Africa and the International Criminal Court: Stocktaking in Uganda

Since its foundation, there have always been high hopes for the International Criminal Court (ICC). Eight years after the Rome Statute came into effect, which was the basis for establishing the ICC, hundreds of representatives from the 111 signatory countries, as well as civil society representatives met between May 31 and June 11, 2010, in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The goal of this first review conference was to summarise what had already been achieved, as well as to amend and revise the statute.

Caught Between Two Fronts - In Search of Lasting Peace in the Casamance Region

Eine Analyse von Ursachen, Akteuren und Konsequenzen

Senegal is seen as a model example of West African democracy. It is characterized by democratic structures and the rule of law as well as guaranteed basic freedoms, in particular freedom of religion, free speech, a free press and freedom of assembly. The democratically structured Senegalese army is one of the few African armies to be involved in regional and international peacekeeping missions. The conflict in the south-west of the country, which has been going on for almost 30 years now, however, is barely acknowledged by the rest of the world and Europe in particular.

Editorial

Migration and integration are global problems. Taking into account internal migration, around three percent of the world’s population are migrants. In absolute figures these are approximately two hundred million people. Against this backdrop, there is probably no country in the world – notwithstanding the numerous differences – that does not experience some form of migration. And there is a large number of countries, in which the problems of migration – and the issues of integration closely associated with this – are very high up on the political agenda.

Looking North: Immigration Policy in Mexico

The topic of migration has always been a political hot potato in Mexico, particular with regard to its relationship with its Northern neighbor. A number of the country’s prevailing problems are linked to it. Insufficient economic growth means there are not enough jobs, thus raising migration pressures. Organized crime is behind the gangs of smugglers operating at the borders. There is also smuggling of arms, drugs, people, and money laundering. Unsecure borders in the South and North are of concern to the United States.

Migration Policy as a Learning Process - How the Netherlands Deals with Immigrants

Issues related to migration constitute one of the main political problems in the Netherlands. Immigration issues have a profound effect on government policy, since the integration of people from other cultures touches all areas of life. Due to the low birth rate of the Dutch, economic forecasts predict a large number of job vacancies in the near future. Thus, the Netherlands require immigrants also for the purpose of maintaining the social benefit systems.

Strategic International Threats Surrounding Brazil

Brazil’s economic rise over the past decade has been nothing short of astonishing. While Brazil’s growth has not been as impressive as that in the other BRIC countries (Russia, India and China), Brazil’s key advantage over the other emerging powers is that the international strategic threats it faces are fewer and less dangerous. This does not mean that Brazil faces no threats at all: drug-trafficking, arms smuggling and guerrilla activity in a lawless frontier region in the Amazon are probably the most potent security threats Brazil faces from abroad.

The Complicated Relationship: A Snapshot of the U.S.-Mexico Border

The United States-Mexico border has long been a place of exchange: Mexico was the United States’ third largest supplier of goods imports in 2008.1 The U.S. also sends its goods to Mexico, its second largest goods export market. Other things cross the border: people, capital, technology, services, contraband goods, even human and plant diseases. With each year, the border changes in complexity and composition.

Editorial

Two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall friends borderGermany. Reunification was a success, not only in Germanybut also in Europe. Reunified Germany’s relations with itsneighbors are built on trust and Germany’s role as a partnerin Europe is viewed as downright positive. The Europeanproject has established about democracy, prosperity, andsecurity following hundreds of years of military disputesand two world wars. Instead of disrupting or slowing thisprocess, the reunification of Germany spurred this processon.

From Uribismo to Unidad Nacional - Colombia After the Congressional and Presidential Elections

By having a referendum in the spring, President Alvaro Uribe had hoped to enable himself to be re-elected once again. The resulting dispute has marked political developments in Colombia since late 2008, as there was hardly any discussion of practical politics. According to national estimates, there was little doubt that Uribe would be elected by a vast majority in the first round of elections. He had been in office since 2002, and his new candidacy dangled like a sword of Damocles over every party’s strategic considerations for selecting candidates.

Germany´s Relations with the Baltic States Since Reunification

There is no doubting the fact that relations between Germany and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are both good and close. Germany’s new minister for foreign affairs, Guido Westerwelle, also leaves no room for doubt as to the particular quality of the relations. Shortly after taking office in the fall of 2009 he met his opposite numbers from the Baltic states in Brussels for consultations which subsequently continued in July 2010 in Tallinn in the traditional 3 + 1 format.