Diplomacy
Regional Security and Strategic Diplomacy in East Asia
This week, I observed that East Asia continues to be a region where economic recovery, security concerns, and diplomatic strategy are deeply interlinked. In China, domestic manufacturing and trade activity showed signs of recovery, reflecting…
North and West Africa
This week, I observed that North and West Africa remain regions where security, governance, and economic development are deeply interconnected. In Mali, renewed clashes between government forces and armed groups highlighted the fragile nature of…
Middle East Dynamics
This week, I observed that developments in the Middle East continue to illustrate how economic leverage, regional alliances, and strategic decision-making are deeply intertwined. In Lebanon, the political and economic crisis persisted, compounded by currency…
Strategic Balance in the Indo-Pacific
This week, I observed that the Indo-Pacific continues to be a theatre of careful manoeuvring, where maritime disputes and emerging partnerships are shaping regional dynamics. In the South China Sea, China reinforced its patrols around…
Shifting Tensions and Strategic Postures
This week, I observed that the international landscape is defined less by dramatic battles and more by the subtle shifts in alliances and strategic positioning. In the South China Sea, tensions rose as China continued…
The Politics of Medical Supply in a Strained World
This week has made one reality unmistakable: the scarcity of medical supplies is reshaping international behaviour in ways that few could have predicted even a month ago. Masks, ventilators, testing kits, and protective equipment have…
Leadership in Moments When the Future Feels Unclear
This week left me thinking about how leaders respond when events move faster than their plans. Nothing about mid January 2020 feels settled. Instead, there is a sense that the world is waiting for clarity,…
When Information Shapes the World More Quickly Than Diplomats
This week has shown how information can travel faster than diplomacy, and sometimes even faster than truth. As events unfolded across the globe, it became clear that perception now moves politics as much as policy…
Geopolitics at the Start of a New Year
As 2020 begins, the world feels precariously calm. The turn of the calendar has rarely been this heavy with unresolved tensions and unstable balances. The first days of this year carry echoes of uncertainty that…
Why Legitimacy Must be Earned Long Before it can be Exercised
Political trust is neither ornamental nor optional; it is the foundational architecture upon which legitimate governance stands. Without it, institutions weaken, laws lose their moral force, and public engagement retreats into cynicism. States can survive…
Silent Power
Power is often mistaken for noise. Societies tend to associate authority with visible dominance like louder voices, sharper commands, decisive gestures. Yet the most consequential power operates quietly, embedded in structures that rarely announce themselves.
The Quiet Architecture of Trust
Some weeks feel like long corridors, the kind where sound travels slowly and everything depends on how you walk through them. This past week felt exactly like that, both in my own life and on…
