Published in Council on Foreign Relations By Louise Marie Hurel   The February 20 Brazil-EU Cyber Dialogue signaled the most recent step taken by Brasília and Brussels to collaborate on advancing responsible state behavior in cyberspace. While there have sometimes been differences in the two…

This article explores two basic questions: (1) What are the cyberthreats facing cities and their residents; and (2) How can cities and city networks work to improve their digital safety? These may be among the most significant – if under-appreciated – questions facing cities in the 21st century.

With COVID-19 infections now evident in 176 countries, the pandemic is the most significant threat to humanity since the second world war. Then, as now, confidence in international cooperation and institutions plumbed new lows.

Published in Financial Times By Robert Muggah With president Jair Bolsonaro dismissing the pandemic as “sniffles” and criticising regional lockdown measures, the country’s drug gangs and paramilitary groups have stepped in to enforce social distancing to combat the spread of coronavirus. “Whoever is caught on…

Far from merely reflecting an unequal distribution of economic means, rising inequality comes with a broad range of additional toxic side effects, many of which the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown into sharp relief. With the pandemic transforming life around the world before our eyes, this is a problem that can no longer be ignored.

Liliana was there when local men abducted her teenage friend on the outskirts of El Salvador’s capital, and she saw exactly who did it. But when police came to question her, she kept quiet.

Published in Project Syndicate By Robert Muggah The COVID-19 pandemic was not just predictable but inevitable, which makes the skyrocketing economic and human costs of the crisis all the more unacceptable. If the international community does not respond by creating new global structures to deal…

Published in US Today By Robert Muggah A data analysis by USA TODAY finds that, two weeks after the U.S. first entered into community transmission on March 3, America’s trajectory is trending toward Italy’s, where circumstances are dire. U.S. officials are sounding the alarm, urging…

Published in The Chicago Council By Robert Muggah As COVID-19 spreads around the world, non-resident senior fellow on global cities Robert Muggah shares his insights into the spread and impact of pandemics, why they are becoming more common, and how cities can help minimize threats…

Published in World Economic Forum By Robbert Muggah When it comes to infectious disease outbreaks, cities are dual-edged. To be sure, cities are a big part of the problem. They intensify the spread and transmission of infectious disease through increased human contact. Today, roughly 4…