When news of Yevgeny Prigozhin and Wagner Group’s march to Moscow broke, there was palpable shock among EU and U.S. officials. The extent to which Western governments were blindsided by a crisis that had been building for months was a reminder of how institutions in the U.K., EU and U.S. struggle to manage geopolitical risk.
When Mali demanded last month that the U.N. withdraw peacekeepers from its territory “without delay,” it sent a chill through diplomats in New York. Many observers have speculated over whether Mali’s move could presage the end of other U.N. missions in Africa, dealing a blow to the institution’s contribution to security there.
Last month’s Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris solidified support for providing financial incentives to low-income countries to help address climate change. The summit represented a huge win for the developing world and especially for Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has championed the issue for years.
