Author: Tammy Hineline

SEATTLE — The 2015-2016 El Niño caused Ethiopia’s worst drought in 50 years. The government and international donors quickly mobilized funding. As a result, the number of people needing aid was cut almost in half, from 10.2 million people in 2016 to only 5.6 million in 2017. Unfortunately, a new drought threatens the ongoing Ethiopian drought recovery. It’s rare that good news comes on the heels of a climate disaster. Chris Hillbruner, a deputy chief for the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS), mentioned this fact in an interview with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. “Ethiopia had the world’s largest…

NAIROBI — The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in May 2016 that the average life expectancy in Kenya has increased in the past 15 years, from 51 to 63.4 years. This statistic shows the long-term impact of medical and social programs that support countries like Kenya. Kenya isn’t alone. Life expectancy in multiple African countries has risen between 20 and 42 percent since 2000, according to the Financial Times. These countries, like Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda, have all made stark growth in life expectancy despite poor economic growth and declining standards of government. As of April 2016, 30 out of…

SEATTLE — According to the Pew Research Center, in 2015, 1.3 million refugees sought asylum in the European Union. This new surge of people, aggravated by the Syrian conflict, is half composed of refugees from three countries: Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Many asylum seekers can find resources for housing or medical aid, but rare is the social support that truly integrates communities of people together. One nonprofit, Singa, is seeking to change that. Singa, created by international relations graduates Guillaume Capelle and Nathanël Molle, seeks to not only support refugees economically but socially as well by involving them in events…

SEATTLE — Nationalism surfaced at the end of the 18th century, with the French and American revolutions its first manifestations. It is characterized by the interests of one’s nation-state surpassing the interests of other groups, individuals or countries. It can sometimes share aspects of populism and often entails strong opposition to globalization, foreign trade and immigration. Nationalism can take different forms: political, cultural or economical. However, the policies and actions that typically accompany nationalist movements have the potential to damage economies, and in some cases, nationalism worsens global poverty. One reason nationalism worsens global poverty is because it puts global…

BEIJING — China boasts the second-largest economy in the world, as reported by the World Bank in March 2017. With the potential to overtake the U.S. by 2030, China has focused its strategic planning on rapid production and economic growth. However, this focus has now put food security in the country at risk, and Chinese officials are being forced to make bold agricultural decisions in order to mitigate future damage. Currently, the 1.3 billion people in China account for close to a fifth of the entire world population but only utilize about seven percent of arable land, which is quickly disappearing in favor of…

SEATTLE — The robotics industry is booming, from manufacturing to healthcare. Already, robots can replace butchers, dairy farmers, pharmacists and household vacuuming. As a multi-billion dollar industry, robotics improves productivity in industries and has created valuable tech jobs in development, software and other sectors. Investment analysts at Bank of America believe that over the next 20 years the global economy will be transformed as robots become more developed and learn to think and develop more human traits. Robots and the economy are already tied together in a direct way. What isn’t for sure is whether or not they will ultimately…

SEATTLE — 2015 saw a record number of asylum applications in the European Union, at 1.3 million. With the arrival of refugees often comes economic turmoil and political conflict, along with the general worry that accepting refugees will increase terrorism. However, SINGA is a nonprofit organization that is seeking to change the stereotypes that permeate host countries. The nonprofit prides itself on forging communities between refugees and locals where they not only interact through daily activities like yoga or music but where they also have the opportunity to live together or even start companies together. The emphasis of all their…

SEATTLE — For the average American consumer, it is easy to disassociate the shipping industry with daily shopping routines. Stores are next door or only miles away and products can be ordered online to be delivered on doorsteps in a single day. It is easy to forgo thoughts of how many thousands of miles those products travel to reach the consumers and exactly who makes them in the first place. Many products consumed in America come from overseas via the shipping industry — an industry that provides jobs which encourage economic growth, raise the quality of living and has lifted an…

SEATTLE — For the past two decades, poverty and conflict in the Middle East have continued to develop side by side. Economic inequality is often cited as a national security concern, in addition to serving as a force of tension and civil war. The problem is viciously cyclical — conflict begets economic inequality, which begets more conflict, and the loop continues. In addition, poverty fuels radical extremism. It hampers a country’s growth and displaces its people — both physically and economically. Conflict in countries can destroy economic, political and civic assets such as infrastructure, communities and the facets of daily living.…

SEATTLE — In 2014, Trinidad and Tobago took a special interest in the development of its population through the On-the-Job Training Global Initiative (OJT). The OJT program, administered through Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training (MTEST), connects nationals aged 16-35 with employers in different industries – including agriculture, government, and finance. The goal of the program is to develop the skills of young people that will then translate into greater and more fulfilling employment opportunities. One of the recipients of OJT interns is the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP). The Borgen Project (TBP) spoke with U.N. Resident…