France was once home to a far-flung empire in Africa. After World War II, independence movements resulted in the empire’s breakup, followed by the establishment of new post-colonial states. Though France officially left the continent, it still maintained significant influence over its former African colonies, specifically those in the Sahel region…

The history of Mexico and Russia's bilateral relations dates back over a century and reflects the broader geopolitical shifts that have taken place during this period. While not always at the forefront of each nation's foreign policy, their mutual relations have steadily evolved and adapted to the changing global landscape.

1. The Beginning:…

Changes not seen in a hundred years are taking place - and the global South stands to benefit. Africa is the world’s youngest continent and its many nations are developing rapidly.
Investment that reinforces local agency and solidifies development gains is the missing piece of the puzzle. Russia and China have been delivering this independently…

The 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit in South Africa promised to be the event of the year from the day it was announced. Global media was awash with analysis of the popularity of the BRICS Plus format. Dozens of countries applied to participate in the summit. Even French President Emmanuel Macron asked for an…

In an era dominated by technology, the art of diplomacy has not remained untouched by the sweeping wave of digitization. Enter "Digital Diplomacy" – a term that seems to be on the lips of every modern diplomat and foreign policy expert. But what is it, and is it truly a game-changer?
Understanding the Digital Shift
 At its core, digital…

In the 20th century, the nuclear arms race defined the global power struggle. Today, the race to develop the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities is driving the narrative of international competition. Nations are investing billions into R&D, striving to have the superior AI technology. This 'AI war' evokes a range of emotions:…

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia has gone through a series of disasters, including a civil war, military conflicts in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. Georgian raised against Georgian because of the ‘true values’, believing that there are ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ Georgians. To be a true Georgian, you should have had a respective…

Located in the Sahel where more than 50% of the people live in poverty, Niger and several other nations face the threat of terrorism as it provides a fertile ground for terrorist cells. [1] More importantly, Niger was one of the region’s few nations that was not under military rule. Now, the country is blamed for human rights violations resulting in…

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a Russia backed multi-modal transportation project which envisions seamless connectivity between Russia and countries in Asia, and potentially even Polar Regions in a single trade and transport network. Some even refer the INSTC as Russia’s precursor to China’s BRI (Belt and Road…

In modern warfare, without control over skies, the likelihood of a successful military operation remains far-fetched. In the past, air power was primarily gauged by the numerical strength and ability to employ brute force in combat. But modern air power has become a function of synergizing combat and support assets for exertion of graduated firepower…

In July 2023, two notable international summits took place: the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) Summit and the Africa-Russia Summit. Below are some impressions to assess to compare the implications of both events. A comparative analysis of the final declarations of both summits yields the following…

Author - Ulrike Reisner, political scientist, Vienna, Austria. Original publication on picreadi.com
It may be that classical neutrality models seem outdated in view of the massive changes to a multipolar world order. It may also be that neutral states feel endangered because the threat scenarios of today are different from those of 70 years…