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Diplomacy and foreign policy

What are the key questions related to diplomacy and foreign policy?
Craig  Moffat

Craig Moffat

Former employee

Craig Moffat was a Senior Research Fellow in the Research group on peace, conflict and development. 

  • Security policy
  • Terrorism and extremism
  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Pandemics
  • Governance
  • AU
  • Security policy
  • Terrorism and extremism
  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Pandemics
  • Governance
  • AU
Publications
Publications

RESOLVED: Japan Should Maintain Investments in Russian Oil and Gas Projects

In this issue of Debating Japan, experts assess Japan’s investments in Russian oil and gas and whether Japan should fully divest from Russian energy.

  • Security policy
  • International investments
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Energy
  • The EU
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  • Security policy
  • International investments
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Energy
  • The EU
Publications
Publications
Scientific article

Networked territoriality: A processual–relational view on the making (and makings) of regions in world politics

This article proposes a processual–relational perspective on region-making and its effects in world politics. It revisits the concepts of regionalism and regionalisation to unearth the relational mechanisms underlying these archetypical pathways of regional emergence. Regionalism refers to the bounding of regions – the definition of its inside and outside, and of which actors fall on either side. Regionalisation denotes the binding of regions, the amalgamations of relations around a shared territoriality. I argue that regions affect world politics in their making through the boundaries raised and relations produced in the process. I then mobilise network theory and analysis to propose a framework for studying the making and makings of regions. Regions’ binding and bounding are rooted in brokerage dynamics that sustain clusters of relations denser inside a regional boundary, rather than outside, and allow some actors to control interactions across that boundary. I illustrate this framework with a case study on the emergence of the Amazon as a region in world politics. I analyse interaction networks in UN-level environmental negotiations involving the ecosystem. The analysis shows how the making of the Amazon has been tied to preserving the position of Amazonian states as the main brokers, speaking for and acting on behalf of the region.

  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • South and Central America
  • Climate
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  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • South and Central America
  • Climate
Publications
Publications
Report
Jesutimilehin O. Akamo, Happi Cynthia, Jordan Mc Lean, Faith Mabera, Arina Muresan, Tigist Kebede Feyissa, Emel Parlar Dal, Tor Sellström, Elling Tjønneland, Moussa Soumahoro, Liisa Laakso, Isaac Bheki Khambule, Tseday Tilahun, Elizabeth Sidiropolous, Cedric H. de Coning, Kristin Haugevik, Øyvind Svendsen, Mathilde Tomine Eriksdatter Giske, Elisabeth L. Rosvold, Asha Ali, Craig Moffat

Re-imagining African—Nordic relations in a changing global order

This study asks how the special relationship between countries in Africa and the Nordic region may be affected by a changing global order, that the African-Nordic cooperation can continue to evolve and remain relevant for both regions. The meeting in Helsinki on 14 June 2022 is the 20th meeting of the forum of African–Nordic Foreign Ministers. The forum was established in 2000 between five Nordic countries and ten African countries. It was intended to emphasize the political importance of Africa and to demonstrate that Africa–Nordic relations went beyond development cooperation. The forum meets alternately and rotates among African and Nordic countries and African hosts have included Benin, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. The number of African countries expanded over time and now numbers around 25. The annual meeting is an opportunity to consolidate the special relationship between African and Nordic countries and creates a space where political issues of mutual concern can be discussed. As such, it has helped to broaden the African–Nordic relations beyond development cooperation and towards a more politically-oriented and interest-based strategic partnership. Beyond the annual foreign ministers meeting, the other aspect the report looks into is what the sum-total of African-Nordic bilateral relations in the areas of trade, development, peace and security and multilateral cooperation reveals about the status of the overall relationship. Africa pursues strategic partnerships that helps it to develop and strengthen the continent’s economic potential, political identity, and its role on the global stage. In this study we pay particular attention to Africa’s relationship with China, Europe, India, Russia and Turkey. One of the dominant features of Africa’s international relations has been its non-alignment. African countries have been careful to seek partnerships with many different states and regions, without being pulled into any one alliance that may prevent it from also gaining support for its development from others. Therefore, in its strategic partnerships, African countries seeks engagements that will help it to grow its economies.

  • International economics
  • Economic growth
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • The Nordic countries
  • International organizations
  • AU
Re imagining African.PNG
  • International economics
  • Economic growth
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • The Nordic countries
  • International organizations
  • AU
Articles
New research
Articles
New research

Re-imagining African-Nordic relations in a changing global order

How will the special African-Nordic relationship be affected by a changing global order and how can strengthening multilateral cooperation sustain this relationship?
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • The Nordic countries
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Event
12:00 - 13:30
Microsoft Teams
Engelsk
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Event
12:00 - 13:30
Microsoft Teams
Engelsk
16. Jun 2022
Event
12:00 - 13:30
Microsoft Teams
Engelsk

Webinar: Europe’s green transition – Opportunities and barriers for EU-Norway cooperation

To what extent Norway is an important element of the Commission’s vision of transition under the EGD, in which sectors beyond oil and gas are Norway’s contributions expected and welcome, and what obstacles to this partnership exist due to its non-member status?

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Research project
2022 - 2024 (Ongoing)

Norway and the EU towards 2030

This project takes a closer look at developments on key areas in the relationship between Norway and the EU towards 2030....

  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Nordic countries
  • Climate
  • Governance
  • The EU
  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Nordic countries
  • Climate
  • Governance
  • The EU
Publications
Publications

Vi må ikke lure oss selv til å tro at konflikten med Russland kan løses

The conflict between Russian and the West is about autocracy versus democracy. This cannot be resolved by diplomacy

  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Diplomacy
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Diplomacy
  • Russia and Eurasia
Publications

Local and Global Aspects of Coal in the ASEAN Countries

By 2020, coal mining and power generation had been growing in Southeast Asia for decades and were projected to rise to new heights of prominence in regional energy systems, weakening the energy security of all states in the region except Indonesia, jeopardizing the NDCs of the ASEAN states under the Paris Agreement and deepening existing domestic political fault lines. Coal utilization has well-known public health, agricultural, water security and economic consequences, many of which are magnified in Southeast Asia, with its high population density and limited wind and arable land. Paradoxically, the short-sighted focus on affordability imposes significant longer-term economic risks on these states as renewable energy prices fall, while ASEAN markets for such energy sources remain underutilized.

  • Economic growth
  • Regional integration
  • Development policy
  • Asia
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Governance
  • International organizations
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  • Economic growth
  • Regional integration
  • Development policy
  • Asia
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Governance
  • International organizations
Publications
Publications

UN-ICC Cooperation: Walking A Tightrope.

United Nations (UN) peacekeepers are frequently in a position to assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its efforts to prosecute war criminals in conflict zones. This research note discusses the conditions under which UN peacekeepers assist the ICC and the potential costs and benefits of assistance for both the ICC and the UN. It argues that the UN may offer unique assets to assist the ICC, that cooperation may help improve synergy in international conflict interventions, and that the ICC’s efforts may undergird the UN’s efforts to promote reconciliation and build sustainable peace. However, the UN’s assistance to the ICC may also undermine peace operations’ key operating principles of consent, impartiality and limited use of force; introduce peace and justice dilemmas; and politicize justice.

  • Globalisation
  • Diplomacy
  • Conflict
  • Human rights
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
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  • Globalisation
  • Diplomacy
  • Conflict
  • Human rights
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
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