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The year 2016 is remembered globally for the adoption of the New York Declaration and its Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) as the new global refugee response model. In this regard, Ethiopia has been one of those African countries that have adopted the Declaration, made specific CRRF pledges and has become a CRRF pilot country. Such national policy move heralded the shift of refugee policy in Ethiopia in the post-2016 era. Nonetheless, compared to the focus accorded to refugees and the role of international institutions and donors, the role of African hosting states in the governance of refugees and how they navigate internal and external demands and adopt policies have been paid little scholarly attention. This study, therefore, aims to fill in this scholarly gap and contribute to the existing debate in the academic and policy circle on state response to refugees in the era of CRRF from the Global South perspective by providing an empirical insight into the nature, dynamics and shift of refugee policies in Ethiopia and the factors that contributed to this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the shear strength characteristics of sand–granular rubber mixtures in direct shear tests. Two different sizes of rubber and one of sand were used in the experiment, with the sand being mixed with various percentages of rubber (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 50%). The mixtures were prepared at three different densities (loose, slightly dense, and dense), and shear stress was tested at four normal stresses (30, 55, 105, and 200 kPa). The results of 80 direct shear tests were used to calculate the peak and residual internal friction angles of the mixtures, and it was found that the normal stress had a significant effect on the internal friction angle, with an increase in normal stress leading to a decrease in the internal friction angle. These results indicated that the Mohr–Coulomb theory, which applies to rigid particles only, is not applicable in sand–rubber mixtures, where stiff particles (sand) and soft particles (rubber) are mixed. The shear strength of the mixtures was also influenced by multiple factors, including particle morphology (size ratio, shape, and gradation), mixture density, and normal stress. For the first time in the literature, genetic programming, classification and regression random forests, and multiple linear regression were used to predict the peak and residual internal friction angles. The genetic programming resulted in the creation of two new equations based on mixture unit weight, normal stress, and rubber content. Both artificial intelligence models were found to be capable of accurately predicting the peak and residual internal friction angles of sand–rubber mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to the understanding of operational challenges linked to the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework. In the scope of the analysis is the operationalisation of the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan in Kenya, aimed at promoting economic and social integration through greater opportunities for self-reliance, livelihood, and inclusion in national service systems for refugees and the host population alike. The article sheds light on the conditions and prospects for developing the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan by examining key circumstances and interplays in two areas central to the idea of refugee/host integration – relevant national legal frameworks and the composition of grounding socio-economic factors. The results show the need for revisions to the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan if its most grounding objectives are to materialise. As it stands, the implementation builds on an incompatible amalgamation of a grand development vision, speaking about inclusion, mobility, and economic development, to be carried out in a much restricted and economically challenging environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia, a country known for its hospitality and compassion, has been a haven for thousands of refugees escaping violence, conflict, and persecution in their homelands. Over the years, countless refugees have sought refuge within its borders. The Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) was introduced as an innovative approach to address the complex needs of refugees. The Ethiopian model of CRRF is not only attempting to facilitate self-reliance of refugees along with the humanitarian assistance but is also trying for the peaceful coexistence of the hosts and the refugees. There are equally high numbers of women refugees in Ethiopia. Women refugees face unique challenges and vulnerabilities that necessitate specialised attention and support. Their plight highlights the urgent need for an effective framework to address their unique challenges and protect their rights. To address their specific needs, the Ethiopian approach has embraced gender mainstreaming and made it integral to the CRRF. The article analyses the uniqueness of the Ethiopian model of the CRRF and critically assess the effectiveness of the CRRF in addressing the needs of the refugees and especially women refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand pose is emerging as an important interface for human–computer interaction. This study presents a data‐driven method to estimate a high‐quality depth map of a hand from a stereoscopic camera input by introducing a novel superpixel‐based regression framework that takes advantage of the smoothness of the depth surface of the hand. To this end, the authors introduce conditional regressive random forest (CRRF), a method that combines a conditional random field (CRF) and an RRF to model the mapping from a stereo red, green and blue image pair to a depth image. The RRF provides a unary term that adaptively selects different stereo‐matching measures as it implicitly determines matching pixels in a coarse‐to‐fine manner. While the RRF makes depth prediction for each superpixel independently, the CRF unifies the prediction of depth by modelling pairwise interactions between adjacent superpixels. Experimental results show that CRRF can generate a depth image more accurately than the leading contemporary techniques using an inexpensive stereo camera.

The impact of violence is felt daily in the Northern Triangle of Central America and is a major driver of displacement, yet its very nature obstructs identification of and access to those in need of protection. Honduras is now a case-study in the CRRF process, presenting an opportunity to learn from what is done, and not done, in one of the affected countries in this region.

This article examines the Global Compact on Refugees--a UNHCR-led effort following recommendations by the United Nations. The article reviews the progress to date, focusing in particular on Annex I of the 2016 New York Declaration: the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). It argues that two elements of the CRRF--its emphases on inclusion and self-reliance and its call for easing pressures on host societies--are necessary and commendable, but that two other elements--the focus on voluntary repatriation and third-country solutions--create unrealistic expectations about the degree to which these solutions can reach enough refugees to constitute a meaningful durable solution. Neither assisted voluntary return nor third-country solutions will serve enough refugees to make a significant difference to the global population of displaced people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with Igor Lyakin-Frolov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), is presented. He discusses the CSTO's structure and history. When asked about the main areas of cooperation between the CSTO member states, he cites international security, foreign policy coordination, and joint measures against drug trafficking. The CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) and member states' combat readiness are also discussed.