U.S. – With several attacks now having taken place against U.S. diplomatic property, the government has put all embassies in Muslim-majority countries in a state of high-alert. Further demonstrations are expected following the conclusion of respective countries’ Friday Prayers. In the Egyptian capital, Cairo, police have resorted to dispersing around 500 protesters with tear gas, whilst securing the perimeter of the local embassy with barbed wire and concrete. Both the President of Egypt and Prime Minister of Libya have condemned the aggressive actions of protesters, whilst expressing disgust at the content of the U.S.-produced film that ignited the tension. The President’s own Muslim Brotherhood claimed that it would organise demonstrations, though none outside the U.S. embassy http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19596026

ARGENTINA – Tens of thousands across several major cities have taken part in rallies opposing the presidency of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. The President, who won a second-term re-election by a large margin last October, has since seen her approval rating decline sharply. Amongst other things, her critics accuse her of effectively creating multiple exchange rates, helping to produce an inflation rate of 25 per cent, and doing little to reduce high crime levels. http://www.euronews.com/2012/09/14/argentina-thousands-attend-anti-fernandez-rally-s/

JAPAN – A Cabinet panel convened to review national energy policy following the incident at Fukushima has concluded that Japan should seek to phase out nuclear power over the next three decades. In its place, the panel suggests, the country should increase its usage of renewable energy and sustainable fossil fuels. If the recommendations are to be followed, as some Japanese media sources suggest the government is set to do, this would be a reversal of a decades-long use of nuclear fuels by a resource-poor country which had recently relied on them for around a third of its power. http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=2024187

PRC/JAPAN – In another round of East Asian territorial disputes, six Chinese ships have initiated a “patrol” of a group of islands claimed by both the PRC and Japan – with the latter reacting negatively to what it views as an incursion into its territorial waters. This follows an incident several weeks ago when a group of Japanese nationalists made landfall on the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands before being removed by the coastguard. The rivalry between the two nations has produced claims of assaults upon Japanese citizens in several Chinese cities. http://news.iafrica.com/worldnews/816640.html

SOUTH AFRICA – Around 30 people have been killed – some shot dead – during a struggle on Thursday between police and striking workers at the Marikana platinum mine. The incident followed several days of violent clashes during which a further 10 had died. The strike had been instigated to dispute wage conditions, and has since been exacerbated by union rivalries – with each of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) accused of being more interested in politics than labour standards. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19292909

ISRAEL – Police in Jerusalem are investigation claims that “dozens” of young Jewish Israelis attacked 3 Palestinians in what was described by witnesses as a “lynch” attempt. Eye-witnesses were keen to illustrate the particular disdain with which the moral worth of “Arabs” was viewed both by the attackers, and by other Israeli youths in the vicinity. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/dozens-of-jewish-youths-attack-3-palestinians-in-suspected-jerusalem-lynch-1.459002?localLinksEnabled=false

JAPAN – Tokyo’s relationship with neighbouring countries has been tested yet again, with another land dispute to follow on from last week’s disagreement with South Korea. A number of Chinese activists made landfall on a group of uninhabited islands claimed by both China and Japan, but under the de facto control of the latter. Although Japanese police were quick to remove them from ‘Senkaku’, Japan has decided not to press charges – a move which will go some way towards easing tensions with its rival. http://www.euronews.com/2012/08/17/japan-reduces-tension-in-islands-dispute/

AFGHANISTAN – In a move which many will consider to be offensively ex post facto, the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, has called upon insurgent fighters to avoid civilian casualties where possible. This follows rising anger in the country at the number of civilian deaths caused by both sides, as well as the Taliban’s tendency to conduct assaults even during Ramadan. An attack by Islamist suicide bombers targetted Ramadan shoppers at a crowded market on Tuesday, killing scores and wounding 148. Omar’s latest call has been interpreted by some as an attempt to soften the militant group’s image in expectation of the re-opening of peace negotiations. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/uk-afghanistan-taliban-idUKBRE87G05A20120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

SYRIA – A week after military forces began massing on the edge of the city, the government has regained control of the Salah al-Din district in Aleppo. Previously containing “dug-in” rebel fighters, the area is said to be part of a vital supply route for regime units in the South. The assault coincided with the opening of a (somewhat sparcely populated) summit in Tehran aimed at reconciling the belligerents. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19192413

EGYPT – Following recent attacks against guards on the border with Israel, Egypt has launched a major military offensive in the Sinai Peninsula against armed militia groups. Despite its early fears that Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-aligned president might be sympathetic to what are perceived to be Islamist militants, Israel welcomed the attack as one that would allay concern over the security of its frontier. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=511366

PRC – The trial of Gu Kailai – who has been accused of murdering the British businessman Neil Heywood following an “economic” disagreement – has apparently ended after a single day. Although no verdict has been announced, it is likely that the wife of formerly-powerful politician Bo Xilai will face either the death penalty or life imprisonment. The fate of her husband is somewhat more opaque, as he faces ongoing investigation for “party indescretions”. http://news.sky.com/story/970416/heywood-death-trial-adjourned-in-china

THE TWO SUDANS – With an estimated 170,000 refugees having crossed the border from Sudan to the South in a bid to escape food insecurity, Medecins Sans Frontieres have reported soaring malnutrition and mortality rates in the camps set up to accommodate them. http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article43516

India is currently one of the foremost players in the international arena. It is unfortunate however that although home to almost one sixth of the total population on the planet, this sixty seven year ‘young’ country still has much to learn from its Western counterparts when it comes to building a good strategic framework.

Foreign Policy is primarily based on careful planning. This requires analysis, supported by a workable strategy. A strategy is all about integrating activities within the state utilizing and allocating resources within the state to meet the present objectives.

In the case of Indian foreign policy the present objective is a detailed ‘Neighbourhood strategy.’ Regional strategic issues top every agenda in bilateral talks with other members on the continent. The reason for emphasis on the immediate neighbour is because India is one of the few countries in the world that has more adversaries than friends in its own backyard. It is the persistence of the economic ties between the countries that has kept a permanent worry at bay.

Currently India has brilliant analysts but is lacking in strategists for International Relations. Analysis of India’s international relations has given us the theoretical basis of the issues that we should be focussed upon. Knowledge itself is not enough. Strategy however is currently the point of focus that needs careful re-thought. Jayshree Vivekanandan in her ‘Interrogating International Relations: India’s Strategic Practice and the Return of History,’ states that with the onset of the Cold War, culture was politicised and was seen as an identifiable national characteristic. She urged for a rethink of three notions; firstly, international systems must move beyond the Westphalian State; secondly, culture should be understood in more dynamic terms and lastly, power should be interpreted in its social context.

Streamlining the neighbourhood policy of India is quintessential especially since in the context of India’s immediate neighbour Pakistan. Post – independence era saw an exchange of one set of difficulties for another. Eight core issues have been narrowed down analysed and studied extensively. These eight include the Kashmir dispute, Siachen for starters. The issue now however is if the problem areas have been identified then why is there a delay in resolving the issue. India granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1995. Pakistan is yet to reciprocate. Diplomatic talks have been carried on many levels, to no avail. Mulayam Singh Yadav a Parliamentarian once stated, “We always win in a war with Pakistan but always lose on the negotiating table”. The lack of strategic planning in terms of policy framework in the geopolitical scenario is a major issue when it comes to Indo- Pakistan bilateral relations. The consistent evasiveness of Pakistan reflects the hesitation on its part to work on a concrete solution. On the other side of the border it is the snail pace at which the ad stratagem operates that is rather exasperating.

In the case of India’s other immediate neighbours namely China, Bangladesh and Nepal, the latter is perhaps the least of its worries but also is a minor power. Indo- Bangladesh has been experiencing land and maritime disputes.

Sino- India disputes revolve around Arunachal Pradesh and the long standing border dispute. If one carefully reads through this article again one can easily apprehend that the disputes have already been around for way too long. The issue at hand is not the problem but the solution which seems to be flawed for the moment. India must channelize its foreign policy to ensure that maximum disputes are now resolved in minimum time. Laxity on India’s part makes others question the effectiveness of its statements on peace in the global community.

However it is essential to note that it takes two hands to clap and if India has to effectively work on solutions for peace, equal inputs are required from its neighbours.

The whole world has known since the dawn of civilisation that you cannot change your neighbours. It is indispensable for peace on the continent that we realise the truth in this statement.

By Huma Malik

Africa is rich, not poor. Years of charity advertising and a manipulated media portrayal may have had you thinking otherwise. It is a region abundant in highly sought after resources and peppered with vast oil reserves. In recent years a number of African economies have seen an accelerated GDP growth rate. In many cases the petroleum industry has played a pivotal role in this growth. Some would see the widespread presence of oil as route to unlocking growth and securing development in the region. However, a number of oil rich countries have become victims of the “resource curse” – a term reserved for those countries which have a wealth in rare minerals and resources but fail to use it constructively.

To what extent and at what cost, human and environmental, will oil shape the future of Africa? How will this dwindling resource cope with rapid extraction at a time when global energy demands are ever increasing? And why is the wealth from overseas trade in oil not passing down to the citizens of developing countries?

Continue reading “Africa’s oil as a global resource: cure or curse?” »

As leading politicians from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meet at a summit in Cambodia this week, there have been indications that ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea could be a central topic of discussion.

Four out of ASEAN’s ten members – the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei – lay claim to limited stretches of the Sea, whilst both the PRC and RoC assert sovereignty over the waters in their entirety. As one of the world’s primary shipping arteries, and teeming with an abundance of resources, the Sea has long acted as a catalyst for disagreement and low-scale conflict amongst the region’s powers. Continue reading “ASEAN summit may address South China Sea dispute” »

Guest post by Philip C. Meluch

Given that the fourth BRICS Summit begins today in New Delhi, I thought it a good time to go back and examine the proposition of just what impact this bloc has had on international relations and the world resource markets.

The concept of BRIC has been around since early this century, but exploded into popular consciousness with the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the subsequent economic turmoil which has abated but not stopped. Continue reading “Prying Eye: what is holding the BRICS together?” »

Today is World Water Day, an annual United Nations sanctioned event designed to highlight the importance of fresh water and promote the sustainable management of water resources.

(c) Marlon Felippe

It has been running annually since 1993 and each year has a different theme- it is “water and food security” in 2012.

This year we have a milestone to celebrate; earlier this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF announced that the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to halve the number of people without access to clean drinking water has been met ahead of time.

2 billion people have gained it since 1990. This is truly fantastic news.

The figures disguise regional variations however, and it’s important not to be complacent. Major shortfalls still exist in providing access to something that is legally defined as a human right, and we should reflect on that. Continue reading “World Water Day 2012: celebrations and shortfalls” »

U.S. President Barack Obama has offered oblique criticism of the economic and human rights policies of the People’s Republic of China during the ongoing visit by the country’s leader-in-waiting, Xi Jinping.

Xi – who currently holds the position of Vice President in the PRC – is scheduled to spend five days this week meeting public officials, political and business leaders as he tours the U.S. in anticipation of his assuming the Chinese presidency in one years’ time. He met President Obama on Tuesday, after which the two held a joint press conference in the White House. Continue reading “Obama chides China’s heir presumptive over the country’s economic and human rights record” »

A teenage Tibetan nun has set herself on fire in China in the latest such protest against Beijing’s control of Tibet, an overseas activist group said today.

The young woman, identified as Tenzin Choezin, is a nun at the Mamae Nunnery in Sichuan province’s Aba prefecture. She is believed to have survived, according to authorities.

It said Choezin shouted slogans of protest against the Chinese government before setting herself on fire at a junction close to the nunnery.

“Soldiers and police came immediately and took her away,” said a statement. “Soldiers then surrounded the nunnery and sealed it off.”

At least 18 monks, nuns and ordinary Tibetans have set themselves on fire over the past year, and Free Tibet says at least 12 died from their injuries.