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241. The Wagner Group’s Influence in the Global South: Implications for Security and Governance

Author:
Natalia Tellidou
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
This policy paper explores Russia’s use of the Wagner Group in Africa, highlighting how the concept of plausible deniability allows the Kremlin to expand its influence in regions such as Mali and the Central African Republic. By distancing itself from direct responsibility for controversial military actions, Russia is able to exert significant geopolitical control. The paper also examines the continuation of Wagner Group operations following the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and discusses the broader implications of these developments for Africa and the Mediterranean region. The Wagner Group’s operations continued after the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, with increased integration into Russia’s Ministry of Defence, signaling Russia’s deeper involvement in the continent’s security dynamics. Moscow’s activities in Africa signal a broader strategy to challenge Western influence by supporting local regimes and displacing Western control over critical resources, while securing Russia’s standing as a dominant player in the region’s security and economic landscape. Russia has secured access to valuable natural resources through its African interventions, extracting billions in gold and pursuing strategic control over uranium in countries like Niger. These resources likely help fund Russia’s broader geopolitical ambitions, including its war efforts in Ukraine. Russia offers “pragmatic engagement” as a substitute for dwindling Western aid in Africa, capitalizing on the gap left by reduced Western support to build influence through military assistance, resource extraction, and infrastructure projects.
Topic:
Security, Governance, Geopolitics, Global South, and Wagner Group
Political Geography:
Africa and Russia

242. Canada and Indo-Pacific cooperation: the Quadrilateral Military Dialogue (Quad)

Author:
Gavin Cameron
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
Institution:
Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Canada has traditionally pursued a policy of limited formal engagement within the Indo-Pacific region, preferring to focus on economics rather than security, and to prioritise other regions and pre-existing commitments. As the Indo-Pacific has become a region of increasing importance to Canada, this approach has become decreasingly viable, and Canada announced a new Indo-Pacific Strategy in late 2022. The Strategy has not alleviated concerns about Canada’s full participation in the formal regional institutions. This paper explores the potential for Canada to participate in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the Quad), an arrangement between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. Such participation would enable Canada to balance its increased interest in the region with a less formal or extensive institutional commitment.
Topic:
Security, International Cooperation, Dialogue, and Military
Political Geography:
Canada, North America, and Indo-Pacific

243. Pakistan Security Report 2023

Author:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Publication Date:
01-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
As the incidence of terrorist violence marked an upsurge of 17 percent in Pakistan in 2023, Pakistan's response and focus were no match to the mounting challenge of terrorism and militancy. The country's negotiation bid with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and dwindling political focus on countering terrorism due to persisting political and economic crises emboldened the banned TTP and others to regroup and escalate terrorist violence in Pakistan. The key actors of terrorist violence were also more pronounced in the year 2023; over 82 percent of the terrorism-related deaths resulted from attacks perpetrated by three major groups including the TTP [and its subsidiaries such as Tehrik-e-Jihad Pakistan], Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). These three groups carried out over 78 percent of the total terrorist attacks recorded in the country in the year under review. These findings were revealed in Pak Institute for Peace Studies' Pakistan Security Report for 2023, which was released on 4 January 2024. The report includes the comprehensive data on violent incidents including terrorist attacks, comparative analysis of various security variables, the changing targets and tactics of militants and nature of state responses, as well as policy recommendations.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violence, Economic Crisis, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

244. Elections Aftermath, Session III: China, Taiwan, and the U.S.-Japan Alliance After the Elections

Author:
Andrew J. Nathan, Thomas Christensen, Satoru Mori, Ayumi Teraoka, and George Miller
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
In the third panel of the full-day conference co-sponsored by Columbia University and Keio University, authorities on East Asian and global politics delve into the challenges and opportunities arising from leadership transitions in both Tokyo and Washington and how the two allies can address security challenges surrounding the Taiwan Strait. (Please note: This is a partial video edited in accordance with speaker preferences.) Speakers: Andrew J. Nathan, Class of 1919 Professor of Political Science, Columbia University Thomas Christensen, James T. Shotwell Professor of International Relations, Columbia University Satoru Mori, Professor, Faculty of Law, Keio University Ayumi Teraoka, Postdoctoral Research Scholar and Lecturer, Columbia University George Miller, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs and Adjunct Professor, Columbia’s Journalism School (moderator)
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, Elections, and Alliance
Political Geography:
Japan, China, Taiwan, and United States of America

245. North Korea Since the 1990s and U.S.-North Korea Relations: Problems and Prospects

Author:
Haksoon Paik and Arvid Lukauskas
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
Speaker: Haksoon Paik, President of the Academy of Kim Dae-jung Studies Moderator: Arvid Lukauskas, Executive Director, Picker Center for Executive Education and MPA in Economic Policy Management, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University This talk examines the strategic significance of North Korea and the Korean Peninsula for the United States and the world. It then discusses North Korea's political and economic landscape since the early 1990s, focusing on current developments. The talk highlights North Korea's security and foreign policies, emphasizing: (1) its strategy of survival and development for the 21st century, and (2) U.S.-North Korea relations, with a particular focus on nuclear and ballistic missile issues. It also reviews what happened at the Hanoi summit and the deep disillusionment among key stakeholders engaged in Korean Peninsula affairs following the failed Hanoi summit. The discussion then shifts to North Korea's recent alignment with Russia post-Hanoi, examining the implications of its mutual defense treaty with Russia for the Korean Peninsula, the Russia-Ukraine War, and broader regional and global politics. The talk considers the possibility of a renewed Cold War dynamic due to the geopolitical alignments surrounding the Koreas (US-Japan-South Korea vs. China-Russia-North Korea) and the increased threat of nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula. Finally, it concludes by highlighting challenges and prospects for improvement. This event was hosted by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute.
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, and Weapons
Political Geography:
Asia, North Korea, North America, and United States of America

246. Inevitable Fractures: The Ukraine War and the Global System

Author:
Ashley J. Tellis
Publication Date:
05-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
The divisions in contemporary geopolitics are an inevitable consequence of colliding ideas and interests against the backdrop of American primacy. The United States should accept their reality while advancing its own interests in a competitive strategic environment.
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, Geopolitics, Strategic Competition, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Russia, Ukraine, North America, and United States of America

247. Cooperation Between China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia: Current and Potential Future Threats to America

Author:
Christopher S. Chivvis and Jack Keating
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
Each one of these states threatens U.S. interests. Yet they are far from a coherent bloc and largely pose threats independent of one another.
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, and Regional Cooperation
Political Geography:
Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea

248. Negotiating the India-China Standoff: 2020–2024

Author:
Saheb Singh Chadha
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
India and China have been engaged in a standoff at their border in eastern Ladakh since April–May 2020. Over 100,000 troops remain deployed on both sides, and rebuilding political trust will take time.
Topic:
Security, Bilateral Relations, Territorial Disputes, and Borders
Political Geography:
China, South Asia, India, and Asia

249. Corrupt behavior and the safety of organizational units of the Prison Service

Author:
Marta Jaroszewska
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
Corruption in a broad, general sense is perceived as an important social problem that occurs in all spheres of human activity. This phenomenon develops according to the dynamics of changes in a given society. What remains unchanged over the years is that the purpose of corruption is material goods and personal benefits. The subject of this article is the phenomenon of corruption occurring in penitentiary units in the context of their security. When considering the issue of corruption, particular attention should be paid to the judicial authorities and places where perpetrators of crimes, including persons convicted for bribery, are serving sentences, i.e. prisons or detention centers.
Topic:
Security, Corruption, Prisons/Penal Systems, Organized Crime, and Resocialization
Political Geography:
Poland and Global Focus

250. Flaws of anti-corruption law. Selected aspects against the evolution of the rule of law in Poland

Author:
Jarosław Piątek
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
The phenomenon of corruption is becoming more and more common in Poland as much as it is throughout the world. The topic returns and it is still relevant. For the average person, this issue is often not entirely clear and requires a moment of reflection and analysis. Historical events often prevail when carefully assessing corruption. Many people do not understand that the abuse of public figures’ positions to achieve private gains, both financial and personal, is a crime. We deal with many types of corruption in today’s world. Corruption is present not only in central administration, but also in local government, where conflicts of interest deeply rooted in local economic, political, or official activities, are a frequent occurrence. The desire to improve one’s social or economic status often leads to committing crimes. The problem should worry and motivate us to take extensive actions to combat its mechanisms. It is worth emphasizing that public awareness of corruption activities, especially among the generation who lived in the times of the Polish People’s Republic, is low. Assessments and attitudes towards corruption change with age. The younger generation sees a connection between corruption and the actions of local government officials in many aspects. As a result, they associate corruption with a threat to their own security.
Topic:
Security, Corruption, Rule of Law, and Local Government
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland