When the cloud lands
By Muad Zaki, Director of Economic & Trade Policy at Asia Middle East Center (AMEC) Malaysia’s data-centre boom may test not only its grid, but its politics. The cloud has a...
What We Can Learn About Energy Security from Sweden’s Transition to Renewable Energy
Threats to global energy systems are on the rise. Geopolitical changes, attacks on energy infrastructure, and supply chain disruptions are currently threatening energy supplies worldwide. (IEA,...
The Influence of the U.S. in the Middle East: Strategic Goals and Alliances
Prepared by:Muhammad Daffa Aulia Ridwan The Iran War of 2026 was to be used to put order back. Rather, it revealed the lack of control that is left. What started as a joint U.S. and Israel...
Tourism Isn’t Collapsing—But the Model Is
By Muad Zaki, Senior Fellow at Asia Middle East Center (AMEC) Global tourism is not disappearing. But the conditions that sustained it over the past two decades are shifting in ways policymakers...
Beware the Siren Song of Peace: Board of Peace and the US’s Strings
By: Abel Josafat Manullang The war in Gaza has been a bloody chapter in the Middle East’s recent development, given how long and how severe the destruction has been. Following the ceasefire back...
How the Middle East Crisis Highlights the Importance of ASEAN’s Strategic Autonomy
By Muad Zaki, Senior Fellow at Asia Middle East Center The latest escalation in the Middle East offers an important reminder that modern conflicts rarely remain confined to the region in...
From Ukraine to Taiwan: Why ASEAN Must Prepare for the Next Phase of Great-Power Proxy Politics
By Muad M Zaki. Senior Fellow, Asia Middle East Center The conflict in Ukraine did not emerge in a vacuum. It was preceded by years of legislative positioning, security assistance,...
Example of Force: The United States and What Lies Ahead for ASEAN
By Abel Josafat ManullangThe international system we live in now has witnessed numerous tumultuous chapters in the past year alone. From the development in the Middle East to the ongoing war in...
The Kurdish Question in the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective
By Beatrice Liverzani: The Kurdish political landscape is shaped by a complex and evolving pursuit of self-governance across four states—Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran—each of which presents...
Foreign Direct Investment: Why Asia Must Reframe Its Economic Strategy
By: Muad Zaki, Senior Fellow at Asia Middle East Center (AMEC) For much of the past decade, foreign direct investment (FDI) was treated by governments as a largely technical and economic...
Starlink and the Risks of Digital Power Politics in the Middle East
By Muad M Zaki. Senior Fellow, Asia Middle East Center For more than a decade, U.S. strategy has searched for ways to influence political outcomes abroad without repeating the political and...
Canada–China Engagement in a Shifting Global Order: A Strategic Reset with Broader Implications for Asia—and Beyond
By: Muad Zaki, Canada’s renewed engagement with China is often described as a tactical response to near-term geopolitical pressures. That interpretation understates what is unfolding. What...
Power Without Restraint: What Asia Must Now Confront
By Muad M Zaki. Senior Fellow, Asia Middle East Center The assumption that Asian—or even Muslim—countries can continue to depend on an unreliable and unpredictable United States, or a visibly...
JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: IS THE WEST’S CREDIBILITY AT STAKE?
In recent years, the notion of judicial independence – long perceived as a settled pillar of liberal democracy – has come under increasing strain. From political interference in...
Understanding the Syrian Conflict: Internal Resilience and External Influences
The Syrian crisis, lasted from 2011 to 2024, shows how complicated the interactions between internal social processes and external geopolitical factors are in the Middle East. A critical,...
Between Humanitarian Duty and National Concerns: Malaysian University Students’ Perceptions of Afghan Refugees
Author: Mustafa Abdul Ghafoor Abstract Malaysia, despite its non-signatory status to the 1951 Refugee Convention, is host to over 190,000 refugees, including more than 2,800 Afghans. This study...
GCC and ASEAN: Common Ground in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
It was a privilege to speak for the first time in Jakarta, at the University of Indonesia, and to engage with such a vibrant and forward-thinking academic community. I would like to express my...
From Plan to Action: Localising Circular Economy from the Youth Perspective
Presented at the International Conference on ASEAN-GCC Relations, Jakarta, Indonesia | 17 December 2024 Introduction The transition to a circular economy (CE) is crucial for addressing...
The US Operation Against Houthis: Implications, Limitations and Strategic Objectives
On Saturday, March 15th, the United States (US) Navy and Air Force initiated a joint military operation targeting the Houthi group in Sanaa, Yemen. The assault, which focused on the group’s...
Trade War: The Political Strategy Behind this Madness
The US trade war with the world—particularly China, Europe, Mexico, and Canada—has evolved into a weaponized economic policy under Trump, creating market instability and strategic uncertainty on a...
Powering Partnerships: Qatar’s Trade Dynamics with ASEAN
By: Nabila Osman This article examines Qatar’s trade with ASEAN countries through the lens of 2022 trade data, highlighting a strong economic relationship shaped by energy exports and trade...
Foreign Policy Analysis – Trump: A Game of Russian Roulette with the World
Will Trump Drown America with the World or Make It Great Again? This is an enduring question about Trump’s presidency, debated long before he even won the election. Most people...
Why is Allowing Ukraine to Use Ballistic Missiles a Major Escalation?
The Biden administration’s decision to provide Kyiv with access to US ballistic missiles, to be deployed against Russian territory, constitutes a substantial escalation in the ongoing...
Two Factions At War to Decide America’s Future: Is Trump’s America First Already Struggling?
Donald Trump, who has outperformed and beaten all the attempts of his opponents, has not completely won his goal to make America great again just yet. He has won the election in both the electoral...
07 Oct
Is Ukraine the New Berlin Wall?
By : Khaldoon Abdulla After the end of World War II, Germany emerged as a focal point in the global balance of power. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 symbolized the geopolitical...
07 Oct
Connecting the Dots in Saudi Arabia Mingling Foreign Policy
by : Khaldoon Abdulla Recently, Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy has witnessed a series of significant shifts that may seem chaotic and counterproductive. For example, the Kingdom aligned...
22 Aug
Strategic Shifts in Global Power: The Evolving Relations between Asia and the Middle East
By: Mutaa Aladhami Introduction : This research reflects the significant realignment in global geopolitics, driven by the growing economic, political, and security ties between Asia and the...
31 May
An Outside Analysis of the Turkish Electoral Trend
The recent municipal and mayoral elections in Turkey might appear, to many international observers, as indicative of a pivotal shift in voter allegiance toward the opposition CHP (Republican...
11 Feb
Reassessing Global Diplomacy: The Gaza Conflict’s Impact on Democratic Values and International Relations
As we cross the four-month threshold of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the international community faces a pivotal moment of reflection. The rules-based system, a cornerstone of global diplomacy...
21 Sep
Oriental Imprints: The Middle Eastern Influence on Shaping Southeast Asian Civilizations
By Muhammad Rumi Azhari Nur Irfani Southeast Asia, with its vibrant colors of cultural influences, presents a unique study in the interplay of diverse historical and social forces. Despite the...
21 Sep
Bilateral Trade Relations between India and UAE: Evolution, Present Status, Challenges, and Future Prospects
By MOHD AMMAR ZIKRY Introduction India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have established a rich and evolving bilateral trade relationship. From a humble beginning with an annual exchange...
21 Sep
The Silk Road: Bridging Middle East and Asia
By Fito Reyhantara IntroductionThe Silk Road stands as an enduring symbol of the historical ties between the MiddleEast and Asia. Spanning over several millennia, this ancient network of trade...