Building an Inclusive United Nations with Taiwan on Board

This July, President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China (Taiwan) transited through New York, an icon of diversity and freedom and home to the United Nations, as a prelude to her state visit to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Caribbean, writes Dr. Jaushieh Joseph Wu. While meeting with the Permanent Representatives to the UN…

En Marche style ‘Lelo’ movement launches in Georgia

Georgia saw the launch of Lelo, a new public movement, this week writes Gary Cartwright. The movement, which is being likened to Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche initiative, was founded by Mamuka Khazaradze, the founder of Georgia’s leading bank, TBC. The launch took place in Anaklia, Georgia, on Thursday 12 September.  It is expected that this…

Promoting US-Balkan Student Exchanges

On the anniversary of two high water marks of multilateralism  NATO completes seventy (70) years and the Kosovo war completes twenty (20) years, the West faces an existential crisis., writes Gregory Melus. Presently, the populist political star burns bright, cultural and political trends reorient themselves inwards, societies differ and people drift apart.  In these quiet…

“Togo could become the new Mali”, warns Nathaniel Olympio

“Terrorism is becoming a big problem in Togo, especially because of jihadists who arrive from Mali and Burkina Faso” warned the President of Parti des Togolais (Togolese Party) Nathaniel Olympio at the Press Club in Brussels on June 14th, writes Eli Hadzhieva.  “Only last month, 2 French citizens were kidnapped in the neighbouring country of…

An educational test for China’s Uyghur

By Henri Malosse,Guest Contributor  Qiemo County, is in the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China, part of the Southern Silk Route. In 2014 the Chinese government started a program that tried to ‘sinocise’  the non-Han population living in Qiemo County, by incentivising mixed marriage. The plan introduced an allowance that was issued to any mixed…

MRR report finds demand for mineral wool market impacted by lung disease effect of inhalation

By Eli Hadzhieva,Guest Contributor A report released by Market Research Reports (MRR) has concluded that “the fact that slivers of mineral wool when inhaled can cause lung disease affects the demand for the overall mineral wool market”.  The report also focused on the need for precautions to be taken when installing the material. The MRR…

Fixing Europe

by Shada Islam, Director of Europe and Geopolitics at Friends of Europe It’s in the open. Clear and almost official: Donald Trump’s America is in a ‘clash of civilisations’ with Iran, China and – wait for it – the World Trade Organization.  Washington’s list of foes is long and growing longer. Trump and his aides…

50th Anniversary for IFAW

by Staci McLennanDirector of IFAW’s EU office. This month the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is celebrating its 50th anniversary and half a century of work helping animals, people and the planet. It all started when a small group of people got together to stop Canada’s cruel commercial seal hunt. Fourteen years later, the effort…

Astana Economic Forum Discusses Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Sustainable Growth

By Eli Hadzhieva, Guest Contributor. The prominent speakers at this year’s Astana Economic Forum (AEF), organised at the futuristic EXPO Congress Centre of Nur-sultan on 16-17 May, disagreed on many issues, such as the role of the government in managing the economy or the optimal industrialisation path for developing countries but one thing was clear…