TimeLine Layout

August, 2021

  • 16 August

    The two pillars of the Abraham Accords

    It has been a year since the August 2020 announcement of the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel. The accords were later signed at a White House ceremony attended by President Donald Trump that September. In less than a year the UAE and Israel swiftly …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Afghan Refugee Wave Sharpens EU-Turkey Migration Crisis

    Relations between Brussels and Ankara – already strained by earlier crises over refugees – face an even bigger test as the number of Afghans fleeing westwards rapidly increases. Thousands of refugees, mostly from Afghanistan and some other Asian countries, passing the Turkish-Iranian border, make regular new headlines in Turkey. A …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    New Bosnian Peace Envoy Inherits Mission Impossible

    Christian Schmidt will need his wits about him – and the firm backing of Germany, the EU and US – if he is to avert a dangerous escalation in Bosnia. Bosnia’s new international High Representative, German Christian Schmidt, touched down at the beginning of August, but he will have scant …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Unnerved by Taliban Gains, Central Asia Boosts Ties With Russia and China

    The ongoing withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan is transforming diplomatic and security dynamics in Central Asia, creating opportunities for Russia and China to enhance their engagement with increasingly anxious governments in the region. The resurgence of the Taliban that began in the spring—and their takeover of large swaths of …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    The U.S. Is Leaving Behind a ‘Nightmare’ in Afghanistan

    From the moment President Joe Biden announced in April that the United States would withdraw all its military forces from Afghanistan within a few months, the level of violence there intensified, negotiations sputtered and the prospects for the Afghan people—especially Afghan women—became grim. The seeming rashness of the decision and …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Marines Prepare to Evacuate Kabul Embassy ahead of Possible Taliban Assault

    The Pentagon is preparing for a possible evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan amid fears that the Taliban may overrun the compound in the coming days. As the Islamic terrorist organization makes significant gains, capturing ten provincial capitals across the country, the State Department will reduce embassy staff …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Russia denies siding with Ethiopia in Nile dam dispute

    Egypt interprets Russian reluctance to back its position in the GERD dispute as pro-Ethiopian, but Moscow says it is pursuing a balanced position between Cairo and Addis Ababa. Russia has denied taking Ethiopia’s side in its dispute with Egypt over a massive dam built by Addis Ababa on the Blue …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Egypt enrolls Russian imams in ‘fatwa training program’ to combat Brotherhood

    Egypt is helping Russia confront extremism, namely Muslim Brotherhood ideology, by training Russian imams in the Dar al-Ifta — including a ‘fatwa training program.’ Egypt has recently stepped up its support for Russia in the fight against extremist ideologies and groups, most notably the Muslim Brotherhood. On Aug. 3, Egypt’s …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Intel: US ambassador meets Libya’s Hifter in Cairo

    The US envoy is for pushing for cooperation with Libya’s planned elections in December, State Department says. US Ambassador Richard Norland met Wednesday with Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter in Cairo in a continuing bid to help reunify the country after a decade of civil war. Norland’s meeting with Hifter comes …

    Read More »
  • 16 August

    Israel’s Lapid in Morocco to cement diplomatic, economic ties

    The two-day visit in Rabat of Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is not only historic diplomatically, it also cements growing trade relations between the two countries. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid arrived Aug. 11 in Rabat for a two-day visit. It is the first official visit by an Israeli foreign minister …

    Read More »