War, famine and destruction: Why west remains silent on global conflict

While global attention remains fixated on conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, several devastating wars continue to rage largely unnoticed, inflicting immense suffering on millions. From the escalating violence in eastern Congo to Myanmar’s brutal civil war and mass starvation in Yemen and Somalia or political repression in Nicaragua Belarus and Serbia, these crises are often side-lined despite their catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

In Haiti and Colombia, gang violence has plunged the country into near-collapse while Ethiopia and Sudan remain mired in conflicts that have displaced millions.

When the US president, traditionally the foremost guardian of the post-1945 rules-based order, threatens, unprovoked, to militarily attack a West European ally to seize its sovereign territory, little wonder everyone feels more insecure. Yet that is exactly what Donald Trump is doing in trying to bully Denmark into surrendering Greenland. Trump’s near neighbours in Panama, Mexico, Colombia and Canada face similar intimidation.

The West’s silence on global conflict is a result of both geopolitical priorities and a tendency to overlook crises that do not directly impact its economic or security interests. While regions like Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America suffer from war, famine, and political instability, Western nations often focus more on domestic concerns or conflicts that align with their strategic interests.

Conflicts around the world: A closer look

Congo-Rwanda conflict

Violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in North Kivu and Ituri provinces has intensified due to clashes between the Congolese army (FARDC) and the M23 rebel group, which is allegedly supported by Rwanda. The conflict has led to the displacement of over 6.9 million people and widespread human rights abuses, including mass killings, sexual violence, and the forced recruitment of child soldiers. Last weekend, as the front lines shifted, around 300,000 people sheltering in camps on the outskirts of Goma fled into the city, only to find themselves trapped again as rebels entered, according to the U.N.

Congo, the United States and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23, which had hundreds of fighters in 2021. The group now reportedly has around 6,500 fighters, according to the United Nations. While Rwanda denies these allegations, it acknowledged having troops and missile systems in eastern Congo last year, claiming they are deployed to protect its security. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in the region.

Since the crisis began, bombs have hit at least two sites for internally displaced people, resulting in civilian casualties. The U.N. has also documented cases of sexual violence related to the conflict, perpetrated by the army, allied armed groups, and even male prisoners during a prison break in Goma.

The situation in Goma has worsened, with the airport closed, roads blocked, and aid organizations unable to provide essential support. Medical facilities are overwhelmed, operating at double their capacity. Many parts of Goma remain without water or electricity, and residents are forced to walk for hours to gather water from Lake Kivu. M23 rebels have attempted to assert control over the city, claiming they are working to restore basic services like electricity and water.

Amid the chaos, some civilians have sought refuge in Rwanda, with more than 1,000 Congolese people crossing the border since Monday, according to Rwandan authorities.

Myanmar’s civil war rages on

Peace prospects look bleak in Myanmar as a civil war rages despite international pressure on the military four years after it seized power from an elected civilian government. The political situation remains tense with no negotiation space in sight between the military government and the major opposition groups fighting against it.

The four years after the army’s takeover on Feb. 1, 2021, have created a profound situation of multiple, overlapping crises with nearly half the population in poverty and the economy in disarray, the UN Development Program said.

The UN Human Rights Office reported that last year, the military escalated violence against civilians to unprecedented levels, resulting in the highest civilian death toll since the army’s takeover, as its hold on power weakened. Airstrikes have intensified, targeting civilian areas in rebel-held regions. Towns in Sagaing, Kayah, and Chin states have been the site of systematic massacres. The ongoing conflict has displaced more than 2.6 million people, causing severe food shortages and a rise in refugees fleeing to Thailand and India.

Rebirth or relapse? Syria faces daunting task of recovery after Assad’s ouster

Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of the Islamist rebel group that ousted Bashar al-Assad in December, was named Syria’s transitional president, opting for a western-style lounge suit over combat fatigues. In a series of sweeping reforms, a newly appointed legislative council replaced the former parliament, and all armed groups were ordered to disband and join a new national army. While these changes may seem promising for those who hope for a “normal” Syria, Sharaa cautions that democratic elections are still three to four years away, leaving plenty of room for setbacks.

While the US, EU, and Gulf states have welcomed Assad’s overthrow, they have been slow to take concrete actions, such as lifting sanctions or releasing funds. According to the UN, around 6.7 million people urgently need aid. Health services, schools, and housing remain insufficient, and much of the countryside is still littered with landmines.

The country’s internal security situation is tense, marked by a national pursuit of justice, revenge killings, limited attacks on religious minorities, and clashes between Syrian Kurdish forces and Turkish proxies along the northern border. This has displaced 652,000 people. Without greater international support and engagement, Syria’s recovery might falter in 2025, and the specter of war could return.

Haiti’s unrest: Gang violence, political instability & economic collapse threaten stability

Haiti is in turmoil, gripped by widespread gang violence, political instability, and economic collapse. More than 200 gangs control significant areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, creating a dangerous environment for civilians. The government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry remains fragile, as international interventions, including peacekeeping efforts led by the UN and CARICOM, have been ineffective in bringing stability. Kidnappings, extortion, and assassinations are common, contributing to the displacement of over 200,000 people and severe food shortages impacting nearly 4.5 million individuals.

According to the U.N. migration agency, internal displacement in Haiti, largely driven by gang violence, has surged over the past year, now exceeding 1 million people — the highest level ever recorded in the Caribbean nation.

More than 5,600 people were killed in Haiti last year, a more than 20% increase compared with 2023, according to the U.N. In addition, more than 2,200 people were reported injured and nearly 1,500 kidnapped, it said.

The violence has displaced more than one million people in recent years in a country where nearly 2 million people are on the verge of starvation.

Mexico teeters on brink as Trump revives anti-immigration playbook

Mexico faces even greater challenges with U.S. President Donald Trump’s militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border and his controversial proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Trump’s return to punitive immigration policies, including the “Remain in Mexico” strategy, is expected to overwhelm Mexico’s already strained government, hinder regional economic growth, and fuel the power of criminal cartels, according to the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations. This will ultimately make both countries less secure and less prosperous.

At a time when Mexico’s newly elected president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is striving for a fresh start, Trump’s policies could destabilize the country. S&P Global economists note that more than 18% of imports coming into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada are products that were first created in the U.S. before being sent abroad, highlighting the deep economic integration between the two nations.

The interdependence of the U.S. and Mexican economies is particularly evident in energy needs. Mexico relies on the U.S. for about 70% of its natural gas, making any disruptions a significant vulnerability. The U.S. also imports approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily from Mexico, and imposing import taxes on these shipments could lead to higher fuel prices, especially for diesel, according to energy analysts.

Food production is another area of close integration. Mexico provides around half of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S., a proportion that increases during the winter months. Last year, Mexico became the largest market for U.S. agricultural exports, totaling $30 billion.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban’s takeover. In one of the worst confrontations between the two nations, Pakistani airstrikes killed 46 people in eastern Afghanistan in December. While Pakistan claimed it targeted Pakistani Taliban militants, the Afghan government reported that women and children were among the casualties. The escalating violence reflects Pakistan’s frustration with the Taliban’s failure to curb cross-border militant activity. Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban, adding to the growing tensions.

World’s worst humanitarian emergency: Yemen’s crisis continues unabated

Yemen remains one of the most dire humanitarian crises, despite the escalating situation in Sudan. Following the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, international attention shifted, focusing on the Houthi rebels and their missile strikes on shipping in the Red Sea and Israel, which led to military reprisals from the US, UK, and others. Since the ceasefire in Gaza, these attacks have largely stopped. However, Yemen’s civil war continues, with around 150,000 dead and 18 million facing food shortages.

In January, UN envoy Hans Grundberg highlighted the critical importance of ending the conflict for regional stability. He called for steps such as a nationwide ceasefire, detainee releases, rebuilding infrastructure, and initiating an inclusive political process. Yemen heavily relies on imports for food and medical supplies, and the humanitarian need is vast, but the political will for progress has often been lacking.

According to Acled, a nonprofit that tracks conflict data, global conflict has surged in recent years. Their estimates show a doubling of global conflict over the past five years, with political violence incidents rising by 25% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Their findings reflect the growing perception that the world is becoming increasingly perilous.

Ethiopia’s dark turn: Abiy Ahmed’s rule marred by human rights abuses, democratic backsliding

Ethiopia’s reputation as a model for international aid and development has come under intense scrutiny following the rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018. There has yet to be a full public reckoning of Abiy’s devastating military campaign in northern Tigray province, which ended with a truce in November 2022.

The conflict, notorious for severe human rights violations by all parties especially Ethiopian government forces and their Eritrean allies has left lasting scars and reports suggest such abuses are still ongoing.

Abiy’s leadership has been marked by democratic regression, including internet shutdowns, media censorship, and escalating tensions with neighbouring Somalia over access to sea routes via Somaliland.

Currently, Ethiopia’s Amhara region is experiencing heightened repression, with widespread arrests of government opponents amid ongoing conflict with armed groups. Amnesty International has condemned the international community’s indifference, labelling the silence over the mass detention of thousands in Amhara as “beyond shameful.”

The organisation has called on Ethiopia’s international partners to demand a return to the rule of law. There are growing concerns that Amhara, much like Tigray in 2020, could descend into a secessionist rebellion by 2025.

Sudan’s humanitarian crisis

The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s military (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged the country into one of Africa’s worst humanitarian crises. Fighting in Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan has resulted in over 28,000 deaths, and mass graves have been discovered in West Darfur. Ethnic violence, particularly between Arab and non-Arab communities, has escalated, evoking memories of the 2003 Darfur genocide. More than 7.5 million people have been displaced, and famine is now a looming threat due to disrupted food supply chains.

Sudan’s instability traces back to the 2019 uprising that ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. However, the country’s brief transition to democracy was derailed when Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo of the RSF orchestrated a military coup in October 2021. Al-Bashir faces charges for his role in the genocidal campaign in Darfur during the early 2000s, carried out with the Janjaweed, the RSF’s precursor. Rights groups and the UN claim the RSF and allied Arab militias are once again attacking ethnic African groups in the ongoing war.

The conflict has been marked by extreme atrocities, including ethnically targeted killings and sexual violence, according to the UN and human rights organizations. The International Criminal Court is investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the U.S. has accused the RSF and its proxies of genocide. Recent months have seen the RSF suffering significant military setbacks, with the Sudanese military gaining the upper hand, especially as the RSF has lost control of key areas, including parts of Khartoum, Omdurman, and eastern and central provinces.

Afghanistan-Pakistan

America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, leaving the country to Taliban extremists, was not only a political blunder but also devastating for Afghan women and girls. Under Taliban rule, they faced harsh restrictions on their freedoms, education, and career opportunities.

In a significant step to address this injustice, the International Criminal Court recently announced plans to seek the arrest of senior Taliban leaders Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani on charges of crimes against humanity, specifically gender-based persecution – a global first.

As 2025 begins, Afghanistan’s stability remains uncertain. The country, plagued by mismanagement and poverty, is vulnerable to extremist factions such as the Islamic State Khorasan Province. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s instability has worsened after a year of political turmoil, including the imprisonment of former prime minister Imran Khan and the rise of Shehbaz Sharif, backed by the military. Analysts predict that growing militancy, particularly from Baloch separatists and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, will exploit domestic unrest and further destabilize the region in 2025.

Iran’s domestic unrest

In 2024, Iran’s theocratic regime faced significant setbacks, suffering losses in confrontations with Israel and witnessing the downfall of key regional allies in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Domestically, the regime is grappling with mounting challenges notably from a disillusioned, youthful urban population increasingly angered by widespread corruption, violent repression, and government incompetence.

Iran has endured three major uprisings over the past 15 years—in 2009, 2019, and 2022. Analysts now wonder when the next uprising will erupt or whether all-out war with Israel will precede it.

A hallmark of the regime’s survival strategy has been its harsh repression, particularly against women. The case of Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish-Iranian civic activist sentenced to death on dubious charges of “armed rebellion against the state,” has sparked an international outcry. This case follows the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in custody, which ignited the “Woman Life Freedom” movement and drew attention to the regime’s long-standing history of misogynistic persecution.

As of 2025, repression continues, with many people facing execution, contributing to the regime’s increasing isolation and instability. Iran executed over 900 people in 2024, according to the UN.