South Countries Research Articles

South to south collaboration: From establishment of a public IVF center to sustaining high-performing IVF services in sub-Saharan Africa.

SynopsisSouth to south collaboration in infertility care and training is feasible and cost effective among countries in the global south.

Temporal distributions of aerosols over the Horn of Africa–Ethiopia using MODIS satellite data: Part 01

There are large temporal variations in the optical properties and types of aerosols. These are due to the effects of environmental and meteorological conditions, industrial and agricultural influences, and other human influences and natural factors in each ecological functional area. Aerosol optical depth AOD and Ångström exponent AE parameters were extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer MODIS satellite with a 3 km resolution of MOD04_3K and MYD04_3K. The study covers sixteen selected stations in Horn Africa–Ethiopia with neighboring Eritrea, Djibouti, and South Sudan countries clustered into four regions for the periods of 2001–2022 to obtain detailed information on the temporal behaviors and classification of aerosols in each season. The results show that the temporal variability of AOD and AE values is large, with values ranging from 0.00 to 2.10 and 0.67 to 1.23, with minimum values most likely between December 16 and January 07, and maximum values between June 22 and July 24 for both Terra and Aqua in the southeast and northeast clusters, respectively. The lowest AOD and AE values were most common in the Belg (during September–November) and sometimes in Bega (during December–February), while the highest were in the Kiremt season (during June–August). The minimum values were observed at the Kebri Dahar site, and the maximum were at the Erta Ale site, which belongs to Ethiopia. Appropriate AOD and AE thresholds were used to classify the aerosol types into marine (MR), dust (DS), biomass burning (BB), desert dust (DD), urban (UR), and the residual cases were considered mixture (MX) types. The study concludes that marine aerosols were the most abundant at 47.71%, followed by urban aerosols at 28.29%, while desert dusts, enriched at 14.65%, accounted for the third place with free of dust particles. The Mann–Kendall (MK) statistical trend test was applied to the annual time series in all clustered regions and shows an almost positive increasing variability with a slight decrease in the forward series and vice–versa.

Metabarcoding using nanopore sequencing enables identification of diverse and zoonotic vector-borne pathogens from neglected regions: A case study investigating dogs from Bhutan

The diversity and prevalence of canine vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in Bhutan have to date remained unexplored, whilst recent epidemiological surveys in other South Asian nations have found diseases caused by VBPs to be rife in local dog populations. Importantly, many of such VBPs can infect people as well, with a building body of evidence identifying potentially zoonotic rickettsial organisms infecting humans in Bhutan. Given the lack of data on canine pathogens in Bhutan we employed a suite of deep-sequencing metabarcoding methods using Oxford Nanopore Technologies' MinION™ device to holistically characterise the bacterial, apicomplexan and filarial worm blood-borne pathogens of dogs in the country's south. Of the 95 stray, owned and community dogs sampled 78% (95% CI = 69%–85%) were infected with at least one VBP. Pathogen species detected were highly diverse including the bacteria Mycoplasma haemocanis in 16% (95% CI: 10–24%), Ehrlichia canis in 4% (95% CI: 2–10%), Anaplasma platys in 2% (95% CI: 0.5–7%) of dogs as well as the zoonotic species Bartonella clarridgeiae in 1% (95% CI: 0.1–6%), a potentially novel Bartonella spp. and an Ehrlichia chaffeensis-like bacterium, both in 1% (95% CI: 0.1–6%) of dogs. The apicomplexan haemoparasites Hepatozoon canis in 62% (95% CI: 52–71%), Babesia gibsoni in 45% (95% CI: 36–55%) and Babesia vogeli in 3% (95% CI: 1–9%) of dogs were also detected. Finally, 5% (95% CI: 2–12%) of dogs were found to be infected with the filarioid Acanthocheilonema reconditum and 1% (95% CI: 0.1–6%) with zoonotic Dirofilaria sp. hongkongensis. One canine was found positive to the filarioid Setaria tundra, a species normally found infecting cervids. The elucidated diversity of VBP communities highlights the strength of assumption-free diagnostics, such as metabarcoding, in detecting rare, novel, and unexpected pathogens. This approach to identifying pathogen diversity is of critical importance when investigating regions and populations that have thus far been neglected, with the findings aiding the development of future One Health informed strategies for disease control.

Bridging the digital divide: Promoting equal access to online learning for health professions in an unequal world

AbstractOnline learning has the potential to enhance open and equitable access to medical education resources globally. Conversely, there are also concerns that it can perpetuate and exacerbate digital inequalities between developed (global North) and developing (global South) countries. In this article, we describe the historical lack of representation of the global South in the design of online medical education, as well as the resulting consequences and potential solutions. We compare the Northern and Southern views of online learning in medical education and identify the different types of barriers to its adoption. We describe how socioeconomic disparities and the historical dominance of the global North over the global South have led to systemic digital inequalities in the design and implementation of online learning in education generally, and in medical education particularly. The lack of representation of global South voices hinders the development of digital learning solutions relevant to local contexts, therefore limiting their effectiveness and sustainability. Thus, we propose approaches to build more equitable partnerships by soliciting local input and local expertise. Further, we discuss the need to maintain local relevance while setting global standards. Overall, we hope to inform and guide the development of more equitable and accessible online education training for a diverse global population.

Long-term exposure to particulate matter and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in an analysis of multiple Asian cohorts

BackgroundExposure to ambient air pollution is associated with a significant number of deaths. Much of the evidence associating air pollution with adverse effects is from North American and Europe, partially due to incomplete data in other regions limiting location specific examinations. The aim of the current paper is to leverage satellite derived air quality data to examine the relationship between ambient particulate matter and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Asia. MethodsSix cohorts from the Asia Cohort Consortium provided residential information for participants, recruited between 1991 and 2008, across six countries (Bangladesh, India, Iran, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). Ambient particulate material (PM2·5) levels for the year of enrolment (or 1998 if enrolled earlier) were assigned utilizing satellite and sensor-based maps. Cox proportional models were used to examine the association between ambient air pollution and all-cause and cause-specific mortality (all cancer, lung cancer, cardiovascular and lung disease). Models were additionally adjusted for urbanicity (representing urban and built characteristics) and stratified by smoking status in secondary analyses. Country-specific findings were pooled via random-effects meta-analysis. FindingsMore than 300,000 participants across six cohorts were included, representing more than 4-million-person years. A positive relationship was observed between a 5 µg/m (Dockery et al., 1993) increase in PM2·5 and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1·06, 95 % CI: 0.99, 1·13). The additional adjustment for urbanicity resulted in increased associations between PM2.5 and mortality outcomes, including all-cause mortality (1·04, 95 % CI: 0·97, 1·11). Results were generally similar regardless of whether one was a current, never, or ex-smoker. InterpretationUsing satellite and remote sensing technology we showed that associations between PM2.5 and all-cause and cause-specific Hazard Ratios estimated are similar to those reported for U.S. and European cohorts. FundingThis project was supported by the Health Effects Institute. Grant number #4963-RFA/18–5. Specific funding support for individual cohorts is described in the Acknowledgements.

Creation of an international laboratory network towards global microplastics monitoring harmonisation

Infrastructure is often a limiting factor in microplastics research impacting the production of scientific outputs and monitoring data. International projects are therefore required to promote collaboration and development of national and regional scientific hubs. The Commonwealth Litter Programme and the Ocean Country Partnership Programme were developed to support Global South countries to take actions on plastics entering the oceans. An international laboratory network was developed to provide the infrastructure and in country capacity to conduct the collection and processing of microplastics in environmental samples. The laboratory network was also extended to include a network developed by the University of East Anglia, UK. All the laboratories were provided with similar equipment for the collection, processing and analysis of microplastics in environmental samples. Harmonised protocols and training were also provided in country during laboratory setup to ensure comparability of quality-controlled outputs between laboratories. Such large networks are needed to produce comparable baseline and monitoring assessments.

Hosting mega sporting events in the extreme hospitality context: Why do hotel employees engage so intensively in their job duties?

Purpose This paper aims to identify why hotel employees in the Egyptian context accept the extreme job duties resulting from hosting too many mega sporting events and what outcomes they experience as a result. Design/methodology/approach The empirical data is based on semi-structured interviews with 36 hotel employees working in reservations, front desk and events management roles in four 4-star hotels located in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Thematic analysis was subsequently used to determine the main ideas in the interview transcripts. Findings The findings show that hotel employees accept the extreme job duties resulting from hosting mega sporting events for the following four reasons: linking pay with performance, difficulty finding alternative jobs, proving their occupational identity and being subject to patriotism. Furthermore, this paper highlights that the engagement of hotel employees in extreme work conditions during such mega-sporting events might be detrimental to their mental health, resulting in increased cronyism and gender bias among them. Originality/value This paper is a pioneering study to specifically investigate how hosting mega sporting events influences the extremity of work conditions for hospitality sector employees. Prior studies (to the best of the authors’ knowledge) have not theorised and empirically analysed this specific topic, especially in under-researched settings, such as developing countries in the global south.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the development of global health law: managing crises or achieving structural changes?

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global crisis with multiple causes, effects and consequences going beyond its immediate health impact. On the one hand, environmental drivers may have facilitated the spillover of the virus to humans, while on the other the pandemic has affected most areas of international relations and revealed a troubling lack of equity and solidarity within and among countries. However, what was the real crisis? Framing COVID-19 as a health crisis brought the negotiation of a new pandemic agreement into WHO as a crisis measure to fill the gaps left by the International Health Regulations and reduce the risk of future pandemics. International law has been defined as a “discipline of crisis”, evolving through responses to violent shocks, and COVID-19 seems to confirm this view. However, international law has also been shaped by a counternarrative highlighting the structural causes of crises and addressing them rather than the symptoms. This historical tension has negatively affected the negotiation of the pandemic agreement, with Global South countries moving beyond a crisis approach and demanding “equity” through structural changes to the pharmaceutical market, support for self-reliance in pharmaceutical manufacturing and guarantees of financing. This fault line also has consequences for global health law in general, in particular because the scarcity of dedicated global health instruments and the limited mandate of WHO questions what issues can be regulated through that organization and which will require the interplay of different institutions and regimes, pointing to regime complexity as the appropriate conceptual tool to undertake that analysis.

Understanding the Sociocultural Challenges and Opportunities for Affordable Wearables to Support Poststroke Upper-Limb Rehabilitation: Qualitative Study.

People who survive a stroke in many cases require upper-limb rehabilitation (ULR), which plays a vital role in stroke recovery practices. However, rehabilitation services in the Global South are often not affordable or easily accessible. For example, in Bangladesh, the access to and use of rehabilitation services is limited and influenced by cultural factors and patients' everyday lives. In addition, while wearable devices have been used to enhance ULR exercises to support self-directed home-based rehabilitation, this has primarily been applied in developed regions and is not common in many Global South countries due to potential costs and limited access to technology. Our goal was to better understand physiotherapists', patients', and caregivers' experiences of rehabilitation in Bangladesh, existing rehabilitation practices, and how they differ from the rehabilitation approach in the United Kingdom. Understanding these differences and experiences would help to identify opportunities and requirements for developing affordable wearable devices that could support ULR in home settings. We conducted an exploratory study with 14 participants representing key stakeholder groups. We interviewed physiotherapists and patients in Bangladesh to understand their approaches, rehabilitation experiences and challenges, and technology use in this context. We also interviewed UK physiotherapists to explore the similarities and differences between the 2 countries and identify specific contextual and design requirements for low-cost wearables for ULR. Overall, we remotely interviewed 8 physiotherapists (4 in the United Kingdom, 4 in Bangladesh), 3 ULR patients in Bangladesh, and 3 caregivers in Bangladesh. Participants were recruited through formal communications and personal contacts. Each interview was conducted via videoconference, except for 2 interviews, and audio was recorded with consent. A total of 10 hours of discussions were transcribed. The results were analyzed using thematic analysis. We identified several sociocultural factors that affect ULR and should be taken into account when developing technologies for the home: the important role of family, who may influence the treatment based on social and cultural perceptions; the impact of gender norms and their influence on attitudes toward rehabilitation and physiotherapists; and differences in approach to rehabilitation between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh, with Bangladeshi physiotherapists focusing on individual movements that are necessary to build strength in the affected parts and their British counterparts favoring a more holistic approach. We propose practical considerations and design recommendations for developing ULR devices for low-resource settings. Our work shows that while it is possible to build a low-cost wearable device, the difficulty lies in addressing sociotechnical challenges. When developing new health technologies, it is imperative to not only understand how well they could fit into patients', caregivers', and physiotherapists' everyday lives, but also how they may influence any potential tensions concerning culture, religion, and the characteristics of the local health care system.

Leveraging climate and remote sensing metrics for predicting forest carbon stock using Bayesian geostatistical modelling under a projected climate warming in Zimbabwe

Climate change, driven by escalating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, poses a significant threat to forest ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities reliant on them, especially for the global south countries and regions like the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe. The 2000 land redistribution programme reduced buffer zones between ecologically sensitive forests and land reform beneficiaries near major carbon reservoirs. In light of these challenges, this study aimed to assess the potential effects of climate change on a strategically important plantation forest ecosystem in Zimbabwe's eastern highlands. Using data from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we modelled and predicted changes in forest carbon (C) stock density under different climate scenarios: current (1970–2000), SSP5–4.5, and SSP5–8.5. Employing a hierarchical Bayesian geostatistical approach, we compared the baseline scenario (1970–2000) with projected scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for 2075 to estimate changes in forest carbon stock distribution. Our results indicated a decline in carbon stock concentration under future climate scenarios, reflecting the adverse impact of greenhouse gas emissions on forest growth. We found that the projected range of forest carbon stock under the RCP8.5 scenario for 2075 is notably lower (2≤MgCha−1≤44.9) than that of the baseline period (1970–2000) (1≤MgCha−1≤97), suggesting a substantial reduction in carbon storage. As the difference in posterior mean C stock (μ̅1−μ̅2), 52.1 MgCha-1 is well above zero, we deduce that the posterior mean C stock distribution of the projected future RCP8.5 2075 climate projection is indeed credibly different from the current (1970–2000) climate scenario. Additionally, there is a high probability (>90%) that forest plantations will be adversely affected by the business-as-usual climate warming projection. Overall, our findings highlight the urgent need for climate change mitigation strategies, such as reforestation programs and careful selection of tree species for plantations, to safeguard forest ecosystems and the communities dependent on them. These insights are crucial for informing effective adaptation measures in the face of future climate uncertainties.

Bilateral health agreements of South Africa: an analysis of issues covered.

The bilateral agreements signed between South Africa and countries in Southern and Eastern Africa are a rare example of efforts to regulate health-related issues in a world region. As far as we know, there are no comparable bilateral health governance mechanisms in regions elsewhere. Furthermore, the rapidly growing literature on global health governance and governance for global health has to date not addressed the issue of patient mobility and how to govern it. In this study, we examine the issues included in these agreements, highlight key issues that they address, identify areas of omission and provide recommendations for improvement. This analysis should inform the development of such governance agreements both in Southern Africa and in regions elsewhere. We obtained 13 bilateral health agreements between South Africa and 11 neighbouring African countries as part of a broader research project examining the impact on health systems of patient mobility in South Africa, and thematically analysed their content and the governance mechanisms described. The agreements appear to be solidarity mechanisms between neighbouring countries. They contain considerable content on health diplomacy, with little on health governance, management and delivery. Nonetheless, given what they do and do not address, and how, they provide a rare insight into mechanisms of global health diplomacy and attempts to address patient mobility and other health-related issues in practice. The agreements appear to be global health diplomacy mechanisms expressing solidarity, emerging from a post-apartheid period, but with little detail of issues covered, and a range of important issues not addressed. Further empirical work is required to understand what these documents mean, particularly in the Covid-19 context, and to understand challenges with their implementation. The documents also raise the need for particular study of bilateral flows and experience of patients and health workers, and how this relates to health system strengthening.

The effect of silver nanoparticles and preparations of various pharmacological groups on the bactericidal activity of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become one of the most serious threats to public health worldwide. The abuse of antibiotics has contributed to the emergence and transmission of resistance mechanisms among bacteria, jeopardizing the therapeutic potential of antibiotics. Uncontrolled use of drugs leads to the formation of antibiotic resistance due to mutations in chromosomal DNA, as well as the production of plasmids, integrons from other bacteria during horizontal gene transfer. In 2010, the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) accounted for 76% of antibiotic consumption, with India consuming 12.9 billion units and China – 10 billion units. As of 2017, carbapenem-resistant Acetobacter baumannii and Enterobacteriaceae resulted in approximately US$ 281 million in healthcare costs in the United States. According to numerous reports from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 2.3 million episodes of multidrug-resistant microbial diseases resulting in 25,000 deaths are recorded annually in the United States alone. In this regard, the world community of scientists has intensified the study of the combined use of various antibacterial drugs to achieve maximum bactericidal activity. Studies have been conducted to determine the synergistic effect when using combinations of drugs of various pharmacological groups and silver nanoparticles. A significant increase in bactericidal activity by 53.87 times (from 2.528 to 0.0098 mcg/ml) was found with the combined use of AgNPs and DSMO against the reference strain Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25953. While the cultivation of St. aureus isolate with DSMO and silver nanoparticles revealed a sensitivity increase of 128.2 times (from 5.056 to 0.039 mcg/ml).

Trends in the contribution of greenhouse gas emissions from food and beverage purchases in Mexico: 1989–2020

BackgroundAssessing the trends in dietary GHGE considering the social patterning is critical for understanding the role that food systems have played and will play in global emissions in countries of the global south. Our aim is to describe dietary greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) trends (overall and by food group) using data from household food purchase surveys from 1989 to 2020 in Mexico, overall and by education levels and urbanicity.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from 16 rounds of Mexico’s National Income and Expenditure Survey, a nationally representative survey. The sample size ranged from 11,051 in 1989 to 88,398 in 2020. We estimated the mean total GHGE per adult-equivalent per day (kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d) for every survey year. Then, we estimated the relative GHGE contribution by food group for each household. These same analyses were conducted stratifying by education and urbanicity.ResultsThe mean total GHGE increased from 3.70 (95%CI: 3.57, 3.82) to 4.90 (95% CI 4.62, 5.18) kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d between 1989 and 2014 and stayed stable between 4.63 (95% CI: 4.53, 4.72) and 4.89 (95% CI: 4.81, 4.96) kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d from 2016 onwards. In 1989, beef (19.89%, 95% CI: 19.18, 20.59), dairy (16.87%, 95% CI: 16.30, 17.42)), corn (9.61%, 95% CI: 9.00, 10.22), legumes (7.03%, 95% CI: 6.59, 7.46), and beverages (6.99%, 95% CI: 6.66, 7.32) had the highest relative contribution to food GHGE; by 2020, beef was the top contributor (17.68%, 95%CI: 17.46, 17.89) followed by fast food (14.17%, 95% CI: 13.90, 14.43), dairy (11.21%, 95%CI: 11.06, 11.36), beverages (10.09%, 95%CI: 9.94, 10.23), and chicken (10.04%, 95%CI: 9.90, 10.17). Households with higher education levels and those in more urbanized areas contributed more to dietary GHGE across the full period. However, households with lower education levels and those in rural areas had the highest increase in these emissions from 1989 to 2020.ConclusionsOur results provide insights into the food groups in which the 2023 Mexican Dietary Guidelines may require to focus on improving human and planetary health.

Sociocultural risks of resource extraction for the low-carbon energy transition: Evidence from the Global South

The ongoing global transition to low-carbon energy relies on access to energy transition minerals (ETMs), bringing to life new mining projects. This shift is particularly impacting the Global South, due to high levels of interaction of mineral deposits with territories of Indigenous peoples and peasants, weak governance and remoteness. Focusing on the sustainability and justice of energy transitions, previous research has identified a range of environmental and social impacts of ETM mining across Global South countries. We argue that current research overlooks impacts of energy transition-related mining on tangible and intangible cultural heritage of land-connected people. This paper seeks to address this gap by examining the intersection of ETM mining and sociocultural practices in the Global South from spatial, governance and justice perspectives. Based on an extensive literature review, this article critically addresses key themes in the literature on the social aspects of energy transitions and uses cases from Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Chile, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to demonstrate the immediate and long-term sociocultural impacts associated with ETM mining. It is important to foster an all-encompassing approach to planetary just energy transitions that places equal weight on ensuring cultural alongside environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Revisiting the role of climate change on crop production: evidence from Mediterranean countries

AbstractThe Mediterranean region is an important agricultural center and is expected to be most affected by climate change due to its location. In this study, the role of climate change on agriculture is examined for eight South European countries on the Mediterranean coast for the period of 1996–2016. Carbon dioxide emissions, temperature and precipitation values are used as the indicators of climate change while cereal production is taken as a proxy for agricultural production. Results of the panel vector autoregression approach reveal that an increase in the carbon dioxide emissions and temperature have a negative impact on the cereal production. However, this effect is statistically significant only in the initial periods. On the other hand, an increase in rainfall has a statistically significant positive effect on crop production only in one period. However, eventually this effect turns to negative as expected, since excessive rainfall has a negative effect on agriculture as much as drought. In conclusion, the importance of bringing the policies and strategies to the forefront in ensuring the sustainability of agriculture and minimizing the negative effects of climate change in the region are discussed.

Vaccine hesitancy and trust in sub-Saharan Africa

Lack of trust is a primary reason behind the global rise in vaccine hesitancy. Existing research on the trust—vaccine hesitancy nexus has almost exclusively focused on COVID-19 with the vast majority of studies examining industrialized countries. In this study, we investigated the influence of trust in different policy-relevant actors (government, science, media, pharmaceutical companies, society) on vaccine hesitancy for recently available vaccines related to polio and HPV which we benchmark against a COVID-19 vaccine. Leveraging unique primary data on 5203 individuals from six countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda), we showed that individuals’ trust in the government and society are key predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these relationships are remarkably stable across vaccine, disease, and country contexts.

Drivers of success in global health outcomes: A content analysis of Exemplar studies.

Applying a positive outlier lens is one effective approach for generating evidence to inform global health policy, program, and funding decisions. Exemplars in Global Health (EGH) is a program that studies positive outlier countries that have made extraordinary progress in health outcomes (despite limited resources) and disseminates their successes through multiple types of outputs. To date, EGH has studied, or is studying, 14 global health topics in 28 countries. This paper aims to identify findings, summarized as themes and sub-themes, that appear among all completed EGH studies. We developed a conceptual framework and used a content analysis approach to identify the top thematic areas that appear as drivers for programmatic success across EGH studies that were completed between June 2020-May 2023. The EGH studies (N = 31) spanned six topics including under-five child mortality (n = 6), childhood stunting (n = 5), community health workers (CHW) (n = 4), vaccine delivery (n = 3), COVID-19 response (n = 6), and newborn and maternal mortality reduction (n = 7) across 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, South and Central Asia, and the Caribbean regions. Top drivers of success were defined as those critical or catalytic in achieving the intended outcome. Eight key drivers were identified: (1) efficient data collection and use for decision-making, (2) strong political commitment and health leadership, (3) effective stakeholder coordination, (4) a local, connected, and capacitated workforce, (5) intentional women's empowerment and engagement, (6) effective adoption and implementation of national policies, (7) effective and sustainable financing, and (8) equitable, efficient outreach and targeting. These cross-cutting drivers span a broad range of development outcomes, sectors, and populations, and indicate a need to effectively integrate people, systems, and sectors to improve global health outcomes. Findings from this study aim to support peer learning among countries and support evidence-based decision-making for funders, policymakers, and other key stakeholders.

Argentina and the Ukraine War: Between pragmatism and values

AbstractThis article examines Argentina's stance regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During the administration of President Alberto Fernández (2019–2023), Argentina condemned the invasion at the United Nations but maintained a relatively low diplomatic profile and criticised Western sanctions against Russia. However, since President Javier Milei took office in late 2023, Argentina has shifted its foreign policy orientation towards greater alignment with Western powers, leading to a more unequivocal support of Ukraine. As a significant development, President Zelensky responded by attending Milei's inauguration. The evolution of Argentina's position results from a combination of strategic calculation and principles across administrations of different ideological orientations, contradicting simplistic views of the international stance of Global South countries.

Economic challenges faced by migrant street vendors during a crisis: implications for social inclusion development

PurposeInformal migrant workers and street vendors have long been recognized as vulnerable groups in urban areas of Global South countries. However, limited studies exist on the economic challenges faced by migrant street vendors during crises. We aim to address this gap by shedding light on their livelihood and welfare losses during a public health crisis.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses descriptive and qualitative analyzes to triangulate the results. Data are derived from surveys and in-depth interviews with migrant street vendors in the two biggest cities in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe street vendors experienced significant business loss and consumption reduction during social distancing as well as encountered difficulties in recovering their businesses in the “new normal.” These adverse consequences were also found to disproportionately affect women vendors. Additionally, despite adopting various strategies and mitigation mechanisms to sustain their businesses and consumption, these efforts proved insufficient.Social implicationsThis research underscores the importance of short-term and long-term urban policies aimed at supporting and promoting the social inclusion of street vendors, particularly migrant and women vendors.Originality/valueThis research represents one of the early attempts to explore the adverse effects of a public health crisis on migrant street vendors and to examine whether the crisis disproportionately affected vendors from different genders and educational backgrounds. It also examines their business recovery in the “new normal.”

The “Finance‐Extraction‐Transitions Nexus”: Geographies of the Green Transition in the 21st Century

AbstractThe hegemonic understanding of the green transition will require a massive surge in mineral extraction. We contend that this entails wider, radical shifts in 21st century financialised capitalism. While there has been increasing critical interest in the role of finance capital in development, the links between finance, extraction, and the green transition have been largely overlooked. We fill this gap by arguing that the green transition, understood as a transformation of global capitalism, is marked by new rounds of appropriation, exploitation, and extraction, (re)producing dependencies for resource‐rich Global South countries. These emergent geographies of the green transition are best evaluated through what we call the “finance‐extraction‐transitions nexus”. The nexus highlights the interplay between finance capital, mineral extraction, and the material, socio‐economic, and environmental implications of the green transition. This provides new ways to theoretically, conceptually, and methodologically engage with resource extraction and the green transition in the age of financialised capitalism.