Category: Politics & Diplomacy

The future of multilateral peacebuilding and conflict prevention

Table of contents Introduction Definitions, institutions, and norms Trends and uncertainties Scenarios Sahel regional analysis Questions for policymakers I. Introduction The multilateral system, defined as the set of rules, norms, and institutions that together constitute the world’s governance architecture, is not static. Rather, this system both evolves over time and, less frequently, is reconstituted by

Why Morocco will not cut ties with Israel

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, from the luxury of his exile in Qatar, sparked public anger and controversy by addressing the Moroccan people on November 19 in a video urging them to sever ties with Israel and expel its representative in Rabat amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. “Morocco can correct its mistake and perform a duty,”

Expert panel: How will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine develop in 2024?

As winter arrives, Ukrainian officials are reflecting on the 2023 counteroffensive and attempting to anticipate the next stage of the war with Russia. In Washington, despite a strong bipartisan consensus in favor of continued military support for Ukraine, the House of Representatives has yet to vote on a new aid package following a series of

The post-October 7 US strategy in the Middle East is coming into focus

What lasting effect have Hamas’s October 7 attacks and Israel’s ongoing response in Gaza had on US strategy in the Middle East? The answer to this question is emerging, and recent days provided two windows into the Biden administration’s approach to the conflict and to Middle East and global security challenges more broadly. Hamas’s expected

Vladimir Putin’s anti-colonial posturing should not fool the Global South

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has transformed the geopolitical landscape and led to a near complete rupture in the already rocky relationship between Moscow and the Western world. The Kremlin has sought to compensate for this loss by strengthening economic, security, and diplomatic ties with the Global South. In an apparent bid to provide

Why Ukraine refuses to negotiate with “habitual liar” Vladimir Putin

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has dismissed mounting calls for a negotiated settlement with Russia, arguing that Vladimir Putin simply cannot be trusted to keep his word. In a withering social media post published on November 14, Ukraine’s top diplomat claimed Russia routinely disregards its international commitments and cited numerous examples of the Kremlin blatantly

On a knife’s edge: How the conflict in Gaza could tip the scales in North Africa

In today’s ever-shifting global landscape, the world’s attention is squarely focused on the war between Israel and Hamas, which raises concerns about a potential spillover in the Middle East. However, the evolution of political and economic developments in North Africa deserves its share of attention, as they could soon claim center stage if ignored or

Historic progress: Ukraine receives green light for EU membership talks

The European Commission has this week recommended opening EU membership negotiations with Ukraine. The recommendation, which featured in the Commission’s annual enlargement report, was accompanied by a number of conditions regarding further progress on issues including minority rights and the fight against corruption. The stage is now set for official confirmation when EU leaders gather

Peace is impossible while Vladimir Putin denies Ukraine’s right to exist

Recent comments by Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Valery Zaluzhny, claiming that the war with Russia has reached a “stalemate,” have sparked fresh calls for a negotiated settlement. While this desire to end the bloodshed in Ukraine is perfectly understandable, anyone advocating a peace deal with Vladimir Putin must first reckon with the genocidal reality of Russia’s