AFRICA
Strategies for financing Africa’s health sector. Vera Songwe, Brookings: Never before in the last half century has Africa’s health care landscape seen so many changes and attracted so much interest. In fact, Africa’s health care sector would be worth an estimated $259 billion by 2030. While these trends reveal a lucrative opportunity for the private sector, if not well-regulated, Africa’s health care system could end up keeping more Africans below the poverty line. Thus, African countries have an opportunity to build on the health financing success of 2021 to strengthen the resilience of this sector and Africa’s people. Strategies for financing Africa’s health sector (brookings.edu)
AFRICA – MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (ROC)
Moscow Patriarchate Moves Into Africa, Helping Kremlin but Roiling Orthodox World. Paul Globe, The Jamestown Foundation: Last November, the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) announced it was creating its own exarchate for Africa and would seek to wrest control of the continent’s bishoprics and parishes away from the Orthodox Church of Alexandria and All Africa (a.k.a. the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria). On the one hand, the move complementarily supports the Kremlin’s aggressive policy of using “private military companies” (PMC) to expand Russian influence in Africa. But on the other hand, it may also represent a form of revenge against other centers of world Orthodoxy that support the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Several months later, that pronounced ROC African exarchate now has a leader, claims to have won over more than 100 local priests and hierarchs, and, this past Sunday (January 30), celebrated its first church service in sub-Saharan Africa (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, January 18; Rossiyskaya Gazeta, January 30). Moscow Patriarchate Moves Into Africa, Helping Kremlin but Roiling Orthodox World
GERMANY – UKRAINE
German Security Assistance to Ukraine Perpetually on Hold (Part One). Vladimir Socor, The Jamestown Foundation: Germany ranks among the top arms-exporting countries worldwide. However, it is withholding lethal security assistance to Ukraine and provides even non-lethal assistance with conspicuous parsimony. Germany’s tripartite coalition government, in office since December 8, 2021, is continuing the policy of the predecessor government of Angela Merkel, which embargoed arms sales to the embattled Ukraine. In deference to Russia, moreover, the German government is grasping at legal opportunities to obstruct or block arms transfers from other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states to Ukraine. German Security Assistance to Ukraine Perpetually on Hold (Part One) – Jamestown
INDIA
India unveils new defense budget aimed at promoting a self-reliant industry. Vivek Raghuvanshi, Defense News: India announced its new defense budget Tuesday that will see $13.84 billion go toward promoting self-reliance among local businesses and reducing the country’s import dependency under its $22.26 billion fund for acquisitions of new weapons and military platforms. India’s total defense budget for the financial year 2022-2023 is $54.2 billion, which includes $20.26 billion to cover pay and allowances for the more than 1.5 billion military personnel. This does not include the defense pensions of retired personnel. India unveils new defense budget aimed at promoting a self-reliant industry (defensenews.com)
INDONESIA
Indonesia’s gig economy falling short on decent work standards. Trevi Putri, Richard Heeks, East Asia Forum: Indonesia’s gig economy is dominated by two mega-platforms, Grab and Gojek. The gig economy contributes at least US$7 billion to Indonesia’s economy and employs at least four million workers. The sector has been plagued with controversy, beset with worker strikes and complaints about pay and conditions. These controversies are well-founded as labour standards have consistently fallen short of decent work standards. Indonesia’s gig economy falling short on decent work standards (eastasiaforum.org)
IRAQ
New vulnerabilities for Iraq’s resilient Popular Mobilization Forces. Ranj Alaaldin and Vanda Felbab-Brown. Brookings: Once enjoying almost unparalleled power, widespread domestic legitimacy, and an aura of untouchability, Iraq’s paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is on a downward trajectory. The PMF is still resilient and retains considerable formal and informal coercive and economic power. However, in 2022, it will face growing challenges to its legitimacy, structure, and influence. These stem from widespread public resentment at the PMF’s repression, its internal weakening and splintering, and a growing rivalry with the cleric-cum-militia leader-cum-politician, Muqtada al-Sadr. These vulnerabilities could allow the PMF’s opponents, technocrats within the Iraqi state, and their unlikely bedfellows like the Sadrists, to chip away at its power. New vulnerabilities for Iraq’s resilient Popular Mobilization Forces (brookings.edu)
RUSSIA – WEST
As Clouds Gather in Eastern Europe, Nuclear Diplomacy is More Important Than Ever. Eric Gomez, Defense One: The risk that a Russian invasion of Ukraine by conventional forces could lead to the use of nuclear weapons appears relatively low, but their shadow is never completely absent from a crisis involving nuclear-armed states. Moreover, this crisis—no matter how it ends—seems likely to lead toward more strategic instability, not less. As preoccupied as U.S. diplomats must be with the threat of imminent conventional invasion, they must also work urgently to launch confidence-building measures that might prevent a nuclear war. As Clouds Gather in Eastern Europe, Nuclear Diplomacy is More Important Than Ever – Defense One
No clear return date for troops headed to Europe amid Russia threats. Amid continued tension between Russia and Ukraine, lawmakers on Thursday voiced support for the White House’s deployment of several thousand troops to Eastern Europe, even if they aren’t sure just how long those personnel will be stationed there. Soldiers began leaving Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for Europe on Thursday. No clear return date for troops headed to Europe amid Russia threats (defensenews.com)
Kremlin Must Make Final Decision on War Soon as Diplomatic Runway Grows Short. Pavel E. Felgenhauer, The Jamestown Foundation: At a joint presser in Moscow, on February 1, together with visiting friendly leader Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, President Vladimir Putin accused the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies (Hungary has been a member of the Alliance since 1999) of ignoring Moscow’s key security demands. Those include: “No more NATO expansion”; “No attack weapons deployed close to Russian borders”; and “NATO withdraws its military infrastructure in Europe to 1997 positions—to before any expansion.” Putin also accused the West of using Ukraine as “a tool” in efforts to contain Russia and/or lure it into a devastating war. The Kremlin head insisted Russia does not want to fight or “invade” anyone, including Ukraine, while Moscow is continuing to assess the written replies (or “memorandums”) it received from Washington and from NATO headquarters in Brussels. Kremlin Must Make Final Decision on War Soon as Diplomatic Runway Grows Short – Jamestown
RWANDA
Employment creation potential, labor skills requirements and skill gaps for young people: A Rwanda case study. Richard S. Newfarmer and Anna Twum, Brookings: The process of structural transformation in Rwanda, like in other parts of Africa, is occurring not by relying primarily on manufacturing but instead on a diverse set of activities, including services. This prompts several questions: can Rwanda generate a sufficient number of new jobs without relying mainly on a surge in manufacturing growth to absorb increases in the labor force, especially of young workers and women? Will these new jobs be sufficiently productive to power growth and raise incomes? Employment creation potential, labor skills requirements and skill gaps for young people: A Rwanda case study (brookings.edu)
THAILAND
Thailand doubles down on authoritarianism. Greg Raymond, East Asia Forum: Thailand became less free and more authoritarian in 2021, as the democracy movement felt the heavy hand of Thailand’s illiberal constraints on basic civil liberties. COVID-19 also devastated the Thai economy and health system, presenting additional challenges in the new year. Thailand doubles down on authoritarianism | East Asia Forum
USA
Navy Puts AI, Unmanned Systems to the Test in Five-Sea, 60-Nation Exercise. Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One: A massive naval exercise underway in the Middle East is incorporating unmanned vehicles and artificial intelligence to test out ways to improve maritime awareness across a large geographic area. “These [14 training scenarios] were developed over the planning process to offer participating forces the opportunity to demonstrate the tremendous potential for unmanned systems and artificial intelligence to solve some of the complex problems we have here in the maritime environment,” Cmdr. Tom McAndrew, the lead planner for Task Force X, which oversees the unmanned elements of the exercise, told reporters Wednesday. Navy Puts AI, Unmanned Systems to the Test in Five-Sea, 60-Nation Exercise – Defense One
Pentagon’s main cybersecurity initiative for defense contractors switches hands. Mark Pomerlau, Defense News: The Department of Defense’s chief information officer will now oversee the department’s cybersecurity program aimed at securing the networks of hundreds of thousands of defense contractors. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks directed the realignment of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification from the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment to the CIO Feb. 2. Pentagon’s main cybersecurity initiative for defense contractors switches hands (defensenews.com)
US Navy carrier Ford to go on unusual deployment this year. Megan Eckstein, Defense News: The U.S. Navy has promised a first deployment for its new aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford by this fall — but that deployment won’t be a typical one, the head of Naval Air Force Atlantic told Defense News. Ford won’t fall under the operational command of a regional combatant commander. Rather, it will conduct a “service-retained early employment” period where the Navy keeps full control over the ship’s activities and schedule, Rear Adm. John Meier said. US Navy carrier Ford to go on unusual deployment this year (defensenews.com)
L3Harris to lead integration of new space domain awareness system. Courtney Albon, Defense News: The U.S. Space Force is getting closer to replacing its aging space command-and-control system. The service has been working since 2018 to replace the Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC) with a more modernized command-and-control capability, the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS), developed by L3Harris. ATLAS is being designed to improve the Space Force’s ability to identify, characterize and understand increasing activity in space — from growing commercial constellations to adversary activity and space debris. L3Harris to lead integration of new space domain awareness system (defensenews.com)
How communities are investing American Rescue Plan funds with the Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker. Alan Berube, Christiana K. McFarland, and Teryn Zmuda, Brookings: In the 10 months since the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), cities and counties have been working to prioritize and execute investing of their portion of the act’s $350 billion in flexible State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) dollars. And as recent Treasury Department guidance made clear, local leaders have myriad options to use these resources to address the direct health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to confront the underlying challenges that exacerbated the pandemic’s negative effects on vulnerable individuals, businesses, and communities. See how communities are spending American Rescue Plan funds with the Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker (brookings.edu)
How the U.S. can dominate in the race to national AI supremacy. Gregory S. Dawson and Kevin C. Desouza, Brookings: We have been publishing a series on TechTank called, “Winners and losers in the fulfillment of national artificial intelligence aspirations.” The research has evaluated 44 countries on how well-positioned each country was to achieve its national AI objectives. In subsequent posts, each country was ranked on the two sub-dimensions of their implementation plans: people and technology In this final post in the series, we sharpen our focus on the U.S. and what it needs to do to achieve dominance in the world market in its national AI strategy. How the U.S. can dominate in the race to national AI supremacy (brookings.edu)
New York term limits could have unintended consequences. Casey Burgat, Brookings: In her recent State of the State address, New York Governor Kathy Hochul became the latest in a long line of politicians to call for term limits of elected officials. That banging sound you may have heard immediately following the speech is the heads of political scientists and government reformers across the country reacting to her plea. New York term limits could have unintended consequences (brookings.edu)
USA – CROATIA
US gives military helicopters to Croatia, Russia arms Serbs. The Associated Press, Defense News: The United States on Thursday delivered two Black Hawk military helicopters to Croatia, which is engaged in a mini arms race with neighboring Russian ally Serbia amid simmering tensions in the post-war Balkan region. The U.S. Embassy in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, said the donated UH-60M multi-purpose helicopters will contribute to Croatia’s growing defense capabilities and military preparedness in support of NATO. US gives military helicopters to Croatia, Russia arms Serbs (defensenews.com)
USA – ISIS
The war against ISIS isn’t over. Atlantic Council: “We will come after you and find you.” That was US President Joe Biden’s message to global terrorists after the death of Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in a special-forces raid in northwest Syria. Qurayshi detonated a bomb, killing himself and his family, according to Biden. What are the implications for the fight against ISIS and Biden’s anti-terror strategy? Our experts lay out the stakes. FAST THINKING: The war against ISIS isn’t over
CITIES
Creating playful learning spaces in cities: The important role of stakeholder buy-in. Helen Shwe Hadani and Shwetha Parvathy, Brookings: Urbanization is on the rise and experts predict that by the year 2050 almost 70 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. With an increasing number of children growing up in urban environments, understanding the science and connections among healthy development, learning, and placemaking is critical for reimagining the potential of cities as supportive ecosystems for children and families. Creating playful learning spaces in cities: The important role of stakeholder buy-in (brookings.edu)
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