Quo Vadis Republic of Mauritius?

Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is Former President of the Republic of Mauritius

Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, Mar 30 2023 (IPS) – On 12th March 2023, The Republic of Mauritius celebrates 55 years of post-independence history. It would be an understatement to just say that there has been a lot of water under the bridge on our journey to self-determination!.. Indeed, we have made massive progress since we lowered the Union Jack and unfurled our own flag. It was and remains a moment of great pride whenever I see our flag in any international event, I participate in.

We are a small vulnerable island, deprived of natural resources and at the …

The U.S. Assault on Mexico’s Food Sovereignty

“Remove corn and beans from NAFTA!” at a 2008 protest in Ciudad Juarez. It has been a longstanding demand the Mexican farmers’ movement. Credit: Enrique Pérez S.

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. , Jun 6 2023 (IPS) – On June 2, the U.S. government escalated its conflict with Mexico over that country’s restrictions on genetically modified corn, initiating the formal dispute-resolution process under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

It is only the latest in a decades-long U.S. assault on Mexico’s food sovereignty using the blunt instrument of a trade agreement that has inundated Mexico with cheap corn, wheat, and other staples, undermining Mexico’s ability to p…

Blog: Making technology an effective weapon in the battle against COVID-19

This blog is part of the seminar series on ‘’.

Jun 3 2020 – Imagine a world without the internet and erase the last few decades of technological advancement. Then imagine how governments, schools and businesses would have dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the pandemic continues its relentless march around the globe, there have been debates about the effectiveness of response strategies such as social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Particularly, there is concern about the ability of countries with larger populations to enforce these measures.

There is no question that technology has played a major role in the world’s response to CO…

Leveraging Research for Solution-driven Policymaking in the Era of COVID-19

BANGKOK, Thailand, Sep 16 2020 (IPS) – The United Nations has tasked the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Population and Public Health () to lead the research roadmap to identify priorities that will support an equitable global socio-economic recovery from within the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the world grapples with the impacts of COVID-19, identifying the research agenda and partnering with academic institutions and think tanks have become more essential than ever before.

Sudip Ranjan Basu

Citizens, healthcare professionals and governments—from Bandung to Baltimore, Calcutta to Cancun, Palawan to Pretoria,…

Only Small Percentage of COVID-19 Recovery Allocated to Green Initiatives

Photovoltaic panels on St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Of the trillions of dollars set aside for COVID-19 recovery, a small percentage has been used in green recovery initiatives according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report. Credit: Kenton X. Chance/IPS

Photovoltaic panels on St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Of the trillions of dollars set aside for COVID-19 recovery, a small percentage has been used in green recovery initiatives according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report. Credit: Kenton X. Chance/IPS

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 11 2021 (IPS) – Last year, only $368 billion of a $14.6tn budget geared towards COVID-19 recovery …

Dr Aqsa Sheikh: Transgender Doctor Injecting Hope During COVID Pandemic

Credit: Twitter @Dr_Aqsa_Shaikh

NEW DELHI, India, May 7 2021 (IPS) – When Dr Aqsa Sheikh Tweeted and asked if she was the only transgender person to head a vaccination centre, it seemed extraordinary that in a country with 1.3 billion people, that this could be true.

“Can I lay claim to be the only #Transgender person to head a #Covid #Vaccination Centre in India? Will be very happy to have company of other Trans Folks in this spot,” she wrote on March 3, 2021.

India had turned countless hospitals into COVID-19 vaccination centres – and Sheikh was, and still is, the only transwoman heading one.

Born and raised in Mumbai, Dr Aqsa Sheikh is a p…