Categories
Coronavirus

Trust and Transparency: Antidotes against Corona Conspiracies

Image courtesy of United Nations COVID-19 Response/Unsplash

This blog belongs to the CSS’ coronavirus blog series, which forms a part of the center’s analysis of the security policy implications of the coronavirus crisis. See the CSS special theme page on the coronavirus for more.

Many theories are circling around the origin of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Although scientists agree that the virus has not been manipulated, rumors persist about the possibility that it leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan or that it is a biological weapon. The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) bans biological weapons, but lacks effective control mechanisms. Strengthening the BTWC could help in reducing the uncertainty that provides a basis for conspiracy theories.

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Categories
Economy Trade

The Belt and Road Initiative in Europe

This graphic maps China’s infrastructure investment in Europe related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including planned and completed railroads, ports and bridges, among other projects.

For an insight into the implications of China’s BRI and targeted influence attempts for Europe, read Linda Maduz and Henrik Larsen’s Strategic Trends 2020 chapter here.

Categories
Peace

African Mediators Outperform Their Non-African Counterparts — Here’s Why

Image courtesy of World Economic Forum/Flickr. (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

This article was originally published by Political Violence at a Glance on 30 April 2020.

In 2013, during the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (now known as the African Union), African leaders solemnly declared their aim to “silence the guns” in Africa by the end of 2020. Consequently, silencing the guns—ending armed conflict—is the African Union’s theme for 2020, with high-level discussions on how to implement this goal throughout the year.

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Categories
Security Coronavirus

Lifting Border-closures in Europe: More Coordination, Less National Go-it-Alones

Image courtesy of author

This blog belongs to the CSS’ coronavirus blog series, which forms a part of the center’s analysis of the security policy implications of the coronavirus crisis. See the CSS special theme page on the coronavirus for more.

Managing the supply of essential goods and the flow of seasonal workers during the corona crisis is challenging many European states.  A coordinated approach towards lifting border closures is required. At this stage, gradually opening borders between mildly affected neighboring regions could mean that Schengen could co-exist with the coronavirus.

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Categories
Economy

GDP Based on Purchasing Power Parity in China and the US

This graphic compares the gross domestic product (GDP) of China to that of the US between 1990 and today. Although China has become the world’s largest economy in terms of GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP), the United States remains ahead in terms of GDP per capita based on PPP.

For more on China, the US and the world order, read Jack Thompson’s Strategic Trends 2020 chapter here.