The deployment of French forces to Mali in January 2013 with the objective to counter the offensive of jihadist groups from Northern Mali, demonstrated the French armed forces’ ability to deploy on a very short notice and to conduct a long-distance expeditionary operation by themselves in spite of their limited strategic capabilities.

Our analysis on the Agrement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Atlanta: President Obama is now seeking approval from Congress. He might be getting more support from the Republicans.

Report published by Instytut Spraw Publicznych (ISP) and presented at the 1-2 July 2015 conference organised by ISP, Stiftung Genshagen and Ifri: "Energy Union - Germany, France and Poland between common European goals and divergent national approaches". Melchior Szczepanik (ISP) and Carole Mathieu (Ifri Centre for Energy) co-authored the chapter dedicated to the French perspective on the Energy Union.

Nowadays, the Central African Republic (CAR) is a country dependent on international aid.

Various associations organise trips to Israel and/or to the Palestinian Territories. Someone who has no previous knowledge of the Near East and who takes part in a journey organised by a pro-Israeli group, would return to France with a very different vision of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to that of someone who had travelled with a pro-Palestinian group.

For more information concerning the complete work, please click on this link.

The German economy is characterized by a very high degree of international openness – much more so than in other European countries such as France. Its economic success hence largely depends on the intensity with which it trades with the rest of the world, and in particular the United States who play a crucial role. Against this backdrop, it would seem logical that Berlin would welcome signing a free-trade agreement between the U.S. and the European Union.

For more than half a century, Cuba captured America’s attention as a symbol of anti-Americanism right in its own backyard. As normalized relations between the United States and Cuba bring these iconic hostilities to a close, many wonder if Castro’s Cold War rhetoric is finally dead. Borne primarily by Venezuela and Ecuador, Latin America's anti-Americanism has in fact merely transformed into an equally aggravating but less consequential trend today. Economic dependency tempers this new thorn in the United States’ side.

The federal elections in Canada will take place this coming October 19^th, 2015. This ballot could be a turning point in the political life of the country, because it already appears as a referendum to assess the "Harper decade".

With the Syrian crisis entering its fifth year, the changing security context in Syria and Iraq since the summer of 2014 has highlighted the increasingly important role played by the Kurds as a fighting force against Islamic State (IS). In a more general context of renewed Russian influence in the Middle East since the late 2000s, the development of Russo-Kurdish relations has entered a new phase since the beginning of the current decade.

As the Ukrainian crisis continues, it is now clear that Europe is facing a new strategic environment and needs to adapt.

A report released by Insight_E, the European energy consortium specialised on energy policy research and analysis
Lead author: Joris Dehler (KIT). Authoring team: Dogan Keles (KIT), Thomas Telsnig (IER), Benjamin Fleischer (IER), Manuel Baumann (KIT), David Fraboulet (KIC-IE/CEA), Aurélie Faure (IFRI), Wolf Fichtner (KIT). Reviewer: Paul Deane (UCC), Volker Stelzer (KIT)

At the end of the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s federal congress held in Port Elizabeth on Sunday 10th May 2015, Helen Zille was replaced by Mmusi Maimane after eight years as leader of South Africa’s largest opposition party. This passing of the baton had a significant impact both nationally and internationally because of the colour of Mmusi Maimane’s skin: for the first time, the party will actually be led by a black man. More than 20 years after the end of apartheid it may seem surprising that this event has excited people’s curiosity and interest, but it demonstrates that until now South African politics have often been polarized along race lines.

A report released by Insight_e,  the European energy consortium specialised on energy policy research and analysis.
Lead author: Paul Deane (UCC). Authoring team: Sean Collins, Brian O'Gallachoir (UCC), Cherrelle Eid (Ifri), Rupert Hartel, Dogan Keles, Wolf Fichtner (KIT). Reviewer: Alberto Ceña (Kic)
 

Korea is the world’s 14th largest economy but the 8th largest emitter of CO2 as of 2013, due largely to an energy-intensive industry structure. Although it has continuously reduced its dependency on petroleum since it introduced the Energy Master Plan in 2008, the relative portion of non-fossil fuel sources, such as renewable energy, is still marginal at best (representing less than 10 percent of the total energy portfolio). In particular, it is difficult for Korea to increase the portion of renewables for various reasons. In this context, Korea has tried to find an adequate role in fighting against climate change.

From Al Qaeda to Islamic state, the international jihadist movement understands how to adapt to the web’s evolution, which it is using as an operating platform.

This research paper argues that, contrary to what is often believed, most of the Chinese middle class appears to be politically conservative, and may not challenge the current political order as much as is expected, for several reasons; first of all, because of its strong connection to the Communist Party of China and the civil service in broader terms. Nonetheless, Chinese middle households are increasingly voicing their concern about a set of issues directly affecting them, such as pollution, either in the street or online.

A report released by Insight_e,  the European energy consortium specialised on energy policy research and analysis
Lead authors: Constantinos Taliotis (KTH) and Maïté de Boncourt (Ifri), Authoring team: Kimon Keramidas (Enerdata), Reviewer: Paul Deane (UCC)

Two simultaneous conflicts in Europe and the Middle East have brought the international order into flux. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and destabilization of eastern Ukraine have deeply undermined European security. Meanwhile, the self-declared Islamic State’s proclamation of a caliphate in western Iraq and eastern Syria has unsettled the Middle East. While it may be tempting for foreign policymakers to consider "Syraq" and "Rukraine" as unrelated crises, the tensions in Eastern Europe have strong implications for the situation in the Middle East, and vice versa. Indeed one of the greatest challenges to global governance is the combination of an assertive and declining Russia, and a disintegrating Middle East.

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Editor: Deborah Sherwood, published by Cligendael International Energy Program (CIEP) and Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri)

Editor: Deborah Sherwood, published by Clingendael International Energy Program (CIEP) and Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri)

Editor: Deborah Sherwood, published by Clingendael International Energy Program (CIEP)

Editor: Deborah Sherwood, published by Institut francais des relations internationales (Ifri)

While climate change is already producing devastating effects, climate negotiations so far have been largely unsuccessful.

From the incident at Pristina airport (1999) to the seizure of Crimea (2014), Moscow is trying to demonstrate that it will not abide by rules set by others, nor resign itself to the place of a second-tier power. 

To implement the “grand strategy”, Moscow’s strongest card is the energy weapon. However, the fall in oil prices and the conflict in Ukraine have brought things sharply into perspective. The traditional military dimension of the army is currently resigned to waging “limited wars” in localized areas.

Russia’s economic crisis was not caused by decisions taken by the West following the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It was predicted and widely mediatized.

The annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine crisis have enabled Vladimir Putin once again to put on a display of Russian dominance, uniting the nation around core conservative values. 

Since Copenhagen, negotiations have been in stalemate. Progress can only be made if there is a significant attempt to create a transnational carbon market. 

Libya is in chaos, divided by geographic, ethnic, economic, and religious rifts, with two militia supported governments, each trying to take control of the country’s oil fields.

After the war between Israel and Hezbollah during the summer of 2006, a deterrence strategy was established between the two parties. Occasional subsequent crises have thereby been contained and have been prevented from escalating into extensive confrontations. 

The Islamic State has considerable income, mostly from taking control of banks; managing trafficking networks – particularly hydrocarbons – and from external support. 

South Sudan is still neither a state nor a nation. Torn apart by ethnic rivalries, divided between diverging ideas about state organization, its only means of political dialogue is war. 

Boko Haram was created in 2002 and has been led since 2010 by Abubakar Shekau; however, we still know little about it. 

The expression “country risk” emerged in the United States in the 1960s. Its meaning has evolved over time, without any definition ever really being settled on.

There have only been two terrorist attacks in Denmark over the last thirty years: in 1985 and 2015. Other attacks have been prevented, notably those planned against the illustrators whose drawings of the prophet Mohammed were published in Jyllands-Posten. 

To access the whole publication, please click on this link.

Brazil’s economy is currently undergoing the effects of a double whammy.

German foreign policy is today confronted with a number of fundamental challenges. The country has become larger and has again become strong economically and must no longer content itself with its former role as France’s political junior partner in Europe or the United States’ junior partner in the world. At the same time, Berlin is far from being fully prepared for taking over this new role – deficits are both strategic and conceptual.