Proposed Arms Trade Treaty now in the hands of 28 government experts – they must not fail, warn campaigners Talks starting today in the UN offer an historic way forward on conventional arms control, say Control Arms campaigners. The 28 delegates from every continent will sit on the “Group of Governmental Experts in New York, where they will start their first discussions on a global Arms Trade (...)

Local peacebuilding urgently needed to reduce insecurity in Afghanistan, Oxfam says Existing measures to promote peace in Afghanistan are not succeeding. With land, water and family disagreements as the major causes of local insecurity, peace work at a community level is an essential part of a wider strategy to secure a lasting national peace. Read Oxfam’s new report which (...)

Oxfam International warns of dire humanitarian consequences of full scale military incursion into Gaza Oxfam warns of dire humanitarian consequences of the full scale military incursion into Gaza now being considered by the government of Israel. Oxfam is deeply concerned about the high number of civilians killed in the current Israeli military incursion. A large scale military attack on the (...)

Somalia crisis deteriorates, aid agencies warn On October 30, 2007, 39 NGOs warned of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Somalia and an impending humanitarian catastrophe. Since then, the crisis engulfing Somalia has deteriorated dramatically while access to people in need continues to decrease; 360,000 people have been newly displaced (...)

Oxfam urges EU to act now to secure peace in Eastern Congo Oxfam today urged European leaders to do more to bring lasting peace in Eastern Congo as EU Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels to review the EU’s military and police reform missions there. While Oxfam welcomes the EU’s efforts it warned ministers not to lose sight of the bigger picture: the (...)

Major donors failing Afghanistan due to $10bn aid shortfall The prospects for peace in Afghanistan are being undermined because Western countries are failing to deliver on their promises of aid to the tune of $10bn and because aid going to the country is used ineffectively, according to a new report written by ACBAR, an alliance international aid (...)

Israeli bombs destroy Oxfam-funded health clinic in Gaza Oxfam International today confirmed that a health clinic it helps fund was hit and vital medical equipment were destroyed in an attack by the Israeli air force on Gaza City late last night (27 February). The head quarters of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, the organization which runs (...)

International aid agency Oxfam International is shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless killing of a dedicated aid partner in Somalia International aid agency Oxfam International is shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless killing of a staff member of one of its partner organizations in Mogadishu. Mohammed Abdulle Mahdi, 46, was shot to death in Mogadishu on the morning of June 11th. The circumstances surrounding his (...)