Expanding the Legacy
Chancellor Olaf Scholz Courted
In a diplomatic tour de force, the US government managed to impress on its partners and allies in NATO and the European Union the clear and present danger of a Russian spring offensive against Ukraine. All duly expressed grave concern regarding the recent deployment of Russian troops and hardware in...
Pragmatic, Experienced, and Slightly Awkward
Credited with reviving the politically moribund SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands), and boasting a CV brimming with public administration experience, Olaf Scholz was, until quite recently, considered somewhat of an oddball by the social democrat rank and file for his robot-like body language and speech. It earned him the nickname ‘scholz-o-mat’....
Lessons on Longevity from Iron Mum
Almost two months to the day after the September 26 federal election Germany, a three-party coalition was unveiled, tasked with ushering in the post-Merkel era with social democrat Olaf Scholz (63) at the helm as chancellor. With the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) at its core, the coalition rests on a...
Lion of African Literature
A charming chauvinist, addicted to adventure, and in his personal life often as ruthless as the characters depicted in his fast-paced novels, Wilbur Addison Smith conquered the apex most writers quietly aspire to but seldom reach: the ability to ignore critics, speak freely, and disregard societal and political convention. Mr...
Struggling to Remain Relevant
Reports of its premature passing are greatly exaggerated. Maligned by many and ill-understood by most, globalisation is far from death – or dying. The Corona Pandemic, now into its second year, did expose weak links in cross-border supply chains and the perils of just-in-time manufacturing. Operational efficiency, it would seem,...
WTO DG Meeting High Expectations
She a master of detail yet sustains a grand vision of securing a multilateral approach to cross-border issues that affect nearly all. An enviable political astuteness and the ability to come up with fresh solutions to tired problems have propelled Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to ever greater heights, shattering countless glass ceilings...
Plucky Dubai Gets the Balance Right
Last year, Dubai registered a surprisingly sharp decline in its population. Almost eight out of every one hundred inhabitants left the country as the Corona Pandemic and a vertiginous drop in oil prices unsettled both nerves and the economy. Key sectors such as real estate, tourism, and retail suffered a...
Pursuing Hegemony, China Plays the Victim
It is barely a secret that the ruling caste of present-day China seeks to return the country to its former magnificence, lost during the ‘Century of Humiliation’ (1839-1949). This was when Japan and the great western powers unceremoniously carved up the Middle Kingdom. Such a broad policy objective is eminently...
President Bolsonaro Keeps Spending
Army generals are a mostly pliant lot. To reach to the top of the military chain of command it is advisable to follow orders from above without asking too many questions. This helps explain why presidents in Latin America prefer to entrust the running of state-owned enterprises to retired generals...
South Africa Teetering on the Edge
Keep South Africa Safe. The slogan is stamped on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s favourite face mask and could well refer to more than just the Corona Pandemic. The country is embroiled in an epic struggle to save the rule of law from falling prey to the caprices of political factions not...
