By Simone Galimberti* KATHMANDU, Nepal | 22 September 2025 (IDN) — The United Nations must change. This is imperative, if the institution created to promote universal rights, peace and development, wants to remain relevant. The ongoing global landscape with developed nations retrenching from their international development commitments is finally forcing the UN to do it. […]
Shades of Collective Self-Defence in the Context of Saudi-Pakistan Agreement
By A.L.A. Azeez* COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 21 September 2025 (IDN) — What does it entail when two states enter into a mutual defence pact? What if one of them is a nuclear-armed state, not party to the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the other an NPT state, not possessing nuclear weapons? That’s exactly the scenario […]
Transforming Cross-Border Connectivity in Eastern South Asia
By Joseph George, Mikiko Tanaka and Rajan Ratna* Small steps of digitalization of trade and transport processes are shaping the foundations for seamless, cost-effective and collaborative cross-border connectivity in the subregion, promising big leaps in trade integration, efficiency and competitiveness. BANGKOK, Thailand | 20 September 2025 (IDN) — In Eastern South Asia (ESA)—comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, […]
Suspending US-Kosovo Dialogue — A Rude Awakening for Kurti
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 19 September 2025 (IDN) — Although Trump does not necessarily follow logical and practical foreign policy to frame US relations with other countries, his decision to suspend the US-Kosovo dialogue was not entirely misguided. Prime Minister Kurti has failed to demonstrate statesmanship in steering the country in the right […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Over 100 Sudanese refugees die in shipwrecks
Situation in Sudan (per 18 September) At least 18 people were killed and 14 kidnapped by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in an attack on El Fasher, North Darfur, on Tuesday. This happened during violent clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The death toll only accounts for those brought to the […]
Palestine: Recognition Without Action is Meaningless
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 16 September 2025 (IDN) — During the upcoming UN General Assembly high-level meeting (September 22-30), several key European countries are expected to recognise a Palestinian state. The question that looms is how to translate such a significant development into reality, whereby the Palestinians will realise their national aspiration for […]
Human Rights Council’s Revived Harassment of Sri Lanka, Exposes Double Standards
By Kalinga Seneviratne Colombo | 17 September 2025 (IDN) – With the visit of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Commissioner Volker Turk to Sri Lanka in June and his subsequent report to the 60th session of the UNHRC presented on September 8th, the UN human rights body has revived its 16 year […]
The End Game in Sri Lankan Politics
By Neville de Silva* LONDON | 17 September 2025 (IDN) — Two years ago, in September, a comparatively little-known politician did what many of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people did not expect him to do. He won the country’s presidential election, rising from virtually nowhere. Two months later, he made history. Leading his loosely knit […]
Saving the Emerald Forest
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 16 September 2025 (IDN) — Belem is the Brazilian city at the mouth of the Amazon. Unlike its slummy counterpart, Kinshasa, at the mouth of the Congo, it is full of resplendent streets with beautiful nineteenth-century houses. It has squares and marketplaces filled with cafes, fountains, and life. In […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: UN Security Council extends sanctions on Sudan
Situation in Sudan (per 15 September) The UN Security Council (UN SC) has extended sanctions on Sudan for another year, maintaining an arms embargo and targeted sanctions while also prolonging the oversight of a UN Panel of Experts until October 2026. Disagreements emerged among UN SC members, primarily US and European allies, advocating for stronger […]