MER Article

An Interview with William Carter, Sudan Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council

The war in Sudan that began in April 2023 has led to a reckoning among humanitarian aid organizations. As international organizations have struggled to alleviate the diverse, complex crises facing people across the country, locally led initiatives and mutual aid organizations have sprung up at the grassroots level. To speak

William Carter, Nisrin Elamin, Deen Sharp • 10 min read

MER Article

Leveraging Humanitarian Aid in Wartime Sudan

The war has imposed gut-wrenching choices on the Sudanese people. Since the fighting broke out, millions have fled the capital city to different states within Sudan. Over 1.5 million have escaped the country altogether. Their patterns of movement reflect socio-economic disparities, as those hailing from less wealthy segments of

Azza Abdel Aziz • 8 min read

Current Analysis

Benefiting from the Misery of Others

Asher Orkaby examines the politics and unforeseen consequences of international aid in response to war and suffering in Yemen. He finds that much of the humanitarian aid actually exacerbates the war by fostering a lucrative wartime economy, disincentivizing peaceful resolutions and prolonging nation

Asher Orkaby • 14 min read

Covid-19 Coverage

Voices from the Middle East: Providing Urgent Aid to Refugees in Amman, Jordan

Jordan's strict nationwide curfew and ban on car traffic in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is complicating crucial aid delivery to refugees. Amanda Lane, executive director of the Collateral Repair Project, explains how they are coping with the new restrictions and why the situation was already s

Amanda Lane • 6 min read

Covid-19 Coverage

Refugees at Risk in Jordan's Response to COVID-19

The Jordanian government's severe restrictions on movement to contain the spread of COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting refugees and low-income Jordanians. While the government has established a national fund for needy Jordanian families, resources for the large population of already insecure r

Reva Dhingra • 8 min read

Current Analysis

Seeking Shelter in Jordan’s Cities

Umm Anas’ four-room apartment rings with the muffled laughter of children told to hush. Her six sons and daughters and four neighborhood children huddle around a tiny, rickety television in the otherwise unfurnished living room. Arabic-dubbed episodes of the “How to Train Your Dragon” television ser

Vicky Kelberer • 8 min read

Current Analysis

Trapped in Refuge

The daily lives of Syrian refugees in Jordan have always been difficult, but until the winter of 2014-2015, they were defined more by concern about making ends meet than outright panic.

Christiane Fröhlich, Matthew R. Stevens • 9 min read

MER Article

Shadow Aid to Syrian Refugees

A carpenter all his life, ‘Ala’ never imagined himself wanting for something like a chair or a bed. But today his blue plastic seat is a luxury. After fleeing war in Syria, ‘Ala’ and his family were homeless in Jordan for roughly 18 months. But since January, the father of three has lived with a doz

Elizabeth Dickinson • 15 min read

MER Article

Bread Is Life

‘Abd al-Qadir is tall, handsome and unassumingly stylish. With his well-cropped beard, Bob Marley T-shirt and Nike kicks, the young man would not look out of place on the gentrified streets of Brooklyn, the art scene of Belleville or the bustling beaches of his dream destination, Rio de Janeiro. Ins

Jose Ciro Martinez • 17 min read

Current Analysis

True Democrats Don't Bankroll Juntas

The military’s coup in Egypt has placed the American political establishment in a bind. Many observers insist that the Obama administration must either formally condone the military takeover or call it a “coup,” which would require a cutoff of American aid, as Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has advocated.

Joshua Stacher • 4 min read

Current Analysis

Futile Military Financing

One of the more regrettable things that Uncle Sam does with your tax dollars is sending $3.1 billion in military aid to Israel every year. He’ll be doing that until 2018 -- and probably after, unless Americans decide enough is enough. When President Barack Obama traveled to Israel in March, he was

Chris Toensing • 2 min read

Current Analysis

No Pink Slip for Salih

With cameras and Twitter feeds trained on Tahrir Square in Cairo, a series of large opposition protests have unfolded in an eponymous square in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as well as other major cities across the country. The protests have been organized and coordinated by a cross-ideological amalg

Stacey Philbrick Yadav • 13 min read