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The year 2021 was a significant year for world affairs. Major political, social and economic incidents across the globe shaped the destiny of millions of people. This report will cover the most significant events of the year that is 2021. Political Developments The year started with the United States’ climax event as President Joe Biden was sworn in on 20th January. President Biden’s inauguration opened a new chapter in America’s history, and the world expected significant policy changes from the new administration.

The new administration brought significant changes to foreign policy, such as ending military intervention in Afghanistan, rejoining the Paris Climate Accord, and making negotiations to re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). Elections in Israel saw the ousting of long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The new Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, who leads a right-wing coalition, has a diverse cabinet, including Muslims, liberals and centrists.

June’s Peruvian presidential election saw the election of Pedro Castillo, Germay News Today a rural schoolteacher with no political experience, and he pledged to address inequality, corruption and tackle the pandemic. In Myanmar, the military coup that toppled the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in February brought a new wave of brutality and violence. The military government declared a state of emergency and killed hundreds of protestors, and kept the former Prime Minister incommunicado since the coup.

The situation in Myanmar still remains volatile, and the international community has called for restoration of democracy in the country. Another development in the year, and perhaps the most contentious was the Taliban’s swift takeover of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, raising questions on the efficacy of two decades of US intervention in the region. The US withdrawal, which left the Afghan government and its people unsupported, led to a hasty takeover by the Taliban, the destabilisation of an entire region, and the forced migration of millions of people.

While the Taliban have claimed to usher in a new era of inclusivity and respect for human rights, their initial actions do not inspire confidence in the international community. The unaddressed issue of terrorism in Afghanistan has caused its neighbours and the world to remain cautious in their diplomatic relations towards the Taliban. Social Developments The coronavirus pandemic continued to be a worldwide problem in 2021. As of writing this report, there were 273 million confirmed cases and 5.3 million deaths worldwide.

While developed countries such as the US have seen a measure of success in the vaccination campaigns, others still face a major challenge, with vaccines still unavailable or inaccessible to many.