By Mehmet Enes Beşer The Digital Silk Road (DSR), one of the pillars that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) stands upon, has traditionally been perceived through the lens of geopolitical rivalry, surveillance concerns, and technological superiority. Western policymakers tend to present it as a carrier of digital autocracy or a tool of influence projection. But such assessments, however accurate, ...

by Fabrizio Verde, Naples, Italy In the current rapidly evolving global landscape, relations between Italy and Türkiye have gained increasing importance as both countries navigate the complexities of an emerging multipolar world. Geopolitical factors play a crucial role in shaping their interactions, as both nations seek to assert their influence in key regions and establish themselves as major players on ...

The three states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have founded the Alliance of Sahel States, AES, in a bid to advance joint struggle against terrorism and pursue regional integration. We spoke to Mali’s foreign minister, Abdoulaye Diop, about the alliance’s foreign policy and reactions on the African continent, during the diplomacy forum of Antalya. The establishment of the alliance ...

UWI author, historian and political scientist Associate Professor Mehmet Perinçek shared his evaluation on the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. Perinçek emphasized that “Victory Day” changed the course of history for the entire world. “Had the USSR not won, the entire world would have been Nazified” he said and added, “In such a case, you ...

NOTE: Since February 2023, when the 80th anniversary of the Nazi defeat at Stalingrad was commemorated, I have been writing articles to evoke and celebrate the eightieth anniversary of the extraordinary epic of the peoples of the Soviet Union. With this article, we complete this series of seven articles, which, taken together, clearly outline the exceptional feat of the Great ...

By Özgür Altinbaş Chinese retired naval colonel and academic Tian (Andy) Shichen spoke about the recent geopolitical developments. Tian, who is also the founding president of the Beijing-based Global Management Institute, made evaluations on the risks in the South China Sea and the consequences of tariffs on the global level. Touching on the relations between Türkiye and China, Tian said ...

By Mehmet Enes Beşer Cambodia’s economy is especially marked by the prevalence of the US dollar usage in conjunction with the country’s official currency, the Riel. Dollarization is a persistent economic issue that is both positive and negative to the country’s economic sovereignty and policy space. The determinants, impacts, and potential policies of de-dollarization need to be understood in order ...

By Dure Akram, from Lahore / Pakistan Within hours of the gunmen killing 26 civilians in Pahalgam on April 22, the Indian media had already delivered its verdict. There was no investigation, no credible claim of responsibility, and no effort to establish a chain of accountability. Yet within hours, the narrative was fixed: Pakistan was to blame. This isn’t unfamiliar ...

The agenda of Türkiye was once again intense last week. The “Kurdish Unity” meeting in northern Syria drew reactions from the government, as well as from various institutions and organizations. The AKP government continues its new policy toward Europe. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Italy, while Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu attended the 10th Summit of the Three ...

By Mohamed Sabreen, from Cairo / Egypt Egypt and China have begun their first joint air maneuvers, and there are reports that Cairo is purchasing advanced Chinese weapons. All of this coincides with Beijing’s massive investments in Egypt. What is the “coded message” from Cairo and Beijing behind the “golden decade” of partnership between the two countries? Is it a ...

Although Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s trip to Baku last week was a one-day visit due to the necessity of his presence in Iran to manage the explosion incident at Shahid Rajaee Port on the Persian Gulf coast, it was considered an important and historic trip in Iran-Azerbaijan relations. This is because Pezeshkian was the first Iranian president to enter Baku ...

By Mehmet Enes Beşer Mongolia’s extensive mineral resources have turned it into a rapidly emerging mining center, with very high promises of rapid economic development and growth. But overlying this veneer of prosperity is a richly embroidered brocade of environmental degradation, social dislocation, and economic problems that need to be thoroughly examined. Environmental Degradation: The Ecological Price Mongolia’s recent mining ...