A recent spate of commentary has drawn the analogy between today’s regional conflicts and those of the 1930s that led to World War II, often as a cautionary tale for how to deal with contemporary international security dynamics. These analogies, however, misread the past, with potentially dangerous implications for the present.
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena is attempting to market the country as a burgeoning destination for foreign investment. But weak rule of law and illicit enterprises continue to permeate Paraguay’s political institutions, threatening to set back Pena’s agenda, the country’s progress and wider regional security.
Recent developments in the U.S. have reinvigorated the debate over Europe’s ability to defend itself. Now, after having relied for decades on U.S. support while collectively free-riding on U.S. capabilities, Europeans will have to shoulder a much more significant burden in European security themselves in the foreseeable future.
The feud between the Marcos and Duterte families in the Philippines is also a reflection of the new Cold War brewing in the region. With Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos openly welcoming expanded security cooperation with Manila’s Western allies, the Dutertes have positioned themselves as China’s best hope in the Philippines.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni used the annual Italy-Africa gathering—upgraded to a summit this year—to strategically frame her government’s new approach to Africa. However, the inherent contradictions of the event were not entirely concealed, revealing challenges that will necessitate nuanced approaches to resolve.
European governments are seeking to deepen their oil and gas partnerships with Libya, largely to diversify away from Russian supplies. Yet by neglecting internal challenges such as political discord, corruption and militias, they may jeopardize their own objectives as well as Libya’s path to stability and economic recovery.
When the U.N. convenes Friday to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the events may feel a little low-key. One reason is that many U.N. members want to focus on other issues. The second is that the West’s failure to support a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war has alienated a lot of non-Western representatives.
As an aspirational great power, India had a big year for its foreign policy in 2023, marked by highlights that brought India’s potential as a political, economic and strategic player to the limelight. However, despite its proactive diplomatic engagements, India’s foreign policy continues to face enduring challenges.
Senegalese President Macky Sall announced Friday that he would comply with a court order to conduct the country’s presidential election as soon as possible, after he attempted to delay the polls until December. The controversy is just the latest close call for Senegal’s democracy, which has significantly eroded under Sall.
The Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards is supposed to help Hollywood forge closer ties with foreign film industries. But flaws in the category’s rules and process have not only have made it highly politicized and often unfair, but have also prevented it from fulfilling its purpose.
In January, Burundi severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda, accusing Kigali of supporting a DRC-based militia that attacked a Burundian town the month prior. Though sudden, the rift between Burundi and Rwanda just two years after their ostensible reconciliation is unsurprising and can be traced to the conflict in eastern Congo.
In August 2023, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. signed a set of documents intended to deepen and institutionalize trilateral cooperation. But whether these agreements can endure will depend on domestic politics in Japan and especially South Korea, and not least of all whether their disputes over historical issues can be overcome.
The release of the Bob Marley biopic, “One Love,” presents an opportunity to reexamine Marley’s broader intellectual legacy, which has important lessons for anyone interested in the politics of freedom movements and is of particular significance for observers and practitioners of international development.
Relations between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates have deteriorated rapidly in recent months because of Abu Dhabi’s alleged support for the Rapid Support Forces, which remains at war with the military-led government. Now, Sudan has reestablished ties with Iran, the latest signal that the UAE’s stance has backfired.
There is no silver bullet for solving the humanitarian challenge on display in the Darien Gap, which thousands of migrants pass through daily. But any solution must involve creating sustainable economic opportunities for residents of border towns, so they are not drawn into the lucrative business of human smuggling.
Given that so many rebel groups seek to radically restructure society, it comes as no surprise that they would also concern themselves with regulating marriage. So while much of the coverage of rebel marriages is sensationalistic and shallow, marriage is a critical but underappreciated aspect of rebels’ wartime activities.
Given the high stakes involved in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a wide range of domestic, regional and global actors had an interest in a peaceful outcome to December’s presidential election. This accounts for the collective sigh of relief following President Felix Tshisekedi’s landslide victory, despite widespread irregularities.