COMMENT 214 – Central Asia and the EU-India connectivity partnership – Reinventing the spicy...

0
Introduction The EU-India summit of May the 8th 2021 approved a vast array of common initiatives –  among which the EU-India Connectivity Partnership, the most important European global connectivity enterprise yet. Based on ‘shared values of democracy, freedom, rule of law and respect for human rights that underpin their...

COMMENT 213 – Pakistan: development calls for freedom and democracy!

0
Introduction Chinese and Pakistani authorities celebrated on the past 21st of May the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. A series of events and ceremonies included the launching of the song ‘Pakistan has stolen my heart’, which reportedly instantaneously ‘became viral’ (Global Times, 21st of May, 2021), a commemorative coin...

COMMENT 212 – India can play a pivotal role in Afghanistan’s stability after U.S....

0
As the United States prepares to pull out the entirety of its remaining 2,500 troops from Afghanistan (Liptak, 2021) – a move fast being followed by NATO allies in the war-tattered nation (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation , 2021a, 2021b) – the onus for security and stability will fall on...

SADF is participating in the “NIICE Global Conclave 2021”

0
From June 25 to 27, SADF is participating in the “NIICE Global Conclave 2021”. It is a co-organised event with the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE). Other partners include the Center for Chinese and East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU, India), the Institute of South Asian...

POLICY BRIEF 11 – Disinformation in the name of the ‘fight against disinformation’

0
The case of ‘EU DisinfoLab’ Table of contents Abstract EU DisinfoLab: a disinformation tool The Disinfo Lab sprawl The Islamist hidden link Freedom of expression Modern disinformation strategies Recommendations References Correspondence   Keywords: Disinformation, disinfolab, google, twitter, islamist, iran, Benalla, US, Soros, crosscheck.     Abstract This policy brief comes in the wake of a vicious...

COMMENT 207 – Pakistan’s vision to reset its ties with the U.S. and the...

0
Pakistan is in the process of realigning its foreign policy parameters. Since last year, it became clear that Islamabad is trying to achieve more independence from Saudi Arabia in order to enlarge the room for collaboration with Iran. Currently, in a second major move to change the paradigm in...

COMMENT 206 – Pakistan’s new civilian-military cordiality in perspective

0
Since Imran Khan took office as Pakistan’s Prime Minister (PM) in August 2018, there has been an obvious improvement in the ties between the civilian government and the country’s armed forces. It is argued here that this new civil-military cordiality led to a constructive, less tensed working relationship between...

Comment 204 – Decades of Patience and An Invisible Change in Kashmir

0
On 17th February 2021, a group of 24 foreign diplomats arrived in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for a two-day visit. The group was headed by European Union (EU) Ambassador Ugo Astuto and was comprised of envoys from various EU member states – including French envoy Emmanuel Lenain, Italian envoy...

Working Paper 26 – Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations in flux: Is Islamabad realigning its foreign...

0
Abstract It seems that relations between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lie in extraordinary flux. This SADF Working Paper starts by analysing the causes and consequences of that fact. The paper sheds light not only on possible dynamics in Pakistan’s foreign policy in relation to Saudi Arabia but...

Comment 203 – EU-India: Building bridges through High-Level Dialogue

0
India is one of the world’s largest growing economies – and an active player in global economic governance. The primary objective of the partnerships between the EU and India is transparency ( a non-discriminatory and predictable, regulatory business environment). On 5 February 2021,the  EU and India held their first...