Diplomacy

East Timor Becomes the 11th Member of ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter: ASEAN) officially formalised the membership of East Timor, the nation state also known as Timor-Leste, on 26 October 2025. The inclusion of East Timor expands ASEAN to 11 member states, marking the successful conclusion of a lengthy process of application and negotiation. This development is recognised as a...

Papua New Guinea and Australia Sign Defence Treaty

The governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia have finalised the text of a bilateral defence treaty, establishing a new security framework between the two states. The agreement formalises their security relationship into a binding alliance with a mutual defence clause. This development comes amid increased strategic competition in the Pacific region and modifies the...

Türkiye–USA Energy Deal Shifts Bilateral Defence Ties

Energy relations between allied states are rarely confined to economic calculations. They are mechanisms of strategic alignment, enabling or constraining broader patterns of cooperation in defence and diplomacy. The formalisation of a new energy deal between the Republic of Türkiye and the United States of America (hereinafter: the USA) illustrates this dynamic. While formally commercial,...

Diplomatic Momentum Builds for Palestine Statehood Recognition

The process of formally recognising a state, which is currently very important for Palestine, is a core function of international law and diplomacy, reflecting a political determination by one state to acknowledge the existence and legitimacy of another. The concept of statehood, while traditionally based on criteria such as a defined territory, a permanent population,...

When Strategy Overrides Solidarity: The Quiet Retreat on Northern Cyprus

In late 2024, a quiet but symbolically charged diplomatic shift appeared imminent: the Organisation of Turkic States (hereinafter: the OTS), a bloc increasingly aligned around cultural kinship and strategic coordination, was expected to extend formal or semi-formal recognition to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (hereinafter: the TRNC). The move would have marked a historic...

The South China Sea: A Strategic Powder Keg

The South China Sea stands as a critical nexus of global trade, natural resources and geopolitical tension. This vital maritime corridor facilitates over 3$ trillion in annual trade while harbouring vast untapped reserves of oil and natural gas. Estimates from the University of Leipzig suggest up to 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion...