Opinion

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict is still threatening maritime trade, the Black Sea is still a dangerous area for commercial shipping. Naval escorts can offer protection but naval warships can’t remove risks from civilian ships.  Conventional naval defence has been shown to be less than adequate when it comes to sea mines, drones and long-range missiles. Coordinated security measures, diplomatic engagement …

International summits and meetings between leaders of world states often find their place on the world map, but diplomatic history shows that it’s not always enough to shake hands. In the case of Washington’s talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the notion of Diplomacy Before Summitry takes on special significance. Both experiences serve …

Geographically close to the United States, competitively available labour and the USMCA trade agreement have been driving Mexico’s sales of manufactured goods as an alternative to China.  But it’s true Mexico can no longer supplant Chinese manufacturing and the narrative fails to mention an important one: that its own industrialization is still greatly reliant on Chinese machinery, electronic parts, industrial …

The ramifications of Taiwan’s sovereignty issue have unveiled the contrast between the freedoms of citizen elections and majority votes on national politics and the complexities of selecting the island’s constitutional and international status.  Referendums are longstanding public participatory tools used to resolve sovereignty disputes, however their perception of being a mechanism for resolving sovereignty disputes is restricted by legal requirements, …

West Africa has long been a giant among the world’s gold producers supplying more than one-quarter of the continent’s output and almost 10% of the world’s output. Some countries such as Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea have huge reserves and recently Ghana overtook South Africa to be the biggest gold producer in Africa.  But in spite of this, the …

The First Island Chain has emerged as a key geographic element in the military competition between the U.S. and China in the Indo-Pacific. The island group extends across Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines towards maritime Southeast Asia and has an impact on naval operations, military deployments and regional security considerations. The significance of this geographical corridor is increasing as Beijing …

The Ueno Bank Collapse has caused millions of Paraguayan’s bank accounts to be frozen and has caused a situation of political turmoil. The crisis escalated when it was revealed that the financial management of the banks was in a very fragile state, further deepening doubts on the nature of banking supervision, public deposits and political ties. Financial misconduct can quickly …

A freeze on the war in Ukraine in its current borders is being considered as a war resolution alternative as the conflict continues to affect Europe’s security. A Russia Ukraine Frozen Conflict would bring down the immediate death toll and open up opportunities for diplomacy. But, a halt to military action without a peaceful resolution of the conflict has the …

Russian President Vladimir Putin is bolstering Moscow’s military and diplomatic ties in Africa to gain more influence after the West has pulled back from many parts of Africa and the geopolitical landscape is shifting. By means of defense cooperation, military aid and political dialogue, Russia has reinforced its presence in the Sahel, among others. Russia Africa Relations are increasingly a …

As regional tensions are changing the global geopolitical alliances, Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to ensure that Russia maintains its influence in the Middle East. Indeed, the growing collaboration between Russia and Iran offers diplomatic opportunities, but it also poses strategic challenges. As the future of Russia Iran Diplomacy is increasingly coming to rely on the ability of Moscow to …