Several weeks now after the October 2018 elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the state finds itself in the throes of renewed controversy over the three constituent peoples’ respective control of political institutions.
Donor Coordination Still Lagging Behind
International development as a sector has been undergoing increased scrutiny: from financial audits to more gender-sensitive approaches, governments and international organisations have invested heavily in improving their ethical standards, transparency procedures, duty of care and due diligence, yet donor coordination is still lacking.
Armenia – further changes and challenges ahead
Current developments in Armenia, following the April 2018 revolution (also known as the ‘Velvet Revolution’) and the advent to power of Nikol Pashinian, seem to prompt a mix of optimism and caution.
Capacity building within partner security sectors: The place of governance
Does the EU support capacity building in the security sectors of third countries which have a governance element or is it content to play down or forgo that governance aspect? In Dennis Blease’s opinion the former is SSR and the latter is not.
Greece and the Republic of Northern Macedonia: The (in)visible role of the EU
On 12 June 2018, the prime ministers of Greece and Macedonia signed an historic agreement on the new constitutional name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), which will change to “Republic of Northern Macedonia”. This is expected to end a dispute which has poisoned the relations between the two countries since 1991, and to contribute to stability through a strategic partnership.
Challenges on trade routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Despite growing political tensions, Pakistan had remained Afghanistan’s largest trading partner until 2015. However, from 2016 onwards, Iran has taken over as the country’s key trading partner. Understanding, and addressing, challenges to trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan will help both governments to revive economic ties.
EU-CIVCAP 