Deutsch-Tschechische Konferenz 2024: Von der Versöhnung hin zum Aufbau eines gemeinsamen Europas

Sdružení Ackermann-Gemeinde

Eine Wochenendkonferenz der Sdružení Ackermann-Gemeinde mit dem Titel "Von der Versöhnung hin zum Aufbau eines gemeinsamen Europas - Der Beitrag der grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit zu einer geeinten EU" fand in Hradec Králové statt und erfüllte ihr Ziel einer offenen und umfassenden Diskussion über Schlüsselfragen der tschechisch-deutschen Beziehungen und der europäischen Integration.

Senegal in election mood

A path with hurdles

With a delay of one month, the presidential election in Senegal will now take place on 24 March 2024. The original date (25.02.2024) was annulled by decree by President Macky Sall just a few hours before the start of the election campaign. This brings not only a nerve-wracking process to a temporary end, but also one of the most serious domestic political crises the country has experienced in a long time. Amidst all the discussions about the election date, only one thing remained the same, namely the list of possible successors of Macky Sall. In its decision, the Constitutional Council stipulated that all originally validated candidates can stand for election. This report explains which are the most promising candidates and what political programme they stand for.

2024, the Real Annus Horribilis of the Southern Mediterranean?

Med Dialogue Series N°41

In this edition of the Mediterranean Dialogue Series, Youssef Cherif sheds light on the significant trends that are expected to impact the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the upcoming months.

CDU/CSU Position Paper: A strategy for new cooperation with African partners

This is a position paper by the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Federal Parliament and details the German-African cooperation in various policy areas.

Challenges of Social Protection Policy Implementation

Findings and Policy Recommendations on Social Protection for the Vulnerable Population in Northeastern Thailand

Socio-economic growth in the inclusive and sustainable manner has been one of the focal points in the framework objectives of Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS). According to Germany’s Social Market Economy Principle, the development of society and economics of one country needs to encompass with equality, fair competition, and opportunity for everyone to prosper. Especially for the vulnerable population, the government must not leave them behind and should regularly improve the related policies, measures, and services to protect, empower, and include them in the country’s development.

Die Tage der Revolution in Moskau

Ein Erlebnisbericht

Die Auslandsinformationen feiern 2024 ihr 40-jähriges Jubiläum. Vier Jahrzehnte unserer Zeitschrift haben einen Bestand von mehr als 400 Ausgaben entstehen lassen, der so manchen Schatz bereithält. Manche Beiträge zeichnen Entwicklungen vor, die uns Jahre später eingeholt haben, manche Einschätzungen erscheinen – obwohl oder gerade weil sie die damalige Stimmung so treffend spiegeln – heute wie Zeugnisse einer fernen Epoche. Im Laufe dieses Jahres werden wir je einen Artikel aus den verschiedenen „Ai-Dekaden“ online neu aufbereiten.   Hier geht es ins Jahr 1991, als ein russischer Präsident unterstützt von den Moskauer Bürgern die entstehende Demokratie gegen einen Putsch von Betonkommunisten verteidigte.

France ahead of the European elections

Right-wing populists on the rise

On 9 March, President Macron's ruling Renaissance party officially launched its European election campaign. The election campaign kicked off under the impression of the current polls, which show significant gains for the right-wing populists in France. The question is whether this trend can still be reversed by the election date on 9 June 2024. Three months before the European elections, the French are particularly concerned about purchasing power and rising food prices. At 55% and 52% respectively, these two issues dominate the concerns of the French and will therefore be decisive for the 2024 European elections. This set of issues also includes the topic of agriculture, which has gained significant momentum with the farmers' protests at the beginning of 2024. Immigration and security are in third and fifth place respectively, which is likely to play into the hands of right-wing populist parties in particular. The war in Ukraine, which only concerned 18% of French people at the end of 2023, appears to have returned to the focus of the French population as a result of the Ukraine aid conference in Paris and the public disputes about France's involvement. In February 2024, 23% of respondents described the war in Ukraine as a key challenge and as significant for their own voting decision in the European elections.

Portugal faces difficult formation of government

Results of the early parliamentary elections in Portugal

Change of power in Portugal: the centre-right electoral alliance Aliança Democrática (AD) wins by a small margin ahead of the Socialists, who have not only lost their absolute majority after losing a third of their seats but are now only the second strongest force in the Assembleia da República. The weakness of the Socialists directly benefited the right-wing populist Chega party, which quadrupled its result compared to the 2024 elections. Neither the right-wing nor the left-wing camp can unite a majority. The most likely option at present is the formation of a minority government under PSD leader Luis Montenegro.

South African General Elections 2024

Find out further information about the General Elections taking place on May 29th, 2024.

This page spotlights reports and analysis as well as further information on the 2024 South African General Elections, carefully selected by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in South Africa.

Towards inclusive and transparent environmental governance for critical minerals & metals in Africa

Overview of Critical Raw Minerals and Metals in Sub- Saharan Africa

Globally, humanity is currently contending with a triple planetary crisis: climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. For Africa, climate change has become a risk multiplier that threatens developmental gains and forces a rethink of the business-as-usual model in all sectors. At the core of finding opportunities and addressing the challenges posed by the impacts of climate change is coherent environmental governance. This is also one of the challenges that African countries contend with. Therefore, the rise of the importance of critical minerals and metals for the global energy transition presents an opportunity for African countries to address some of the shortcomings in environmental governance. This article argues that the rise in the importance of critical minerals and metals for the global energy transition presents a possible opportunity for improved environmental governance in the region. Further, the article observes that through export revenue, employment creation, supply chains, infrastructure development and other domestic linkages, these critical metals and minerals could be economic cornerstones of many African countries. However, this can be made possible only through robust governance frameworks. At its core, environmental governance comprises mechanisms, processes, and institutions, through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations, and mediate their differences. Consequently, this paper concludes that the inclusive, transparent regulation of critical minerals and metals potentially improves socio-economic and environmental outcomes in the region. By neglecting these criteria, it is foreseeable, that the new demand for critical minerals and metals will not benefit the broader population but rather perpetuate existing inequalities.