The Iranian Asr-e Iran website, which is close to pragmatic circles, protested, in a February 19, 2023 article, against Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s governance, along with that of his economic team, against the backdrop of his economic promises to voters and following the deterioration of Iran’s economic situation – particularly …

The two no-confidence votes tabled to topple French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s government were rejected on Monday (20 March), keeping her in power for the time being. Despite this, the political crisis is far from over, MPs and observers note. On Monday, the French government faced two motions of censure, …

The following is adapted from a March 2023 report by Crisis Group’s President and CEO Comfort Ero to the organisation’s Trustees (before Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s 20-21 March visit to Moscow). She looks at the Ukraine war and its knock-on effects – from big-power polarisation to middle-power activism and disquiet …

What’s new? The Somali government has gained ground in its war with the Islamist insurgency Al-Shabaab, mainly in central Somalia. Most of the progress is due to Mogadishu’s leveraging of local discontent with Al-Shabaab to form alliances with clan militias. Why does it matter? The joint campaign has dislodged militants from a …

Today, China is victorious by sponsoring the historic agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, while the US has a new president who comes to destroy agreements reached by his predecessor, and even brags about it during his election campaign and his presidency.” — Saeed Al-Mryti, Saudi political activist, Twitter, March …

During the International Parliamentary conference Russia-Africa held March 19-20 in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a speech at the plenary session, reminded African parliamentarians that the partnership between Russia and African countries has gained additional momentum and is reaching a whole new level. That the current geopolitical changes present …

The core lesson of the 2003 Iraq war is that ruptures in autocratic settings are inherently fraught with risk. Policymakers should approach proposed interventions in such settings with caution. When President Barack Obama admonished his foreign policy team, “Don’t do stupid stuff” (he used an earthier phrase), there was no …

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Moscow, which started Monday and is expected to go for three days, is certain to be rich in pomp and ceremony. Yet, its content remains rather uncertain. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in most cordial terms, invited his Chinese counterpart during their video conversation …

Throughout history, Armenia was always subjected to foreign invasions. Being at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, the country has always been at the epicentre of conflicting interests thus losing its autonomy a few times in history. Eventually, Armenians were either exiled from their homeland or had to migrate for …

The landmark pact of AUKUS signals the gravity of security challenges in the region, which finally has jolted the West out of its slumber. Greater cohesion and sharing of the most prized military advantage are not only necessary now, but remain the single most critical factor in the race against …