Central Asia has not been immune from the decline of democracy. There are now fewer chances for people to speak out against injustices or participate in political society without fearing the consequences.

Last week, the government of Yemen started to administer the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The vaccination campaign has become the latest source of dispute in a country that has been at war since 2014.

The Australia-China relationship is in a parlous state. Claims and counter-claims are made about whether China or Australia is most at fault, and there is debate about what is ultimately the root cause of this decline. 

Joko Widodo’s victory in the presidential race in 2014 challenged the previously elitist political establishment. His victory represented change, however Widodo's vision of modern Indonesia has not been realised.

This week in Australian foreign affairs: the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan; the cancellation of four arrangements between Victoria and foreign governments; Frances Adamson at the Asia Society; and more.

America’s decision to pull out its remaining troops from Afghanistan and thus facilitate a probable Taliban military take-over is bad news for Pakistan and the region in the long-term. It may result in a resurgence of terrorism, rise in refugees, and tensions across borders.

It is now 20 years since the routing of the Taliban government following the September 11 terrorist attacks against the US. The withdrawal of US and allied forces from Afghanistan represents the failure by stakeholders in finding a durable political solution. 

In Timor-Leste, floods and landslides after cyclone Seroja, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, have created a dangerous dynamic. The next stage of the crisis will be hard to navigate as poverty-stricken Timorese struggle with fresh water, health services, and sufficient nutrition. 

With the threat of right-wing extremism accelerating due to the pandemic, understanding the gendered element of the threat is essential countering radicalisation. Misogynist […]

This week in Australian foreign affairs: sharing Australian-made AstraZeneca doses with our Pacific neighbours; supporting PNG and Timor-Leste; diplomatic appointments; the latest Five […]

This week, Raúl Castro resigned as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba.  This changing of the guard is provoking local and […]