China and the Nordics: Tracing Trends in Relations

A joint ISDP/KAS report on the past and current trends in Sino-Nordic relations

Many discussions about foreign policy as well as trade and national security make reference to China and its changing political landscape. Some look to the past, drawing on historical analogies to explain the politics of the present, while others zoom in on specific developments to the exclusion of other considerations. In outlining this Asia Paper, the authors set themselves a goal to produce a report on China’s relationships with the Nordic states that is general, succinct, and readable. The main body of the text is sectioned into four parts. The first section explores the historical backdrop of Sino-Nordic relations and provides a brief overview of the interplay between Chinese domestic developments and diplomacy. This is followed by a discussion in the second section of contemporary facets of relations, including economic ties, security concerns, and political considerations. The third section explores an ideological dimension of relations by examining the impact of Chinese political thought and rhetoric on Nordic politics and society. Finally, the report touches upon the Arctic as a unique intersection of Nordic and Chinese interests. [Excerpt from the authors' own introduction.]

Honduras: año electoral 2021

Alianza de hecho

Con este espacio informativo, la Fundación Konrad Adenauer en Honduras pretende generar análisis y debate sobre las campañas electorales, los partidos políticos, los candidatos y el cronograma electoral 2021.

A Religiously Motivated Electorate in South Africa?

Religion has the potential to influence socio-political and economic processes. This paper explores the relationship between religion and politics in South Africa.

Elections continue to have purchasing power within the discourses of democracy and good governance in Africa, despite ample critique regarding their limitation of actually being a good measure of democracy (Diamond 2008; Elklit 1999; Karl 1995, 2000; Lindberg 2003; Ninsin 2006). A key feature of the literature on elections in Africa is a concern with the role that ethnicity plays. In particular, the literature presents ethnicity, along with growing authoritarianism, as the hurdle to good and fair elections, as well as violence-free electoral processes. There is, however, very little about religion’s role in elections, despite the generally accepted thesis of religiosity being regarded as central to the way of life of African people.

Jordaniens Einfluss auf den Nahost-Konflikt

Jordanien-Experte Dr. Edmund Ratka zum Besuch des jordanischen Königs Abdullah II. in Deutschland

Der jordanische König Abdullah II. ist diese Woche auf Europa-Reise. Neben Österreich, Polen und Großbritannien macht er auch in Deutschland Station, wo er am Mittwoch von Bundeskanzlerin Merkel empfangen wird. Außerdem ist eine Teilnahme an der UN-Klimakonferenz COP26 in Glasgow geplant. Unser Büroleiter in Amman, Dr. Edmund Ratka, beantwortet dazu die wichtigsten Fragen.

Nation- and State Formation

Written by Professor Bekim Baliqi and with a review by Professor Gëzim Selaci, this book offers an elaborate look at the concepts and processes of nation- and state-building. The book is available only in Albanian.

Von Corona bis Energiekrise - Abschied von Europas „Kompromissmaschine“

Europäischer Rat am 21. und 22. Oktober 2021

Zum 107. und aller Voraussicht nach letzten Mal nahm Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel am Europäischen Rat teil. Dieser beschäftigte sich mit einer breiten Themenauswahl, die von steigenden Energiepreisen über Handelsfragen bis hin zu Digitalisierung reichte. Die Auseinandersetzung mit Polen in Fragen der Rechtsstaatlichkeit spielte dabei eine ebenso prominente Rolle. Ratspräsident Charles Michel würdigte die Kanzlerin, die an der Hälfte aller Ratsgipfel teilgenommen hatte, als Stabilitätsanker Europas und dankte ihr für ihren langjährigen Einsatz für das europäische Projekt. Andere Kolleginnen und Kollegen würdigten die Rolle Merkels ebenfalls. Luxemburgs Premierminister Xavier Bettel sprach von einer „Kompromissmaschine“, die stets auf den Ausgleich zwischen den 27 Mitgliedsstaaten bedacht gewesen sei und betonte, dass er persönlich und Europa als Ganzes sie vermissen werde.

European integration despite covid: Implementation progress of Association agreement in 2020 –1h2021

Policy brief

The Ukrainian Centre for European Policy (UCEP) presented on 18 October 2021 the results of independent public monitoring of the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU for the period covering 2020 and the first half of 2021. In this policy brief you can find the key findings of the monitoring research, supported by KAS Ukraine.

Serie 2: Ensayos sobre Economía Social de Mercado y sus reflexiones para Honduras

Nos complace compartir con la sociedad hondureña una nueva edición de ensayos académicos que surgen de los diplomados en Economía Social de Mercado (ESM), que desde hace unos años venimos impulsando junto a la academia y diversos profesionales que sueñan con una Honduras mejor. Tal vez los estimados lectores se preguntarán ¿por qué la Economía Social de Mercado? Para nosotros, la persona humana con su dignidad inalienable está en el centro de atención, con sus derechos y responsabilidades. En consecuencia, representa el punto de partida para la convivencia en democracia, la libertad y una economía participativa. Se reconoce a la ESM como modelo de ordenamiento económico y social que armoniza al Estado y el mercado para fomentar la justicia social y el bien común. Reiteramos nuestro compromiso de continuar en la discusión de estos temas y seguir promoviendo un orden internacional con libertad y seguridad.

Conflict Weekly, Vol.2, No.29, 21 October 2021

An initiative by NIAS-IPRI and KAS-India Office

One year after Samuel Paty's killing, Kidnapping in Haiti, and Instability in Sudan

An African Climate Finance Agenda for COP26

The climate finance landscape is both wide and deep and is driven by a number of inter-related and complex considerations. Important decisions on these issues are likely to be taken at the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), convened in November 2021, which will have far reaching ramifications for African countries. It is imperative that both state and non-state African voices on these issues are presented to drive an agenda that is Africa-centric and which speaks to the unique challenges faced by the region. In this context, SAIIA partnered with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s Regional Programme: Energy Security and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement the project Climate Finance Innovations Towards COP26. The goal of the project was to support a shared African agenda around climate finance in the lead up to COP26, considering in particular the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on climate finance, as well as the themes of adaptation finance and private finance.