France

How French Neocolonialism converges with Iranian terrorism

France raised one billion euros "for the people of Lebanon," with a declared goal “to provide humanitarian aid." French President Emmanuel Macron even made...

Strategic Partnership or Strategic Risk? France’s Deepening Ties with Qatar

It has recently marked the half-year anniversary since France and Qatar announced a strategic partnership that will see the emirate invest €10 billion into...

Xi challenges a divided Europe

After the May 5-9 visit of President Xi Jinping to Europe most of the political analysts in Brussels who argued that the Chinese President's...

Pro-nuclear leaders push atomic energy to cut CO2 emissions, boost security of supply

A global push to expand nuclear power continued recently as world leaders from more than 30 countries and the European Union met at the...

France’s policies in Africa diminish its influence; inevitably opening the door to Russia & China

In a recent story titled "How Russia and China are trying to drive France out of Africa", what was not lost on the reader...

The end of Europe

The European Union is simply too big; it is composed of too many cultures and political perspectives; and, despite Brussels' claim that it values diversity over all other issues, this does not include a deviation from what it considers its own norms. As matters currently stand, the EU runs the risk of collapsing under its own weight.

Has Armenia killed the South Caucasus peace process?

Despite the issuance elaborate diplomatic statements detailing the various policy spheres in which discussions were held, Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, publicly stated that “no concrete results” had been reached regarding a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Bulgaria to accelerate green energy transition

Akuo has announced that it has successfully secured the refinancing of a portfolio of five operational hydroelectric power plants in Bulgaria with a capacity...

EU says ready for Russian energy weapon

The European Union said on February 16 the bloc is ready in case the Russian leadership decides to weaponize the energy issue.In a speech...

EU Parliament approves greener road charging rules to cut C02 emissions

Under the new rules adopted by the European Parliament on February 17, road charges for trucks will move from time-based to distance-based charging, making...

EU invests over €110 million in environment and climate protection in 11 member states

The European Commission announced on February 17 an investment of over €110 million into LIFE program integrated projects for environmental and climate protection, selected...

Despite heavy imports, France still biggest electricity exporter in Europe

France maintained its position as the biggest net exporter of power in Europe in the second half of 2021, despite an extreme reliance on...

Sefcovic: Europe needs to mobilize financing for battery raw materials projects

Europe needs to streamline and accelerate existing permitting procedures for raw materials, while complying with the highest environmental and social standards, EU Commission Vice-President...

The West’s disunity stems from the latent Russophilia; anti-Anglo-Americanism of key EU nations

If you personify countries by combining their politics with their national identity, it's amazing how representative the characters are. For example, the UK is...

French influence in West Africa is in danger of fragmenting

Anti-French sentiment has been growing relentlessly throughout Francophone Africa where governments have struggled to contain mounting internal security problems from jihadi insurgents. France has...

Burkina Faso coup raises serious questions about Islamic militants, the waning influence of France and Russia’s increased presence in West Africa

The military takeover in Burkina Faso on January 24 is the fourth coup in West Africa in the last 17 months. The removal of...

TotalEnergies joins Masdar and Siemens Energy to develop green hydrogen

Dubai-based renewable energy major Masdar announced on January 19 that TotalEnergies is adding its expertise in the energy sector to a Masdar-led initiative focused...

How nuclear can help the planet achieve net-zero

Nuclear power offers the world an abundant future if it is embraced, said speakers at an event jointly organised by the New Nuclear Watch...

COP26: call for more global climate action

On November 24, Members of the European Parliament debated with Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, and the Council Presidency, the Glasgow Climate Pact agreed...

The EU and the hijab

Given my relentless, savage, repetitive and – if I may say so – eminently fair criticism of the European Union, I could easily forgive...

Uzbekistan plans to double energy production to 30 GW by 2030

Uzbekistan will announce three new international tenders, for the construction of over 400 kilometers of overhead power lines, and two other new tenders for...

US, UK and Europe launch ‘Just Energy Transition’ partnership with South Africa

The governments of South Africa, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, along with the European Union, announced on November...

Uzbekistan to green its electricity sector, economy

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Following the re-election of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on October 24, the Central Asian country has chosen the path of modern...

New political patterns in the South Caucasus

Developments in the South Caucasus continue to race ahead of Europe’s understanding of them. By the time an event has been noticed, recognized, digested,...

A dash of UK Hubris: Containing China

Hubris is a fickle emotion. Too much of it can be deadly, while too little of it can be crushing. A country with a...

Greece again agrees to expand US defense cooperation

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias traveled to Washington October 13-14 to participate in a scheduled session of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, where he met...

Responsible deployment of wind to help energy transition in France

Wind energy is indispensable for a successful energy transition in France and it brings additional benefits to citizens, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told the...

EU-US mobilise further support for Global Methane Pledge

Ahead of the UN climate summit in Glasgow, European Union Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, who leads the EU's international negotiations on climate, and Special...

Defense pacts and energy in the Eastern Mediterranean

The Greeks have finally come to the realization that despite a period of relative calmness Turkey is not about to abandon its assertive behavior...

Akuo and Mirova activate 3 wind power plants in Poland

Paris-based Akuo, an independent global renewable energy power producer and developer, announced on October 13 the activation of three wind power plants in Poland,...

Russia puts the freeze on EU, gas supplies limited, prices spike

With gas prices surging, Members of the European Parliament have called for an investigation into market manipulation from state and non-state actors, and into...

MEPs call for binding methane emissions target

In a report on the EU Strategy to reduce methane emissions, Members of the European Parliament called on September 28 for binding reduction targets...

AUKUS: A French ‘beurre noisette’ in the Indo-Pacific

Any fan of French haute gastronomy understands the prominent role that noisette beurre, or burnt butter, plays in their recipes. As the speciality adds...

Germany and its neo-imperial quest in Bosnia

When rumors first began to swirl in January about the possible appointment of Christian Schmidt as Europe's High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, I...

With the AUKUS pact, the US has opted to snub some of its European partners

In the nearly nine months since he took office, it has become apparent that the US and European Union will not immediately experience a...

Will Central Asia serve as Europe’s bridge to Afghanistan?

Just over one month on from the fall of Kabul, Europe is still grasping for answers to the question of how to engage in...

Time is not on our side: EUMed 9 leaders discuss climate crisis

ATHENS - Meeting at Greece's capital on September 17, the EUMed 9 summit leaders signed on September 17 the Athens Declaration on climate change...

EU and US can close the climate finance gap together, says von der Leyen

While every country has a responsibility, major economies do have a special duty to the least developed and most vulnerable countries to tackle climate...

Uzbekistan announces financial proposals for 100MW wind farm in Karakalpakstan

Uzbekistan’s Energy Ministry announced on September 16 the financial proposals of the investors/bidders in their contest to become the independent power producer to develop...

The West must apply the lessons of Afghanistan and Tunisia to Libya

Twenty years have now passed since 9/11. Since then, differing ideas of the importance of democracy in Middle Eastern policy have dominated the foreign...

Conflict is spreading across the African continent

Many African countries are run by dictatorships, but their grasp on power is increasingly unstable. Mali has seen at least 2 changes of power...

TotalEnergies inks major energy deals in Iraq

TotalEnergies, the Iraqi Ministries for oil and electricity, and the country's National Investment Commission have signed, in the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa...

What next after 20 years of war in Afghanistan? Anatol Lieven on the U.S.’ legacy and the Taliban’s rise

On August 30, 2021, a C-17 transport plane took off from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, signaling the end of America’s longest war....

Enough of the Durban depravity

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the so-called “World Conference Against Racism”, otherwise known as Durban I. The 2001 conference was to be...

Europe willingly forfeited a leadership role in Afghanistan

If Winston Churchill were alive today, I imagine he might have said something like “Never in the history of human conflict have so few...

Mikheil Saakashvili – The post-Soviet space’s once and future buffoon

It isn't every day you find yourself talking to a major figure of recent history, especially not one who has staged both a successful...

An EU diplomatic ‘bâdgir’ in Vienna: The Iran nuclear deal 2.0

When things get hot, you look to cool them down. Persian culture is too familiar with heat with scorching Middle East temperatures. One of...

How Europe risks scoring an own goal on nuclear energy

On July 14, the European Commission took up an extensive policy initiative designed to bring the European Union’s net greenhouse gas emissions down by...

Afghanistan and the Great Powers

Can Afghanistan's never-ending internal conflict be resolved by the efforts of great and regional powers that have numerous conflicting strategic and global goals? Is...

France has a generals problem: Why there’s a fray in civilian-military relations

The sensitive question of civilian control of the armed forces is one which Western democracies like the United States and France must continue to...

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