Risk Outlook 2022

Assessment of the global landscape with top risks to

watch for the year ahead

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 1

 Introduction to Risk Outlook
Since 2018, Healix has shared its annual Risk Outlook and Risk Map, providing an expert forecast of
the changing global risk landscape.

Each year we help our clients navigate a complex operating environment by predicting the likely major
themes and flashpoint areas for key travel risks around the world. Businesses can make appropriate
plans to protect their people, assets and operations that could be adversely affected when they know
what to expect.

Last year, while COVID-19 dominated focus, we emphasised the increasing frequency of extreme
weather events as an ever-worrying trend, together with supply chain disruption and cyber risks putting
operations under pressure. This year, while we expect these risks to remain, we warn of the next
pandemic, reflecting on lessons learnt from COVID-19. Concerns around economic recovery and civil
unrest as a result of the pandemic come to the fore, while the climate crisis poses new challenges to
organisations needing to meet regulatory requirements, and reduce carbon footprint to gain a
competitive advantage.

Meet the authors

Chris Job MBE Dr Adrian Hyzler Eilidh Thomson Andrew Devereux

Director Risk Chief Medical Officer Regional Security Associate Analyst
Management Manager

Samuel Game Marnix Van Gelderen Ben Abboudi Raquel Recuero

Associate Analyst Associate Consultant Associate Consultant Sr. Regional Security
Crisis & Risk Crisis & Risk Coordinator

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 2

Risk Outlook contents
Directors view 4
Risks to watch in 2022 5
Economic uncertainty and unrest

Supply chain issues

The rise of ransomware

The next pandemic?

Introduction to ISO 31030 9

A climate in crisis 11
Lessons learned: are we prepared for the next
12
pandemic
Managing reputational risk 13
Regional highlights 15
Americas

Africa

Europe & CIS

APAC

MENA

Wellbeing at work 20
The evolution of COVID-19 22
LGBTQ+ traveller safety 23
Most dangerous countries for humanitarians 25

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 3

Director’s view
As we come to the end of 2021, there’s been an increase in global travel.
There’s a growing sentiment amongst the population that more people are willing to fly - we crave face-
to-face interaction after months of living in a virtual reality - which moves us to a situation reminiscent of
a pre-pandemic norm. Business is a social activity. This increase will see familiar risks and challenges
re-emerge for organisations in terms of ensuring the safety and security of their people and assets that
for the last 18 months or so, have largely gone unfelt. Businesses will want to reassure their people and
instil confidence that they have the necessary plans and resilience programmes in place to support them
in line with the new travel risk management standard, ISO/DIS 31030.

The recent US troop extraction and subsequent mass evacuation from

Afghanistan reminds us of the challenges faced by global organisations who
operate in extreme and fragile environments. The situation caught most
unawares and had all scrambling for timely and accurate information, viable
extraction plans and reliable assets on the ground to facilitate extraction.

Notwithstanding the need for a clear understanding of the bureaucracy that

overlays these types of operations, the Healix Global Security Operations
Centre (GSOC) worked tirelessly during the initial period to explore every
avenue to help those desperate to escape – and we were successful. The
key being dedicated, hardworking staff and a robust and resilient provider
network. It remains a live situation for the operations team and just one of
many situations where we have assisted our clients this year.

On the technology front we continue to add further functionality to Healix

Sentinel, our flagship risk management platform, providing additional value
and capability to our existing clients. More is to come next year. Our COVID
focused technology has also had great success and been adopted by
significant clients in terms of size and scale. Our learnings from this
pandemic will help us focus on future challenges and the processes and
tools needed to combat them.

Healix celebrates its 30th birthday in 2022, and it was with great pride and a
fitting accolade that on the eve of this milestone we learned that we had
been named as "International Health, Wellbeing or Security Risk
Management Provider of the Year" at The Forum for Expatriate Management
EMEA EMMA Awards.

The award recognises our “phenomenal response to COVID-19” and judges

commented that Healix “demonstrated agility, awareness and most
importantly, willingness and desire to help their clients”.

It has been another eventful year and in this report, we take a look at the key
events of 2021, what can be learnt from them and the developments we
anticipate for the year ahead.

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 4

Risks to watch in 2022
Economic uncertainty and unrest
The dramatic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic continues to rage worldwide, but
concerns remain about the long-term impact of the virus, especially on the global
economy.
With domestic measures gradually
easing and the tentative return of
international travel gathering pace,
the green shoots of global
economic recovery have begun to
emerge. But this recovery is not
equal and a gap is widening
between advanced and developing
economies, owing primarily to
vaccine inequity and a lack of
financial support. Growth rates in
poorer countries with a lack of
testing, inadequate medical
capacity, and disproportionate
death rates are behind their
Western counterparts, creating
even more economic disparity.
The economies of emerging
markets are also more vulnerable,
as they have had to react to the
pandemic within strict fiscal
boundaries, meaning growth is
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
crucial to stabilising ailing
economies. This doesn’t even
account for the COVID-19 vaccines
which governments will be
expected to purchase and
distribute; it is estimated 1.1% of
people living in low income
countries have received one dose
of a vaccine. The knock on effect of
this is the potential for political
instability.
Anger at responses to COVID-19
has added fuel to the fire during
unrest in Tunisia, Colombia,
Lebanon and South Africa. Knock-
on effects such as poverty,
unemployment and the removal of
subsidies are all potential drivers
for unrest which governments are
facing in 2022, not least in
emerging markets.
5
Risks to watch in 2022
Supply chain issues

Constraints on global supply chains are expected well into 2022. Bottlenecks have
caused issues globally owing to a wide range of factors, from a lack of labour to
backlogs at ports.
Consumer demand is rising once drivers to alleviate labour shortages,
again following a dramatic fall with limited success – supply chains
caused by the pandemic. Suppliers issues in the UK have been
and retailers are struggling to meet exacerbated by changes to
the demand this dramatic rebound migration and trading regimes
has caused. The political fallout of following Brexit. In the US, business
this is significant, with businesses groups are urging Congress to
scrambling to fill vacant positions, provide federal funding for job
but markets remaining sceptical training programs and to allow for
about long-term security owing to more temporary visas to plug the job
the impact further COVID shortages.
restrictions would have on the
Worldwide growth will be impacted
labour market. For consumers, the
by the supply chain disruptions,
real-term impacts will be increased
hampering the post-COVID
prices for many items and potential
economic recovery for many
shortages of goods which are
countries. There are no quick fixes
usually well-stocked. Western
for the issues driving the supply
countries have already warned of
chain backlogs, such as the labour
shortages of many holiday staples
shortages and port/shipping
this winter. Each government faces
capacity, and is likely that
unique issues when trying to
consumers will continue to feel the
address these issues. The UK
impact of this into 2022.
government decided to issue
temporary visas for foreign truck

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 6

Risks to watch in 2022
The rise of ransomware
Throughout 2021, the number of ransomware cyber-attacks accelerated across the
Western world.
According to Check Point’s mid-
year security report, ransomware
attacks increased in frequency by
93% in the first half of 2021
compared to the previous year.
Hostile actors adapted to the shift
towards hybrid working and working
from home practises by exploiting
the new opportunities this provided
to infiltrate networks. With a huge
increase in devices working outside
of an organisation’s perimeter
networks, potential avenues of
infiltration include phishing attacks
and vulnerabilities with remote
desktop protocols.
Criminals are exposing the large
financial rewards which can be
extracted during a successful
ransomware attack; in the US, Tech
Republic reported that the average
payment to cyber criminals during a
ransomware attack increased by
82% to $570,000 in 2021. The most
common form of attack involves
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
using Malware to encrypt and
duplicate sensitive data once
access to the network has been
secured, allowing the assailant to
demand a ransom for the data to be
returned. Notwithstanding the
immediate disruption a ransomware
attack can cause, the long-term
impact is significant. Reputational
risks are elevated, especially if the
news of the ransomware attacks
becomes public or involves
customer data being infiltrated. If
customers are unconvinced of a
business’s ability to protect their
private data, profits are likely to be
affected.
While 2021 proved to be a record
breaking year in terms of cyber-
attacks, it is highly likely this trend
will continue into 2022. Extortion is
now a lucrative business and cyber
criminals are creating more
advanced tools to expose and
exploit network vulnerabilities.
7
Risks to watch in 2022
The next pandemic
Coming into 2020 many epidemiologists were warning that the next pandemic was
overdue.
However, the assumption was that there
would be another influenza outbreak spilling
over from animals to humans, as in the H1N1
swine flu pandemic of 2009. Many of the
pandemic planning exercises focused on an
influenza-like respiratory virus and this was
to shape many of the early responses around
the world, unwittingly giving the novel
coronavirus more breathing space to
establish an epidemic that rapidly evolved
into a pandemic. Two years later, as we look
to 2022 with renewed hope, those same
epidemiologists continue to warn of the
threat of an influenza epidemic. The COVID-
19 pandemic has not eliminated that threat
but sharpened the focus on how to avoid it.
However, in the meantime surveillance
systems around the world will need to be
aware of other potential threats to the world
order.
A little-known virus called Nipah virus, which
prospers in fruit bats much like
coronaviruses, has already been the subject
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
of concerning spill-over events, most
recently in South Asia. Nipah virus affects the
respiratory system and the brain and can kill
as many as three out of every four people it
infects. Such high case-fatality rates can
sometimes actually prevent diseases from
spreading because it can mean a patient
dies before they have a chance to pass it on
to others. However, if the virus were to
mutate to spread more easily between
people, the outcome could be devastating.
The disease is also so deadly that many
governments classify it as a bioterrorism
threat, thus limiting the laboratories that are
allowed to culture and study it. There are no
existing vaccines or treatments for Nipah
viral infection - a Phase 1 clinical study of a
vaccine candidate is ongoing.
There are 26 virus families in existence that
are now seen as viable threats to the way we
live – according to the WHO, 60% of human
infectious and emerging infectious diseases
are of animal origin.
8
An Introduction to ISO 31030
There are many reasons why people travel for their organisation. Despite the growth
in online meetings as a result of COVID-19, the need for business travel remains and
will continue to grow as the pandemic subsides.
For the first time in a generation, restrictions on
business travel have impacted countries
historically considered the safest. And as a
result, an employer’s ‘Duty of Care’ towards their
personnel has become much more complicated
and increasingly relevant.
It has never been more important to have a
robust, tested, and formalised risk management
process in place than it is today, to allow
organisations to respond quickly to incidents
which could adversely affect the health, safety
and wellbeing of their staff and the outcome of
their travel objectives - be it a terror attack, coup,
extreme weather event, protest or pandemic.
Managing the risks of travel, both domestic and
international, requires comprehensive controls. What is ISO 31030?
So, it comes as no surprise that the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) is While a preview is already available, ISO 31030
developing a travel risk management standard, is expected to be released sometime towards
derived from the well-established ISO 31000 risk the end of 2021. The standard provides a means
management standard, which will set out for organisations to demonstrate that travel
guidance on how an organisation should decisions are based on their capacity to
approach and manage travel risk for employees anticipate, assess and address risk associated
undertaking travel on behalf of their employer. with travel to differing risk environments and
unique traveller profiles.
Who is ISO 31030 for? The best practice guidance for managing travel
The new ISO 31030 has been developed by a risk is structured around four main pillars – travel
truly global community of experts to assist those risk assessment, travel risk treatment,
that manage or participate in business travel, communication and consultation, programme
irrespective of an organisation’s sector, size or monitoring and review – and covers employees,
nature of activities. providers and accompanying travellers.

Organisations which don’t necessarily have a
travel risk management framework in place
should consider using the ISO 31030 standard
as a baseline, while mature organisations
should benchmark against the standard to align
their travel risk management procedures.
While ISO 31030 helps travel risk managers
establish a streamlined, integrated, and effective
approach for fulfilling their duty of care
responsibilities, compliance will also serve to
provide reassurance to travelling employees,
and help organisations meet reputational
objectives.

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 9


Why is ISO 31030 important?
The aim of having a holistic travel risk
management approach is to promote a culture
where travel-related risk is taken seriously, is
adequately resourced, and managed effectively
with defined ownership. But also, it helps to
ensure:
Fulfilment of corporate governance and duty
of care
Protection of human capital and intellectual
property
Reduced impact on business continuity when
incidents occur
Avoidance of litigation issues
Reduced risk of brand damage
Lessened financial exposure
Support from business partners and
stakeholders
Favoured employer status.
Ultimately, ISO 31030 is about keeping
travellers healthy and safe once business travel
resumes, and creates an opportunity to plan
ahead. An organisation’s ability to control its
travel-related risks effectively and efficiently
may also aid in lowering insurance premiums.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
We’re here to help
Travel risk management companies, like
Healix, are equipped to support
organisations with developing an
effective travel risk management
programme that aligns with ISO 31030.
From reviewing or creating travel risk
policies, to helping enable travel in
changing and challenging operational
environments in line with business
requirements, Healix can provide:
Robust travel risk assessments, which
identify the risks associated with each
trip and traveller, establish their
likelihood and potential impact and
offer advice on mitigating action where
appropriate.
Automated trip approval for itineraries
that comply with travel risk policy, and
ensures travellers carry out necessary
risk mitigation measures, like
obtaining correct visas and
vaccinations, or completing
appropriate training.
Timely, actionable intelligence and
advice on current and emerging
threats for areas of operations.
Global monitoring of employees,
operations and assets, with push
alerts for travellers and risk managers.
Tailored analysis, second opinion and
bespoke assessments, audits and
plans.
Incident and crisis response, including
medical and security assistance in the
event of an emergency.
A tailored, scalable and holistic approach
to travel risk management, directly in line
with your risk appetite and risk profile,
gives you the support to achieve
compliance for your organisation.
10
A climate in crisis
While crime and terrorism are at the forefront of most travellers’ minds, few
incidents have such a widespread impact as natural disasters.
A terror attack can lock down a hotel or a
transport hub for a day or two, but the effects of
a natural disaster are felt across entire regions
for months on end. Extreme weather is an often-
neglected factor in risk analysis, particularly for
developed countries, but the frequency and
intensity of such events is only set to increase
over the coming decades due to the escalating
impacts of climate change.
A world of extremes
The gravity of this risk has been reinforced by
multiple extreme events throughout 2021. In
July, intense rainfall fell across Belgium,
Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg,
breaking previous records. The rainfall sparked
devastating flash flooding in the steep-sided
valleys of the Eifel region, washing away roads
and houses and killing more than 200 people.
Individual instances of extreme weather such as
this are difficult to link directly to climate change,
but rising temperatures are making them more
frequent and more serious.
Such a high number of deaths in one of the
world’s most developed regions demonstrates
the inadequacy of most countries’ preparedness
for the most extreme weather events. In
countries considered low-risk, travellers have
often given little thought to how they would react
to such an incident, leaving them ill-prepared for
the associated operational and communications
disruptions that come alongside the risk to life. In
addition to increasing the frequency and
intensity of such events, global warming is
affecting more of the world, leaving countries
grappling with extreme weather which they have
little previous experience of. This compounds
the problem of complacency, with travellers
often unaware of the range of extreme weather
events that could impact them.
June also saw extreme weather hit the north-
western Americas region, with a severe heat
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
wave lasting for several weeks. Temperatures
across the Pacific Northwest and British
Columbia hit record highs, with the Canadian
village of Lytton recording 49.6C on 29th June,
before it was largely destroyed by wildfires the
following day. The metropolitan areas of Seattle,
Portland and Vancouver experienced days of
record temperatures causing disruption to
transport, closures of business and hundreds of
excess deaths. The extreme heat also sparked
wildfires, which burned through thousands of
square kilometres of the region.
If July’s floods are difficult to attribute solely to
rising global temperatures, the impact of the
increase on June’s extreme heat is easier to
quantify - modelling suggests that it was made
around 150 times more likely by climate change.
The increasing regularity of such events will
pose significant challenges over the coming
years; extreme heat is often overlooked as a
natural disaster, but can cause many more
fatalities than a major storm or flood. Extreme
heat is difficult to escape, particularly in regions
such as the Pacific Northwest where air
conditioning is not widespread, and
temperatures often build up in urban centres as
concrete and tarmac absorb the heat. The
effects of extreme heat also exacerbate
underlying medical conditions, making some
people more vulnerable than others.
Regulatory risk
These factors make the risks difficult to mitigate,
but businesses will be forced to address them
over the coming decade as temperatures rise
further. Following the recently-concluded
COP26 summit, the regulatory risks associated
with climate change are at the forefront of many
business leaders’ minds. However, the physical
effects of the climate crisis also need to be
considered, along with the mitigations and
adaptations necessary for continued operations
in a warming world.
11
Managing reputational risk
The hyper-connectivity available to both businesses and consumers has
undoubtedly changed the way business is conducted.
Greater connectivity has allowed business to
continue throughout the pandemic, with the
move towards a hybrid working model now the
norm for numerous sectors. While this hyper-
connectivity has numerous benefits, it also
poses some inherent risks for companies. With
the relationship between consumer and
businesses more transparent than ever,
reputational risks need to be carefully managed.
Criticism now travels at the speed
of 280 characters
Disgruntled customers can now take to social
media to air grievances; well-circulated studies
show unhappy customers tell a median of 9-10
people about their experience, while satisfied
customers only tell 4-5 people. Reputational
risks refer to any potential issues which could
cause damage to a business’s brand, reputation
or earnings. The potential avenues for these
risks are unique to every business, whether
caused directly, indirectly or tangentially by the
actions of the business, its employees or
associated third parties.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
The potential avenues for reputational risk have
accelerated in recent years. Companies need to
be highly cognisant to shifting beliefs and
expectations, to ensure they stay ahead of the
curve of public opinion. Large companies are
expected to be increasingly socially responsible
and environmentally conscious. Improved
practises for staff wellbeing and operating in a
transparent manner are also now pre-requisites
for many consumers, and companies which fall
short of these expectations often get hit in their
revenues.
Simply chasing a profit is no longer enough for
many businesses and building a reputation is
the best way to create a loyal customer base. On
the flip side of this, failing to manage potential
reputational risks is a sure-fire way of alienating
potential clients. Social media has made it easier
to connect with potential customers, but it has
accelerated and amplified the criticism faced by
businesses.
12
Like a fire, the more oxygen an incident
breathes, the bigger it can grow
Although predicting the potential root causes of
reputational risk can be difficult, the best way to
minimise the associated risks is to build
actionable crisis management protocols. Being
proactive is the best way to mitigate risks, by
engaging prompt damage control responses in
a manner appropriate for the audience. For
example, in the event that a disgruntled
customer has video evidence of a company
engaging in wrongdoing, it is up to the business
in question to respond in a way which minimises
the potential risks associated. This could involve
a rapid apology, acknowledgment of
wrongdoing via social media, or even a more
coordinated media response.
“It takes many good deeds to build a good
In 2022, it is more important than ever that reputation, and only one bad one to lose
companies have an awareness of reputational it” - Benjamin Franklin
risk and build crisis management into their
everyday duty of care. The pandemic has
exposed the importance of duty of care and the
If a crisis does occur, in the immediacy the most
risks facing businesses if they not address these
important audience is that which is vital for the
risks adequately. Public perception is now the
continuity of the business, whether this is clients
harbinger of reputation. And the risks are
or shareholders. Information needs to be
escalating – for example, the risk of ransomware
dispersed in a timely and appropriate manner,
attacks infiltrating customer data is now higher
with a focus on transparency and response.
than ever, with cyber risks a major potential
What is the company doing to fix the issue? And
avenue of reputational risk requiring robust
what is the best way to disperse this information,
mitigation measures. Even in the event of a
through public or private channels? If trying to
cyber-attack, evidence of preparedness can
address a wide audience base, social media
mitigate some of the reputational damage.
might be most prudent, but for shareholders a
Companies should understand the current more direct approach should be considered.
perceptions of their business and be honest in
A company’s reputation is central to its ongoing
evaluations of expectations. Are services being
success, in terms of maintaining loyal
oversold or expectations being overestimated?
customers, retaining higher market values and
Managing expectations is one of the key
being an attractive prospect to investors and
measures to avoid dissatisfied customers.
partners. A resilience to reputational risk,
Active monitoring of public perception can also
established through actionable, practised and
help set expectations using such methods as
strategic crisis management measures, is
media analysis, stakeholder surveys and other
essential for any business. With customer
elements of strategic media intelligence. If any
expectations at an all-time high, minimising
negative or hostile sentiment is discovered,
reputational risks adds an extra layer of
analysis into the root cause can avoid an
protection to profits, market position and brand
incident spiralling into a more serious or
loyalty.
damaging event. This also allows businesses to
spot emerging trends, such as the increase in
ransomware, and allows them to amend
behaviours to mitigate these risks.

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 13

Lessons learned: are we prepared
for the next pandemic?
Most business leaders will look back in retrospect at the tremendous upheaval that
has taken place over the last 18 months and reflect that they were vastly
underprepared for the challenges of the pandemic.
In fairness, so were almost all governments and
organisations. Very few could pull a ‘pandemic
preparedness plan’ from their emergency locker
and navigate an effective path out of the disaster.
The last time the world faced a pandemic of this
far-reaching extent was almost exactly one
hundred years ago as the battles of the First
World War were consuming the headlines. The
1918 influenza pandemic, also called the
“Spanish Flu Pandemic”, eventually claimed
between 50 and 100 million lives, representing as
many as 5% of the world’s population. There
have been no recent pandemics from which to
learn valuable lessons for the future. However,
there will be no excuse in the future for
businesses to be ill-prepared for the next
pandemic, one that will surely present sooner
than we think. At the end of the crisis, some things
will return to the way they were, some things will
look very different, and some things will simply
not come back.
So what lessons can be learnt that will help shape
your organisation moving forward?
Prepare policies for workplace health and
safety; provide adequate facilities for hand
hygiene; plan effective workplace cleaning; re-
structure the workplace environment to
reduce transmission areas; ventilation, air
circulation and filtration are key.
Maintain strong communication lines with the
workforce in order to coordinate business
plans. Facilitate confidential employee
feedback regarding health and safety
concerns or unsafe health practices, and
consider ‘whistle-blower’ protection policies.
Communicate with customers so they have a
clear idea of the company’s direction and
leadership.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
Flexibility is key. Leaders could embrace
virtual offerings, new product lines and in
some cases, entirely new businesses.
Continue to evolve the virtual workspace
through embracing technology and ensure
that there are provisions in place in case the
workplace is inaccessible, for whatever
reason - we have seen that hybrid working
solutions are possible in many industries and
we now appreciate the challenges facing
transportation and border closures.
Encourage and facilitate the opportunity for
routine annual vaccinations, for example
influenza; provide clear communication
regarding health and wellbeing; open
communication lines to discuss individual,
confidential employee concerns.
Understand employees’ specific health and
wellbeing needs. Establish policies for sick
leave absences.
Review or establish insurance coverage.
Plan and be prepared for a future pandemic.
Use business networks or other business
organisations to share best practice, to learn
from each other, and to engage in joint
exercises. You should revisit, and retest, the
plan periodically, perhaps annually, to ensure
that it remains current. You should check that
preparations that could go out of date, such as
phone lists or arrangements for alternative
chains of command are up to date.
Whether you already have a written pandemic
preparedness plan or haven’t developed one yet,
companies need to take action now to ensure
their operations hold up against the next
pandemic.
14
Regional highlights Americas
Pedro Castillo’s surprise success in presidential
elections in Peru over Keiko Fujimori, the
daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori,
has raised transitional risks across the country
owing to increased domestic political
polarisation. Despite independent observers
stating the election was free and fair, Fujimori
made unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud.
Her supporters backed these claims on the
streets of the capital Lima and other Peruvian
urban centres, raising security and operational
risks.
Meanwhile, right-leaning administrations in
Colombia and Brazil face stern challenges from
left-wing candidates in 2022. These challenges
come amid a critical crossroads for Latin
American politics. A crisis in confidence in
democratic institutions has been primarily driven
by the high levels of inequality and corruption
that have been exacerbated by the economic
fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response,
voters have consistently voted against
incumbent governments, while outsider populist
politicians and candidates from both sides of the
spectrum have capitalised. Leftist parties
attempting to maximise this advantage are
promising higher social welfare spending and
better quality healthcare. The polarisation
increases the risks of politically-motivated
violence during election cycles and a breakdown
in domestic political cohesion.
The assassination of former Haitian President
Jovenel Moïse on 7th July has thrown the
Caribbean nation into a political crisis. Prime
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
Minister Ariel Henry is manoeuvring to fill the
vacuum created by Moïse’s death and his
consolidation of power has been backed by the
Core Group – a group of international
governments and institutions informally led by
the United States – against the wishes of Haiti’s
civil society and opposition parties. The ongoing
political crisis will hinder the response to Haiti’s
growing insecurity levels. Violent crime and
kidnappings have been exacerbated by the
magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the
country on 14th August, owing to a deterioration
in resources, and the security and operational
risk environment with remain fragile in the
medium-to-long term.
Since his election in November 2020, US
President Biden has experienced numerous
setbacks to his domestic agenda. His plans to
allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug
prices were rejected by a House committee,
while Republicans in the Senate have used the
filibuster to block key voting rights legislation.
Even within his party, Biden has been forced to
scale back on his marquee social safety and
climate change bills owing to push back from the
progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The
upcoming retirement of seven Democrats raises
the potential that President Biden will lose a
majority in the House of Representatives during
midterm elections in 2022, further hampering the
administration’s ability to pass wide-ranging
legislation.
15
Regional highlights Africa
Much like 2020, 2021 was dominated by the
ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with two
significant waves in the region seen over the year.
While there were fears that the scenes seen in
India would be replicated in Africa, healthcare
systems largely avoided collapse.
The Sahel region continues to battle an Islamist
insurgency, compounded by political instability.
The planned conclusion of Operation Barkhane,
scheduled for the first quarter of 2022, may not see
an immediate expansion of militancy in the region
- a significant French presence will remain
following the conclusion of the operation, bolstered
by other international partners, but pull-out comes
at a precarious time, with militants expanding their
area of operations in Burkina Faso and Mali, and
increasing launching attacks into northern Cote
d’Ivoire. Dwindling international military assistance
may prompt governments to ramp up their efforts
to reach a negotiated solution with the most
moderate elements of the militants.
While counter-insurgency support is being scaled
down in the Sahel, the opposite is true in
Mozambique, where international forces are now
active in the northern Cabo Delgado. The
deployment of Rwandan troops and a force
composed of Southern African Development
Community (SADC) nations followed an attack on
the town of Palma in March. Multiple expatriate
workers were killed in the attack. The interventions
appear to have made significant gains, with a
drastic reduction in militant attacks over the third
and final quarters of the year.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
The COVID-19 pandemic remains at the forefront
of concerns as we go into 2022. While much of the
world has seen falling infection rates thanks to
vaccine-induced immunity, vaccination levels
remain low across Africa. The rollout has been
impeded by supply issues, with developed
countries buying up the majority of doses, leaving
less developed countries reliant on vaccine-
sharing initiatives such as the limited Covax
programme. Given this lack of immunity, the
region remains susceptible to further waves of the
virus, particularly during the early months.
Away from the pandemic, presidential elections
are set to take place in Kenya in August 2022.
Tensions are rising in the run-up, amid continued
constitutional wrangling over the Building Bridges
Initiative proposed by President Kenyatta and his
long-time rival Raila Odinga following violence
during the 2017 elections. While unrest on this
scale is unlikely, fertile conditions remain for a
disputed result and associated protests in the
election aftermath.
In June, unrest over the imprisonment of former
President Jacob Zuma escalated rapidly into wide
scale rioting and looting in South Africa’s KwaZulu-
Natal and Gauteng provinces. Hundreds of
warehouses were looted, causing significant
disruption to supply chains and prompting a
deployment of the South African National Defence
Force (SANDF). While the deployment was
sufficient to quell the violence, due to the continued
socio-economic drivers of unrest, we assess there
to be an even chance of a similar outbreak within
the next twelve months.
16
Regional highlights Europe & CIS
The last twelve months have been characterised
by civil unrest in Europe & CIS, primarily relating to
the implementation and enforcement of COVID-19
restrictions, with additional notable events
occurring in France and Russia.
Supply chain issues seen across region, which
increased throughout the year, are likely to
continue well into 2022. Increased US-China
tensions will disrupt trade further and see US
attempts to shift manufacturing away from China.
It will take time and investment for politicians
across the region to increase domestic capacity
and resilience if they are to seek to prevent future
vulnerabilities.
Although Europe was largely successful in its
vaccination efforts, a rise in COVID-19 infections
and a re-imposition of regional restrictions is to be
expected as the Northern Hemisphere enters
winter and vaccination protection begins to wane
in those receiving jabs early in the campaign.
Major flooding events were seen in July across the
Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxemburg and
Switzerland, while wildfires raged through the
summer across southern Europe to an extent not
seen in recent years. Wildfires require a coming
together of factors to breakout and become
sustained, such as extended dry periods with high
temperatures to dry out forests, scrublands, and
grass plains, as well as strong winds to spread the
blazes. These factors are projected to increase in
the coming years with an increase in global
temperatures, making a confluence of these
events and the formations of wildfires more likely.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
French Presidential elections will be held in April
2022. President Macron’s most serious opposition
stems from the right. Civil unrest should be
expected if far-right candidates look to be on-track
for the presidency, with protests likely to occur in
the event of their success. The elections are
important for the EU, with France being the EU’s
most significant military power. How Macron or his
successor navigate French interests, and the
wider notion of ‘strategic autonomy’ in the ‘post-
Merkel’ era, will have significant implications for
regional relations and the future of regional
security.
In September 2021, the United Russia party
secured another majority in the Duma elections.
The election exposed structural issues for the
Putin government heading into the crucial 2024
general elections, such as an aging group of
trusted officials, declining popularity for the United
Russia party, and a sense of loss of control
expressed through the campaign against
oppositionists and ballot stuffing.
Uncertainty is expected in Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) countries following the
Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. With Afghanistan
likely to experience major economic and
humanitarian crises over the short term, the CIS
countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan might face destabilising factors including
an influx of refugees, trafficking of arms and drugs,
and militant activity using northern Afghanistan as
a base of operations to launch attacks on targets
within CIS states.
17
Regional highlights APAC
COVID-19 related restrictions and lockdowns
have continued to be the most prominent issue
throughout 2021, with countries struggling to find a
balance between opening their economies and
protecting public health. At least four waves of anti-
government protests have continued in Thailand.
In June, the protests largely passed without any
significant incidents. Subsequent protests in July
and August intensified and escalated into clashes
between the protesters and the police on multiple
occasions. Since July, the focus of the
demonstrations has shifted to include the
government's perceived mishandling of the current
COVID-19 situation in Thailand alongside the
existing demands for political and monarchy
reforms. In response to growing public criticisms,
the authorities launched police probes and filed
lawsuits against dozens of individuals, activities,
celebrities, and politicians for defamation and
instigating unrest. These attempts to curb personal
freedoms have led to further public anger and
distrust towards the government. Tensions remain
high, and the security environment is likely to
deteriorate further unless the authorities adopt a
more effective COVID-19 containment strategy
and consider some form of political reform.
Elsewhere, a military coup in Myanmar saw the
ousting of the ruling National League for
Democracy government. Despite international
condemnation, the military remains firmly in power
as the security environment continues to
deteriorate.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
In Afghanistan, Islamic State Khorasan Province
(IS-KP) continue to carry out domestic terror
attacks targeted at undermining the Taliban's
ability to maintain a stable security environment
after the US-led withdrawal. An improvement in
the security environment following the Taliban
takeover would be preceded by the return of the
international diplomatic presence of the US, the
UK and other foreign governments who have
withdrawn from the country. International actors,
including the US, are demanding the protection of
women's rights, the right of passage for foreign
nationals and a stable security environment for the
evacuation of foreign nationals. While the Taliban
prioritises political legitimacy, an end to sanctions
and financial assistance that comes with
international recognition, they are unlikely to
compromise or concede to such demands.
However, little progress is likely to be made in
finding a longer-term resolution to the conflict. The
security risk environment in Afghanistan remains
highly complex and prone to violent escalation at
short notice.
We expect to see increased counter-terrorism
efforts in New Zealand in 2022, following the
promulgation of new counter-terrorism legislation
in September which criminalises the planning or
preparation for a terrorist act, and grants more
powers to security agencies to pre-empt terrorism
plots. In addition, the nature of terrorism in-country
has evolved, following an uptick in lone wolf
attacks and hate crimes.
18
Regional highlights MENA
Long-standing geopolitical tensions eased in the
Gulf. Saudi officials announced that the three-year
air, land and sea blockade of Qatar by Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt had ended. With
the blockade having failed to isolate Qatar
internationally and force change in its foreign policy
approach, the blockading quartet restored bilateral
ties with the country. The abandonment of the
blockade highlights a shift in priorities, with
collective security and unity of the region now
taking precedence over ideological differences.
We expect renewed conflict in Iraq, with the
withdrawal of US combat troops planned for 1st
January which will embolden state and non-state
militant actors, as well as neighbouring powers, to
expand and entrench influence in the country. Pro-
Iranian militias embedded in the Iraqi state, such
as Kata’ib Hezbollah, the Badr Brigade and Asa’ib
Ahl al-Haq, will attempt to portray the US
withdrawal as a triumphant success over the US
military occupation of Iraq. However, with the
absence of the unifying threat of the US military,
inter-militia competition between these groups will
increase. Meanwhile, in the autonomous Iraqi
Kurdistan region, which at the time of writing still
hosts a significant US military presence, the
withdrawal of US forces will likely result in
intensified military operations by both Iran and
Turkey. Both countries have spent decades
combating long-lasting Kurdish militant
insurgencies by militant groups now based within
Iraqi Kurdistan’s borders. Turkey and Iran will likely
seek to deepen military interventions in Iraqi
Kurdistan to reduce Kurdish militant cross-border
capabilities.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
In Libya, while the October 2020 ceasefire put the
civil war between western and eastern-based
political entities on a tentative hold, hostilities could
resume in 2022. The ceasefire had been
established following significant UN pressure, but
the UN-sponsored unity government has thus far
failed to unite Libya’s divided political scene.
Additionally, there are significant doubts as to
whether Libya’s presidential and parliamentary
elections, currently planned for December and
January 2021, will go ahead. Deep-seated
mistrust between eastern and western-based
militant factions that have resulted from years of
intense military conflict continue to complicate
Libya’s future as a unified political entity. If the
elections are postponed or cancelled altogether,
domestic stakeholders might conclude that a
return to conflict is inevitable.
Lebanon’s brutal economic decline continued
through 2021, with the economic downturn
deteriorating operational conditions significantly.
The Lebanese Lira, as of the final quarter of 2021,
has devalued by roughly 90% of its value in 2019,
economic hardship touching all but the richest of
Lebanese society with 75% of the Lebanese
population living in poverty. The collapse of the Lira
has resulted in deteriorations in all public service
provisions, including water, supplies, healthcare
and emergency services. Power shortages occur
daily, with state generators in Beirut only providing
at most three hours of electricity a day, if at all;
nationwide blackouts occurred on two occasions
for periods of up to a day in October. Lebanon’s
economic conditions are unlikely to improve until
the 2nd quarter of 2022 at the very earliest.
19
Wellbeing at work
The pandemic has had a significant impact on all industries, businesses and lives
across the globe.
Thousands have been furloughed and made
redundant, and others have had to adjust to
new working environments, in some cases
considerably impacting both physical and
mental wellbeing. As the majority of
companies are handling the effects of the
pandemic and move to create a ‘new normal’,
often implementing a hybrid operational model
with a mix of work from home and office work,
employee wellbeing has become an ever more
pressing topic for companies to address. Both
concerns about the impact of the pandemic on
individual’s mental wellbeing and physical
health are particularly pertinent as businesses
aim to increase operations again over the
coming years. Accordingly, appropriate
protocols, resources and systems should be
implemented in the workplace to ensure that
companies are supporting their employees
during these ever-evolving times, which
ultimately enables businesses to develop a
happy and healthy workforce and fulfil their
duty of care.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
Physical health
As variants of the virus continue to emerge at
differing levels of severity and infection rates
remain high in certain countries, the risk of
potential employee exposure to the virus should
remain a concern for HR and risk management
teams welcoming individuals back to the office.
Accordingly, it is essential that companies not only
assess physical risks within the workplace, but
also conduct thorough personalised risk
assessments of employees to identify those most
at risk. Tools such as Healix’s COVID Work Safe
have been developed to assist companies in
conducting these risk assessments, and following
the completion of a confidential medical
questionnaire, assess the employee’s vulnerability
to COVID-19, taking into account their medical
history. Such assessments enables management
teams to implement additional and necessary risk
mitigation measures for these individuals on a
case-by-case basis, fulfilling their duty of care,
while also reassuring individuals that may be
anxious about returning to the office.
20
Moreover, as the world re-opens, further
enhanced assessments that evaluate
employees’ ‘fitness to fly’ are recommended for
companies looking to restart international travel.
Keeping employees safe from a pandemic,
security and logistical risk perspective should be
key priorities during this time of transition, and
enhanced assessments should be incorporated
into companies’ travel approval procedures.
These assessments should not only consider
the medical vulnerability of individuals when
travelling to unfamiliar environments that may be
at different stages of the pandemic, but also
include an analysis of potential access to
adequate levels of medical care and testing
facilities should the traveller become infected
with the virus. Alongside medical considerations,
assessments should provide clear and concise
information on entry, exit and testing
requirements at the destination.
Mental wellbeing
In addition to the visible effects the pandemic
has had on physical health globally, it has also
significantly exacerbated existing concerns
about the growing mental health crisis in the
United Kingdom and worldwide. Reports
indicate that over two-thirds of the UK’s
population has expressed concern about the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives
and that by the middle of 2020, one in five people
in the UK were reportedly suffering from a form
of depression. Whether it be losing loved ones
to the virus, experiencing considerable
loneliness during times of isolation or
experiencing economic hardship following
unemployment or salary reductions, numerous
individuals have gone through traumatic and
negative events during the pandemic. While
governments across the globe recognise the
adverse effect of the pandemic and certain
containment measures implemented on mental
health and are working to provide support
mechanisms, businesses should be
complementing this effort as they aim to ramp up
operations again.
Efforts should be aimed at assisting employees
through difficult times, preventing potential
future problems and providing guidance to those
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
that may be anxious about company
procedures, including office working protocols.
Businesses should recognised the potential
knock-on effects of newly implemented
company procedures or operating models on
employees’ mental health in the context of
existing pressures that may have been
aggravated by the pandemic. If implementing a
hybrid working model, for example, in which
employees can work both from home and in the
office, employees should be treated equally and
fairly, regardless of their choice of work location.
Additionally, there are a number of support
structures and initiatives that companies should
consider implementing to tackle and prevent
mental health problems partly or in whole
caused by the work environment. Below are
some simple and possible options that
businesses should consider:
Regular scheduled check-ins with
employees, alongside official appraisals.
Remote GP access: Consider providing
employees with on-demand GP helplines
and counselling, which allows them to
access confidential help and support at their
own pace.
Wellbeing support services: Consider giving
employees access to general mental health
advice support hotlines, wellbeing apps and
online resources.
Mental health first aiders: Consider training
a number of employees as mental health
first aiders that can provide initial support
and guidance to employees with mental
health concerns and spot the early warning
signs of someone’s that may be struggling
with mental health.
While the pandemic has had a catastrophic
effect on the personal lives of millions, support
mechanisms should be implemented in both the
personal and professional lives of individuals
going through difficult times, both physical and
mentally. Not only do companies have a duty of
care to their employees, but providing support
mechanisms to attempt to improve the status
quo, rather than turn a blind eye, is simply the
right thing to do.
21
The evolution of COVID-19
There have been many ups and downs in the battle against the SARS-CoV-2 virus
and its variant guises.
Undoubtedly, the greatest achievement in this
battle has been the remarkable feat of getting
jabs in arms within a year of the first
announcement of the emergence of a novel
respiratory virus in China. There are now
almost two dozen authorised or approved
COVID vaccines and more than seven billion
doses have been administered across at least
184 countries, at a rate of around 25 million
shots a day. By the end of 2021, there will
have been more jabs administered than there
are people on Earth. However, the rate across
low-income countries shamefully lags the rest
of the world.
We have therapeutic protocols in place that
allow medics to treat the most severely ill in a
way that was not possible 18 months ago.
There are monoclonal antibody treatments
that successfully prevent the majority of
recently infected people from developing
severe disease. These treatments require a
medical facility for administration but we are
on the brink of extending this arsenal of drugs
to include oral treatments that can be
dispensed at diagnosis.
Weighed against these successes is the
sobering official death toll that has surpassed
5 million lives - many observers contend that
the real mortality figures are much higher. We
should not forget the long-tail of ongoing
morbidity from COVID, like the enormous
mental health toll of the pandemic, delayed
diagnoses of other diseases, mismanagement
of chronic disease, loss of invaluable research
programmes into disease, and the huge
economic effects of a global pandemic on
nutrition, infrastructure, and health.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
Is the end in sight?
One of the difficult concepts to grasp is how to
recognise the end of a pandemic. A paradigm
that many of us have clung to is that “all
pandemics will come to an end”. Despite early
and perhaps naïve hopes of ‘eradication’ of
COVID-19, it was clear from listening to
experienced campaigners in the fields of
epidemiology and virology that this was simply
not going to happen - a virus that spreads
asymptomatically and that has a natural
reservoir in numerous animals is destined to
remain forever as an ‘endemic’ disease. The
concept of an endemic disease, originally
coined by Hippocrates, is loosely defined as
‘an infectious disease that is usually present in
the community’.
COVID-19 could already be described as
endemic in a number of countries. Denmark
for example has fully vaccinated 75% of its
population and has lifted all restrictions,
declaring that the virus is "no longer a critical
threat to society" due to high vaccination rates
and low incidence of severe disease and
death. In Danish society, there are high levels
of trust in authorities and a sense of social
mindedness.
Many in the northern hemisphere are looking
to get through the winter, with hope that the
spring will mark a natural end to the pandemic,
at least in high-income countries with high
vaccination rates. In the meantime, scientists
will monitor the virus very carefully for a variant
that could halt us in our tracks, while the World
Health Organisation will continue in its
struggle to ‘vaccinate the world’.
22
LGBTQ+ traveller safety
According to the World Tourism Organisation, up to 10% of global travellers identify
as LGBTQ+.
LGBTQ+ travellers continue to face unique legal,
cultural, social and security risks while travelling,
and while many global companies are
headquartered in countries with wide protections
against discrimination and with generally
accepting societal attitudes, this is not the case
for a large proportion of the world.
As we head into 2022, with the relaxation of
travel restrictions and an increasing number of
LGBTQ+ employees undertaking business
travel, including long-term deployments, it is
critical for businesses to be aware of local social
attitudes, cultures and legal environments to
ensure the safety of all staff, provide effective
support and meet their duty of care
requirements.
Around the world, legislation may be unclear or
applied arbitrarily, while in some cases the legal
context may misrepresent the prevalent societal
attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals and the
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
security risk environment faced by members of
the LGBTQ+ community.
For instance, while LGBTQ+ individuals in South
Africa or Brazil enjoy broad rights and protections
against discrimination based on sexual
orientation, religious and conservative views
remain, and violence against members of the
LGBTQ+ community are relatively common in
both countries. In Singapore, male same-sex
relations are punishable with up to two years
imprisonment, although the law is not enforced
and society is becoming increasingly tolerant
towards the LGBTQ+ community.
While legislations are evolving towards further
protections against discrimination and widened
rights for LGBTQ+ people, various countries
continue to dismantle existing legal protections
and are enacting discriminatory laws towards the
LGBTQ+ community.
23
State-sanctioned violence and discrimination
against members of the LGBTQ+ community are Violence and discrimination against
likely to increase as countries resume social LGBTQ+ during COVID-19
activities, including the celebration of Pride
According to Human Rights Watch, the
month in June. For instance, in Egypt, the police
closure of international borders and the
is known for targeting LGBTQ+ venues and
imposition of lockdowns globally forced
utilising LGBTQ+ social networking apps to
many LGBTQ+ individuals to remain in
entrap victims before arresting them, while in
high risk security contexts or return to
Turkey, where same-sex relations are
their countries of origin, where they were
decriminalised, discrimination against LGBTQ+
persecuted or discriminated due to their
individuals remains unpunished and fuelled by
sexual orientation.
homophobic rhetoric disseminated by members
of the government and top religious officials.

What can I do to support my travellers?

Organisations should monitor the latest LGBTQ+ security risks and trends and develop mitigation
strategies for employees. Employee e-learning programmes provide travellers with the tools to enhance
situational awareness which can be rolled-out quickly and at scale across your workforce.

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 24

Most dangerous countries for
humanitarians
Throughout 2021, humanitarian aid workers have continued to be targeted while
facing a range of risks related to the pandemic.
Alongside novel risks, conflict and violence have continued to proliferate in South Sudan, Afghanistan,
and Mali while new conflicts have developed in countries such as Myanmar, Ethiopia and Haiti.
South Sudan
South Sudan remains the most dangerous
country for aid workers, with 69 victims involved
in 47 security incidents in 2021, where 21 aid
workers were killed, 46 were wounded and six
were kidnapped. The majority of the incidents
occurred in Jonglei, Lakes and the Unity regions.
The number of security incidents in South
Sudan’s capital, Juba, has increased slightly from
four in 2020 to five in the same period in 2021.
Ambushes, attacks against individuals and raids
represent the majority of the incidents,
underscoring the high security and operational
environment for NGOs.
Despite the 2018 peace agreements reached
between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and
former vice president and opposition leader Reik
Machar, the lengthy conflict has led to the
emergence of a multitude of armed militias, which
have been accused of killing, robbing, ambushing
and kidnapping aid workers with impunity in the
past. While the government keeps attempting to
reassert control over the areas controlled by
these militias, an improvement of the security
environment for aid workers here is unlikely in the
short term.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks highly in the most dangerous
countries for aid workers. Between January and
September, 44 aid workers were involved in 10
security incidents where 18 were killed, 25 were
injured and one was kidnapped. The numbers
have increased significantly in comparison with
the same period in 2020. All the aid workers
attacked were local nationals with the main actors
being ISIS affiliated groups and the Taliban.
Kabul and Nangarhar regions have witnessed a
greater number of attacks against aid workers in
the past year, particularly the cities of Kabul,
Jalalabad, and Torkham. Individual attacks
remain the most common attack context.
The withdrawal of the US troops from
Afghanistan and the quick takeover of the country
by Taliban forces have caused a rapid
deterioration of the security and operational
environments for NGOs. While thousands of
Afghans affiliated with western governments and
NGOs have evacuated the country, the number
of attacks against aid workers, particularly those
involved with non-profit organisations that oppose
the Taliban’s extreme views, are likely to increase
in the upcoming months.
25
Mali
Mali has made our list of most dangerous
countries for aid workers this year amid an
increase in the number of security incidents.
From January to September 2021, 16 security
incidents involving 42 aid workers have occurred
in Mali, with one aid worker killed, one wounded
and 38 kidnapped. Up to 95% of the victims were
local nationals, and 90% of them were kidnapped
for ransom by local militias and ISIS affiliated
groups and released at a later date. In
comparison with the same period in 2020, a
greater number of kidnappings were reported in
2021. Ambushes remain the most common
mean of attack while Mopti and Gao, the main
ISIS strongholds in Mali, account for a large
majority of the attacks.
Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda and ISIS including
al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al-
Mourabitoun, Islamic State Greater Sahara
(ISGS) and Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal
Muslimeen (JNIM) have continuously resorted to
kidnapping for ransom as a key source of income
since 2012. The method has also become
popular among criminal gangs amid the lack of
law enforcement. Terrorist groups are likely to
continue targeting aid workers, and particularly
the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated
Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)
peacekeepers, especially in northern areas of the
country.
Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International
2022 forecast
Numerous other countries are likely to
continue witnessing an increased number
of attacks against aid-workers throughout
2022. The deteriorating security
environment in Tigray, Ethiopia amid the
civil conflict has translated into an upward
trend of shootings involving aid workers,
with 19 of them killed in 2021, from none
the previous year. In Myanmar, the military
coup that occurred in February and the
ongoing civil conflict that followed have
caused significant security and
operational challenges to aid workers.
While one aid worker was killed between
January and October 2020, eight NGO
workers were killed, six were injured and
four were kidnapped in 11 security
incidents reported during the same period
in 2021. Haiti’s security context continues
to deteriorate amid the political instability
that followed the assassination of former
President Jovenel Moïse in June and the
aftermath of the magnitude 7.2
earthquake that struck Haiti in August. The
number of kidnappings has increased in
the past three months, with the most
recent attack involving 12 foreign
missionaries who were abducted for
ransom in Port-au-Prince.
26
Helping clients take control of their
health, travel and risk provision
Healix are global leaders in travel risk management and
international assistance services. Working on behalf of
multinational corporations, governments, NGOs and
insurers, we look after the welfare of expatriates, business
travellers and local nationals living and working in every
country of the world, 24 hours a day.
Whether your focus is creating a resilient, compliant or
reputable organisation, or delivering on growth and
opportunity, Healix help you build a robust and tailored
framework that supports the needs of your business.

Email enquiries@healix.com

Website www.healix.com

United Kingdom (HQ) USA (HQ) New Zealand

Healix International HX Global Healix New Zealand

Healix House, Esher Green Suite 200, 99 Derby Street Suite 8, 40 Arrenway Drive
Esher, Surrey Hingham Rosedale
KT10 8AB MA 02043 Auckland
UK USA New Zealand 0632
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8481 7720 T: +1 781 556 1003 T: +64 (0)9 477 5400

Singapore Spain

Healix International Healix Espana

6 Shenton Way Calle Santa Leonor 65
OUE Downtown 2, #22-08 Parque Empresarial Avalon
068809 Edificio B, planta 1ª - derecha
Singapore Madrid 28037, Spain
T: +65 6715 8948 T: +34 913 71 31 95

Risk Outlook 2022 © Healix International 27