International Relations

The first hundred days of Donald Trump's presidency have again demonstrated his capacity to defy convention and polarize opinion. Far from merely repeating his earlier administration, this new chapter is best understood as part of a long-term repositioning of the United States within a rapidly shifting international system—one where American primacy is no longer assumed but increasingly contested. On the domestic front, Trump's agenda has been marked by political calculation and a ...

The author of this opinion, Danielle Alakija, is a 2024 alumna of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program. Once upon a time—or so the story went—the Global South was cast to the margins of the global development narrative. Assigned a supporting role in someone else’s story, it was exploited for its resources and subdued by the authoritative tone of external narrators. This image, painted in tones of crisis and dependency, continues to echo through textbooks and news cycles. ...

Ce Policy Brief examine les perspectives d’évolution de la position des Nations Unies sur le dossier du Sahara marocain à la lumière des récentes dynamiques diplomatiques. Il s’appuie sur la réaffirmation du soutien américain au Plan d’autonomie proposé par le Maroc, qui a contribué à élargir un consensus international en faveur d’une solution pragmatique. Malgré des signes positifs au sein du Conseil de sécurité, le processus onusien demeure bloqué, notamment en raison de divisions ...

The author of this opinion, Isabela Carvalho, is a 2018 alumna of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program. In today’s interconnected world, knowledge plays a vital role in driving change and shaping solutions. Yet despite the rise of digital tools and global collaboration, persistent gaps in how knowledge is managed and shared continue to limit the Global South’s ability to fully harness its potential. Strengthening resilient knowledge ecosystems fosters inclusive developme ...

L’ouvrage de Matsumoto Shoji, professeur spécialisé en droit africain comparé et en droit international, est une étude approfondie sur la question du Sahara et ses enjeux juridiques, politiques et diplomatiques. S’appuyant sur une analyse rigoureuse des normes du droit international, des accords passés et des dynamiques régionales, l’auteur met en lumière l’importance de la souveraineté marocaine dans un conflit marqué par des interprétations divergentes de concepts tels que l’autod ...

In his thought-provoking book, The Sahara Conflict and International Law: Reviewing the Legal Debate from an Integrated Perspective, Pr. Matsumoto Shoji embarks on an ambitious project to dissect the Sahara conflict through the lens of international law, regional politics, and global diplomacy. As a seasoned expert in comparative African law and international legal systems, Matsumoto brings a wealth of expertise to an issue that has long been a flashpoint in North African geopolitic ...

The autonomy proposal put forward by Morocco in April 2007 as the unique basis for settling the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara is gradually gaining international recognition. Although rejected by Algeria and the polisario, the Initiative has enjoyed broad international support since its launch, particularly from the United States and France, who have reaffirmed their support for Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara region. On April 8, 2025, the United States reiterated its positio ...

The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court play key roles in upholding international law but face criticism over selective enforcement. The ICJ’s reliance on state consent and UN Security Council enforcement often weakens its impact, while the ICC’s jurisdictional limits and selective prosecutions raise concerns about equity. Contrasting global responses to similar rulings reveal geopolitical influences. The study underscores the need for institutional r ...

This Policy Brief explores the evolving role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in preventing crimes against humanity and in contributing to post-conflict reconstruction. Established to deter atrocities and ensure accountability for the gravest offences, the ICC is a testament to the international community’s aspiration for a rules-based order. Despite structural limitations — from its dependence on state cooperation to jurisdictional constraints and political backlashes — th ...

The United States is at a critical juncture, facing a pivotal dilemma: preserving global leadership in a world it no longer fully controls. While it proclaims its primacy in the liberal international order, its actions tell a different story—one marked by tariffs, reshoring policies, and an open attempt to contain China’s rise. This strategy is driven less by long-term vision than domestic political calculus, underscoring the urgent need for strategic recalibration. ...

La proposition d’autonomie, avancée par le Maroc en avril 2007 comme base de règlement du différend autour du Sahara marocain, s’impose progressivement sur la scène internationale. Bien qu’elle soit rejetée par l’Algérie et le polisario, cette Initiative a bénéficié, depuis son lancement, d’un large soutien international, en particulier de la part des États-Unis et de la France, qui ont réaffirmé leur appui à la souveraineté marocaine sur cette région. Le 8 avril 2025 ...

This Policy Brief analyzes the strategic significance of the reaffirmation by the United States, on April 8, 2025, of its support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara and of Morocco’s autonomy plan for the territory. This position, which has been maintained under different U.S. administrations, confirms the appropriateness of the Moroccan approach based on compromise, regional stability, and economic integration. It reinforces the isolation of the Polisario Front, whos ...

This policy brief explores the transformative role of BRICS as a platform for Global South cooperation and an emerging alternative to Western-dominated governance frameworks. Established with a shared goal of reforming international institutions and addressing global decision-making imbalances, BRICS has evolved from an economic concept into a multifaceted alliance that spans finance, diplomacy, development, and security. As the global order shifts towards multipolarity, BRICS has p ...

Le présent Policy Brief analyse la portée stratégique de la réaffirmation, le 8 avril 2025, du soutien américain à la souveraineté du Maroc sur son Sahara et à son plan d’autonomie. Ce positionnement, maintenu sous différentes Administrations américaines, consacre la pertinence de l’approche marocaine fondée sur le compromis, la stabilité régionale et l’intégration économique. Il renforce la dynamique d’isolement du Front Polisario, dont le discours figé sur l’indépendance peine à m ...

  Marcus Vinicius De Freitas Professor, China Foreign Affairs University Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South The Chinese government’s white paper, ‘China’s Position on Some Issues Concerning China-US Economic and Trade Relations,[1]’ issued on April 9, 2025, in response to the escalating tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, is not just a diplomatic response to the escalating tensions with the United States. It is a meticulously crafted strategic document that pr ...

The Russia–Ukraine war, while primarily perceived as a European security crisis, has triggered deep structural shocks globally, disproportionately affecting the developing world—the “New South.” This essay explores how historical legacies, global economic dependencies, and shifting geoeconomic paradigms have converged through the war to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. It critically examines the war’s impact through four interc ...

The start of 2025 was marked by the official departures of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Now joined in a new organization, the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des États du Sahel, AES), the three countries have left ECOWAS facing a legitimacy crisis and concerns for its future. How these blocs decide to interact with each other will greatly influence the future of regional stability and foreign engagements. A divided W ...

Les récentes élections au sein de l’Union africaine (UA) ont été défavorables pour le Maroc, qui a perdu face à l’Algérie le poste de vice-président de l’Union et n’a pas été réélu au Conseil de Paix et de Sécurité (CPS). Ce résultat a suscité de l’incompréhension et un sentiment d’échec pour la diplomatie marocaine. Cependant, l’article propose de dépasser cette vision émotionnelle pour analyser les mécanismes d’influence au sein de l’UA. La candidature marocaine évolue dans un env ...

The rapprochement between the U.S. and Russia since the election of President Trump for a second term, and more significantly, since his inauguration, has intrigued U.S. traditional allies as well as many politicians in the U.S. The argument presented here explains the causes of that rapprochement and places it within a global context that witnesses the establishment of a new world order, multipolar, in which the U.S. is a key player but not the dominant player it used to be in the ...

L'Algérie post-2019 représente une phase complexe de son histoire, marquée par d'importants enjeux politiques, sociaux et économiques. Le mouvement populaire du « Hirak », déclenché en février 2019, a émergé en réponse à la crise politique provoquée par le désir du président Abdelaziz Bouteflika de briguer un cinquième mandat. Ce soulèvement a exigé des réformes profondes dans la gouvernance, dénonçant le modèle militaire hérité de la guerre d'indépendance et ...

Le présent ouvrage reprend les contributions présentées à l’occasion de la première édition de la Conférence-débat sur les enjeux stratégiques des espaces maritimes de l’Afrique atlantique organisée par le Policy Center for the New South le 16 avril 2024. Une Conférence-débat qui procède d’une double logique : continuité et originalité. Une logique de continuité, d’abord, parce que l’Atlantique a toujours constitué pour le Policy Center, depuis la création du think ...

Ce commentaire a été publié initialement sur commentaire.fr   La question du protectionnisme ne date pas du retour triomphal de Donald Trump, ni même de sa première élection : elle hante la mondialisation depuis le début du xxie siècle. Le nouveau programme du Président américain oblige toutefois à y réfléchir plus attentivement qu’on ne l’a fait jusqu’à présent. C’est l’objet de cet article.   ...

The author of this opinion, Florencio Venté, is a 2024 alumnus of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program. Culture, diasporas, and diplomacy are strongly connected when it comes to promoting exchanges and fostering social inclusion, economic development, and the building of transcontinental bridges. In this blog post, I explore the nexus of these three areas and how they can serve as pathways to achieve cohesion across the Atlantic and beyond. Culture is crucial in promotin ...

The traditional model of Official Development Assistance (ODA) has not only entrenched financial dependence but also served as a tool for geopolitical influence, often prioritizing donor interests over genuine economic self-sufficiency in developing nations. The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) envisioned a shift towards private investment, but this strategy has largely failed. Capital flight, rising debt burdens, and systemic financial asymmetries have ensured that investm ...