Economy

China and her Asian enemies: the battle for the Indo-Pacific territories

The Indo-Pacific region’s strategic sea lanes, rich fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves have made it a hot point for geopolitical rivalry and confrontation. The future of the region – which stretches from Eastern Africa to the Western Americas – depends on China’s resolve to realise its ambitions – and the degree to which her [...]

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The new power play in Africa: Russia, China and the shifting sands of influence

Africa’s geopolitical landscape is changing, driven by the active involvement of Russia and China. Russia has had a hand in Africa for some time, but China’s recent involvement is further impacting historic colonial structures and patterns. Vestiges of Africa’s colonial past are still evident in its regimented zones of influence and in the political and

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The deterioration of India–China relations: the battle for influence in South Asia

India and China have long viewed each other’s global aspirations with suspicion. While their proximity makes them economically intertwined, their histories and geopolitical agendas have made their relationship fraught with distrust. India hopes for a multipolar international order in which New Delhi has a strong voice. Beijing wants to be a counterbalance to the US

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‘The Arabian Phoenix’ Part 2 – Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

This year marks the half-way point in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030. To what extent is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on track to achieve its goals of diversification economically, socially and culturally that it outlined in 2016? Last year, KSA achieved the astonishing growth rate of 8.7% – making it the fastest growing

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‘The Arabian Phoenix’ – Saudi Arabia’s resurgence in global trade

A new era is dawning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Historically, KSA’s riches have derived from abundant oil reserves, making it one of the globe’s leading exporters in this energy sector. The revenue generated from this exceptional wealth has shaped the country’s economy and infrastructure. However, dependence on and exposure to a single

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BRICS sees G7 policies as counter-productive… and they’re right!

On 1 June, the current foreign ministers of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are due to meet in Cape Town, hosted by Naledi Pandor, the South African Minister of International Relations and Co-operation. Following South Africa’s assumption of the chairmanship of BRICS on 1 January this year, the 15th BRICS

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The EU: House of Cards?

The gloss of the EU utopian ideal has well and truly tarnished. The EU-project has now come to mean very different things to different people. The Union now covers 27 countries, a combined population of around 447 million and a hugely diverse mix of cultures, nationalities, and social and economic circumstances. A white-collar worker in

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Erdogan in Turkey: One last earthquake?

Erdogan should be no stranger to seismology. This is, after all, the man who won ‘landslide’ victories in multiple Prime Ministerial and Presidential elections, the man whose Justice & Development party was heralded as shaking the foundations of Turkish civil society, the man who is no stranger to a political earthquake. Yet, last month’s devastating

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