Earthquake complicates Haiti's long-term challenges

Significance The 7.2-magnitude earthquake caused widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure. The disaster comes amid political turmoil, following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month, and threatens to compound pre-existing socioeconomic challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, surging crime rates, and fuel shortages in some areas. Impacts The Dominican Republic is sending aid, but will also increase security along its border to prevent increased migration. Gangs will seek to extort humanitarian groups or siphon off relief supplies to sell on the black market. Henry’s increased reliance on external assistance could affect trust in his administration, especially if elections are delayed too long.

EXPLORING THE STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING RESILIENCE TO POVERTY IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

The challenges of poverty and insurgency had caused problems of different dimensions in north-eastern Nigeria. Specifically Bauchi state recorded 89.5 percent of Multidimensional Poverty Indicators above other states in the country. The main objective of this study is to explore the strategies to build resilience to poverty in the study area. In achieving this, a qualitative research design via semi-structured interview and purposive sampling were applied. Accordingly, twenty-two informants from the ministries, agencies, and commissions in addition to some selected underprivileged people were consulted during the data collection. Consequently, findings from the study indicated that national, state, community and individual strategies were suggested to overcome poverty and other socioeconomic challenges bedeviling the people in Northeastern Nigeria in general and Bauchi state in particular. These views of the informants are expected to address the socioeconomic challenges identified in the state. Perhaps, the community strategies include security initiatives, collaborations with NGOs to cushion the effects of poverty in the towns and villages with the contributions of the religious and traditional institutions. Furthermore, personal empowerment, enhancing peoples' confidence, and skills exhibit the individual strategies. Subsequently, by strengthening the federal, states as well as security arrangements to avert the problems discovered. The expansion of poverty reduction programs, accessible educational policies, youth empowerment schemes, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and the overall development of northeastern Nigeria were suggested.

Belize elections herald government shake-up

Significance Long-standing Prime Minister Dean Barrow will not be running again, so that Belize will experience a change of leadership even if his United Democratic Party (UDP) wins re-election. The key electoral issues will revolve around the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of corruption affecting the UDP. Impacts Tourism will be slow to recover, with ongoing restrictions and reduced visitor numbers seeing many businesses struggle. The severity of the pandemic in the United States, Belize’s main source of tourists, increases the risks of reopening to visitors. COVID-19 concerns could result in a low election turnout, undermining the mandate of the winning party. Whoever wins the election will inherit major socioeconomic challenges that will curtail any political honeymoon period.