Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – Russian president Vladimir Putin has been in a benign mood after a perfectly organized World Cup which gave Russians and foreigners the rare freedom to mass in the street. In response the world TV audience has looked at Russia with new eyes. Maybe there’s a new Russia […]
Why Must President Biya Follow President Robert Mugabe?
By LIsa Vives | Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Cameroon’s President Paul Biya is seriously considering a re-election bid despite having served 36 years in the job and despite approaching 90 years of age. The President-for-Life syndrome is sadly alive and well. An editorial in the Liberian Daily Observer expressed on July 16 […]
Competitive Diplomacy Under the Trump Administration – Part 2
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the second of a two-part article which was written before the July 11-12 NATO summit in Brussels – The Editor. ROME (IDN) – It is evident that the reduction or even wiping out of U.S. spending on United Nations agencies is essentially irrelevant from the point of view of […]
Competitive Diplomacy Under the Trump Administration – Part 1
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the first of a two-part article which was written before the July 11-12 NATO summit in Brussels – The Editor. ROME (IDN) – The goal of the diplomacy of George W. Bush under his National Security Strategy (NSS) was to be “transformative”, that is, aimed at building and supporting […]
Elections Pose Yet Another Challenge To Pakistan
By Sajjad Ashraf* ISLAMABAD (IDN-INPS) – Though some legal challenges on constituency delimitation remain, Pakistan is well on its way to a general election. Caretaker Prime Minister Nasir-ul-Mulk took the oath of office at the beginning of June, setting the stage for elections to take place on July 25, 2018. Punjab province is the main […]
Mahathir Appears To Be Setting The Stage For A New Malaysia
By Shankaran Nambiar* KUALA LUMPUR (IDN-INPS) – Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad appears to be setting the tone for a revision of Malaysia’s geo-economic policy, if the bilateral meetings with his Indian and Japanese counterparts in the early days of his administration are anything to go by. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on Mahathir not […]
Global Compact on Migration Agreed Despite Differences
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – When Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the agreement an all-encompassing Global Compact to better manage international migration, address its challenges, strengthen migrant rights and contribute to sustainable development, calling it “a significant achievement” and General Assembly President Miroslav Lajčák described it as a “historic moment,” it was far more […]
UN University Supports Iceland in Facilitating Developing Countries’ Access To Geo-Energy
By Lowana Veal REYKJAVIK (IDN) – 439 million Asians and 588 million sub-Saharan Africans lack access to electricity, according to the International Energy Authority’s Energy Access Outlook. The situation is worse for those living in rural areas: although 98 percent of urban Filipinos have access to electricity, this is only true for 84 percent of […]
UN Chief Asks Melinda Gates and Ali Baba’s Jack Ma To Head Digital Experts Panel
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – Noting that “the scale, spread and speed of change made possible by digital technologies is unprecedented, but the current means and levels of international cooperation are unequal to the challenge,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the launch of a High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation. As Guterres told […]
UN Nuclear Watchdog Promotes Global Development Agenda
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – At the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, concluding on July 18 in New York, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has highlighted its contributions to promoting the Sustainable Development Goals. Capacity building to ‘ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all’ as […]