Op-ed

By Hosein Mortada Israel’s announcement recognizing “Somaliland” has sparked deep regional—and wider international—concern. This is not merely because the move involves a self-declared entity lacking international recognition, but because it directly touches one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical theaters: the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. …

The idea of a “Global South” has returned to the forefront of strategic discourse, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. With the growing influence of BRICS, G77, ASEAN, the African Union, and CELAC, a multipolar world appears to be taking shape. Yet …

The latest report from the Transatlantic Intelligence Consortium (TIC) underscores a troubling reality: Afghanistan remains a hub of unregulated terrorism, despite repeated international claims of progress. While the Consortium is not a governmental body, its membership—retired intelligence officers, military professionals, and security analysts from around the world—lends weight …

Across Africa, a new economic dilemma is taking shape. Squeezed between the allure of import substitution and the reality of entrenched dependency, many countries are pivoting away from traditional trade partners in the United States and Europe toward a patchwork of bilateral agreements with Russia, China, and other …

  Greg Priddy The size of the 2026 oil glut is open to question, and OPEC+’s next move remains up in the air. As 2025 draws to a close, the world oil market reflects a near-consensus that the coming year will see substantial oversupply and inventory accumulation, pushing …

By Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh In a surprising move, the Houthis in Sana’a issued a sharply worded statement in response to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, asserting that any Israeli presence in the region constitutes a legitimate military target. While brief and direct on its surface, the statement carries long-term …

Fatemeh Aman Oman’s Duqm port cannot replace India’s dependence on Iran’s Chabahar. But it can help challenge Pakistan in the Indian Ocean. India’s expanding presence along Oman’s coastline has unfolded without announcements, declarations, or diplomatic spectacle. Indian naval vessels have been making increasingly regular port calls to Oman, …

Rameen Siddiqui  The final week of 2024 delivered a stark message: the era of easy money is over. In a synchronized pivot, the world’s major central banks turned hawkish—the Bank of Japan hiked rates to a thirty-year high, and the ECB signaled an end to easing. This monetary …

Zineb Riboua China’s inroads in the Middle East demonstrate how the region is still a critical front in the era of US-China competition. The 2025 US National Security Strategy signals the most significant shift in Middle East policy since the Iraq War. The new framework aims to reallocate …