Bi-weekly News and Opinion Roundup - December 9, 2021 |
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The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) just published a long-awaited update to the chapter on nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the Bank Examination Manual, which governs how federal bank examiners review bank compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering and terrorist financing requirements. We offer background on the Bank Examination Manual, as well as key takeaways from the updated chapter. Read our analysis on C&SN's website. (December 9).
On November 30, the State Department announced the removal of FARC from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list and the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list, and the addition of FARC-EP and Segunda Marquetalia to those lists. We share our take on what this means for peacebuilding and other civil society activities in Colombia, and on the broader problems with terrorism designations demonstrated by their impact in Colombia. Read our analysis on C&SN’s website. (December 3).
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Civicus Monitor, an organization that tracks restrictions on civic space and civil society just released its 2021 report. It shows that 13 countries had their ratings downgraded as civic rights have deteriorated globally. Review the interactive report here. (December 7).
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Representatives from the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, the British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group, the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee, and Cordaid share their view on the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, arguing that “the Afghan people should not be denied vital healthcare and be abandoned without food because the international community sees economic starvation as the only available tool to influence the Taliban regime.” Read their take in Al Jazeera. (December 4).
The Biden administration is considering options for how it might redistribute Afghan funds frozen by the U.S. in the wake of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, including offering payments to families of 9/11 victims, and potentially transferring funds to humanitarian NGOs operating in Afghanistan. The New York Times reports. (November 29).
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Jordan Street of Saferworld USA shares his concerns on a thematic debate at the UN Security Council on the links between climate change and terrorism, arguing that, “while the meeting will provide an opportunity to better understand the interaction between climate, conflict, and violent groups using terror tactics, there are significant risks that the fields of climate security and environmental peacebuilding will become dominated by the heavily securitized framework of counterterrorism.” Read his take in Just Security. (December 6).
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In this recent report, ACAPS offers an overview of which countries are facing the greatest challenges in humanitarian access, assessing each country based on three pillars; access of people in need to aid, access of humanitarian agencies to people in need, and physical, environmental and security constraints. Read the full report here. (December).
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) offers an overview of the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, estimating the 9.4 million people in northern Ethiopia need food assistance due to the conflict between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian government. Read the situation report here. (December 2).
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Yazan Zahzah of the Palestinian Youth Movement and Omar Zahzah of Eyewitness Palestine voice their opposition to a resolution recently passed by the San Diego Unified School District that conflates anti-zionism with anti-semitism and appears designed to stifle political discourse relating to Palestinian rights in classrooms in the district by calling for “the use of unbiased and politically neutral materials on issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Read their take in the San Diego Union-Tribune. (December 6).
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The International Crisis Group recently released a report outlining the challenges surrounding the pursuit of peace in Colombia, exploring the history of the demobilization effort following the 2016 peace agreement, impediments to political inclusion, struggles to protect former FARC members who have demobilized, and steps to support the realization of a sustainable peace. Read the full report here. (November 30).
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Ryan Costello of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) examines the role of the United States in supporting authoritarian regimes, both directly through arms sales and military aid, and indirectly through sanctions that undermine the economic stability of the middle class in sanctioned countries, noting that “a strong middle class and economic prosperity have typically been major drivers of successful democratic movements.” Read his take in Responsible Statecraft. (December 8).
In response to reports that Russia is considering plans to invade Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe have prepared to impose “significant and severe economic harm on the Russian economy” through the use of sanctions if Russia does in fact invade Ukraine. POLITICO reports. (December 6).
The Senate has confirmed Brian Nelson as Treasury’s Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes. He was nominated in May, but his confirmation was held up by Senate Republicans over the Biden administration’s refusal to sanction the company managing Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The Wall Street Journal reports. (December 2).
The Swedish Red Cross explores the humanitarian impacts of sanctions around the world, looking at the intended and unintended consequences of sanctions, their impact on the COVID 19 crisis, and more. Read the full report here. (November 19).
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