…Kosovo? Secure country!

WikiCommons altered, author: Bosonic dressing

Since the downfall of the Yugoslavia, Kosovo has been through a lot. In 1989, Serbia annexed the territory which led to conflicts and eventually war. In 1999, NATO intervened against the Milosevic Regime in Yugoslavia. After 11 weeks of bombardments, the despot agreed to a peace plan for Kosovo, ending the genocide against the mainly Albanian population. Ensuing negotiations with Serbia eventually failed. As a result, the small country declared its independence from Serbia in February of 2008. Until today, 58 nations have recognized Kosovo as a sovereign state.

Since the independence, things have changed significantly. Reconstruction and political transition have been going so smooth, that Kosovo was accepted as member of the IMF and the World Bank yesterday [1]. Today, the situation in Kosovo is more stable than it has been in a long time. Therefore, NATO announced this June that they plan to reduce the number of KFOR soldiers stationed in the country until the end of the year. Currently, 14.000 troops are securing approximately 2 million mainly Albanian inhabitants. In 2010, only 10.000 will remain [2]. As of tomorrow, Kosovo will officially be regarded as a “secure” country [3].

Congratulations, and keep going, Kosovo!

Sources:
Swissinfo, Spiegel, OE24, Auswärtiges Amt

Guest Entry: Uganda

WikiCommons altered, author: Vardion

As announced, I will have guest authors participating in my blog from time to time.
This is the first guest entry by one of my friends from Uganda. He has written about the history of his country and reflects on current developments. Any and all comments on the article and on the guest author concept are welcome! Find out more

… Mexico, the US and Canada? Potential Monetary Union!

WikiCommons, author: Bosonic dressing

For some years now, rumors about a future after NAFTA are running wild all over the web.
Conspiracy theorists seem to think that a North American union will follow the current free trade association, along with the implementation of a joint currency, the “Amero”. Some even claim, that the ultimate goal is to form a “one world government”.

With little official information available, this article intents to bring some light to the matter and investigate if there is any truth to the claims.

… Malta? Illegal immigration

WikiCommons, altered, user: Vardion

Malta has been dealing with illegal immigration since the 1990’s, when refugees of war from Yugoslavia and Iraq started to flee to the Mediterranean island. Recently, the small nation has been confronted with large amounts of boat people from Africa. You can read more about the effects on the small country and possible solutions

… this blog? Guest entries coming!

About two months ago, this blog has been started in an effort to provide information about regions of the world that are not usually covered in the daily news.

Six countries have been discussed so far, and I seem to have conquered a small regular audience. In my articles, I always try to present the complete picture, which requires a lot of research and effort, but still it is not the same as getting a report from someone who is actually living in the country or has been living there.

That’s why I have decided to take it to the next level and invited some guest authors to participate in this blog. Apart from my articles, you will be able to get first-hand information about other countries here, and ask questions and discuss with nationals directly. I hope that this will intensify the exchange and add to your knowledge even more.

If you would like to request a report on a certain country or would like to write one yourself, please don’t hesitate to write me a message or leave a comment, I will be sure to get back to you!

Together, we can make this blog even better, more accurate, more detailed and more up-to-date. So if something is going on in your country, please let all of us know!

… Ethiopia?

WikiCommons, altered, author: Vardion

People interested in sports know Ethiopia mainly for its athletes, more precisely: its middle and long distance runners. A lesser known fact is that the African nation is one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking 169th out of 179 countries in UN’s 2008 Human Development Index. [1] With a per-capita income of just 220 USD, the majority of the population is living below the poverty line and structural problems along with periodic droughts and famines remain unsolved. Now, the power supply system is failing. Read more about it

… Haiti?

Map from WikiCommons, author: Vardion

In 1804, Haiti was the first black republic to declare independence after a slave revolution, but life has never been easy for Haitians. Hurricanes torment the island from June to October, inflation and illiteracy are high, jobs are rare and the political situation is unstable. International agencies have issued travel warnings and Dominican truck drivers are boycotting the nation, citing harassment by criminal groups. Meanwhile, Haitians left homeless by heavy rains are waiting for aid. Get the whole story

… Kuwait? Four women going to parliament!

In Saturday’s elections, Kuwaitis have sent female candidates to parliament for the very first time. Four women are going to represent the Gulf-Nations population, as the whole country hopes to end political deadlock.

The third elections in as many years mark a defeat for Sunni Islamists who lost 10 seats, while Shi’ite representation climbed by 5 members.

Read more about political challenges and possible reforms here:

… Kuwait? Third elections in three years are coming up!

Map from Wiki Commons, author Pahari Sahib

Kuwait is a country torn between hereditary emirate and democracy, fundamentalism and progress. It is the first Arabic Gulf country to have an elected parliament, but in recent years disputes between governments and congresses have intensified to an unbearable level. As a result, Kuwaitis will be asked to elect a new parliament this Saturday – for the third time in three years.

…Suriname? Ex-dictator on trial!

Map taken from Wiki Commons and modified. Original map by Vardion.

Suriname, once known as Dutch Guiana, is currently holding a trial against former dictator Desi Bouterse for his potential involvement in the so-called “December murders”. On December 8th of 1982, 15 members of counter-revolutionary forces were assassinated while held under arrest. The circumstances of the killings remain unclear to date.