This report from UK development charity Oxfam says that UK foreign policy is at a crossroads, as one prime minister hands over the reins to another. It cautions that as foreign-policy discussions remain dominated by the debacle in Iraq, the danger is that UK foreign policy could lurch to a much more cautious approach, turning away from trying to solve the world’s worst crises, with potentially catastrophic consequences for people in them.

A Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress (PDF)entitled "Somalia: Current Conditions and Prospects for a Lasting Peace."

This paper from Oxfam reviews the performance of the United Nation’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in its first year. The Fund is designed provide a rapid response to sudden-onset disasters, and to bridge the funding gaps in under-funded emergencies.

The United Nations Department of Public Information has issued a release describing ten stories the world should hear more about.

The context in which humanitarians are operating has seen many changes in recent decades, especially with the challenges of complex emergencies, man-made humanitarian disasters and new security threats. One of the more notable—but least understood—developments has been the emergence of hired military services, better known as the 'privatised military industry'.

An independent report commissioned by the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator & Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

In recent years, humanitarian organizations have become increasingly effective in saving lives, alleviating human suffering, and advocating for the rights of people in need. Nonetheless, there still are considerable gaps in the ability of the humanitarian system to respond adequately to all humanitarian crises. Hence, we must, and we can, do better to be more predictable in our response to vulnerable populations around the globe.

The new secretary-general of the United Nations should make genocide prevention a centerpiece of his reform agenda, concludes a new Council Special Report. "Ban Ki-moon should take the General Assembly's endorsement of the responsibility to protect as a mandate and mission statement for the UN and build a reform program that is designed to implement it."

CFR Senior Fellow Stewart M. Patrick and Steven Groves of the Heritage Foundation debate the merits of supporting the Responsibility to Protect doctrine.

Julia E. Sweig dissects the international quandary over the humanitarian implications of violence in Syria.

Max Boot says military action in Syria needs to be carefully thought through, but the Obama administration should not allow itself to be paralyzed by the Pentagon's reluctance to intervene in Syria.

Jonathan Tepperman says a decision by the United States to intervene militarily in Syria must be made with hard facts and an honest decision about what standing up for U.S. interests and values will entail.

Elliott Abrams says that mixed messages from Washington ultimately leave the Syrian opposition to fend for themselves.

Ed Husain says military options in Syria would do much more harm than good.

Ed Husain argues that Western military involvement in Syria would worsen violence, not end it, and could spread the conflict beyond Syria's borders.

Robert M. Danin outlines eight steps that the United States and other members of the international community could adopt to help Syria, well short of military action.

Steven A. Cook says that if the world wants to see the end of Bashar al-Assad, it will likely require international intervention.

Micah Zenko says requests for humanitarian intervention by foreign governments and peoples happen all the time, and he examines why some requests are granted while others are ignored.

Micah Zenko and Rebecca Friedman say that last-ditch military intervention won't bring resolution to conflict and genocide in Africa.

Michael Gerson argues that in light of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur's refugee camps, the international community faces  a difficult choice: accept President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's decision to expel relief groups, or increase pressure on Sudan's regime at the risk of more short-term suffering and death.

Micah Zenko argues that instituting a no-fly zone over Darfur is not the appropriate response to the ongoing genocide in Sudan.