FDI in the News
Burma: Pawn, Pivot, Pariah … and now Partner
- FDI in the News: Australia
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Andrew Selth, Senior Visiting Fellow
Future Directions International
18 April 2013
Over the past 25 years, Burma has been variously described as a pawn of China, an important strategic pivot in the region, and a pariah state allied with North Korea. These perceptions prompted different approaches from the international community, ranging from the hard line taken by the US, focussed on sanctions and other punitive measures, to the softer line adopted by the ASEAN countries, which emphasised “constructive engagement”. None of these policies were able to dissuade Burma’s military government from pursuing its own path to a “disciplined democracy”. The unexpected appearance in 2011 of a new reformist government under President Thein Sein, however, has transformed Burma into a potential partner for countries like Australia, which is boosting its bilateral ties.
To read the paper in full, please click here
New Zealand: National Involvement in the Indian Ocean Region
- FDI in the News: International
Michael York, Research Assistant
Future Directions International
17 December 2012.
New Zealand has recognised the significance of the Indian Ocean region and is adapting its foreign, defence and economic policies accordingly. New Zealand is expanding its regional engagement through the deepening of diplomatic ties, the negotiation of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, greater cultural integration and the refocussing of defence, aid and foreign policies to reflect the changes nature of the region. To read the article on Analysts for Change, please click here
Fears of Instability as Tensions Escalate in Central Mozambique
- FDI in the News: Australia
Kim Moss, Research Analyst.JPG)
Future Directions International
15 April 2013
Mozambique's President Armando Guebuza has warned that the country’s armed forces are prepared to respond to a series of attacks by militia sympathetic to the country’s main opposition party, the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO).
to read the papre in full, please click here
Pakistan-India Relations: Old Rivals, New Beginnings?
- FDI in the News: International
Andrew Manners, FDI Assistant Analyst.
Future Directions International.
08 November 2012.
This 7-page Australian strategic analysis paper argues that there are a number of opportunities that Pakistan and India may capitalise on in order to build a deeper relationship in the longer term. To read the paper in full, please click here
China’s Great Game in Africa and the Need for Policy Refinement
- FDI in the News: Australia
Jeff McKinnell, Research Assistant
Future Dirctions International
8 April 2013
Under Mao’s leadership, Chinese investment in Africa largely came under the auspices of the PRC’s “Solidarity” project schemes. These sought to encourage socialistic development in ideologically like-minded countries through large-scale national projects. China’s investment in Africa is now geared primarily toward access to resources, diplomatic and political influence, and access to African markets for Chinese exports. However a greater emphasis on ensuring the benefits of this investment is spread among African economies, not just China’s, is needed if China is to be successful in achieving its goals there.
To read the article in full, please click here
New Delhi looks (south)-east: India-New Zealand relationship evolving into Indo-Pacific strategic partnership
- FDI in the News: International
Balaji Chandramohan, Visiting Fellow.
Future Directions International.
13 October 2012.
As India shifts its strategic orientation from being primarily a continental power to a maritime one, in a move that will help to establish its credentials as a great power in the Indo-Pacific region, New Zealand is keen to deepen relations with a fellow democracy.
A New Pax Oleum, or a False Dawn? The Future of South Sudanese Oil Exports
- FDI in the News: Australia
Jeff McKinnell, Research Assistant.JPG)
Future Directions International
04 April 2013
Despite the resumption of South Sudanese oil exports via Sudan on 12 March 2013, a stable economic partnership between Sudan and South Sudan requires an enduring “Oil Peace” based on a sound economic relationship. To read the article, please, click here.
Black Swan in the Engine Room: Australia’s Ability to Manage Catastrophic Disaster in the Pilbara.
- FDI in the News: International
Liam McHugh, Manager, Northern Australia and Energy Security Research Programmes
Future Directions International.
08 October 2012.
This 17-page Australian report calls for a national capability able to plan for disasters. It must have an analytical and research capacity, the ability to develop the necessary doctrine and capabilities and the authority to deploy and direct assets. To read the paper in full, please click here
Malawi Reiterates Call to take Tanzania to Court over Lake Malawi Dispute
- FDI in the News: Australia
Kim Moss, Research Analyst
Future Directions International
03 April 2013
The dispute between the two countries over ownership of Lake Malawi (known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania) is not a new issue and dates back to 1964 when Malawi achieved independence. The argument between the neighbours has since resurfaced occasionally. Malawi refers to the Heligoland Treaty of 1890, to justify its claims of complete ownership of the lake according to the colonial border lines which were ratified by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU). Tanzania; however, continues to argue that in accordance with international norms, it is entitled to 50 per cent of the lake. Several attempts at mediation have been unsuccessful since 2011.
To read the article in full, please click here
Germany: National Involvement in the Indian Ocean Region
- FDI in the News: International
Ashley Woermann, FDI Research Assistant
Future Directions International.
26 September 2012.
This 7-page Australian paper explains how political engagement, economic and security interests, conflict resolution and human rights are common themes underlying much of Germany’s involvement in the Indian Ocean region. To read the paper in full, please click here
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