Africa Corona crisis in South Africa: Hand-washing in townships? Commentary With only three day notice, South Africa went into full lockdown on the night from 26 to 27 March. What happened in the three days leading up the lockdown is highly impressive. Instead of everyone following the instinct of making provision for themselves, neighbourhood solidarity networks sprang up spontaneously. By Katrin Seidel Nigeria: A Dual Challenge Background Nigeria stands at the very brink of its own COVID-19 epidemic. However, the country has been in the grips of serious crisis for weeks: the collapse in oil prices has led to brutal budget cuts and provokes a recession in the country, which depends heavily on oil exports. The timing could not be worse in view of the forthcoming pandemic challenges. By Jochen Luckscheiter More about Africa Asia Flying blind: Myanmar in the Covid-19 crisis Commentary With low testing rates, but rising numbers of infections, Myanmar’s government is virtually flying blind trying to get on top of Covid-19 with a lockdown. The collapse of clothing exports to Europe has led to a sharp rise in unemployment, while armed conflicts continue, mostly in Rakhine State, and critical coverage of it has become a criminal offence. By Axel Harneit-Sievers The Hong Kong way to combat Covid-19: “Take things in our own hands” Background The SARS pandemic in 2003 still lives vividly in the memory of Hongkongs citizens. Therefore, the Hongkongers responded quickly when the first cases of COVID-19 appeared. What did the city learned about crisis management? Which impact did the collective memory has regarding the virus spreading? By Lucia Siu More about Asia Europe Coronavirus - The situation in Italy following the EU summit Commentary The looming economic crisis in Italy threatens the livelihoods of the population and liberal democracy. Nevertheless, the northern EU states have refused Europe-wide financing and credit programmes. By Christopher Hein Covid-19 pandemic shows how fragile the EU is Commentary The new coronavirus is not only catapulting us out of our everyday lives, but dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic also shows us the EU's inability to act in times of crisis. Not only are people stranded at airports and railway stations, but in recent weeks the hope that Europe will pull together has also been stranded. By Eva van de Rakt and Florian Christl More about Europe Middle East & North Africa Coronavirus crisis in Israel: A lifeline for Netanyahu Background Benjamin Netanyahu could not even win the third election held within one year. Now, he is using the coronavirus crisis to profile himself as an indispensable statesman and secure his power – to the detriment of Israeli democracy. By Dr. Steffen Hagemann Syriaʹs crisis within a crisis – coronavirus could hit hard Background The corona pandemic has reached Syria. Anna Fleischer, Program Coordinator for Syria, explains why the virus could hit the country extremely hard and above all endanger those imprisoned. By Anna Fleischer More about Middle East / North Africa Latin America A feminist peace in Colombia? Analysis The inclusion of a gender perspective in Colombia's peace agreement: past, present, and future. By Catalina Ruiz-Navarro More about Latin America North America More about North America From Berlin around the World The Heinrich-Böll-Foundation works with more then 100 partner projects in 60 countries and maintains offices in 30 countries. About half of our founding goes to projects in foreign countries. Offices in foreign countries
Corona crisis in South Africa: Hand-washing in townships? Commentary With only three day notice, South Africa went into full lockdown on the night from 26 to 27 March. What happened in the three days leading up the lockdown is highly impressive. Instead of everyone following the instinct of making provision for themselves, neighbourhood solidarity networks sprang up spontaneously. By Katrin Seidel
Nigeria: A Dual Challenge Background Nigeria stands at the very brink of its own COVID-19 epidemic. However, the country has been in the grips of serious crisis for weeks: the collapse in oil prices has led to brutal budget cuts and provokes a recession in the country, which depends heavily on oil exports. The timing could not be worse in view of the forthcoming pandemic challenges. By Jochen Luckscheiter
Flying blind: Myanmar in the Covid-19 crisis Commentary With low testing rates, but rising numbers of infections, Myanmar’s government is virtually flying blind trying to get on top of Covid-19 with a lockdown. The collapse of clothing exports to Europe has led to a sharp rise in unemployment, while armed conflicts continue, mostly in Rakhine State, and critical coverage of it has become a criminal offence. By Axel Harneit-Sievers
The Hong Kong way to combat Covid-19: “Take things in our own hands” Background The SARS pandemic in 2003 still lives vividly in the memory of Hongkongs citizens. Therefore, the Hongkongers responded quickly when the first cases of COVID-19 appeared. What did the city learned about crisis management? Which impact did the collective memory has regarding the virus spreading? By Lucia Siu
Coronavirus - The situation in Italy following the EU summit Commentary The looming economic crisis in Italy threatens the livelihoods of the population and liberal democracy. Nevertheless, the northern EU states have refused Europe-wide financing and credit programmes. By Christopher Hein
Covid-19 pandemic shows how fragile the EU is Commentary The new coronavirus is not only catapulting us out of our everyday lives, but dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic also shows us the EU's inability to act in times of crisis. Not only are people stranded at airports and railway stations, but in recent weeks the hope that Europe will pull together has also been stranded. By Eva van de Rakt and Florian Christl
Coronavirus crisis in Israel: A lifeline for Netanyahu Background Benjamin Netanyahu could not even win the third election held within one year. Now, he is using the coronavirus crisis to profile himself as an indispensable statesman and secure his power – to the detriment of Israeli democracy. By Dr. Steffen Hagemann
Syriaʹs crisis within a crisis – coronavirus could hit hard Background The corona pandemic has reached Syria. Anna Fleischer, Program Coordinator for Syria, explains why the virus could hit the country extremely hard and above all endanger those imprisoned. By Anna Fleischer
A feminist peace in Colombia? Analysis The inclusion of a gender perspective in Colombia's peace agreement: past, present, and future. By Catalina Ruiz-Navarro
