This episode examines how the second administration of Donald Trump marks a return to a clearly pro-Israel but increasingly unilateral Middle East policy. Aid to Israel expanded while support for the Palestinian Authority froze. Joint strikes against Iran and disputes over Gaza reveal widening gaps, fueling debate in Israel over strategic risks and growing dependence on partisan US backing.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is available online here:

Find the full report by Dr. Michael Rimmel, here:

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In this episode, we explore how Asia — and especially Vietnam — are navigating a new and unsettled era in their ties with Washington. We trace Vietnam’s rise since 1975, its ambitious doi moi reforms, and the recent peak in relations under Biden’s 2023 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Now, with tariffs initially set at 46 per cent and later reduced to 20 per cent, and with key USAID programmes suspended, Hanoi leans on its trademark “bamboo diplomacy” to maintain stability. While Lewe Paul, Head of the Vietnam Country Office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, offers insights into Vietnam’s position, Christian Echle, Head of the Department Asia and Pacific of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, explains how countries across Asia are recalibrating their relations with the United States in this new era of strategic uncertainty.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is available online here:

Find the full report by Lewe Paul on Vietnam’s Relations with the United States under Trump 2.0, here:

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German development cooperation should be more closely aligned with economic priorities and take a more strategic approach to strengthen public support at home and to facilitate access for German companies to developing and emerging economies. Partner countries often view an open and transparent acknowledgement of Germany’s own interests as respectful and legitimate, while paternalistic approaches shaped by socio-political debate in Germany weaken support both domestically and in partner countries. We trace the contours of a more pragmatic and transparent development policy — in conversation with Olaf Wientzek, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundations Multinational Development Policy Dialogue in Brussels, and Dr Susanne Conrad, Policy Adviser for Rule of Law and Security in Africa and for Anglophone West Africa at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is available online here:

Find the full report by Fabian Wagener, Ingo F.J. Badoreck, Dr. Susanne Conrad, Magdalena Jetschgo-Morcillo, Dr. Olaf Wientzek, Nils Wörmer on Recommendations for a Realignment of German Development Cooperation, here:

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Africa’s economy is changing. Trade with Europe and the US is no longer the main focus — today, countries like China play a leading role. The old idea that Africa is still dependent on the West doesn’t tell the full story.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is available online here:

Find the full report by Anja Berretta and Gunter Rieck Moncayo on the trade with Africa, here:

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Although Russia has pursued an imperial policy in its Eurasian neighbourhood since the early 19th century, the country is not perceived as a colonial power in much of postcolonial discourse - yet its impact is still deeply felt.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is available online here:

Find the full report by Stephan Malerius and Florian Binder on Russia as a Colonial Power in the Caucasus, here:

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As global tensions rise, the world’s oceans are becoming the new frontline of foreign policy. From undersea cables to critical pipelines, maritime infrastructure is increasingly under threat. In this episode, we speak with Ferdinand Gehringer, policy advisor on homeland and cybersecurity issues at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, about Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and the growing challenges in securing the seas. What risks are we facing, and how prepared is Germany to respond?

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is available online here:

Find the full report by Ferdinand Gehringer and Matthias Hespe on how to make Europe's maritime critical infrastructure more resilient, here:

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Lake Chad, once the sixth-largest lake in the world, is now a shrinking, lawless zone at the heart of Africa’s Sahel region. Ulf Laessing, Head of Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, speaks about how climate change, weak governance, and armed jihadists are turning the lake into a humanitarian and security crisis zone and why the world should be paying attention.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, is available online here:

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Few places reveal the fault lines of global power like the South China Sea. As China asserts sweeping territorial claims, the Philippines and Vietnam respond -boldly, but in strikingly different ways. What drives their strategies? And what is at stake for the region and the world? With on-the-ground insights from Daniela Braun, Head of the Philippines Office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Florian Feyerabend, Head of the Vietnam Office, this episode examines the political and security dynamics shaping the region.

The current issue of International Reports, the foreign policy magazine of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, is available online here:

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