Security & Defense

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ‘Zeitenwende’ in February 2022 marked a significant shift in German foreign and security policy in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This paper analyzes Germany’s new strategic direction, including increased defense spending, reduced energy dependence on Russia, and strengthened NATO and EU alliances. It examines the domestic political debates surrounding these changes and their implications for European security dynamics. The study also expl ...

History is unfolding before our eyes. These are days that could define the future of our world. The United Nations is calling for a “Summit for the Future,” promising “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow.” This vision will take shape on September 23-24, 2024, in New York City. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the UN since January 2017, has championed this summit as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action, recommit to fundamental principle ...

Negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire in Sudan began in Geneva this week, marking a critical step toward ending the 16-month-long conflict that has ravaged the nation. Co-organized by the United States and Switzerland, the talks focus on addressing the severe humanitarian crisis and establishing a cessation of hostilities. However, significant challenges persist, particularly concerning the uncertain participation of the key warring parties. Understanding the Conflict Sudan h ...

This opinion was originally published in japanupclose.web-japan.org   On December 16, 2022, the Japanese government approved three important defense documents. The first is the National Security Strategy, which defines the general lines of the country's defense policy for the next decade. The second is the National Defense Strategy, which sets defense objectives and defines the means to achieve them. The third is the Defense Construction Program, which determines total defense spe ...

La dynamique qui anime aujourd’hui le conflit israélo-palestinien, notamment la guerre que mènent à Gaza les troupes du Tsahal et les combattants du Hamas, appuyés par le Jihad islamique et les autres factions armées palestiniennes, laisse espérer un accord entre les parties prenantes pour mettre fin à une guerre qui a généré des dizaines de milliers de morts et de blessés. Espoirs nourris par le dernier discours (31 mai) du président américain qui détaille, on ne peut plus clair, l ...

The African National Congress (ANC), which has dominated the political scene in South Africa since 1994, began a downward trend in terms of votes won during the 2009 elections. However, this decline has never cast doubt on the ANC’s dominant position in the South African political landscape. Even at the lowest point in its popularity, during the “State Capture” scandal of 2019, a corruption scandal involving former President Jacob Zuma, the ANC won 57.5% of the vote, which largely a ...

L’African National Congres (ANC), qui domine la vie politique en Afrique du Sud depuis 1994, a entamé, lors des élections de 2009, une pente descendante, en termes de voix remportées lors des élections générales. Cependant, ce recul n’a jamais mis en doute la prédominance de l’ANC dans le panorama politique sud-africain. Au plus bas de sa popularité en 2019, en raison de l’affaire de « Capture de l’État », un scandale de corruption dans lequel a été impliqué l’ancien pre ...

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), created on September 16, 2023, brings together Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso under a mutual defense agreement. The signing of the charter relating to this alliance, which bears the name Liptako-Gourma, was followed by meetings and plans for initiatives that will push the new structure further towards statutes for the alliance, transforming it into a confederation. As an intermediate measure, the three states have already envisaged the creation of ...

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