5 February: The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs By Isabella Keith 05 February 2021 This week in Australian foreign affairs: Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders Retreat, Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, Payne on Myanmar, and more. Read More
Vietnam’s 13th National Party Congress: What It Means for Australia-Vietnam Economic Engagement By Kyle Springer 05 February 2021 The summit’s outcomes suggest continuity in leadership and policy. Some hoped-for economic reforms will progress slowly, but Vietnam’s rising star as a global leader will go unhindered. Read More
Algeria: The Hirak and COVID-19 By Yahia H. Zoubir 04 February 2021 Despite the campaign of repression against political advocates and journalists in Algeria, and though divided, the Hirak is still alive. Pursuing contradictory government policies, the authorities have failed to convince citizens that the “New Algeria” is different from Bouteflika’s authoritarian regime. Read More
Abe’s Lasting Strategic Legacy in the Indo-Pacific By Professor Aurelia George Mulgan 03 February 2021 Former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo developed a coherent and comprehensive strategic vision. It not only precipitated Japan’s emergence as a primary player in the Indo-Pacific but also the strategic choices of other regional states, including the United States, Australia, and India. Read More
High Technology and India-Japan Strategic Cooperation By Dr Titli Basu 03 February 2021 The pursuit of tech supremacy is reshaping the global order. The strategic importance of the fourth Industrial Revolution and mastery over strategic technologies are shaping the great power game. Read More
The Rise of a CANZUK Trading Bloc By Dr Bruce Mabley 02 February 2021 The rise of the CANZUK concept coincides with recent global events such as Brexit and the protectionist Buy America policy. Political elites from potential member states are far from dismissing the concept, which might bring into being a powerful economic bloc rivalling the European Union, China, and the United States. Read More
Challenges to the Political and Peace Settlement Process in Afghanistan By Ian Dudgeon 01 February 2021 The past twelve months saw progress towards potential political and peace settlements in Afghanistan. However, this progress is conditional upon further developments in 2021, and attitudes range from cautious optimism to outright pessimism from both Afghan and international stakeholders. Read More
Why the Biden Administration Should Re-Join the UN Human Rights Council By Geoffrey Roberts 31 January 2021 Since the US withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council in 2018, authoritarian regimes have cemented their grip on power. Following President Joe Biden’s election, the US has an opportunity to push back. Read More
Forgotten Conflicts 2021: When Will the Crisis in the Central African Republic End? By Bruce Biber 30 January 2021 Conflict and violence in the Central African Republic continue to be all too frequent across the country. Since 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross has worked to curb the consequences of these clashes. Read More
Biden, Australia, and the Future of ANZUS in the Indo-Pacific By Peter J. Dean 28 January 2021 In 2021, the ANZUS alliance will have been in place for 70 years. However, in the wake of Biden’s recent inauguration as the 46th president of the United States, the alliance is experiencing challenges not seen in the past. Read More
We Are Overestimating the Belt and Road Initiative and Beijing’s Capability to Do Everything By Minh Phuong Vu 27 January 2021 China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may seem part of a "grand strategy" of expansionism threatening to destabilise the liberal international order. But upon closer inspection, it appears China's strategy towards such global leadership is restricted by factors beyond its control. Read More