Article

The Afghan region Loya Paktia is very much embedded in tribal traditions, which have in the past provided security in the area. Due to lost windows of opportunity, security has deteriorated to a large extend since 2005. This policy paper discusses the problematic relations between the main actors, why reconciliation initiatives to date have failed in the Southeast, and puts forward some practical suggestions to ensure a more effective strategy.

Our four Africa offices commissioned studies to evaluate the state of preparedness for climate change adaptation in seven African countries. What are the impacts of and vulnerabilities to climate change in Africa? To what extent do existing adaptation policies, strategies and plans respond to the vulnerabilities identified?

The editors of the recently published anthology of non-fiction writings by Heinrich Böll, in Hebrew, share thoughts and comments about the celebrated author and Nobel Prize laureate. Adina Stern and Hanan Elstein also reflect on the process of their work, and explain why they believe that Böll’s work is highly relevant to contemporary Israeli society.

With the general elections and the release of  Aung San Suu Kyi, November 2010 was a remarkable month full of emotional ups and downs for Burma/Myanmar. The Burmese student Ma Hnin Moe tells her view of the situation.

The release of 65-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner and Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from detention overjoyed most of the Burmese people inside and outside Burma. She is freed unconditionally, but it still remains unclear about the expectation of the government over her role in Burma politics.

In November 2010 Myanmar went to the polls for the first time in 20 years. While the elections have been written off by the west and welcomed in Asia, the issues around this seminal event are far more complex on a closer look. This article will aim to shed some light on the background to the elections, what changes the new structure is likely to engender and what Myanmar’s main future challenges will be.

Afghanistan’s south eastern province of Khost is well connected with important centers of trade on the other side of the border in Pakistan. At the same time, these advantages are also being used by insurgents and make Khost a primary spot for infiltration. TLO, a partner organization of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, takes a closer look at Khost province and analyzes the effects of the erosion of tribal unity there over the last decades. 

China is the world leader in exports of rare earths, which are mainly used for the production of hi-tech products. The Heinrich Böll Foundation talked with Dr. Zha Daojiong, a professor at the School of International Studies of Peking University, about the important raw materials and the role of China.

Muhammad Idrees Kamal, the Executive Director of Citizen Rights and Sustainable Development Peshawar, about his organization, its issues, and how the advocacy organization did charity collection and relief operations after the flood in Pakistan.

Shagufta Malik (ANP), Member of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, about her experiences as a woman politician, her impressions of the flood affected areas and the political situation after the flood.