Otsing
Workshop: Achieving Strategic Sovereignty for the European Union
The notion of European ‘strategic sovereignty’ is increasingly important in debates about the European Union. Given rapidly shifting global geopolitical and technology trends, and the seeming fragmentation of the multilateral order, the EU is being forced to confront its own position in international affairs. A number of concepts have been given life because of the deteriorating international scene including “European sovereignty”, “strategic autonomy”, “digital sovereignty”, “technological sovereignty ...
Russia in Africa: A new arena for geopolitical competition
During the Cold War, post-colonial Africa was an important front in the geopolitical contest for international influence. However, in the 1990s, post-Soviet turmoil ended many of Russia's global ambitions, including in Africa. By contrast, recent years have seen a renewed Russian interest in the continent, as part of President Vladimir Putin's drive to reassert his country as a major global player. As in other parts of the world, Russia has various means of promoting its influence. Moscow has long ...
Understanding the branches of Islam
Islam is based on a number of shared fundamental beliefs and practices. Nonetheless, over time, leadership disputes within the Muslim community have resulted in the formation of different branches, leading to the development of distinct religious identities within Islam. A better understanding of commonalities and differences between these communities is particularly relevant today, when a large number of conflicts in the Muslim world are depicted in sectarian terms, either by reference to the ...
Agriculture in Austria and South Tyrol
This briefing note is a guidance document for Members of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament who are part of the delegation to Austria and South Tyrol. The briefing note provides a general overview of the country’s geographical, economic and demographic situation and detailed information on the nature of its agricultural system.