Category: Uncategorized

Coming up this week in our ISN Insights coverage:

• The Jamestown Foundation’s Roman Muzalevsky takes a closer look on Monday at Kazakhstan’s growing regional ambitions evidenced in its increasing commitment to strategic dialogue initiatives.

• On Tuesday Dr Harsh V Pant from King’s College London’s Department of Defense Studies examines India’s renewed Look East Policy  — particularly in relationship to Japan — as the country works to offset China’s growing regional prowess.

• Wednesday, we examine Robert Mugabe’s new wave of violence against Zimbabwe’s political opposition in reaction to fears of an Arab-style uprising, courtesy of Professor Derek Catsam.

• A Swiss Peace Foundation analysis from Dr Didier Péclard and David Lanz on Thursday explains the many challenges to the primarily endogenous process that is statebuilding.

• We round out the week on Friday in a podcast discussion about the ICC with the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, Christian Wenaweser.

And in case you missed last week’s coverage, you can check it out here: backsliding on democracy in the Ukraine; China’s growing naval prowess; the status of Ethiopian Jews in Israel; a new multinational effort to fight transnational organized crime in Central America; and a podcast about evolving US foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific.

Last week ISN Insights traversed Brussels relations with the Arab world, moved south along the Central Africa coast, ending up in South and Southeast Asia:

• On Monday Drs Federica Bicchi and Caterina Carta of the London School of Economics and Political Science examined how the Lisbon Treaty reforms are impacting EU relations with the Arab world in the midst of the uprisings.

• Professor Gerard DeGroot of the University of St Andrews explored the ‘resource curse’ phenomenon as it applies to the tiny island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe.

• Chatham House’s Dr Farzana Shaikh analyzed Wednesday Pakistan’s relations with Sri Lanka and the implications of renewed bilateral ties for regional security.

• Thursday we published a piece by Southeast Asian-based independent journalist Simon Roughneen on how freedom of expression is – literally – on trial in Thailand.

• We rounded out the work week with our Friday ISN Podcast interview with Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt on the challenges of ensuring maritime security.

This week we’ll be taking a closer look at: backsliding on democracy in the Ukraine; rising Chinese naval power; a new drug-busting Central American partnership; the past and future of statebuilding – and much more. Stay tuned…

Last week ISN Insights took an analytical tour through Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East:

• On Monday we took a closer look at the storied diplomatic history – and increasingly important ties – between India and Indonesia, thanks to an analysis from Dr Rupakjyoti Borah.

• Tuesday’s article by the Jamestown Foundation’s Roman Muzalevsky examined the impact that increasing Tajik-Uzbek tensions are having on Iran’s regional economic ambitions.

• Dr John CK Daly laid bare the rising human, political and fiscal costs of ISAF’s logistical supply missions on Wednesday – in particular how astronomical fuel prices are hampering the battle for Afghanistan.

• On Thursday, the Center for Security Studies’ Danny Bürkli analyzed the details of the United Arab Emirates’ ambitious nuclear plans.

• We closed out the week with a round-up of Syria – both its internal political and economic dynamics as well as regional relations – in a Friday podcast interview with the Economist Intelligence Unit’s David Butter.

This week we’ll dive into: how the reformed EU architecture outlined in the 2007 Lisbon Treaty is tackling the Arab uprisings; how the tiny, island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is handling the big burden of newly discovered oil reserves; the regional impact of Pakistan’s renewed bilateral ties with Sri Lanka; the internal political dynamics propelling a harsh, new government crackdown on freedom of expression in Thailand and much more…

Last week we showcased BRIC countries in a special ISN Insights weekly theme, where we took a closer look at the emerging BRIC powerhouses – Brazil, Russia, India and China – plus one aspiring candidate, Indonesia:

• On Monday we took a closer look at India’s economic growth contrasted against its political stagnation, thanks to commentary by Dr Harsh V Pant.

• Tuesday we forecast what 2011 holds for Russia – politically, economically and diplomatically, in a broad-spectrum analysis by Simon Saradzhyan and Nabi Abdullaev.

• We examined aspiring BRIC member Indonesia on Wednesday, with an analysis by Dr John Sidel on how hopes for membership will continue to drive the government’s ambitious policy agenda.

• Thursday we shone a light on regional behemoth China, soon to overcome the US as the world’s largest economy, according the article from Dr Graham Ong- Webb.

• We wrapped up the work week with Friday’s podcast on Brazil, in which Samuel Logan predicts that Dilma Rousseff will keep the country on a path of carefully managed growth.

This week we’ll be delving into: the growing strength of Indian-Indonesian ties; the implications of recent Tajik-Uzbek squabbles; the crushing costs and growing dangers of ISAF fuel imports; the United Arab Emirates as the region’s nuclear ‘gold standard’; and a status update on Syria. More to come…