The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how the German political and economic model has outperformed the United States’ model. Having followed a coordinated approach, applying lessons learned from the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, Germany was much better equipped to counter the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis than the US. The US should use the German experience to shape its own approach going forward and apply policy shifts that can support US citizens.

Most people in Canada can easily access clean drinking water. In First Nations communities, the situation is different. More than 50 First Nations communities live without access to clean drinking water. The Canadian government has a responsibility to resolve this human rights issue by enacting federal legislation to increase government accountability to First Nations communities, and by working with the communities to establish locally owned water authorities.

The Investor-State Dispute Settlement System (ISDS) is an outdated system that needs to be reformed to reflect modern sustainable development objectives. Several ideas have been put forward to reform the ISDS, but none have led to change. Rather than imposing new mechanisms or overhauling the system altogether, the current ISDS system should be adapted to prioritize the Sustainable Development Goals.

Innovative and creative solutions are needed to tackle the climate emergency. The current consensus-based decision-making process at international climate negotiations is unable to catalyze sufficient climate action. It is time to reform the decision-making process and reconsider adopting more efficient procedural options such as smart voting.

Afghanistan is at a crossroads. Will Afghan women modernize global practices of peacebuilding or are the negotiations sticking to the traditional male-dominated path merely focused on military security? The road towards sustainable peace requires solidarity networks and inclusiveness for marginalized groups, especially women.

The Corona Dispatches are short updates on the situation in different countries around the world, written by members and friends of The Policy Corner. You would like to write a dispatch for us? No problem — just get in touch with us at submissions@policycorner.org, we look forward to hearing from you!