Friday, October 27 06 (1)

In Somalia, political legitimacy has shifted and foreign intervention could spark expanded regional war. Sudanese government now gives a rationale for Pronk expulsion: the U.N. envoy took sides last week when he stated that rebels were gaining control of the south. The E.U. loosens post-Andijon sanctions in order to maintain 'lines of communication' with Uzbekistan. A committee of the U.N. General Assembly began work today on a new voluntary global treaty to regulate the arms trade, geared especially towards limiting proliferation of military hardware in failed or unstable states (1,2). In countries emerging from military conflict, women and children are disproportionately exposed to violence: Assistant Secretary-General Carolyn McAskie is tasked to represent their interests through new U.N. Peacebuilding Commission.