By Hodhan Jibril International Relations & Arabic Student In 2006, China invited 48 African heads of state to Beijing and with them, a fierce debate on the nature of foreign investment in Africa. According to Dambisa Moyo, a Zambian-born international economist, Africa needs foreign investment to supplement its growth. Despite the continent’s resources and low labour…
Category: Middle East & Africa
Yemen: A Civil War Forgotten
By Ruaraidh Maciver Editor-in-Chief, History Student Throughout the last two years, the majority of journalistic pieces emerging from the Middle East have been primarily addressing the continuing conflict in Syria. The seemingly endless and desperate situation facing the country becoming ever more complicated as the world watches on without answer. You could be forgiven then,…
South Sudan: War & Tragedy in the World’s Newest State
By Erika Brady Columnist, PhD Student at the Handa Center of Terrorism and Political Violence Introduction The conflict in South Sudan, the world’s newest country, has played an integral and unfortunate part in the shaping of that nation. Since its formation following relatively peaceful elections in January 2011, the country has been torn apart by civil war…
The Beginning of the End for the US-Saudi Relationship?
By Kyra Ward Economics & International Relations Student For the first time in his presidency Obama saw his veto of a bill overridden. With a 97-1 majority in the House (House democratic minority leader Harry Reid being the only exception) and 348-77 majority in the Senate the bill had overwhelming bi-partisan support. With a Congress increasingly embittered and unwilling…
Edward Watts on Filming ISIS
Erika Brady recently spoke with Edward Watts, documentary filmmaker, on his experience making the award-winning documentary Escape From ISIS for Channel 4. Aired in July 2015, Escape from ISIS has won numerous awards including the Amnesty International Award for Best Human Rights Documentary 2015 and has been nominated for a BAFTA award for the Best Current Affairs Film…
Worse than ISIS: Nigeria’s Struggle with Boko Haram
By Erika Brady Columnist, PhD Student at the Handa Center of Terrorism and Political Violence “It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows…
Qatar & the 2022 World Cup: What Can We Expect?
By Giovanna Drysdale-Anderson Correspondent, Economics & EnglishUndergraduate Student A few months after the 2015 Men’s Handball Tournament in Qatar, it is about time to reassess the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, undoubtedly one of the most controversial sports events in history. Among the numerous controversies regarding Qatar’s right to host the 2022 winter World…
Xi Jinping’s Visit in the Middle East: All for Business?
By Yifan Xia Correspondent, International Relations Undergraduate Chinese President Xi Jinping, the busiest state leader of the world in terms of diplomatic visits in 2015, started 2016 with a five-day visit to the Middle East in late January, including key countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran. It has been six years since the last…
Turkey: Our Might Makes Right
By Ruaraidh Maciver Middle East/Africa Editor, History Undergraduate Student Throughout history, we have seen attempts by every country across the globe to justify military action. In 2003, we heard President George W. Bush justify Operation Iraqi Freedom, as the existence of a ‘regime that threatens peace with weapons of mass murder’ was unacceptable to ‘the United…
Botswana: How to Dig an Economy Out of a Hole
By Ruaraidh Maciver Middle East/Africa Editor, History Undergraduate Student In the aftermath of the 2008 recession, Botswana’s economy suffered perhaps more than any other African nation, with its industrial sector alone shrinking by a staggering 30%. However, a long time has passed since this critical moment in Botswana’s past, and the economic doldrums of almost a…
For the Refugees: “England good, Norway good, Canada good, America good”
By Tom Mcelholm Correspondent, History Undergraduate Student I stood monitoring the line for clothes distribution in Calais’ Refugee Camp during the emergency week in mid-January. The CRS had announced the impending demolition of a portion of the Kurdish section of the camp. Days after journalists left they would enter the camp in APCs, teargas it…
The Syrian Conflict: Religion Conflict & Terrorism
By Erika Brady Columnist, PhD Student at the Handa Center of Terrorism and Political Violence It is difficult to know where to look in assessing the biggest threat to stability in the Middle East these days. Certainly, Syria has become the primary focus, and the tragedy unfolding there is rarely far from our minds. But as has…
