Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
October 28, 2022
“The proper focus of humanitarian ethics,” writes the British academic Hugo Slim in his book on the subject, “should rest on how to be a good humanitarian worker, not on how to avoid being a bad one.” As UN aid workers in Syria know all too well, it is easier said than done. A recent two-year study published by two non-profits, the Syrian Legal Development Programme and the Observatory of Political and Economic Networks, alleges widespread abuse and, in some cases, corruption related to how the UN disburses donor funds in the war-torn country.
Among the report’s claims are that well-known human rights violators linked to the Syrian government have received millions of dollars of UN contracts, and that the UN’s opaque procurement process has only contributed to the problem.
Since 2014, donor countries have spent about $2.5 billion a year on humanitarian projects in Syria. As an impartial entity, the UN is the largest facilitator of such projects, with considerable influence over how donor funds are spent. The report is sure to irk many politicians in donor countries, some of whom, such as the US and UK, will see the names of individuals they have sanctioned listed as beneficiaries of their donations. In fact, the report alleges, nearly a quarter of donor funds disbursed by the UN have gone to individuals or companies under US, EU or UK sanctions. Such an outcome is possible in large part because the UN is not bound by non-UN sanctions, but for the countries holding the purse strings, that justification may not wash.
The US and UK will see the names of individuals they have sanctioned listed as beneficiaries of their donations
One particularly egregious example is the award of a contract worth more than $1 million to a company owned by the leader of a Damascus militia believed to be behind the 2013 Tadamon massacre. Another militia commander, Mohammad Said, who leads the predominantly Palestinian Al Quds Brigade, owns a company that has been contracted by the World Health Organisation to repair hospitals in Aleppo, a city the brigade helped the regime to retake in 2016.
But Syria is not an easy place to do business. And when it comes to humanitarian business, profits are considered a necessary evil in the interest of getting aid to where it needs to go: vulnerable Syrians. To achieve this, the UN, whose Syrian operations are based out of Damascus, must work within difficult conditions set out by the regime. For these and other practical reasons, a majority of UN-facilitated spending is in regime-held areas, but this is also where about two thirds of the Syrian population – including millions of vulnerable people – live.
The report’s authors propose some measures to be taken, such as greater transparency in how and why the UN awards contracts, and better vetting systems. But these will only be partial solutions. The harsh realities that drive this situation are ones that the rest of the international community – including countries who want to play a role in developing Syria once the war is over – will have to come to terms with, as the incumbent government is not expected to go anywhere any time soon.
Ultimately, the UN finds itself, the report’s authors note, in a “neutrality trap”: its inability to take sides and, by extension, its inability to flout local laws leaves it open to exploitation by the Syrian regime – namely, regarding with whom it can and cannot do business.
The inverse challenge, however, which is not discussed in the report but is only made clearer by its publication, is a reputational trap. UN agencies, and other humanitarian organisations, cannot ignore negative press and the impressions of donors, even if these factors come to stand in the way of their mandate of helping the greatest number of people possible. Focusing on how to be a good humanitarian worker, it seems, is only getting harder.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023 More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally • Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered • Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity • Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip:Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
