion: Will the fragmentation of platforms exacerbate ideological silos and further erode the shared spaces needed for consensus and compromise?"
领英推荐
From Renee DiResta .
7. The Biggest Community Development Program You’ve Never Heard Of
"The pilot of the Indian Community Development Program?— among the first holistic development interventions to elicit widespread community participation?—?was a resounding success. Why did it fail to scale? And what can that tell us about development programs today?"
From Clara Collier .
8. Faith Organizations Have a Complex Relationship to Disaster Relief
Church volunteers feel called by Christ to help those impacted by Helene. For some, that means fulfilling a mandate to alleviate suffering. For others, it also means proselytizing.
From Katie Myers.
9. What’s Shaping Aid Policy in 2025
The humanitarian system is in a struggle to stake its relevance. The challenge in 2025 and beyond will be for humanitarians to redefine what they do and why it matters. Five humanitarian policy trends that could play a role.
From Irwin Loy and Will Worley.
10. Predictions for Africa in 2025
African countries face a range of challenges and opportunities over the next 12 months, from the impact of Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency on global trade to expected investments by China and Gulf nations. Semafor Africa asked key thought leaders for their predictions on what lies ahead in 2025.
From Yinka Adegoke, Alexis Akwagyiram and Samuel Getachew.
11. We Can Be Heroes: the Inspiring People We Met Around the World In 2024
The Bolivian mountaineer, the Gaza photographer, the Ethiopia cyclist, the mute Rohingya boy, the Iranian lawyer, the Ivory Coastsex worker.
From theguardian.org .