The Role of International Foundations in Regional Governance and Diplomacy

Adoption of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) Doctrine at the United Nations’ 2005 World Summit constituted a watershed moment for international diplomacy and multilateralism. With multiple pillars, R2P was established to ensure that the international community was better placed to act in the face of mass atrocity. Unfortunately, R2P’s poor implementation, and weaponization that has undermined its precepts, have seen it displaced from the holistic framework of state-building and c ...

As China’s presence has expanded into the Horn of Africa, Somaliland has opted to distance itself from Beijing and presented itself as a democratic ally of the West – and Taiwan. On March 17, 2022, three Republican Congressmen introduced a bill titled the “Somaliland Partnership Act,” requiring the American Secretary of State to submit annual reports to Congress on assistance provided to Somaliland and conduct a feasibility study on establishing a security partnership with Somalilan ...

Which nation is next on Putin’s list, the Baltic states, Poland? “An oligarch is one of the select few people, who rule or influence leaders in an oligarchy- a government in which power is held by a select few individuals or a small class of powerful people” (www.dictionary.com) Now we know. The oligarchs of Moscow and St Petersburg, Vladivostok or Sevastopol, are forced to dig into their reserves, hidden cash, tons of Euro, dollar, pound wherever possible to camouflage their mone ...

Le second tour des élections présidentielles françaises qui se tiendra ce 24 avril 2022 opposera de nouveau Emmanuel Macron, le président sortant, et Marine Le Pen, présidente du Rassemblement national. Pourtant, cette nouvelle élection n’est en rien similaire à celle de 2017. Cette élection est un nouvel affrontement politique entre deux leaders aux projets totalement opposés. C’est un duel politique français marqué par des bouleversements sociaux, économiques, générationnels, poli ...

President Tshisekedi embarked on a significant overhaul of the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) foreign policy and objectives in 2019. This policy shift stands out for the notable international and continental activism, enabling the DRC to put an end to the diplomatic isolation it faced since 2016, restart cooperation with a number of key partners, and revitalize the country’s role in international organizations and regional economic communities. This Policy Brief attempts to ex ...

The shadows of Africa's colonial history loom over the French presidential elections. Emmanuel Macron came to office claiming to be “neither of left nor right,” and hoping to fundamentally transform France’s approach to Africa, and to heal the wounds of colonialism. Given the Russian-Ukraine War, the failure of Operation Barkhane, the rise of the French right, and the general African fatigue with Françafrique, it is not clear if an overhaul of France's African policy is possible. ...

The insurrection of 6 January 2021, when supporters of then President Donald Trump stormed the US Congress in Washington DC, “is widely viewed as a seminal moment in the history of US democracy,” noted the British The Guardian (January 9, 2022). “Never before had the modern nation witnessed such an organized, violent attempt to overthrow the elected government. Never before, not even at the height of the Civil War, had the Confederated flag flown over the halls of Congress.” This w ...

African states are in a vulnerable position. The invasion of Ukraine could affect food security and trigger a spike in oil prices, inflicting economic duress on African households. The Black Sea region is home to vast fertile farmlands, and war in the “breadbasket of the world” could threaten wheat and fertilizer supplies. Increased economic hardship and social discontent do not bode well for democratic governance in Africa, especially in light of the recent spate of military coups. ...