International Organisations

After the European Parliament cleared the 26 candidates proposed by Member States to form the European Commission for 2024-2029, the new European super-ministers will take up their functions on 1 December, with a revised portfolio structure. Where does Africa fit into this new organizational chart of the European Commission? Jozef Síkela, a Czech banker with a professional career in Austria, Slovenia and Ukraine, lately serving as his country’s Ministry of Industry, has been appoin ...

Following the European Parliament’s approval of the 26 candidates proposed by Member States to form the new European Commission (2024-2029), the new European super-ministers will take office on 1 December. Notably, for the first time, the core of “Europe’s government” includes two representatives from the far-right: Italian Raffaele Fitto, nominated by the Meloni Government as Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, overseeing structural funds, and Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi, appoin ...

At its Washington summit in July 2024, marking NATO’s 75th anniversary, the Alliance focused on strengthening deterrence and defense in response to the ongoing threat from Russia. The summit also addressed escalating risks from an increasingly assertive China, particularly regarding its support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, underscoring partnerships in the Indo-Pacific with regional leaders in attendance. While Southern-oriented challenges and partnerships may not have been a cen ...

La résolution 2756 (2024), adoptée le 31 octobre par le Conseil de sécurité des Nations-Unies a réaffirmé les paramètres des précédentes résolutions en « se félicitant de la dynamique récemment créée et demandant instamment qu’elle soit mise à profit. Malgré des tentatives de l’Algérie d'altérer cette solution en y introduisant un appel au ‘’monitoring’’ des droits de l'homme, le Conseil a maintenu l'intégrité de la résolution. Deux membres permanents se sont distingués lors de l’ad ...

This paper explores the urgent need for a paradigm shift in humanitarian aid within conflict and post-conflict settings in the MENA region, advocating for a ‘developmental humanitarianism’ approach that integrates immediate relief with long-term development goals. Focusing on the limitations of traditional aid, particularly in protracted crises such as in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Gaza, the paper argues for innovative financing mechanisms and a realist perspective that aligns humani ...

Nearly 80 years after the establishment of the United Nations, Africa has yet to be granted a permanent seat on its most powerful organ, the Security Council. This "institutional discrimination" against African countries is both legally indefensible and politically untenable. Moreover, for Western nations seeking legitimacy and adaptation in a changing global geopolitical landscape, excluding 4 states representing over a billion people is strategically disadvantageous. This Policy B ...

Après presque 80 ans de la création de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, l’Afrique n’est toujours pas admise comme membre permanent au sein de son super organe : le Conseil de Sécurité. Cette « discrimination institutionnelle » à l’endroit des pays africains est aujourd’hui juridiquement indéfendable et politiquement insoutenable. Mais, par- dessus tout, une telle mise à l’écart de 54 États représentant plus d’un milliard de personnes est stratégiquement défavorable pour ...

As the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea marks forty years since its entry into force, questions persist about its success in delivering equitable access to seabed resources beyond national jurisdictions for developing countries. Part XI of the Convention, which introduced the revolutionary concept of the Common Heritage of Mankind, promised to level the playing field. Yet, the compromises made during negotiations—delaying its implementation by 12 years—have left that ...

History is unfolding before our eyes. These are days that could define the future of our world. The United Nations is calling for a “Summit for the Future,” promising “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow.” This vision will take shape on September 23-24, 2024, in New York City. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the UN since January 2017, has championed this summit as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action, recommit to fundamental principle ...

The UN-led Summit for the Future represents both a significant opportunity and a formidable challenge for global development. While its ambitious agenda has the potential to drive meaningful progress, it also faces substantial obstacles that could impede its success. By learning from past experiences, fostering genuine multilateral cooperation, and ensuring clear and accountable commitments, the Summit can enhance the prospects for development. Ultimately, the Summit’s success will ...

The African Union (AU) will attend the next G20 Summit as a full member under Brazil’s presidency in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, having been admitted to the group last year. This marks a significant step forward in amplifying Africa’s voice in global forums. Established in 2002 as the successor to the Organization of African Unity (founded in 1963), the AU aims to promote political and economic integration across the continent. It has provided a vital forum for discussion and n ...

The European Elections of 2024 were marked by a significant surge in sovereigntist parties at the expense of liberals and greens, while moderate right and left-wing parties also made notable gains. Despite the substantial wins and losses during this election, no single bloc emerged with the overall majority of 361 seats in the European Parliament. The impression from the new political balances emerging from the 2024 elections is that the European People's Party, which won the electo ...

As the Bretton Woods institutions and the UN approach their eightieth anniversaries, they face challenges to their foundational principles of multilateralism. The rise of plurilateralism through regional financing institutions and organizations like the AIIB, BRICS, G20, and G7, is reshaping global governance. These shifts demand urgent reforms to the governance structures of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to reflect the interests of emerging economies. Without ...

The African National Congress (ANC), which has dominated the political scene in South Africa since 1994, began a downward trend in terms of votes won during the 2009 elections. However, this decline has never cast doubt on the ANC’s dominant position in the South African political landscape. Even at the lowest point in its popularity, during the “State Capture” scandal of 2019, a corruption scandal involving former President Jacob Zuma, the ANC won 57.5% of the vote, which largely a ...