author - oman observer

Europe’s view of China has evolved rapidly in recent decades. What began as a broad lack of knowledge about the country gave way to curiosity about its history and culture. China’s economic rise...

Last week, the World Leaders Climate Action Summit took place within the framework of the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. But the gathering attracted less...

Returning from their summer recess, European Union leaders have a packed agenda. At the top of the list are strengthening the bloc’s readiness for conflict and bolstering its economic...

Whenever Europeans return from their summer holidays, calls for a structural overhaul of the European Union are practically inevitable. This year will be no different, though the impetus for change...

June has been a busy month for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a speech at Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he outlined his terms for peace negotiations with Ukraine and proposed...

Earlier this month, the European Union celebrated the 20th anniversary of its biggest-ever enlargement, which brought ten new members into the bloc. That event remains a potent reminder of the EU’s...

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, and with European Parliament elections looming, the narrow passage earlier this month of the European Union’s Migrant and Asylum Pact has attracted relatively...

Once the “sick man of Europe,” Germany seems to be under the weather once again. That might be putting it mildly: much as it did in the late 1990s, Germany is staring down the barrel of...

It has been an eventful year, to put it mildly. In fact, the world has endured so much war, disruption, tension, and uncertainty that we are left to wonder whether the rules-based global order, which...

At this year’s upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, world leaders will, for the first time, officially take stock of global progress towards the goals set out in the...

The European Union had recognised the critical importance of Turkey as a bridgehead to the Middle East region. Yet the EU’s policy of engagement with Turkey has long been mostly on life...

If anyone had lingering doubts about the fractured state of global rule-making, they should now be dispelled. The just-concluded G20 summit in New Delhi attracted as much attention for who was not...

The just-concluded BRICS summit – bringing together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – was touted as a pivotal event that could change the contours of international...

Recent climate negotiations have been heated, to say the least. Beyond the usual recriminations over financing, the choice of Sultan al Jaber – Chief Executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company...

Ana PalacioThere was a time when everyone was talking about a group of fast-growing emerging economies with huge potential. But the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa –...

Major changes are afoot at the World Bank, but few people seem to be paying attention. Beyond devising a new, greener mission, the Bank is undergoing a leadership transition, with important...

The United States is finally paying attention to Africa. But recent attempts at engagement – the US-Africa Leaders Summit in December and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’sten-day tour of the...

This may be the year when artificial intelligence transforms daily life. So said Brad Smith, President and Vice Chairman of Microsoft, at a Vatican-organised event on AI last week. But Smith’s...

Actions speak louder than words. That adage explains why Russian President Vladimir Putin’s depiction of his war in Ukraine as a noble fight against Western imperialism comes across as farcical. It...

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly hailed Nato as the “most successful Alliance in history.” But, at their upcoming summit in Madrid, Nato heads of state and government will face...