Afghanistan is the world’s largest supplier of heroin and opium. The Afghan government, United Nations, and other international stakeholders have tried endlessly to prevent Afghan farmers from growing poppy, the plant used to produce heroin, but farmers often find themselves in a situation where they are threatened with violence, or left with little means for income.

Rumi Spice, a company started by US Army veterans, aims to combat this problem by partnering with Afghan farmers to produce saffron, a spice more valuable than gold.

In this episode, we speak with Emily Miller from Rumi Spice about how her company not only dissuades Afghan farmers from participating in the drug trade, but also promotes a sense of entrepreneurship, creates new job opportunities, and links Afghanistan to international gourmet markets.

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching this topic:

Rumi Spice, About Us, Rumi Spice

Afghanistan’s Billion Dollar Drug War, Al Jazeera English

DEA: Heroin Haul Largest Ever in Afghanistan, ‘if Not the World, James Gordon Meek, ABC News

Poppy – History, DEAMuseum.org

Opium use booms in Afghanistan, creating a ‘silent tsunami’ of addicted women, Pamela Constable, Washington Post

Afghanistan’s Opium Production is Through the Roof, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Brookings

Last Year’s Record Opium Production Threatens Sustainable Development, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime

The U.S. Department of Defense calls climate change a threat multiplier, but for some countries it is an imminent and existential threat. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are particularly at risk, facing the possibility of their nations literally go under in the next few decades. Join us as we discuss who’s to blame, the future for these nations and their citizens, and what can be done.

Related Articles

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching the effects of climate change on the most vulnerable countries:

* Will Pacific Island Nations Disappear as Seas Rise? – National Geographic

* Sinking States: Climate Change and the Pacific – The Diplomat

* Climate Change – UNHCR

* Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap – U.S. Department of Defense

Want to contribute to a future episode?

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Sand is the world’s second most consumed natural resource and a critical component of the world’s construction and manufacturing industries. Some governments have attempted to regulate excessive sand dredging, which has led to the rise of black market “sand mafias.”

Positioned in China’s resource-rich northwestern region, the city of Urumqi is gaining strategic importance as China seeks to diversify its energy resources. However, ethnic and cultural tensions between the Chinese government and Uighur minority population continue to threaten the region’s stability.

A Unique City

Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang province, which borders eight countries in China’s northwest corner. With a population of over 3 million people, Urumqi is made up of roughly 75% ethnic Hans and 25% ethnic Uighurs. However, the Uighurs—a Muslim minority group within China—make up about half of the greater Xinjiang province. The city and surrounding region boast an abundance of natural resources, including oil and gas, minerals, and farm fields.

Ethnic Tension and Integration in Xinjiang

Xinjiang has a long history of violence between the People’s Republic of China and the Uighur population. Separatists have executed violent attacks within Xinjiang since the PRC re-established control of the region in 1949. In 2009, thousands of Uighurs rioted in Urumqi in response to news of a brawl in southern China in which two Uighurs had been killed. Hundreds died in the riot. In 2014, Uighur separatists attacked and killed over 30 people in attacks within the Xinjiang region in what the Chinese government called a “violent terrorist incident.”

In February 2017, the government held a series of “anti-terror” rallies involving tens of thousands of soldiers and police officers in response to a recent terrorist attack. Attacks and government countermeasures are likely to continue as the Uighur population fights for autonomy and more religious freedoms.

Urumqi’s Role in China’s Strategy Map

In the midst of ethnic tensions, Urumqi and the greater Xinjiang area are growing in economic importance. Xinjiang has significant oil, coal, and natural gas reserves, and is a major route through which gas pipelines from Central Asia traverse. This region will become increasingly important to China, as its demand for energy sources far outpaces domestic production.    

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching this topic:

In a Region Disturbed by Ethnic Tensions, China Keeps Tight Lid on a Massacre, Andrew Jacobs, New York Times

China Unrest Has Roots in History, NPR

China-Turkey relationship strained over Uighurs, Selin Girit, BBC

Space is becoming more crowded. A growing number of governments are launching satellites each year, and companies like SpaceX and OneWeb plan to send thousands of satellites into orbit over the next several years. But as the number of satellites increases, does the world have a plan for manage space traffic?

In this episode, guest speaker Brian Weeden of the Secure World Foundation joins us to discuss the recent growth of space traffic, and then outline various global efforts–both political and technological—to manage space traffic. We also explore how space traffic management may evolve moving forward in light of the increasingly cheaper and easier access to space.

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching this topic:

Muddling through space traffic management, Brian Weeden, Space News

1st Satellite Built to Harpoon Space Junk for Disposal Begins Test Flight, Tereza Pultarova, Space.com

Space Policy Directive-3, National Space Traffic Management Policy, The White House

The island nation of Cyprus can be summed up in one word: divided. Since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1960, tensions between the ethnically Greek and Turkish sides of the island escalated to a Greek coup d’Etat attempt and invasion by Turkey in 1974. This conflict has resulted in the island being split, monitored, and guarded by the UN and a reunification debate that continues to this day.

At the same time, however, Cyprus is a relatively prosperous nation, a member of the European Union, and a popular tourist destination. The dichotomy between Cyprus’ conflict zone and first-world nation status makes this island a unique case study.

In this episode, we explore the history of Cyprus and the roots of conflict in this historically conquered island. We then look into the key debates and disagreements between various stakeholders of the island. Lastly, we discuss past failed peace plans and the various factors impacting reunification efforts.

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching this topic:

Cyprus: Why One of the World’s Most Intractable Conflicts Continues, Sewell Chan, New York Times

Cyprus reunification talks collapse amid angry scenes, Helena Smith, The Guardian

Cyprus fears Russia could wreck reunification, Sara Stefanini, Politico

Special guest Jamie Franklin, Executive Director of Mines Advisory Group America, joins us for a discussion on the post-war effects of land mines and campaigns to eliminate them.  The use of landmines is said to have first been used during the American Civil War in the 1800s and more widely during the Second World War. With over 8,000 landmine related deaths and injuries as recent as 2016, and of which 80 percent of the victims were civilians, landmines continue to present a unique challenge as an instrument of war that is as deadly at times of peace as it is during conflict.

In this episode, we explore the post-war effects of landmines and the efforts taken by governments and organizations such as the Mines Advisory Group – America to work toward a world free of the use of antipersonnel landmines. 163 countries are now signatories to the 1999 treaty that banned the production, stockpile, and the transfer of land mines. The episode also explores what parts of the world are more affected by landmines and other unexploded ordnance.

Read more:

* Why Do Land Mines Kill So Many? The New York Times

* Mine Ban Treaty, The United Nations

* Land mines: Hidden Killers, UNICEF

What makes a country a country? In this episode, we look at Transnistria, Taiwan, and Somaliland while exploring competing definitions of statehood.

Differing Metrics of State Sovereignty

The 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, which marked an end to Europe’s 30 Years War, established the modern western concept of statehood, or the idea that the nation-state is the ultimate authority within its territorial boundaries and has a right to non-interference from outside states.

Since this treaty, there have been differing theories as to what constitutes a nation-state. Constitutive theory is the belief that a state exists only if diplomatically recognized. Declarative theorists believe that states are states if they declare themselves as such. Monopoly theory is the idea that the only necessity for statehood is that the governing authority maintains a monopoly on the violence or power in a territory.

The 1933 Montevideo treaty defined four necessary elements of statehood: a permanent population; a defined territory; a governing body; and a capacity to participate in international relations. Many use this treaty as the metric for determining statehood.

Case Studies in Statehood

There are several examples today that illustrate these conflicting definitions of statehood.

Transnistria is an internationally unrecognized, self-declared country that lies between the borders of Moldova and Ukraine. Internationally recognized as a part of Moldova, Transnistria boasts its own government, currency, passports, and even army. Transnistria also maintains strong ties with Russia, as many of its 500,000 population are of Russian descent. Russia even provides Transnistria with natural gas exports and support for its army.

 Taiwan is the 22nd largest economy in the world, a member of several international organizations, and has embassies in several nations. However, China and numerous other nations—along with the UN—do not consider it a state. China will continue to lead the effort against Taiwan’s statehood in pursuit of its “one China” policy.

Somaliland is a self-declared independent nation that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. It has a working political system, government institutions, a police force, and its own currency. Although it is currently not recognized as a state, Somaliland is taking legal steps to establish legal statehood recognition.

 

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching this topic:

What Makes A State? Joseph William Davids, The New International

Somaliland: International Jurisdiction as an Alternative Way to Gain Recognition? UNPO

China Pushes Taiwan’s International Status To A New Low, Ralph Jennings, Forbes

One of the many stories that go untold in conflict zones is the fate of zoos and their animals. There are concerns for the animals’ safety as well as for humans if predatory animals escape. In this episode, we explore just a few examples of efforts to safeguard zoos during war.

World War II

The Ueno Zoo in Tokyo and the London Zoo had contrasting experiences during and after the WWII bombing campaigns. Ueno zookeepers were forced to euthanize many animals to prevent escapes during bombing raids. After the war, the zoo suffered from food scarcity and many animals starved to death. The London Zoo also euthanized many predatory animals before it was hit by multiple air raids. Amazingly, no animals were killed in the raids, and the London Zoo prospered after the war.

Middle East Conflicts

The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq nearly destroyed the Baghdad Zoo. The shock and awe U.S. air campaign was followed by excessive zoo looting, and the total number of zoo animals decreased from 650 to 30. However, Iraq refurbished the zoo with the help of wildlife conservationist Lawrence Anthony as well as U.S. soldiers. It remains open today with over 1,000 animals.

In contrast, the 2008-2009 Gaza War between Israel and Palestine caused so much damage to the Gaza Zoo that it was eventually shut down, the remaining animals transferred elsewhere.

Yemen Civil War

Zookeepers in Yemen are using social media to fund their war-torn zoo.  Taiz, a city in southern Yemen, is caught in the crosshairs of the Yemen civil war. A blockade precludes resources like food from entering into the city, resulting in desperate conditions not only for the human population but also for the zoo’s animals. However, Taiz zookeepers and a philanthropist from Sweden have raised over $100,000 USD in an online initiative to help feed the animals. Online funding initiatives will continue to play an important role helping zoos in conflict zones.

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite sites that we came across while researching this topic:

Lawrence Anthony – CBS video of the Baghdad zoo rescue, Youtube

Animals Starving at Venezuelan Zoos, Elaina Zachos, National Geographic

Emergency Response and Disaster Relief, Four Paws

The Panama Canal’s opening in 1914 transformed global trade and fostered economic development in Panama. Today, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Chinese financier Wang Jing are trying to emulate its success by constructing a canal through Nicaragua.

The Next Great Canal?

President Ortega and Wang are spearheading the Nicaragua Canal proposal. If completed, the $50-80 billion project would span 172 miles across the country, nearly four times the length of the Panama Canal. Wang, a Chinese billionaire who made his fortune in the telecommunications industry, would finance the project through his HKND Group. The canal would accommodate new cargo megaships that are too large for the Panama Canal.

Pros and Cons

The Nicaragua Canal presents opportunities and risks. On one hand, the project promises economic opportunities for Nicaragua. Its government believes the multi-billion dollars of investment into building and operating the canal will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and provide a significant boost to its GDP. This new transportation hub will likely provide lasting financial benefits to citizens and become the focal point of its economy.

On the other hand, the Nicaragua canal would expose the country to political, environmental, and human rights risks. Under the current agreement, the HKND Group would have expropriation authority, giving it power to claim any Nicaraguan land it needs for the canal’s development. Additionally, recent assessments by environmental groups reveal that the project would create severe biodiversity consequences to ecosystems along the canal route. Moreover, residents along the proposed route—including protected indigenous peoples—would be forced to relocate.

Arrested Development?

Mounting opposition from environmental groups and investment challenges seem to have delayed the project; despite promises to start construction in 2015, no visible progress had been made as of December 2016. The delay is fostering increasing speculation on the project’s viability.

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching this topic:

Project Background, HKND Group

Lost in Nicaragua, a Chinese Tycoon’s Canal Project, Suzanne Daley, New York Times

Why China and Nicaragua’s Canal Project Is Floundering, David Z. Morris, Fortune