Recent Posts

Russian grain diplomacy: Winning hearts, minds, and markets

The Ukraine conflict and the Black Sea grain deal have highlighted the ‘geopolitics of wheat’ and helped Russia gain leverage over Europe while expanding its influence in Africa and the Global South. In the complex fabric of international relations, the interaction between geopolitics and trade – particularly of vital commodities …

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Kirkuk on fire: Ethnicity, oil, and sovereignty light the flames

What began as a localized political pact to help fix relations between Baghdad and Erbil has spiraled into renewed ethnic turmoil in Kirkuk and a resurgence of Kurdish independence aspirations. An agreement reached between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil to relocate the Iraqi army from its headquarters in Kirkuk …

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