With the final accession of Belarus to the SCO, Mongolia found itself in the curious position of remaining one of the organisation’s two observers, and the only one whose high-level representatives attended the July 2024 summit in Astana. Nevertheless, Mongolia’s President and Foreign Minister have again spoken of preserving and developing the “proactive observer” tradition.

The recent elections in different parts of the world are deciding factors in shaping the future of the globe. Various South Asian countries also held general elections during the first half of 2024. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India – some of the SAARC members, also held general elections during this time, while elections in Sri Lanka are also likely to be held before October this year. These general elections in the SAARC countries will not only decide the future trajectories of these countries but will also be the pivotal determinants of the fate of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Ethiopian authorities are looking for a way to break through the established geographical blockade. The ambitious Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, took up this task. Experts say that Ethiopia’s determination to have its own port facilities in the Red Sea is leading to increased tensions in the strategically important Horn of Africa region.

While the collective West realizes with great surprise and astonishment that it no longer decides anything on the world stage, Europe, for its part, is disintegrating at an increasingly accelerated pace. The global power dynamic is undergoing a profound shift at cruising speed, where the predominant influence of Western countries appears to be crumbling. Historically, Europe and the United States have shaped world affairs through their colonial, military, economic and cultural power, with a stronger hold after World War II via institutions such…

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visits first to India and then, two weeks later, to the PRC, the two leading Asian countries, constituted a very remarkable development in terms of the unfolding situation in the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.

The space race between North and South Korea continues. Since the launch of its first spy satellite, Pyongyang has managed to produce a second one. The first satellite is still in operation, but the launch of the second satellite, using a new type of rocket, was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the journey has begun, and will continue.

Congratulations to all European Union citizens. With the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen, you can all expect more of the same. It should be of further comfort to Europeans within the bloc that 284 of 401 elected parliamentarians voted to put the Queen of vaccines and European militarism in charge once again. So, your leaders have matters well in hand.

The internal political crisis in Iraq is the result of its occupation in 2003 by the United States and Great Britain. Washington is first reducing and then increasing (and vice versa) its military presence in Iraq, which is divided into three contradicting parts: Sunnis, Shi’as and Kurds. Heads of diplomatic missions are changing in Baghdad, but the essence of US diplomacy is not changing.

European leaders dead worried about the return of Donald Trump to the White House later this year and the possibility of him moving the US away from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to accomplish his “Make American Great Again” goals, the former is taking steps to expand NATO to Asia to keep it relevant. Donald Trump has vowed more than once to counter China. He has also expressed optimism to use diplomacy to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Combined with his disdain for NATO, the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict could erode NATO’s credibility and legitimacy.

The attempt to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13 divided the US even more. This ties into a broader tendency that is being seen in the entire Western world: politicians going against the mainstream, i.e. Western states using any possible means to try to preserve their fading dominance, are not only being slandered, but also face attempts to physically remove them.

Pakistan’s political culture has never been truly democratic since the country’s inception. Democracy has been derailed numerous times by the state’s establishment of the country since its creation. The non-democratic forces controlling the Pakistani state have been using different politicians and political parties to achieve their ambitions. Allegedly, the incumbent Pakistani government is also supported by the deep state.

The horrific destruction of Palestinians in Gaza by brutal IDF soldiers is in its ninth month. During this time, the Israelis have committed all imaginable and unimaginable crimes of a military nature, against humanity and against the financial and economic situation of the Palestinians. If the current government – and Netanyahu himself – persist in their harsh tactics in Gaza, Israel’s security crisis could become irreparable, raising critical questions about the future existence of the state.