Geoffrey L. Duke ☮

Ponderer ✪ Ex-ceasefire Monitor ✪ Eyes on (In)security & (Dis)armament, SSR & their politics ✪ Focus on #SouthSudan & Horn of Africa ✪ Fellow at @ALC_KCL

[Geoffrey L. Duke ☮ @DukeGeoffrey]

Was weighing in on the issue of trust & confidence building in the newly formed unity government of #SouthSudan.

Key msg is, these folks don’t need to like each other to work 2getha. This is business & not a love relationship.

They can work 2getha if they mean business.
#SSOT

[African Leadership Centre @ALC_KCL]

Join us on 15 June 2026 for the @ALC_KCL seminar: "New Narratives for Peacebuilding: Indigenous Knowledge, Plant Medicines, and Leadership Lessons for a Changing World."

Featuring Chief Phillip (Šúnkawakhán Sápa/Black Horse), Founder of Ancestral Voice – Institute for Indigenous Lifeways and exploring indigenous approaches to peacebuilding, plant medicines, leadership, and social transformation in the Global South.

#Peacebuilding #IndigenousKnowledge #Leadership #GlobalSouth #AfricanLeadershipCentre #KingsCollegeLondon

[UK in South Sudan 🇬🇧🇸🇸 @UKinSouthSudan]

The Ebola risk to 🇸🇸 is high and would be devastating. 🇬🇧 providing @WHOSouthSudan with £500,000 for Ebola preparedness including early detection, frontline protection, safe case management, and rapid response to save lives. Urgent and coordinated action is needed now.

[Geoffrey L. Duke ☮ @DukeGeoffrey]

@magattew So with your logic the magic wand would be for African countries to stop complaining about legacies of colonialism and de-regulate. That's tragic oversimplification of African under development. Africa continues to be looted day and night. Just widen your lens to see clearly.

[Chatham House @ChathamHouse]

"A thousand dead humanitarians in three years - when did that become normal?"

Tom Fletcher (@UNReliefChief) on the violence facing humanitarian workers in conflict zones.

Watch the event➡️https://t.co/tQ0Ub2fI9a

[King's Security Studies @KCLSecurity]

What do 25 years of research tell us about religion and peacebuilding?

Join this webinar for the first systematic review of global scholarship on the role of religion in peacebuilding (2001–2025).

📅 1 April 2026
🕒 15:00–16:30
🌍 Online

Register here: https://t.co/6rEcOIWura

[Nav Toor @heynavtoor]

🚨 Brown University researchers tested what happens when ChatGPT acts as your therapist. Licensed psychologists reviewed every transcript.

They found 15 ethical violations.

Not 15 small issues. 15 violations of the standards that every human therapist in America is legally required to follow. Standards set by the American Psychological Association. Standards that can end a therapist's career if they break them.

ChatGPT broke all of them.

The researchers tested OpenAI's GPT series, Anthropic's Claude, and Meta's Llama. They had trained counselors use each chatbot as a cognitive behavioral therapist. Then three licensed clinical psychologists reviewed the transcripts and flagged every violation they found.

Here is what they found.

ChatGPT mishandled crisis situations. When users expressed suicidal thoughts, it failed to direct them to appropriate help. It refused to address sensitive issues or responded in ways that could make a crisis worse.

It reinforced harmful beliefs. Instead of challenging distorted thinking, which is the entire point of therapy, it agreed with the distortion.

It showed bias based on gender, culture, and religion. The responses changed depending on who was talking. A therapist would lose their license for this.

And then there is the finding the researchers gave a name: deceptive empathy. ChatGPT says "I see you." It says "I understand." It says "that must be really hard." It uses every phrase a real therapist would use to build trust. But it understands nothing. It comprehends nothing. It is pattern matching on your pain. And it works. People trust it. People open up to it. People believe it cares. It does not.

The lead researcher said it clearly. When a human therapist makes these mistakes, there are governing boards. There is professional liability. There are consequences. When ChatGPT makes these mistakes, there are none.

No regulatory framework. No accountability. No consequences. Nothing.

Right now, millions of people are using ChatGPT as their therapist. They are sharing their darkest thoughts with a product that fakes empathy, reinforces harmful beliefs, and has no idea when someone is in danger.

And nobody is responsible when it goes wrong. Not OpenAI. Not Anthropic. Not Meta. Nobody.

[African Leadership Centre @ALC_KCL]

📢 New Publication Alert
What does Kizza Besigye’s political journey tell us about resistance and opposition politics in Uganda today?

Dr Barney Walsh and @DennisJjuuko unpack this in a timely piece, reflecting on his political legacy and influence in shaping Uganda’s opposition landscape.

🔗 https://t.co/KAXLpJAryZ
#Uganda #AfricanPolitics

[United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research @UNIDIR]

After 20 years of the Nairobi Protocol, how far has implementation come? 🌍

Our new study with @RECSASEC reviews implementation across 13 Member States and 16 thematic areas, highlighting progress, challenges and priorities to inform future guidelines.

🔗https://t.co/4nigOtFZ9d

[Regional Center on Small Arms @recsasec]

https://t.co/oZLkcdl9l4

[Daniel Akech Thiong @jongethon]

South Sudan is tragically sliding back into civil war. With 10 million people in need of aid and the region on edge, the international community must take decisive action now. Read Crisis Group’s latest analysis: https://t.co/vJrLUkBtqc via @crisisgroup

[António Guterres @antonioguterres]

The transatlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity that struck at the core of personhood, broke up families & devastated communities.

Let us reject the false narrative of racial difference & fully commit to human rights, equality & the inherent worth of every person.

[BBC News (UK) @BBCNews]

UN votes to recognise slavery as 'gravest crime against humanity' https://t.co/fKNudB0K6g

[African Union @_AfricanUnion]

Chairperson of the AU Commission Appoints President Jakaya Kikwete as the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has the honour to announce the appointment of H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of #Tanzania, as High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.

In this capacity, H.E. President @jmkikwete will support the African Union’s efforts to address the complex political, peace and security dynamics across the region. His mandate will include, inter alia, advancing preventive diplomacy, facilitating inclusive political dialogue, promoting confidence-building among stakeholders, and strengthening regional cooperation mechanisms aimed at fostering sustainable peace and stability.

The High Representative will work in close coordination with relevant regional and international partners, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the East African Community (EAC), the League of Arab States, the United Nations, and other partners, with a view to ensuring coherence, complementarity and effectiveness in collective efforts to promote peace, stability and security. This coordinated engagement is particularly critical considering the strategic importance of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea for international trade and the broader stability of the African continent.

The Chairperson @ymahmoudali expresses his full confidence that the experience, leadership and wisdom of H.E. President Kikwete will make a significant contribution to supporting countries in the region, as well as relevant regional and international mechanisms, in addressing prevailing challenges and advancing durable peace, stability and prosperity.

Read @ https://t.co/tT8VcdN8SG

[UNDP Ghana @UNDPGhana]

The Regional Dialogue on Weapons & Ammunition Management has kicked off @ KAIPTC. Over two days, experts from West & Central #Africa are advancing preventive action against violent conflict and extremism in the Gulf of Guinea.
#ConflictPrevention #SALW

[UNDP Ghana @UNDPGhana]

The 2-day Regional Conference on Weapons & Ammunition Management closed with a call for collective action and regional cooperation. Leaders stressed turning dialogue into action to prevent violent conflict, with support from #Japan and UNDP.

#WAM #SALW #PeaceAndSecurity

[UNDP Ghana @UNDPGhana]

A key outcome of the WAM Conference is the co-creation of a Regional Roadmap—uniting states, practitioners, and partners to align priorities, strengthen cooperation, and drive coordinated action against weapons and ammunition risks across the region.

#SALW #ConflictPrevention

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

As 2025 comes to a close, I'm continuing a tradition that I started during my time in the White House: sharing my annual lists of favorite books, movies, and music. I hope you find something new to enjoy—and please send any recommendations for me to check out!

[South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network @sshrdNetwork]

Ending the year with training in Advocacy and leadership to #whrds in Juba. Equipping women to push for friendlier policies that will encourage women activists to be bold.
With support from #CFLI by the @CanSouthSudan
#HappyHolidays🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

[Geoffrey L. Duke ☮ @DukeGeoffrey]

@TheM15Architect @ahmednasirlaw In this case, let's allow the Red Indians of America and the Aboriginals of Australia and New Zealand and the indigenous peoples of South Africa speak.

[CanadainSouthSudan @CanSouthSudan]

On December 2, the Canadian Embassy joined its Canada Fund partner @sshrdNetwork in Juba to mark International Women’s Human Rights Defenders Day and celebrate women’s courage and resilience. Canada stands with women defending human rights and working for a future free from violence. #16Days #EndGBV #NoExcuse #CFLI 🇨🇦 🇸🇸