Is Somalia’s hunger and homelessness crisis beyond hope?
An ever-growing number of people across Somalia are leaving their homes to escape conflict and the impact of extreme weather events that have devastated the livelihoods of farmers and herders. Dr. Andrew E. Yaw Tchie comments.
Russlands Kabul
Kremlin has over the last years had closer contact with Taliban.
Mistenkelig kritikk
Why is media so uncritical towards Norwegian foreign policy?
The Politics of Competence in Global Health: The European Commission’s Global Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
What was the European Commission’s (EC) global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how did it use the crisis to claim competence in the area of global health? This article explores the EC’s global coronavirus response. In so doing, it suggests studying the crisis response in terms of how the EC struggled to be recognized as a competent player in the international community of states and institutions. In particular, the article shows how the EC utilized the crisis unleashed by the pandemic to engage in geopolitical positioning in relation to World Health Organization (WHO) funding and the vaccine race, and by using its financial clout to struggle for mastery as a global health actor. The article responds to the challenge of understanding differentiation in the broader field of European foreign, security and defence policies. By treating informal practices by the EC on the world stage in and of themselves, the article shows how the constant struggle for competence plays into the politics of European integration and considers its potential for being instantiated in formal transfers of competence in the area of global health.
Gruppepress – fungerer det?
Can Norway contribute to an effective peer pressure through commitment to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)? Espen Mathy argues that peer pressure might push other countries to commit, however only in the cases where commitment does not imply a reduction in national security.
Norges debatt om kinesiske investeringer: Fra velvillig til varsom
The debate in Norway regarding security concerns related to Chinese investments has seen a notable change in character over a short period of time. From a situation where there was little discernible debate at all, and where negative coverage of Chinese investment flows were mainly concerned with working environment issues, Chinese capital flows to Norway have now also become part of the debate on national security. Two particularities make the case of Norway especially interesting with regards to the broader Nordic debates over the issues discussed in this Fokus section. The Norwegian economy has been particularly well placed to benefit from the extraordinary Chinese economic growth, but Norway has also been in a particularly problematic political position towards China over the last decade. The contrast between these two factors has been a structuring trait of the Norwegian China debate. Nevertheless, the Norwegian public debate on China has been relatively positive over a long period of time. This has been given impetus by the positive experiences reported from the Norwegian enterprises that have been the target of Chinese acquisitions. However, lately, the public debate has increasingly come to regard the issue also through a political and security-related lens. This changing character is not due to specific events concerning Chinese activities in Norway, as much as being a reflection of broader regional and global trends. The question of Huawei’s role in the coming construction of the 5G network has been a particularly important driver in this regard, as well as conductive link to the international change in opinion.
South Sudan former rebels attend first parliamentary session
South Sudanese former rebels attend their first parliamentary session alongside members of Salva Kiir's party. France 24 speaks to Dr. Andrew Yaw Tchie, Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs on whether the move is a good sign towards stability.
Talk Africa: Return of the Taliban
The dramatic return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan has sent geopolitical shock waves felt in many parts, including on the African continent. How are events currently unfolding on the refugees and humanitarian front and are there lessons to be drawn from this experience by African countries?
Climate sensitive peacebuilding and Conflict-sensitive climate adaptation
Understanding Ad-Hoc Security Intitiatives in Africa
The policy brief examines the rise of ad-hoc security initiatives (ASIs) as an established type of collective security mechanism. ASIs are intended to eliminate threats posed by non-state armed groups, and operate across the borders of participating countries to enable the pursuit of such groups. ASIs have emerged because existing African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) mechanisms were not specific or responsive enough to meet this ongoing need. The Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord’s Resistance Army, the Multinational Joint Task Force, and the G5 Sahel can all be categorised as ASIs.