Sustainable Development in 2020

2020 has seen its fair share of hardships due to COVID-19’s negative effects. The pandemic has had a direct effect on the life, health and economy of people and countries around the world. It comes as no surprise that COVID-19 has inhibited the development of many prosperity-related SDGs. Nevertheless, the pandemic has had positive effects …

Re-balancing the Relationship Between Africa and Europe

Divided by a little less than 15km at their closest tip, Europe and Africa have ties that extend beyond just their physical proximity – the history of the two continents has been linked for centuries; a joint past consisting of colonial violence, uprooted communities, the senseless plundering of natural resources, and other instances of exploitation …

Positional vs Interest Bargaining – the Dilemma in Diplomacy

As the dust settled on the Camp David Accords on the 17th of September 1978, world leaders, international relations analysts and scholars wondered how such a gargantuan agreement between two diametrically opposed foreign policies, leaders and states, could be concluded with the help of US President Jimmy Carter.  The Camp David Accords were a momentous …

Military use in outer space: why Russia’s satellite weapon is problematic

Last month the United Kingdom and the United States of America accused the Russian Federation of firing a satellite weapon into outer space. At first glance, reading this headline on a news portal would cause you to raise an eyebrow, shrug and eventually sigh at the never-ending political bickering between these three states. Yet in …