Showing posts with label CIDOB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CIDOB. Show all posts

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Afghanistan: Overview of Sources of Tension with Regional Implications 2015 (Malaiz Daud, CIDOB)

2015 was an eventful year for Afghanistan, especially for its new government. The National Unity Government (NUG) of President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah had a difficult year domestically but did relatively well at the regional and international level. Increase in insurgent activity and human capital outflow were by far the biggest challenges the new government faced. However, the government managed to secure further international military and financial commitments in the face of new challenges. President Ghani’s most ferocious move on the foreign policy front was his rapprochement with Pakistan in an effort to force the Taliban to open negotiations with NUG. This put a temporary strain on Kabul’s relationship with Delhi.

Of the five regional powers (China, Russia, India, Iran and Saudi Arabia) covered in this report, there was a clear shift in China’s policy Afghanistan policy from a bystander to the main interlocutor between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

http://www.cidob.org/en/publications/publication_series/stap_rp/policy_research_papers/afghanistan_overview_of_sources_of_tension_with_regional_implications_2015




Far-right Movements and Ideology in Contemporary Ukraine: Formidable Image vs. Weak Essence (CIDOB)

Representatives of far-right parties and social movements – mainly the notorious VO Svoboda (All-Ukrainian Union “Freedom”) − attacked the Ukrainian National Guard in late August 2015, leaving four dead and dozens hospitalised. This tragic event came as a shock to Ukrainian society and boosted anti-far-right feelings among its citizens. And, against the backdrop of Russia’s accusation that Kiev’s new government is in the hands of “fascists”, it also brought again the far right in Ukraine back into focus. But who are they and more importantly what is their real influence?

http://www.cidob.org/en/publications/publication_series/notes_internacionals/n1_141_far_right_movements_and_ideology_in_contemporary_ukraine_formidable_image_vs_weak_essence/far_right_movements_and_ideology_in_contemporary_ukraine_formidable_image_vs_weak_essence