Stop Neglecting African Conflicts

A group of displaced men, women, and children find refuge at a church on the outskirts of Nyunzu village in eastern Congo. Pastor Mbuyu (pictured) looks after them. Credit: NRC/Christian JepsenBy Will HigginbothamUNITED NATIONS, Jun 13 2018 (IPS)Conflicts have uprooted millions across several African nations and we must not forget them, said a human rights group.Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) timely message was published through their annual list of the worlds most neglected displacement crises. “It’s a sad pattern that we are once again seeing that the crises on the African continent seldom make media headlines or reach foreign policy agendas before it is too late,” said Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland.This year’s results found that six of the worlds 10 most neglected conflicts are found in Africa.The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – where years of civil war have displaced more than 5 million people – topped the list.South Sudan, Central African Republic, Burundi and Ethiopia rounded out the top five.But why are such conflicts so neglected?Lack of political and diplomatic will is among the NRC’s major concerns.“We – the West – are good at turning a blind eye when there is little geopolitical interest for us,” NRC’s spokesperson Tiril Skarstein told IPS.“The countries on the list are often considered less strategically important, and that’s why there’s no international interest in finding a solution,”...

Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - June 13, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Will Higginbotham Tags: Africa Aid Armed Conflicts Crime & Justice Featured Food & Agriculture Global Geopolitics Headlines Health Human Rights Humanitarian Emergencies Migration & Refugees Peace TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news