Search Climate Insights Directory

The Madrid Conference, co-chaired by the US and Soviet Union, established a dual-track peace process consisting of bilateral negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbors and multilateral thematic working groups. While the US successfully secured the participation of key parties—including a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation—the process struggled with Israeli and Syrian intransigence. The author contends that the loss of momentum following US Secretary of State James Baker's departure and the subsequent shift toward the direct Israel-Palestine negotiations of the 1993 Oslo Agreement ended the multilateral structure of the Madrid/Washington process.

Morocco re-joined the African Union on 30 January 2017 after a 33-year absence caused by the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The paper argues that Morocco used extensive economic diplomacy and bilateral agreements to secure support for its return, aiming to cement its leadership in Africa and eventually secure AU recognition of its control over Western Sahara. The author highlights a tension between Morocco's rhetoric of African unity and its history of border disputes, suggesting that the AU lacks a strategy to manage the agendas of powerful member states.

The document analyzes French relations with sub-Saharan Africa under President Nicolas Sarkozy, highlighting a pattern of oscillation between a public discourse of renewal and the practical maintenance of ties with authoritarian leaders. It details reforms in military presence, such as the closure of the Dakar base and the renegotiation of defense agreements, while noting continued interventions in Côte d’Ivoire and Chad. Commercially, France remains dominant in Francophone Africa through the CFA Franc zone and strategic interests in oil and uranium, though it is increasingly competing with new powers like China. The author argues that a lack of transparency continues to fuel conspiracy theories and negative perceptions of French influence across the continent.

The research paper examines the 'triangular drama' between Israel, Transjordan, and the UN during the 1949 armistice negotiations. It argues that while official talks occurred at Rhodes under UN Acting Mediator Ralph Bunche, the substantive agreements were reached through secret bilateral channels in Jerusalem and Shuneh. Israel exploited a significant power asymmetry, using military 'facts on the ground' (such as Operation Uvda) and direct blackmail regarding Iraqi troop withdrawals to coerce Transjordan into conceding strategic territory. The author contends that Ralph Bunche, acting as a 'weak mediator' without the support of Great Powers, allowed these secret talks to proceed to expedite the mission, ultimately granting international legitimacy to a treaty negotiated through coercion. The document concludes that the lack of a strong third party to counterbalance Israel's power established a precedent of unsustainable peace in the region.