WPR Articles Feb. 7 — Feb. 15
The African Union Has a Plan to Fix Itself. Will It Be Able To?
By: Julian Hattem | Briefing
The
African Union has a new face, with Chad’s former prime minister, Moussa
Faki Mahamat, as the new chair of the AU Commission. But that won’t
change the fact that in many regards, the AU is a broken institution.
Can internal reforms proposed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame make a
difference?
China Promotes a Narrow Definition of Women’s Rights
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
China
passed its first law against domestic violence in 2015, but a key part
of the legislation—issuing restraining orders against abusers—has not
been properly implemented, putting women at risk. In an email interview,
the University of Kent’s Andrea den Boer discusses women’s rights in
China.
Macri’s Toughened Immigration Rules Evoke Trump and Risk Isolating Argentina
By: Patrick Corcoran | Briefing
Late
last month, Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri, announced new
immigration rules that risk repudiating the country’s history and could
presage a break with its neighbors. Though the measures are far from
draconian and have public backing, they raise questions about the role
Macri wants to play in Latin America.
Can the EU Get Dialogue Between Serbia and Kosovo Back on Track?
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
Leaders
from Serbia and Kosovo held talks in Brussels last week in a bid to
defuse tensions. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said
she was “encouraged by the constructive engagement from both sides.” In
an email interview, Naim Rashiti discusses relations between Serbia and
Kosovo.
The Price of Hun Sen’s Opposition Crackdown in Cambodia
By: Prashanth Parameswaran | Briefing
For
over three decades, Cambodia’s prime minister, Hun Sen, has ruled his
country without any sign of ever wanting to give up power, despite
growing indications that Cambodians want him to. As the country prepares
for elections, he has begun his most ruthless campaign yet to
consolidate his position.
Is EU Membership the Solution to Rising Ethnic Tensions in Bosnia?
By: Mark S. Smith | Briefing
Fears
of another war are growing in Bosnia and Herzegovina as xenophobia and
nationalist rivalries surge in the largely autonomous and Serb-dominated
entity of Republika Srpska. A growing separatist movement, observers
warn, threatens the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian War of the
1990s.
Is Indonesia Doing Enough to Fight Inequality?
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
Indonesian
President Joko Widodo recently pledged that his administration would
focus on reducing economic disparities, calling on ministers to
accelerate the implementation of the government’s poverty-eradication
programs. In an email interview, Matthew Wai-Poi discusses inequality in
Indonesia.
Is Political Islam Really on the Rise in Indonesia?
By: Prashanth Parameswaran | Feature
In
October, a controversy over Islam’s role in politics hit Indonesia, the
world’s most populous Muslim country: Ahok, Jakarta’s ethnically Chinese
governor, is on trial for blasphemy. The incident has galvanized
hard-line Islamist groups, but does it threaten social cohesion and
moderation?
On Migration and Security, There Are Actually Three Mediterranean Stories
By: Ellen Laipson | Column
Some
of the most compelling dramas about the effects of globalization are
playing out in the Mediterranean basin, one of the geopolitical nodes
where North and South intersect. Three distinct zones in the region show
different coping mechanisms with respect to terrorism, migration and
economic interdependence.
As Ecuador Prepares to Vote, Is Correa’s Populist Legacy at Stake?
By: Christine Wade | Briefing
Outgoing
President Rafael Correa’s legacy has been omnipresent in Ecuador’s
upcoming election—for better or worse. Many predict the race will be a
referendum on his “Citizen’s Revolution,” as his successor will be faced
with the possibility of dismantling some of Correa’s populist programs.
France’s Next President Could Spell Trouble for Ties With the U.S.—and NATO
By: Judah Grunstein | Column
Donald
Trump has expressed deep skepticism of the NATO alliance and open
hostility to the EU. The current field of candidates in France’s
presidential election means there is a non-negligible chance the next
French president will agree with him. But a lot could be lost in
translation from French to English.
Understanding the Global Backlash Against Migration—and Its Costs
By: Frida Ghitis | Column
President
Donald Trump’s entry ban for travelers from several Muslim-majority
states focused attention on his migration policies. But developments in
the U.S. are not occurring in a vacuum. The issue of how to regulate
migration is climbing on the global agenda, with potentially harmful
implications.
Will Trump Continue Obama’s Drone Policy?
By: Sarah Kreps | Briefing
During
the presidential campaign, Donald Trump was silent on the use of U.S.
drones for counterterrorism, and his position was left unresolved after
the election. What would it mean for there to be continuity with Obama’s
drone policy? Can anything be gleaned from Trump’s first few weeks in
office?
How to Assess Obama’s Foreign Policy Legacy
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
In
this week’s episode, the second of two special editions of Trend Lines,
WPR’s editor-in-chief, Judah Grunstein, and senior editor, Frederick
Deknatel, examine the various ways of trying to assess Barack Obama’s
foreign policy legacy, and how the prism that is used influences the
conclusions that are drawn.
Trump Might Reverse a Rule on Conflict Minerals. Does It Matter?
By: Karina Piser | Trend Lines
Human
rights advocates are alarmed that President Donald Trump is expected to
sign an executive order suspending a section of the Dodd-Frank
financial reforms that requires companies to disclose whether their
products contain so-called conflict minerals. But the rule’s efficacy is
up for debate.
Will Trump Choose Revolution or Reform for Dealing With the U.N.?
By: Steven Metz | Column
Upon
taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump could have opted for a
cautious approach. Instead he has rapidly staked out ambitious, even
revolutionary positions. Among these was a draft executive order to
drastically reduce U.S. involvement in the U.N. If implemented, it would
be a revolutionary shift indeed.
In Vetoing Fayyad’s U.N. Nomination, Did the U.S. Kneecap Guterres or Itself?
By: Richard Gowan | Column
Last
week, the U.S. nixed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ nomination
of former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as his new envoy to
Libya. The U.S. maneuver is destructive and liable to backfire. But it
leaves Guterres with a personnel problem as he sets out to build up a
credible top team.
Is International Cooperation on Terrorism a Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty?
By: Ellen Laipson | Column
Tensions
among states over how to prevent terrorism are evident, from the
confusion over U.S. efforts to clamp down on migration to disputes
between neighbors over border controls. But the will to cooperate
remains strong. The challenges center around capabilities, and the
ever-changing nature of the enemy.
Last Hope or Last Stop? Mexico’s Growing Migrant Crisis
By: Laura Weiss | Feature
A
growing number of Central Americans fleeing violence in the Northern
Triangle countries are now seeking asylum in Mexico, straining the
country’s already-weak asylum system. As U.S. President Donald Trump’s
hard-line immigration policies take shape, that burden is likely to
deepen.
The Lessons of the CIA’s War in Laos: An Interview With Joshua Kurlantzick
By: Frederick Deknatel | Trend Lines
In
his new book, Joshua Kurlantzick reframes the Laos war as the training
ground for today’s CIA, which has led the shadow war against terrorism
since 9/11. In an interview with WPR, Kurlantzick discussed his book and
the lessons from the CIA’s war in Laos that can be applied today.
With an Eye to Untapped Potential, Israel and Japan Work to Expand Ties
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
Earlier
this month, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and visiting
Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon signed an agreement that makes it
easier for Japanese businesses to invest in Israeli cyber-technology
firms. In an email interview, Emanuel Shahaf discusses Israel’s ties
with Japan.
Angola Prepares for Life After Dos Santos
By: Soren Kirk Jensen | Briefing
The
president of oil-rich Angola, Jose Eduardo dos Santos—the
second-longest-ruling leader in Africa—announced earlier this month that
he will not run in elections in August. It is the most significant
political event in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1974,
coming at a time of economic crisis.
Why Chile’s Devastating Wildfires Could Determine Its Next President
By: Christopher Looft | Briefing
For
the past three weeks, much of Chile was burning, as the worst wildfires
in the country’s history raged out of control. But the fires also
threaten to seal the troubled legacy of President Michelle Bachelet,
whose poor handling of the crisis magnified several recent criticisms of
her government.
Will the World Have to Learn to Live With the U.S. as a Failed State?
By: Judah Grunstein | Column
Is
the U.S. a rogue state? Is it a failed or failing state? The answer, of
course, is no. But the hyperbole is meant to underscore how each day of
Donald Trump’s presidency brings us further into unimaginable territory.
While uncertainty remains, there are already clear conclusions that can
be drawn.
No comments:
Post a Comment