International Organisations

This paper was originally published on The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) In the face of Africa’s development challenges and the mismatch between long-term needs and short-term pressures, ring-fencing development expenditures offers a viable solution to secure sustainable financing for growth. ...

This article assesses the economic performance of the original BRICS economies, relative to the growth and currency appreciation projections presented in the papers that introduced the acronym, prior to the grouping becoming a diplomatic, political, and economic reality. It also discusses the BRICS agenda in the current challenging geopolitical context, in which economic fragmentation tends to raise costs for the global economy and presents considerable obstacles for emerging and de ...

Vingt ans après sa création, le Parlement panafricain demeure un organe institutionnel marginalisé au sein de l’Union africaine. Pensé comme instrument de représentation des peuples africains, il n’a jamais acquis les prérogatives ni les relais lui permettant de jouer un rôle politique important. Ce Policy Paper analyse les raisons de cette impasse à partir de trois angles : la faiblesse institutionnelle et le déficit de légitimité du PAP ; le blocage du Protocole de Malabo, révélat ...

The BRICS+ group of countries met in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend of 6-7 July. The original group – Brazil, Russia, India, China and, soon after, South Africa – emerged as the materialization of a work of fiction. Jim O’Neill, then chief economist at Goldman Sachs, produced a report in 2001 drawing attention to the rise of these countries as emerging regional powers in global economic growth. ...

This Paper was originally published on cebri.org Within an ever-evolving system of multilateral development banks (MDB) currently reshaped by four structural geo-economic trends, the emergence of new MDBs like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB) carries great geopolitical significance. Yet the new MDBs, attuned to institutional and operational realities, have not upended the MDB system. Their relationship with long-e ...

This Policy Brief explores the potential evolution of the United Nations’ stance on the Moroccan Sahara issue in light of recent diplomatic developments. It builds on the reaffirmed U.S. support for Morocco's proposed Autonomy Plan, which has played a key role in broadening international consensus in favor of a pragmatic resolution. Despite positive signs within the Security Council, the UN-led process remains stalled, largely due to persistent divisions among member states and th ...

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 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 jurisdictio ...

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 ...

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 recent elections to the African Union (AU) were unfavorable for Morocco, which lost out to Algeria for the post of Vice-President of the Union and was not re-elected to the Peace and Security Council (PSC). This result was met with incomprehension and a sense of failure on the part of Moroccan diplomacy. However, the article proposes to go beyond this emotional vision to analyze the mechanisms of influence within the AU. The Moroccan candidacy evolves in an institutional environ ...

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 ...

L'article original en anglais a été initialement publié par Devex   La course pour le poste du prochain Secrétaire général de l’Organisation des Nations Unies (ONU), dont la désignation aura lieu en 2026, a commencé, discrètement. À l’occasion de la célébration de la Journée internationale des droits des femmes, il est opportun de réfléchir au fait qu’aucune femme n’a jamais dirigé l’Organisation en 80 ans de son ’existence. Même si le prochain Secrétaire général de l’ON ...

يستكشف هذا العرض الحاجة الملحة إلى إحداث تحول في النموذج المعتمد حاليّا في عملية تقديم المساعدات الإنسانية، في سياق حالات النزاع وما بعد النزاع، في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا. ويدعو هذا العرض إلى تبني مقاربة ذات "بعد تنموي للمساعدات الإنسانية"، تجمع بين الإغاثة الفورية والأهداف التنموية على المدى الطويل. كما يدعو هذا المقال، من خلال تركيزه على محدودية المساعدات الإنسانية التقليدية، لا سيما في سياق الأزمات الطويلة، مثل: العراق، اليمن، لبنان وغزة، لضرورة تبني آليات تمو ...

Il était une fois le G5 Sahel… En 2014, cinq pays du Sahel que sont la Mauritanie, le Mali, le Burkina Faso, le Niger et le Tchad décidèrent avec l’appui d’une puissance européenne de se constituer en un groupe d’États appelé G5 Sahel. Les cinq pays se partageaient plusieurs caractéristiques dont principalement l’aspect désertique du territoire avec une vulnérabilité conséquente aux changements climatiques, l’immensité des superficies territoriales (à l’exception du Burkina Faso), ...

Depuis le 1er janvier 2024, l'Algérie occupe un siège non-permanent au Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies, une occasion pour ce pays de s’assurer une certaine visibilité dans un contexte international dominé par les conflits en Ukraine et à Gaza. Dès l’entame de son mandat, ce pays a été, par la force des choses, le porte-parole à la fois du groupe arabe et du groupe africain  En sa qualité de représentant de l’Afrique, l'Algérie s’est attachée à promouvoir une coordin ...

Le 28 mai 2025, la CEDEAO (Communauté Économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest) soufflera sa 50ème bougie, occasion propice pour revenir sur les réalisations et les échecs de cette Organisation régionale. Si l’on s’accorde à reconnaitre la CEDEAO comme une structure d’intégration réussie en Afrique, il n’en demeure pas moins que lui sont reprochés quelques défaillances et échecs. ...

According to the 2024 Secretary-General Report on Sahara (2024 Report), the biggest challenge may be the absence of progress in reaching a political solution to the Sahara Issue. Why has this conflict continued for half a century? In the 2024 Report, the Secretary-General has not attempted to give a stinging report on the resolution failure. The outline of the 2024 Report is largely as usual. Generally, to resolve a conflict, the proper parties should first be exactly identified. O ...

Over the past 50 years, international law relevant to the Sahara Issue has evolved significantly. Yet, even recent developments, such as a decision by the EU court and a proposal by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to partition the Saharan provinces, have not adequately accounted for these advancements. Actions by a state that may not have been scrutinized in 1975 could now face condemnation under contemporary legal standards. Notably, the right to self-determination must not ...

Following the European Parliament’s approval of the 26 candidates proposed by Member States to form the new European Commission (2024-2029), the new European super-ministers will take office on 1 December. Notably, for the first time, the core of “Europe’s government” includes two representatives from the far-right: Italian Raffaele Fitto, nominated by the Meloni Government as Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, overseeing structural funds, and Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi, appoin ...

After the European Parliament cleared the 26 candidates proposed by Member States to form the European Commission for 2024-2029, the new European super-ministers will take up their functions on 1 December, with a revised portfolio structure. Where does Africa fit into this new organizational chart of the European Commission? Jozef Síkela, a Czech banker with a professional career in Austria, Slovenia and Ukraine, lately serving as his country’s Ministry of Industry, has been appoin ...