-
Turkmenistan’s Political Future amid Growing Australian Ties
The strengthening of ties between Australia and Turkmenistan comes as domestic politics in the Central Asian states settles into a new pattern following last year’s leadership transition.
/
-
China’s Growing Role in Middle East Diplomacy: Navigating Regional Tensions
China has historically pursued a restrained and economically focused presence in the Middle East, steering clear of direct involvement in conflicts and refraining from taking positions on contentious disputes. In this, Beijing has largely benefited from the security provisions offered by the United States, thus evading the security expenses and strategic challenges encountered by Washington.…
/
-
Behind the Pitch: How the UEFA Champions League Final Reflects Sino-Arab Geopolitics
European club football’s season is set to culminate with the UEFA men’s Champions League final being staged in Istanbul, Manchester City of the English Premier League facing Italian Serie A team Internazionale of Milan in the competition’s deciding match. On-field, it should be an action-packed showcase for European football, off-field it is less likely to be the…
/
-
Saudi Arabia, China, Red Sea Geopolitics & The 2030 World Cup
In March 2021, a container ship – the Ever Given – ran aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal following stormy weather. This caused a significant obstruction to one of the world’s busiest trade routes, which lasted for almost a week. By the time the Ever Given was freed, there were more than three hundred and sixty…
/
-
Returning to traditional solutions in the face of climate challenges
The Middle East region is facing major challenges related to climate change, and Iraq is no exception. Despite being a historically water-rich country, Iraq faces demands from multiple directions for this critical resource: population growth, the legacy of multiple wars, transboundary water (mis)management and a changing climate. An analysis of a commonly used drought index…
/
-
Solar Solutions to Power Outages in Energy-rich Iraq
In 2011, the World Bank estimated Iraqis endured, on average, 40 power outages every month – placing Iraq in the unenviable position of sixth globally in terms of frequency of outages after Bangladesh, Pakistan, Yemen, Lebanon, and Papua New Guinea. Over the past 12 years, the situation in Iraq has deteriorated further with widespread and…
/
-
Moving past the Blue Diamond Affair: Saudi and Thai ties deepen
On November 20th, Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok as a guest of honor. For Riyadh, his appearance was indicative of the kingdom’s increasingly prominent presence in multilateral forums, marking a significant step in the Saudis’ efforts to deepen their relationships with key Asian countries.…
/
-
Israel’s Upcoming Election: The View from Amman and Ramallah
Jordan and Palestine are bracing themselves for Israel’s fifth election in just over three years, slated for November 1. Beyond Israel itself, these two countries are arguably most affected by the outcome and subsequent shifts in domestic politics. Taking primacy are Jordanian and Palestinian concerns over the future prospect of a two-state solution given trends…
/
-
Capitalising on Covid: China’s health diplomacy in the Middle East
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s Belt and Road Initiative has enabled the rising superpower to expand its sphere of influence in the Middle East. Much analysis of the initiative, which has seen China invest in more than 70 countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, is focused on infrastructure, including new…
/
-
Emerging space power in Central Asia: Kazakhstan at the crossroad
After the disintegration of the USSR, Kazakhstan inherited a significant technological artefact of the Soviet space program, the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The management of the spaceport, from which the historically significant Sputnik 1 was launched, was transferred to Russia through a lease agreement from 1994 till 2050. However the Kazakhstani leadership had remained committed to the…
/
-
Navigating Great Powers: Mongolia and Kazakhstan’s shared geopolitical uncertainties
Though seldom analysed together, Mongolian and Kazakh foreign policies are connected today by nature of their shared experience of their two larger neighbours China and Russia. Mongolia and Kazakhstan have both attempted to balance a largely economic relationship with China and a military strategic relationship with Russia, in order to develop and maintain their security…
/
-
Central Asian Migration Patterns and Their Implications for Australia
By
|
|
Only small numbers of Central Asia migrants make their way to Australia yet the experience in the broader Asia Pacific suggests that this could be a missed opportunity for Australia…
-
Turkmenistan’s Political Future amid Growing Australian Ties
By
|
|
The strengthening of ties between Australia and Turkmenistan comes as domestic politics in the Central Asian states settles into a new pattern following last year’s leadership transition.
-
The Assassination of Haniyeh and the Fragility of Iranian Security
By
|
|
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran not only underscores profound vulnerabilities within Iranian intelligence but also could potentially mark a shift in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.…
-
A Weaker Taliban After Three Years in Power
By
|
|
Is the Taliban as strong as it looks? The group continues to face several problems it is either unable or unwilling to solve. While seemingly secure in the short-term, it…
-
Are the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea a Solidarity Campaign or a Ruse? – or is not the Right Question
By
|
|
Recently, there has been a surge of interest in Yemen following the Houthi military campaign attacking ships traversing the Red Sea. But why and how have their campaigns increased the…
-
Central Asia and the Conflict in Ukraine: Russia-Friendly Neutrality
By
|
|
Since the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have adopted a neutral stance towards the conflict.…
-
Political fragmentation and slow diplomacy: Yemen’s long road to peace?
By
|
|
In April this year, the Omani-mediated peace talks between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia marked a hopeful move towards finally ending the proxy war in Yemen. This was an…
-
Taliban’s Water Claims Ignite Tensions with Neighbours
By
|
|
When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, it raised concerns in neighbouring countries about their own security. The governments in most of the Central Asian countries,…
-
Indigenous – Palestinian solidarity networks challenging settler colonialism in Australia
By
|
|
Increasingly networks are forming between Indigenous and Palestinian groups through a shared experience of colonisation. In recent years, there has been a shift at the grassroots level in Australia in…
-
Egypt COP 27: Projecting freedom and openness against a record of repression
By
|
|
In November, Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm el Sheikh will be hosting the 27th annual Climate Change Conference of the Parties. When it does, if the glossy promotional…
