OneWorld.net (U.S.)

OneWorld's editors in the United States look at the major issues facing communities around the globe this month.

WASHINGTON, Apr 6 (OneWorld.net) - The economic recession remains front and center this month amid an important summit of world leaders and renewed warnings about hunger [news | aid alert] and deepening poverty [news] in developing countries.

Tanzanian children. © epcp (flickr)Leaders of 20 "systemically important industrialized and developing economies" -- the G-20 -- met in Europe last week under the banner of "Stability, Growth, Jobs." The mantra was clearly Western and corporate in tone, but anti-poverty campaigners worked hard to keep the plight of the world's poor on the agenda. In an important departure from past gatherings, the assembled leaders represented not just the world's wealthiest nations, but also some developing and middle-income economies, including Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey. Global social justice advocates were generally pleased with the summit's outcome, but promised to monitor its implementation closely, especially as much will now rest on the actions of the International Monetary Fund, which is widely distrusted in the developing world.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in Latin America [news] early this month, promising "a new day for partnership in the Americas." The drug trade [news] and resulting violence in Mexico [news | background] has dominated U.S. headlines about the region in recent months, but the vast majority of people in Latin America are more concerned with issues of socially just economic growth. OneWorld will keep a close eye on geo-political developments in the region where massive social movements have taken root in recent years. Will the new administration in Washington shift the focus of its hemispheric relations from military efforts and policing to economic and human development?

NATO countries also met in early April to discuss Afghanistan [news | background | blog], which is sure to be back on many people's minds in the coming months as the United States sends thousands more soldiers and refocuses its attention on helping that country -- and neighboring Pakistan [news | background] -- build political stability and economic prosperity. OneWorld has launched a new blog, "Afghan Watch," [link] in conjunction with the ethnic media network New America Media, to provide unparalleled insights into on-the-ground realities in Afghanistan and U.S. policy toward the region. Contributors include scholars, aid workers, policymakers, and community activists in Afghanistan and the United States.

And in another move that has peace advocates and military analysts abuzz, the United States [news] and Russia [news] have pledged to sign an agreement by the end of the year to dramatically reduce their nuclear weapons [news | background] stockpiles. Anti-nuclear activists are also brimming with delight this week after Barack Obama said the United States has the "moral responsibility" to seek a world free of nuclear weapons -- a dramatic statement from the man considered by many to be "the leader of the free world." But all this comes in the same week that North Korea [news] fired a missile into the Pacific Ocean, raising new concerns about that country's nuclear intentions.

With Earth Day coming up on Apr. 22, environmental issues [news] -- climate change [news | background | action hub] and energy [news] in particular -- will figure prominently on OneWorld's Daily Headlines [link | subscribe | RSS] and Yahoo! News [link] pages this month. OneWorld is also working with the virtual world innovators at TechSoup Global to launch the "Eco-Commons" in Second Life [more info | teleport] this month. Contact if your organization is interested in building your own virtual offices and exhibition areas where you can hold video showings and private or public meetings -- all without expending any travel carbon!

In Africa, we continue to monitor the volatile humanitarian and conflict situations in Sudan [news], where aid groups have been expelled from Darfur and the peace agreement in the south is in jeopardy; Zimbabwe [news | background], where a new power-sharing government is struggling to get people back to school, work, and health; and the Democratic Republic of Congo [news], where a March peace deal has raised hopes for terrorized civilians in the eastern part of the country. OneWorld is also keeping a close eye on the humanitarian situation across the Indian Ocean in Sri Lanka [news | background], as the government believes it is close to crushing the 25-year separatist rebellion and as many as 150,000 civilians remained trapped in the conflict zone.

Adoyo consults with caregivers Ruth and Susan from the Dago Women's Group. © New America MediaOneWorld's living magazine, Perspectives [link | subscribe], has just published a dialogue [link] between readers and Kenyan AIDS [news] caregiver Pamela Adoyo, one of our "People of the Year" for 2008 [meet all the finalists], highlighting the impact regular people can have to hold their communities together under the economic and societal pressures levied by the disease. Our next dialogue offers the chance to connect with Patricia Smith Melton [post your questions] -- another of our "People of the Year" -- who is working to build peace and tolerance [news] by connecting women across cultures and borders.