Altamar - Navigating the High Seas of Global Politics

Impressive economic growth and development made ASEAN an increasingly important geopolitical block. In the past few decades, China invested heavily in Southeast Asia through its Belt and Road Initiative and strengthened its ties with the ten countries. The result has been widespread economic growth, greater trade and investment flows, and growth in education and technology. Recently, the US, Japan, and Australia created a counterforce to China, building an agenda around climate change issues, new investments in infrastructure development, and on issues of security and regional diplomacy. How will ASEAN balance the conflicting global interests in their region? 

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Niharika Mandhana, the Wall Street Journal’s Bureau Chief for Southeast Asia. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into the youth-driven tech boom throughout Southeast Asia.   

 

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The economic sanctions are unprecedented in both size and scope. The strongest blow was dealt by freezing assets of Russia’s Central Bank and the largest Russian sovereign wealth fund. Without reserves, the ruble has fallen to historic lows. To further isolate Russia, many countries have expelled Russian banks from SWIFT services and have targeted specific sanctions on top banks, key Russian oligarchs, as well as on President Putin and his inner circle. No sanctions regime – including the nearly half-century of sanctions on Cuba -- has been so completely unrelenting.  But is this new economic weapon a two-edged sword in a globalized world? 

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into the impact of sanctions on the Russian people.  

 

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Egypt’s revolt from Britain occurred decades before any other African or Asian country managed to throw off the yoke of British, French, Belgian, German colonial power. For years, this act of revolution propelled Egypt to a position of regional and global policy leadership – from its role as a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the pioneer of pan-Arabism, and, of course, the first country to make peace with Israel. Now, human rights abuses and restrictions of freedoms have placed the most populous Arab country in a bad light with its Western allies. 

 

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Karim Haggag, a career Egyptian diplomat with over 25 years of service. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into human rights violations and a lack of freedom within civil society in Egypt. 

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Now, countries with poor human rights records are using wealth to clean reputations and advance personal gain. Sportswashing - coined by Amnesty International in 2018- describes how countries clean their reputation by becoming the epicenter of global athletic events. Sportwashing is the newest example of the intertwining of sports and politics. And 2022 is shaping up to be one of the most politically charged sporting years in recent memory.

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Nick Sprague, Altamar’s sports correspondent, and a sports and technology entrepreneur. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into the West’s failure to deal with the rise of ‘sportswashing.’ 

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Italian Prime Minister Draghi, former European Central Bank head, managed to keep the country’s economy growing, its vaccine calendar in check, and his popularity strong both at home and abroad. Italy has also managed 248 billion Euros in recovery granted by the ECB. Even though The Economist’s prize of “Country of the Year” prize was not very competitive this year, Italy’s 2021 track record is surprisingly good.

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Arturo Zampaglione, New York correspondent for La Republicca of nearly 20 years. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into the lagging nature of women’s representation in Italian politics. 

 

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Extreme right-wing ideology is spreading. As France prepares for presidential elections in April, two candidates on the far-right are vying to replace current centrist President Emmanuel Macron. The right-wing darling Marine Le Pen and the even more extreme Eric Zemmour drive a daily political agenda of xenophobia, anti-globalization, anti-elites, and anti-immigration. This isn’t just a French phenomenon. Right-wing parties are becoming extremist in much of the West-- from Scandinavia to Spain and across the ocean to America.   

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Alain Frachon, senior columnist and former Foreign Editor of Le Monde. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into where today’s youth is headed on the political spectrum as anti-capitalist sentiment increases.

 

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The year ahead is a difficult one for Latin America as the region tries to reverse its democratic and economic backsliding. A new generation of leaders is on its way to power.

 

2022 has a critical electoral calendar in Latin America, as elections loom ahead in Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica. In Chile’s recent presidential elections, the country voted for a 35-year old former student protestor, Gabriel Boric, who promises transparency and new economic hope. In recent years, the region is again in a deep decline after considerable progress in the early 2000s; and the pandemic has only exacerbated social rifts and inequality. Can younger leaders bring solutions?

 

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Juan Gabriel Valdés, Chile’s former Foreign Minister and a true expert on his country and Latin America as a whole. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into the growing strength of progressive youth in Latin American politics.

 

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This year has been an absolute whirlwind of the Good, the Bad, and the Scary. Our end-of-year episode’s positive highlights include the scientific collaboration that led to vaccines for both COVID and malaria, a growing consensus on climate change, an emphasis on holding China accountable, and the end of the Trump era. Our drawbacks are the ever-growing concerns of COVID as it continues to run rampant around the world, geopolitical fears in Taiwan, Ukraine, and Iran that threaten future peace, and the world economy’s state of instability. 

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Ryan Heath, author of Global Insider, POLITICO’s excellent global newsletter and podcast, and a truly global expert who looks into his crystal ball to predict the trends of 2022. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic tackles the ‘scary’ of 2021, which touches on social media’s ever more polarizing effects on society.

The London Interbank Overnight Rate (LIBOR) – one of the world’s longest-lasting financial benchmarks – disappears this month. It’s just one of the many signs of a new uncertainty in economics. Rising inflation, high energy bills, real estate crises in China, lockdowns, supply chain breakdowns, and labor shortages are creating an unusual economic storm. How will all of this affect the world economy and geopolitics in the new year?

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by James Politi, Washington Bureau Chief of the Financial Times, to help us sort out the confusing world economy. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into the fact that millennials are seeing inflation for the first time in their lives.

It’s been 30 years since the Soviet Union fell. With the dismantling of communism, the US became the sole superpower. Market economies and liberal democracies became the new norm. But, Russia has once again reverted to old habits. Russia is an authoritarian superpower and one of the West’s principal antagonists. What is in Russia’s imminent future? What will Russia look like in ten years? Will Putin ever leave? 

Altamar hosts Peter Schechter and Muni Jensen are joined by Julia Ioffe, former Moscow correspondent for The New Yorker and Foreign Policy and an outspoken voice on Russia, to help us understand where Russia goes in the next decade. Altamar’s ‘Téa’s Take’ by Téa Ivanovic delves into Russia’s youth and the Kremlin’s repression of young “new Communists.”