Redefining the Belt and Road Initiative in a Post-Pandemic World

A Critical Approach 

As discussed in the article “China’s Belt and Road Initiative“, the Silk Road has been brought again to life under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, also known as BRI in short. This plan falls under China’s wider scope to become a leading Asian power at the global level.

In the wake of the pandemic, the world experienced multiple side effects from the imposed lockdowns; global trade suffered from cross-border restrictions, recession and an anti-Chinese movement owing to the virus originating from China. 

Despite these challenges, China tackled the virus crisis faster than other countries. The global demand for health supplies and the unforeseen rise in digital commerce accelerated the Health and Digital Silk Road. This new trend allowed the Chinese expertise to export its innovation and knowledge abroad through the Belt Road Initiative.  Read more

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China’s Belt and Road Initiative

The revival of Silk Road

The Belt and Road Initiative, BRI in short, reflects China’s vision to revive the ancient trading routes that connect the East with the West. The Modern Silk Road represents the largest market worldwide that accounts for 3 billion people and extends beyond the three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The idea was born for the first time in 2013 when the Chinese President visited Kazakhstan. The goal was to highlight the crucial role of Central Asia in the regional economy; a year later, the Chinese national agenda incorporated the Silk Road initiative. The section below aims to explore further this initiative by breaking down its core elements. Read more

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Social Unrest in Colombia

What lies behind recent Colombia’s protests?

With Colombia still recovering from the pandemic, protests have been spreading nationwide since April 28. The trigger was the announcement of tax reform plans aiming to boost the economy. Undoubtedly, the domestic economy has seen its worst downfall during the last half-century with the gross domestic product falling by 6.8% in 2020. Read more

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EU Sanctions

EU Sanctions on its Neighbourhood

This article follows the recent analysis of economic sanctions as a coercive tactic and their role in international relations. As part of this topic, the first case study ‘‘US Sanctions on China” examined how sanctions are used in traditional world politics, where governments or global leaders decide to impose sanctions based on their national agendas. It is now time to explore how sanctions are shaped in an intra-state, collective level.

For this analysis, the European Union is selected as the area of study. The reason behind this lies in the particularity or the unique role of the European Union in the global system, which will help us to better understand how sanctions work in the modern politics outside the national boundaries. An in-depth analysis of the reasons is given in the section below. Read more

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France: The movement of ‘Gilets Jaunes’

The announcement of new energy policy measures in France has triggered a public backlash in the mid of November, leading to the birth of the yellow vests (gilets jaunes) movement. The choice of this specific garment is rather symbolic and associated with the legal obligation of all  French motorists to carry with them on their vehicles.

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US Midterm elections

On November 6, the 2018 midterm elections in the US have sparked public attention. Political analysts and journalists all over the world saw the elections as a great opportunity to assess Trump’s popularity during his two-year presidency.

Over the course of his service, many contradictions and speculations have emerged, favouring one-way or another the polarisation between the Democrat and Republican Party.  So, why midterm elections are so important for US politics? To answer this question, it is important to analyse first the purpose of the Midterm elections.

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A denuclearisation game

North Korea intertwined with the US plans

For a long time, North Korea has remained a secretive state. By the end of the World War, the already divided South and North Korea under Japan’s rule resulted in Soviet Union to take over the control of the North and US of the South respectively. Since then, two separate regimes have emerged, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the North under the communist rule of the Kim dynasty, with its first Great Leader Kim ll-sung, second Kim Jong-il and its current Great Leader Kim Jong-Un.

Meanwhile, the announcement of South Korea’s independence in 1948 under the name of Republic of Korea, sparked North Korea’s invasion, leading to the 1950-1953 Korean War¹. Two decades later, a peaceful reunification will be signed between the two separate entities.

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Iraqi Kurdistan On The Route To Independence

Unravelling the effects of the Kurdish referendum in the Middle East

In the era of overshadowed states, stronger regional organisations and non-state actors, the Kurdish Independence referendum in Northern Iraq on September 25 has shaken the Middle East this year. Mixed reactions and a climate of uncertainty left regional and global players speculating as to what the future might be in the region.

Beyond any personal views on the matter, the current article does not intend to legitimise or condemn the independence movement of the Kurds in Northern Iraq. In contrast, the aim is to uncover the implications and risks involved for the regional stability and beyond, if a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq could trigger a pan-Kurdish revolution in the Middle East.

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Cuba after Fidel Castro

From Cuba’s transitional era to Venezuela’s crisis

For nearly 53 years, Cuba has been under Fidel Castro’s rule. By opposing to Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorship, the Cuban revolution began in 1960 with the First Havana Declaration; more than 1 million Cubans pledged their support to Fidel Castro and the National General Assembly of the Cuban People. The contribution of the Bolivarian Internationalist leader, Ernesto Che Guevara in Havana’s Declaration has further inspired the revolution across Latin America and Africa.

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The After Effect of Turkey’s Coup D’état

The long-term repercussions for Turkey’s domestic and foreign policy

One month later and Turkey’s coup d’état is still on the news. The reason why Turkey’s political regime attracted the attention of the world media can be found in Turkey’s role in world politics. Part of the G20¹ and traditional US ally, Turkey’s geostrategic location is of high importance in the regional balance due to its borders with Syria, Iran and Iraq. As for Europe, the recent refugee crisis has brought closer the European Union with Turkey. Read more

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