Resource library search

As the US-China rivalry intensifies, both powers are courting mineral-rich African countries in an effort to secure critical raw materials. Translating Africa's vast natural-resource wealth into lasting development requires an infrastructure-led strategy that delivers long-term value for local communities.

Since the Myanmar military’s overthrow of a civilian government in 2021, the US has taken a punitive approach to the country, emphasising broad-based sanctions and aid to rebel groups. But far from promoting a democratic transition, this approach has perpetuated violence and suffering, while strengthening China's strategic foothold.

With Donald Trump effectively abandoning America's 80-year-old commitment to the transatlantic relationship and the broader international order, the future of European peace and prosperity is now wholly in Europeans’ hands. The task now is to unlock the continent's full technological, economic, and military potential.

The current US administration has lost its spirit of international cooperation, but this could be a mixed blessing for the other members of the United Nations.

After the Ukraine war caused natural gas prices to rise sharply, Norway collected windfall profits totalling an estimated $113 billion. Refusing to use these gains to support Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction is not only morally wrong; it also reflects a myopic perspective that Norway’s government should abandon.

As the new US president threatens to impose steep tariffs on any country challenging the dollar’s global dominance, India has been quietly making overtures to China. This development, partly driven by both countries’ attempts to strengthen their bargaining position, could herald a seismic geopolitical shift.

A stable, democratic Philippines is vital to US interests and regional security. The US and its Indo-Pacific partners and allies must do more to help the country build resilience against Chinese aggression not only in its territorial waters, but also in its politics.

An unstable Bangladesh mired in radical Islamism and political violence has long been India’s geopolitical nightmare. One hopes that the US soon recognises that this is not conducive to its interests, either, and puts pressure on Bangladesh’s interim government to protect its minorities and restore stability.

The experience of the US’s defeat in Vietnam shows that ending the war in Ukraine requires a comprehensive strategy, combining military, economic and diplomatic pressures to force Russian withdrawal and secure lasting peace.

Kazakhstan’s multivector foreign policy has enabled it to navigate great power rivalries, safeguarding its autonomy while emerging as a key middle power on the global stage.

As African states turn to nuclear power to meet growing energy demands, they do so against a backdrop of intensifying global geopolitical competition, raising questions about sovereignty, alliances and long-term societal impacts.

As Israel continues to grapple with the loss of its aura of inviolability following last year's Hamas attack, Iran is struggling to maintain influence as its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen suffer heavy losses. Both countries know that an all-out war would be catastrophic, yet neither side can afford to back down entirely.

With Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine approaching its third anniversary, the financial, technological and demographic hurdles facing the Russian economy are more severe than is commonly understood. Contrary to what the Kremlin would like others to believe, time is not on Russia’s side.

Already struggling to get out of its deepest economic downturn in 120 years, Latin America now must brace for the possibility of another Donald Trump presidency. Judging by the Republican candidate's campaign promises and longstanding positions on trade and immigration policy, the implications would be dire.

There is good reason to think that, even if Russia and Ukraine reached a peace deal, Vladimir Putin would readily abandon it and re-invade Ukraine at the first opportunity. That is why any agreement must include a guarantee from NATO to protect Ukraine’s independence in the long term.

Having ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after nearly 16 years of corrupt, authoritarian rule, Bangladeshi youth are exercising political agency and articulating a vision of good governance and a merit-based society. Though a democratic renewal is far from assured, it is more likely if young people remain committed and ready to mobilise.

Contrary to what many Western policymakers and commentators once hoped, recent analyses have added to the evidence that trade does not always foster democracy or liberalise regimes. Instead, China’s greater integration with the developing world appears to be doing precisely the opposite.

The US and China are both vying for influence among Global South countries, whose support will be crucial in shaping the future of the international order. Against this backdrop, it is increasingly important to understand Beijing’s views of this unfolding contest.

The alliance of convenience between Russia and China threatens not only to accelerate an increasingly overstretched US’s relative decline, but also to erode Indian security. India now must take advantage of its relationship with Russia to mediate an end to the Ukraine war and drive a wedge between Russia and China.

If opposition candidate Masoud Pezeshkian wins and succeeds President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month, US policymakers must respond constructively. Such a scenario could not only reduce the risk of a wider war in the Middle East, but also prepare the way for a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.