La diplomatie des forums de la Chine en Afrique : le “Focac” 2021 apportera-il des surprises ?

The BDA Currents: Where Diplomacy Meets Business, is the Brussels Diplomatic Academy’s annual report covering the wider geopolitical and other factors influencing and affecting the world of diplomacy, international relations and global business. The journal focuses on issues of topical interest around the centers of global power, influence and importance, including the continents of Europe and Africa, the Middle East, China, India & Asia, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independe ...

Durant  son  mandat  (2012-2020),  le  Premier  ministre  Shinzo  Abe  s’est évertué  à  démontrer  le  fort  intérêt  duJapon  pour  l’Afrique,s’engageant notamment sur un soutien financier d’un total de 60 milliards de dollars lors des sommets de la Tokyo International Conference on African Development(TICAD)  en  2013  et  2016  et  dévoilant  sa  vision&nb ...

Les relations politiques entre la Chine et l’Australie se sont fortement dégradées avec, à la clé, la mise en œuvre de la part du géant asiatique de barrières tarifaires et non tarifaires. Si les produits agricoles (orge, bœuf, vin, homards) ont été les premières matières premières à être touchées, les exportations australiennes de gaz naturel liquéfié pourraient également être dans le viseur de Pékin. Canberra dispose, néanmoins, d’une carte maîtresse : son minerai de fer dont le s ...

Kim Jong-un, the dictator of North Korea, disappeared from public view after an appearance at a Workers' Party politburo meeting on April 11. The unpredictable leader did not appear to celebrate the anniversary of his grandfather’s birthday four days later, an important holiday for the nation. Then Mr Kim missed Military Foundation Day, on which he usually honors the military, the foundation of his absolute power. Rumors began to spread. The dictator was gravely ill, possibly dying. ...

Our Senior Fellow, Len Ishmael has contributed to the Quarterly Journal by Beyond the Horizon ISSG (Volume 3 Issue 1), under the theme « Influencing and Promoting Global Peace and Security Horizon Insights », with a Policy Paper where she addresses China’s use of crises to « deepen and extend power and influence in Europe and the world ». Standing in solidarity with countries in Europe and elsewhere in the fight against COVID-19, China scores a diplomatic coup and extends its claim ...

Le lancement et la conduite de toute négociation ne dépendent pas seulement des positions des parties, de leur volonté de faire des concessions et, éventuellement, du talent du médiateur. De la même manière qu’ils ne dépendent pas, uniquement, du règlement des questions de procédure et de l’adoption d’arrangements techniques destinés à contourner les objections préalables des parties, à ménager leurs sensibilités et à leur faire accepter un code de conduite adapté à chaque phase des ...

China and the European Union have an extensive and growing economic relationship. The relationship is problematic because of the distortions caused by China’s state capitalist system and the diversity of interests within the EU’s incomplete federation. More can be done to capture the untapped trade and investment opportunities that exist between the parties. China’s size and dynamism, and its recent shift from an export-led to a domesticdemand- led growth model, mean that these oppo ...

Africa, as a continent of economic opportunities, is attracting foreign players. In this context, India is emerging as an important partner, especially for Eastern and Southern Africa. The complexity of its geopolitical environment combined with internal specificities motivated the revival of interest for the continent. This paper draws on historical developments between India and African countries to provide the state of play of recent linkages. Those trends are better perceived th ...

With India looking more towards Africa as a home for sustainable partners, it is also looking at diversifying the areas of collaboration with several African countries, especially with Morocco. As early as 1967, India’s then Vice-President Zakir Hussain visited Morocco and set the tone for engagement between both countries. The latter has established diplomatic relations based on mutual understanding, tolerance and respect. Since then, the two countries have enjoyed fruitful re ...

Les relations du Japon avec le Maghreb sont alimentées par des éléments de projection très diversifiés, inégaux, vers des pays et des sociétés qui intéressent le Japon par eux-mêmes, mais dont l’importance est renforcée par leurs articulations avec les maillages, africain et moyen oriental. La décennie actuelle ne constitue pas le moment le plus fort de ces relations. La coopération entre le Japon et les pays du Maghreb reste significative, cependant. Les possibilités de développeme ...