National Journal: Global Conferences Becoming Obsolete – This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is attending the Rio+20 Summit on sustainable development, but “no one seems to be paying much attention.” Some attribute this to the “collapse of public confidence in the U.N. process and the inability of recent global conferences such as Rio to produce measurable results.” While many call for small, incremental meetings to replace global summits, others argue that without the “high-profile nature of these meetings, pressure for change will slacken and there will not be any incentive to achieve results.” (Olga Belogolova)
Reuters: World Refugee Day: Millions around the globe pay tribute to refugees – Millions around the globe commemorated World Refugee Day yesterday, remembering past conflicts and paying tribute to current crises that have displaced individuals. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon marked the day, saying, “World Refugee Day is a moment to remember all those affected, and a time to intensify our support … Despite budget constraints everywhere, we must not turn away from those in need.” His tone was carried on at Rio+20 in a conversation on the vulnerability of refugees as well as in various other state forums. (Leo Dobbs)
Devex: In US, New Coalition Takes Aim at Global Water Problems – The U.S. Water Partnership, an initiative launched by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in March, has committed $500 million to water security efforts around the globe. The largest pledge was courtesy of World Vision, which contributed $400 million in project support. The announcement of the partnership’s pledge occurred at the Rio+20 Summit. (Eliza Villarino)
The Globe and Mail: Reverse cuts to foreign aid, OECD tells Ottawa – The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said in a report Tuesday that “a decade’s worth of progress by Canada through doubling its aid spending could be reversed by the recent budget cut to overseas development.” The report calls for Canada to boost aid from its current 0.31 percent of GDP to 0.7 percent, the international target for aid spending. The report commended Canada for its decision to “largely untie food aid, which allows developing countries to buy food locally for less money.” (Mike Blanchfield)
AP: Sudan: Refugees Face Water Shortage, Aid Officials Say – Tens of thousands of refugees fleeing fighting in Sudan are unable to find enough water to drink or cook with, “leading to the deaths of an unknown number from dehydration and diarrhea.” The majority of the refugees are women, the elderly and children, and there are approximately 20,000 people at a holding camp on the border with South Sudan. An aid worker with Oxfam reported that the camp will run out of water in a week, yet 40,000 more refugees are still headed to South Sudan.
