In this series, we take a look at 5 current conflicts, crises and events around the world every two weeks. This time in focus: China’s head of state strengthens his influence in Europe with a European tour, US allies in Syria come under pressure and the USA loses important drone bases with its withdrawal from Niger.
Event #1: Mozambique mission ends: Threat from “Islamic State” remains
The military mission launched by southern African states in Mozambique in 2021 is due to end in July. The 2,200-strong task force was sent to support the government of the East African state in the fight against the Islamic State of Mozambique (ISM). Although the mission achieved some successes against the Islamists in the troubled province of Cabo Delgado, ISM has not been defeated. A lack of financial resources is now preventing the mission from continuing. Experts now fearthat the withdrawal of the armed forces will leave a security vacuum that ISM will exploit.
Pекао сам председнику Сију да ће, као лидер и председник велике силе, свуда у свету наићи на поштовање, али на на такво поштовање и на такву љубав нигде неће наиће као овде, у нашој Србији. pic.twitter.com/boH9rOEYw0
– Александар Вучић (@avucic) May 8, 2024
Event #2: China’s head of state in Europe – deals and differences
On his six-day tour of Europe at the beginning of May, China’s head of state Xi Jinpin visited France, Serbia and Hungary. Breakthroughs on trade issues – the EU accuses Beijing of subsidizing its electric car industry -, the war in Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war) or other issues that are straining relations.
As the New York Times reportsinstead, a long list of new infrastructure and industrial projects were signed in Serbia and Hungary that China will co-finance. French companies signed contracts for energy, financial and transportation projects. “Beijing is once again trying to drive a wedge into transatlantic relations with the ‘divide and rule principle’,” says political analyst Bernhard Seyringer in our “5 questions to” interview on the topic.
Event #3: The price of the Gaza war: US allies in Syria come under pressure
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq and Syria have stepped up their attacks against US troops. After Washington responded with a wave of retaliatory strikes, Iran is now increasing the pressure on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are allied with the US.
This is all the easier because the SDF control an area in eastern Syria that is predominantly inhabited by Arab tribes, some of whom do not accept Kurdish rule. With Iran pays and equips Arab militiasthe tensions threaten to escalate further.
Event #4: USA loses drone bases with withdrawal from Niger
The government of Niger, which came to power in a military coup in 2023, decided to end its cooperation with Washington. US military operations stopped as early as March 2024. The US is now preparing to withdraw its approximately 1,000 soldiers and civilian staff. The US troops are losing two bases in Niger from which they have been flying drone missions against Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in the Sahel for more than a decade.
In order to continue the drone missions, the USA is now looking for new partners. Côte d’Ivoire and Benin are being considered.
Event #5: Olmert: “There is no other political solution than the two-state solution”
On May 12, the International Communities Organization (ICO) hosted a high-profile online discussion on the Israel-Palestine conflict and possible post-war scenarios. The panel included former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, former Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority Naser Alkidwa and US journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman.
All three panelists agreed that only a two-state solution could end the conflict. The same opinion was recently Gershon Baskin in an interview with Militär Aktuell“The two-state solution is the only way to defeat Hamas,” said the Middle East expert. “Because Hamas is against the two-state solution. And if you want to defeat Hamas, you have to give the Palestinians hope, freedom and dignity and offer Israel security. The two-state solution is the way to move forward.”
At the event organized by the ICO, opinions differed on the question of how to get there.
Click here for “5 views of the world #001What was? What is? What will be?
Topics: Tensions in the South China Sea, the Gaza war, a feared genocide in Sudan, a conference on “killer robots” in Vienna and the planned tightening of Western sanctions against Russia.
Click here for “5 views of the world #003What was? What is? What will be?
Topics: The death of Iran’s President Raisi, Putin’s offer to negotiate peace with Kiev and the increasing criticism of Israel’s Gaza offensive.
