In this podcast episode, Dr Brian Wong and Alan Doss examined the relations between democracy and development, delving into multiple cases including China, Congo and Myanmar, as well as examining the role of UN in democracy and development. Alan Doss emphasized that democracy is not a panacea for development and it cannot be imported but has to be a “local construct.”
Recently, a global de-dollarization campaign seems to be gaining momentum, driven by geopolitical risks and changing economic dynamics. What are the political and economic implications of this new development? Does it suggest the beginning of the collapse of the US dollar hegemony? We brought experts/observers together from around the world to discuss this significant development and its implications.
What scope is there for diplomacy to play a more effective role in mediating wars and conflicts? On the occasion of the publication of the 8th edition of Satow’s Diplomatic Practice edited by Ivor Roberts, we bring together four former distinguished diplomats to answer that and related questions.
Sonia Ruseler, an Argentine and former CNN world news anchor, observes whether dollar hegemony is waning in South America, where China has become the main trading partner. She argues that while China is a respected trade partner in the region, the US dollar is still the dominant currency and remains so in the foreseeable future.
Professor Robert Wade from the LSE analyses the urge for de-dollarisation and why the US dollar hegemony unlikely ends soon. He argues that while people have been forecasting the end of dollar hegemony for over half a century, but large-scale alternatives face huge difficulties, and their emergence will stretch over decades.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine produced a mixed diplomatic response from Africa. This article explores the reasons why Africa did not vote as a bloc to condemn the Russian invasion and asks if Africa will be drawn into a new version of the old Cold War. How can that be avoided and what measures should the West take to revamp and refresh its relationships with Africa at a time when the international order is rapidly changing?
