Spotlighting an African rarity: a poor but democratic nation. A dirty white, bullet-pocked house, without electricity and running water, does not merit a second glance in the town of Burao high in the east of Somaliland. Yet this former colonial governor’s residence, shaded by a giant acacia, was the site …

The US bridles at China’s growing Middle East footprint. But the two are not necessarily doomed to be regional rivals. Last month the Wall Street Journal reported that a planned sale of F-35 fighter aircraft and Reaper drones by the US to the UAE might fall through. The story was …

Islamic identity has been a critical part of Pakistan’s national ethos and has remained a principal determinant of its political history and foreign policy. But it also creates awkward situations, such as the question of the Uyghurs in relations with China. Pakistan is one of only a few states where …