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Les grands personnages de l'histoire politique ou littéraire offrent parfois l'occasion à leurs biographes de prendre la pose. D'inspecter leur modèle, d'asséner leurs leçons. De sélectionner les références et les faits qui favorisent leurs extrapolations. Michel Onfray vient ainsi de jeter son (…) / Idées, Intellectuels, Extrême droite, Médias, Anarchisme, Marxisme

Luca Zidane - son of France legend Zinedine Zidane - is named in Algeria's squad for the upcoming World Cup.

Un gauche-droite en accéléré, une petite foulée, des esquives, une rotation du bassin, un premier round et un dernier, jusqu'au poing levé de la victoire… Les gestes de la boxe s'enchaînent dans Combats de filles, le premier roman à la prose incisive de Rita Bullwinkel, née en 1988 et éditrice (…) / États-Unis, Femmes, Littérature, Sport

Il est des hommages moins chaleureux : dans son essai Épouvante et surnaturel en littérature, publié en 1927, l'Américain Howard Phillips Lovecraft, une référence en matière de littérature horrifique, saluait son confrère britannique Montague Rhodes James (1862-1936) comme l'un des quatre (…) / Littérature, Fiction, États-Unis

Depuis un an, le compte Instagram "Amine le Conquérant" met en valeur dans des vidéos les châteaux comme Versailles et Vaux-le-Vicomte. Derrière ce pseudo, Amine Kassid propose des visites dans différents lieux du patrimoine français. Une approche qui a suscité des commentaires haineux. Stéphane Bern à quant à lui, apporté son soutien au réalisateur.

The Eighth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is currently taking place at the Congress Center of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Nearly 150 country representatives are participating in the week-long assembly and associated meetings. Credit: IISD/ENB/Danny Skilton

By Stella Paul
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, May 31 2026 (IPS)

The 71st Council meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) opened today amid a sharp divide, with donor nations urging broader and increased funding commitments, while developing countries called for more equitable and accessible pathways to environmental finance.

In April, donor countries pledged an initial USD 3.9 billion to the GEF Trust Fund’s ninth replenishment cycle (GEF-9), which will support environmental projects worldwide from 2026 to 2030.

Today, government officials, development banks, philanthropies, and civil society groups welcomed the pledges and highlighted GEF’s “whole of the societies” approach, which aims to involve governments, communities, businesses, and civil society. However, discussions at the meeting preceding the Assembly also reflected a growing challenge: environmental problems are becoming more urgent just as international aid budgets are shrinking.

Developing countries repeatedly raised concerns about whether funding is reaching those who need it most and whether access to it is fair.

Aziz Abdukhakimov, Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Environment and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, addresses the opening day of the 71st GEF Council meeting. Credit: IISD/ENB/Danny Skilton

Opening the Assembly, GEF Interim Chief Executive Officer Claude Gascon said GEF-9 is designed to “unlock great investments” through stronger cooperation across government agencies while continuing support for least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).

“The resources must reach countries more efficiently, where the impacts are greatest,” Gascon said. He pointed to reforms agreed during replenishment talks that aim to simplify procedures and improve accountability.

According to the GEF Secretariat, its current projects are already delivering large-scale environmental benefits. GEF’s blended finance operations have achieved an average co-financing ratio of 18 to 1, meaning every dollar invested by GEF has helped attract many more dollars from public and private sources for biodiversity, climate, land restoration, and pollution projects.

Aziz Abdukhakimov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Environment and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, highlighted the importance of this forum.

“We meet in Samarkand at a moment when the triple planetary crisis is becoming increasingly visible across all regions of the world. At the same time, the window for achieving our global environmental commitments is rapidly decreasing. This is why the role of the GEF is important more than ever,” Abdukhakimov said.

The Opening Council of the Eighth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is in Progress at the Congress Center of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Credit: Stella Paul/IPS

A More Inclusive GEF

A key feature of GEF-9 will be integrated programming, based on the idea that environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation are interconnected and should be tackled together.

Ninety-eight countries, including 31 least developed countries and 26 small island states, are expected to participate in these programs from 2026 to 2030.

More than 100 country-level workshops and consultations have already been held to help countries strengthen their capacity, align GEF funding with national priorities, and increase participation by women, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and the private sector.

Donor countries highlighted what they see as progress. Norway welcomed larger allocations for LDCs and SIDS, as well as funding targets aimed at directing more resources to countries with the greatest needs. Norwegian representatives said they have high expectations for the results GEF-9 will achieve.

Representatives of Indigenous Peoples also described the replenishment process as a major step forward.

Speaking on behalf of the GEF Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group (IPAG), Giovanni B. Reyes said Indigenous communities had a stronger voice in shaping the new funding cycle.

“For the first time, we were at the table of the replenishment. For the first time, our work will be visible in the way it deserves,” Reyes told the Assembly.

“The inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and our territories in the corporate scorecard means our contributions will be counted, our lands recognised, and our results disaggregated alongside women and youth. We have always been there — this is our way of life. Now the data will tell our story and amplify our voices.”

The representative said that commitments to create a dedicated GEF Indigenous Peoples policy, establish procedures for Indigenous-led projects, and allow Indigenous organisations to become accredited implementing agencies represent lasting institutional changes – rather than one-time promises. The representative also warned that failing to protect Indigenous and traditional territories would lead to biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.

New Partnerships Announced

Several new partnerships were announced during the opening ceremony.

Gascon revealed a partnership with a U.S.-based philanthropy to support biodiversity conservation in Africa through the Africa Protected Areas Initiative.

A video presentation highlighted protected areas such as Kafue National Park and North Luangwa in Zambia, showing how relatively small protected areas can help secure water supplies, support local livelihoods, and conserve globally important wildlife.

Rob Walton of the Blue Nature Alliance described GEF as a key institution in global environmental finance. He highlighted its support for international environmental agreements, including preparations for the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty, which he called an important milestone for ocean protection.

The World Bank, which serves as trustee of the GEF Trust Fund, announced that USD 3.3 billion has already been confirmed for GEF-9.

Speaking at the Assembly, Maitreyi Das, World Bank Vice Director of Trust Funds and Partner Relations, said additional contributions are expected as donor approval processes continue. For the first time, countries can make pledges throughout the replenishment period rather than only at the beginning.

“This replenishment reflects a shared resolve to advance an ambitious environmental agenda at a very difficult moment for overseas development assistance,” she said. She credited cooperation among donors, recipient countries, civil society, businesses, and international environmental conventions.

Developing Countries Seek Fairer Access

Despite the positive announcements, delegates from developing countries said access to finance remains a major problem.

African representatives described GEF-9 as an important opportunity to address drought, food insecurity, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. However, they warned that available funding remains far below what Africa needs to meet global climate and biodiversity goals by 2030.

While they welcomed increased attention to least developed countries, drylands, and integrated programmes, several African countries cautioned that blended finance and private-sector investment require financial systems and risk-sharing mechanisms that many countries still lack.

“The region therefore calls for stronger grant-based financing, simplified access procedures, and capacity support to ensure equitable participation,” said Baixo Eduardo of Mozambique, who is representing southern African countries at the assembly.

Small island states voiced similar concerns.

Speaking for Caribbean countries, one representative said predictable, adequate, and accessible funding remains essential if SIDS are to achieve environmental and sustainable development goals.

“The ambition of GEF 9 is encouraging,” she said, particularly in biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and pollution reduction. “But implementation mechanisms must reflect the unique vulnerabilities and capacities of small island developing states.”

Brazilian delegate Simone Carolina Bauch, speaking on behalf of its constituency, welcomed commitments to dedicate 35 percent of GEF-9 funding to biodiversity and 20 percent to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. However, she said that countries should remain in control of how projects are designed and implemented.

Bauch also called for greater clarity on the rules for participating in integrated programmes and warned that co-financing requirements should not become barriers to accessing funds.

Yicheng Yao, representative of China and Hrisheekesh Arvind Modak, representative of India, strongly supported these concerns raised by Bauch and called for simpler and fairer access to green finance.

Responding to these issues, Gascon said resources have been set aside for a country engagement strategy that will help national focal points better understand funding opportunities and make informed decisions.

He added that further guidance on participation in integrated programmes will be presented to the GEF Council later this year, with formal expressions of interest expected in early 2027.

As discussions continue in Samarkand, the GEF said the window for new contributions to the GEF-9 replenishment will remain open throughout the Assembly, allowing countries to make additional pledges for the 2026–2030 funding cycle. Delegates also thanked the government of Uzbekistan for hosting the assembly.

Notes: The Eighth Global Environment Facility Assembly is underway in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

This feature is published with the support of the GEF. IPS is solely responsible for the editorial content, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the GEF.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Un recours a été déposé devant le tribunal administratif de Paris pour “carence fautive” par les associations Notre affaire à tous, Bloom, Générations futures et des riverains de sites contaminés. Pour François Veillerette, porte-parole de Générations futures, invité de France 24 : “L’Etat a fait preuve d’inaction coupable face aux PFAS d’où notre action devant la justice.”

Netsanet Sori is bringing a flavour of the farm where she grew up to her new home 4,000 miles away.

 

Developments and Implications for Political Arrangements

Key Takeaways

May 2026 was marked by a widening gap between an increasingly detailed international transition framework for Gaza and a deteriorating situation on the ground. At the center of this disconnect lies the deadlock over disarmament and decommissioning, which is blocking progress across the broader transition agenda, including withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), reconstruction, and the deployment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). On May 21, High Representative Nickolay Mladenov presented a 15-point Roadmap for Phase Two centered on reciprocity and an independent verification mechanism designed to overcome the zero-trust environment between the parties.

The Roadmap is premised on the view that reconstruction, governance transition, and Israeli withdrawal cannot be sustainably implemented while multiple armed structures continue to operate alongside civilian institutions, and therefore places gradual, Palestinian-led decommissioning under NCAG authority at the center of the transition process. In practice, however, this sequencing links progress across multiple tracks to movement on the disarmament file. Hamas has rejected two versions of the plan, citing Israel’s continued non-compliance with key ceasefire and Phase One obligations, including restricted aid flows and border crossings, persistent military strikes, and the expansion of control beyond the Yellow Line established under the Sharm el-Sheikh arrangement. Hamas has also questioned the absence of a sufficiently defined political horizon, arguing that the Roadmap specifies detailed obligations on decommissioning while providing less clarity on the political steps that would lead to Palestinian statehood. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, a nine-country joint statement condemned construction in the E1 area amid record settler violence, and Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla exposed fractures within the Israeli government. The overall trajectory points toward a hardening partition of Gaza, accelerating de facto annexation of the West Bank, and a widening gap between the peace framework’s ambition and its ability to deliver.

Main Developments

● Mladenov presents a 15-point Roadmap to the Security Council, demanding both sides act. On May 21st, High Representative Mladenov briefed the Security Council with a 15-point “Roadmap to Complete the Implementation of President Trump’s Gaza Comprehensive Peace Plan.” Built on the principle of reciprocity, each step by one side triggers a corresponding step by the other, verified by an independent committee before the next is taken. Mladenov stressed that despite months of consultations with various factions, Hamas has not accepted the framework. He urged the Security Council to “use every means at its disposal” to press Hamas to disarm and Israel to honor its ceasefire obligations, warning, “It is a deteriorating status quo or a new beginning, there is no third option.”

● Gaza ceasefire holds, but violations mount; humanitarian gains remain fragile. In the seven months since the October 2025 truce, over 2,400 Israeli violations have been documented, and at least 856 Palestinians have been killed. Mladenov acknowledged limited improvements but said 85% of Gaza’s buildings are damaged or destroyed, 70 million tons of rubble remain, and 80% of working-age Palestinians are unemployed. Humanitarian leaders from Save the Children and Refugees International however noted that aid deliveries remain far below the 600 trucks per day stipulated in the peace plan. Since March 2025, Israel has blocked UNRWA from directly bringing humanitarian personnel and aid into Gaza. The agency’s health director warned that the spread of rodents and infections signals the “near collapse” of Gaza’s health system.

● Israel killed Hamas’s military chief in Gaza City airstrike. Israel’s killing of al-Qassam Brigades commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad on May 15th was followed just 11 days later by a strike targeting his successor, Mohammed Ouda, on the eve of Eid al-Adha on May 26th. Simultaneously, systematic strikes on Hamas’s police force, with 42 officers killed since the ceasefire, suggest Israel is pursuing unilateral military disarmament rather than engaging with the roadmap’s reciprocal framework.

● Shin Bet chief meets Dahlan in Abu Dhabi to discuss Gaza governance. Shin Bet director David Zini met Mohammed Dahlan, a former Fatah security chief and long-time adviser to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, in Abu Dhabi in late May. The meeting focused on postwar governance arrangements for Gaza, with Israeli, American, and Arab officials exploring Dahlan as a potential figure to lead or broker a transitional administration. This could signal the exploration of governance alternatives to both transitional NCAG and the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership under President Mahmoud Abbas, Dahlan’s bitter rival who expelled him from Fatah in 2011. If it gains traction, the Dahlan channel could reshape the political landscape but also deepen Palestinian factional fragmentation.

● Israel–Lebanon talks continue amid efforts to reinforce a fragile US-brokered ceasefire. On June 2nd and 3rd, Israeli and Lebanese officials held a fourth round of direct talks in Washington focused on strengthening deescalation arrangements and exploring phased measures to reduce hostilities. Proposals under discussion reportedly include the establishment of “pilot zones” where hostilities would cease, Israeli forces would withdraw, and the Lebanese Armed Forces would deploy, with the aim of gradually expanding these arrangements across southern Lebanon. Despite diplomatic engagement and US efforts to prevent escalation, Israeli military operations have continued in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has maintained its rejection of any arrangement that does not include a comprehensive halt to Israeli operations throughout Lebanon.

● Nine Western nations condemn settlements and warn against E1 construction. The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and the Netherlands issued a joint statement on May 22nd condemning settlement construction in the E1 area as a “serious breach of international law,” warning that it would further fragment the West Bank by linking Ma’ale Adumim to East Jerusalem and undermining the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state. The statement warned businesses against bidding for E1 tenders. With over 760 documented incidents (an average of six per day) and 2,000 Palestinians displaced, 2026 has already surpassed 2025 as the deadliest year for settler attacks.

● Global Sumud Flotilla is intercepted; Ben Gvir’s treatment of activists sparks crisis. Israeli forces intercepted over 60 boats that were part of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters, detaining some 420 activists. A video showing National Security Minister Ben Gvir taunting detainees drew condemnation from ten foreign ministers, Netanyahu himself, and the United States. Separately, the UN’s Secretary-general’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence included Israeli armed and security forces in its list of parties credibly suspected of patterns of sexual violence in conflict, citing verified cases primarily involving Palestinian detainees in detention and prison facilities.

● US political support for Israel continues eroding. Declining American public support for Israel is increasingly translating into policy friction. The once-assured annual military aid package is now subject to debate across party lines, while Washington appears reluctant to endorse renewed large-scale operations in Gaza to break the disarmament impasse. Instead, US policymakers are reportedly giving greater consideration to a contingency approach that would allow elements of the transition framework to proceed in areas outside Hamas’s control. The Board of Peace’s $70 billion reconstruction plan nevertheless faces an urgent liquidity crisis, with disbursements far below commitments.

Structural Dynamics

From a stalled 15-point Roadmap to a partition trajectory: Mladenov’s warning that the Board of Peace may “explore alternative modalities” if both sides refuse to engage and agree to the 15-point Roadmap signals a possible pivot toward partial implementation in areas outside Hamas control and beyond the territory held by the IDF west of the so-called Yellow Line. Increasingly referred to as the “Orange Zone,” these areas fall under the control of Israeli-backed militias. While potentially pragmatic, such a contingency would risk formalizing Gaza’s fragmentation rather than resolving it, resulting in a de facto partition between Israeli-controlled buffer zones in the north and east, a Hamas-administered enclave in the center, and an Orange Zone stranded between them.

Escalating military operations since Mladenov’s Security Council briefing: In parallel, the pattern of Israeli military operations since Mladenov’s May 21st briefing suggests an effort to achieve through force what the Roadmap seeks to accomplish through negotiation. Israel has stepped up its attacks in Gaza since the US–Iran ceasefire took effect. This includes the systematic elimination of Hamas’s military command with al-Haddad and Mohammed Odeh’s killings, the degradation of its governance capacity through renewed strikes on police and administrative structures, and renewed attacks on alleged weapons caches. Together, these actions bypass the Roadmap’s phased, Palestinian-led decommissioning process. The strategic risk is considerable: if Hamas concludes that engagement with the Roadmap offers no protection against military dismantlement and targeted killings, it will have little incentive to participate and engage in negotiations to dismantle its military wing.

Accelerating de facto annexation: The West Bank is experiencing a convergence of legal, administrative, and vigilante actions that collectively accelerate annexation. The E1 tender, if construction proceeds, would physically sever the northern and southern West Bank, a move the nine-country joint statement explicitly flagged as a “decisive blow” to the viability of a two-state solution. Settler violence in 2026 has already surpassed the entirety of 2025, and Israel’s February 2026 registration of West Bank lands as “state property” formalizes administrative control in ways that are increasingly difficult to reverse, regardless of any future political agreement.

The Lebanon track’s fragile promise: The Israel–Lebanon peace talks represent the most significant diplomatic opening on any front, but they rest on precarious foundations. The 45-day ceasefire extension buys time, yet Israeli strikes killing 22 people including civilians during the truce period undercut its credibility. Hezbollah’s categorical rejection of the talks mean that any agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government may face significant implementation challenges if contested by the country’s most powerful armed actor. The Pentagon coordination meeting on May 29th is a critical test. If it can produce a credible withdrawal timeline, the talks may survive into a substantive phase. Without it, the Lebanon track risks following the Gaza ceasefire into indefinite stalemate.

Shifting US political constraints and potential openings: May’s events confirmed that the bipartisan consensus on unconditional US support for Israel is fragmenting. Reports on June 1st signal that even the most pro-Israel administration in decades sees Israeli unilateralism as a political liability. The flotilla crisis deepened the rift, with Washington joining the chorus of condemnation against Ben Gvir. Yet structural constraints persist: Congress continues to fund military aid, and the Board of Peace framework gives Israel effective veto power over Gaza’s governance transition. The emerging US posture is one of rhetorical distance without material consequences, a gap that Israeli leaders have proven adept at exploiting. Israel-Palestine Monthly Brief May 2026

Recommendations

Regional and international actors, should:

1. Endorse and operationalize the Implementation Verification Committee envisioned in Mladenov’s 15-point Roadmap, with a Security Council mandate to report publicly on ceasefire violations and implementation progress by both parties, breaking the cycle of unaccountable breaches and building the trust infrastructure that the Roadmap’s reciprocity model requires.

2. Coordinate a unified European and allied diplomatic response to E1 construction, including concrete measures such as investment screening for settlement-linked enterprises and enhanced support for Palestinian communities facing displacement in Area C and the Jordan Valley.

3. Press for Hezbollah’s inclusion, directly or through Lebanese government channels, in the substantive phase of Israel–Lebanon negotiations, recognizing that any durable agreement requires buy-in from the principal armed actor.

4. Demand an immediate halt to targeted killings during the ceasefire period, framing the systematic elimination of Hamas commanders and police as fundamentally incompatible with the Roadmap’s reciprocity principle, and condition further reconstruction disbursements on verified Israeli compliance with ceasefire obligations and NCAG’s access to the territory.

Indicators to Watch

• Pentagon military coordination meeting (May 29th) and fourth round of Israel–Lebanon talks in Washington (June 2nd–3rd): Watch for whether a credible Israeli withdrawal timeline from southern Lebanon emerges and substantive issues beyond ceasefire extension are addressed.
• Dahlan governance track: Watch for whether the Shin Bet–Dahlan channel produces a concrete proposal, how the NCAG and the PA respond to this, and whether Arab states coalesce around a Dahlan-brokered alternative transitional framework for Gaza.
• E1 construction timeline: Watch for whether tenders advance and whether international pressure produces any Israeli policy adjustment.
• NCAG entry into Gaza: Watch for any movement on the committee’s ability to establish a physical presence and begin governance operations and whether the Board of Peace supports partial implementation in non-Hamas “Orange Zone” areas.
• Palestinian legislative elections: Watch for whether the momentum from April 25th local elections and Fatah’s 8th Convention catalyzes broader demands for national-level elections, particularly from independent and reform-oriented constituencies.

Download Brief ↓
This document was prepared by IPI Consultant Jaser Abu Mousa with editorial support from IPI. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the author and do not represent those of IPI.

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Samedi 30 mai 2026 à partir de 14h15, au Centre culturel irlandais de Paris
(5, rue des Irlandais 75005 Paris)

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Pour son premier meeting de campagne, le candidat à l’élection présidentielle veut incarner «l’action et l’espoir» contre «les apôtres du déclin». Il attaque le RN et LFI sans oublier d’égratigner Édouard Philippe.

D'abord il fallait défendre l'Ukraine agressée par la Russie. L'armer, la financer par centaines de milliards d'euros. L'appuyer en lui ouvrant les portes de l'Union européenne. Accélérer son accession afin d'éviter que la Russie ne tente à nouveau de l'attaquer. Nul n'ignorait que (…) / Ukraine, Russie, États-Unis, Armement, Défense

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Munster's United Rugby Championship title hopes are ended in ruthless fashion by the Bulls, who score six tries to overpower the Irish province in their quarter-final in Pretoria.

Joachim Klement, l'économiste allemand qui a prédit avec justesse les vainqueurs des trois dernières Coupes du monde, a publié ses pronostics pour la Coupe du monde de cette année.

La vague de chaleur d'une précocité inédite qui a frappé la France devrait toucher à sa fin durant le week-end, laissant sur son passage des préoccupations quant au niveau de préparation du pays aux prochaines canicules, à trois semaines du début de l'été.