Middle East Council on Global Affairs hosts water diplomacy roundtable in Doha

The ME Council, in partnership with Blue Peace Middle East and Geneva Water Hub, a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace, and with support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Qatar, wrapped up a two-day high-level roundtable in Doha on #WaterDiplomacy in the MENA region. Experts and policymakers came together under the Chatham House Rule to explore how water can move from being a source of tension to a driver of peace, cooperation, and sustainable governance. The discussions helped set the stage for shared priorities and stronger cross-border collaboration, building momentum toward a more resilient and prosperous future for the region.

We are excited to present the #IRSKConference2025 Program! 📄 This year's conference features a diverse set of speakers who will engage in a wide range of topics ranging from: >#COMESAat30 – Reflecting on COMESA's 30 year journey towards fostering regional integration, reflecting on the achievements, challenges, and existing opportunities for transformation. > Regional Economic Communities as Peace Builders – Focus on the role critical role of regional economic bodies as peace builders and how these bodies can be integrated in the African Union peace and security architecture to enhance efficiency. >East Africa’s Economic Diplomacy with the Middle East – Focus on the fast evolving diplomatic ties between Eastern African states and the Middle East. This panel will focus on the opportunities while also exploring the challenges that exist. >Mainstreaming Youth in Diplomacy – recognizing the potential in Africa's young population, this panel will explore strategies for unlocking the youth's potential in the region's political, economic and social transformation. Read the full report below ⬇️ COMESA Secretariat | Foundation Office Kenya - Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung | Australian High Commission Kenya | African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) | Acacia Dialogue Center

Strengthening dialogue with Member States: Central African Ambassadors Call for Closer Collaboration with ECA Prior to the Fourth Joint Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE 2025) for Central and Eastern Africa, the ECA Subregional Office for Central Africa held a strategic briefing in Yaounde with Ambassadors of its member States accredited to Cameroon. This meeting, also attended by representatives of Regional Economic Commissions Commission CEMAC, CEEAC ECCAS, and Banque de Développement des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale (BDEAC), aimed to reinforce communication with Member States and RECs through the privileged channel of diplomatic missions, a vital step to ensure that ECA’s analytical work, policy guidance, and technical support are closely aligned with national and regional priorities. During the discussions, Jean Luc Namegabe Mastaki, Director of the Subregional Office, reaffirmed ECA’s commitment to building stronger, sustained partnerships with diplomatic missions, highlighting their role as strategic relays of information and facilitators of regional cooperation. Ambassadors commended ECA’s concrete impact in areas such as #industrialization, #regionalintegration, #blue and #greeneconomy, and called for a more institutionalized platform for dialogue and #knowledge sharing. As noted by H.E. Anthony Minko Milane, High Commissioner of Gabon: “It is essential to strengthen collaboration with #ECA to better inform our countries of its achievements and #innovative #ideas while ensuring our priorities are reflected in its work.” This meeting reaffirmed ECA’s position as a trusted partner for inclusive, integrated, and sustainable #transformation in Central Africam and set the stage for the strategic discussions of #ICSOE2025. #ECA #CentralAfrica #ICSOE2025 #EconomicTransformation #RegionalIntegration #Diplomacy #AfCFTA

Rwanda's diplomatic footprint continues to expand, solidifying its position as a strategic player on the global stage 🌍. Recent months have seen Kigali actively engaging in conflict resolution initiatives in the region, demonstrating a commitment to peace and stability. Rwanda's proactive foreign policy offers valuable lessons for other developing nations: 📜 Strategic Partnerships: Kigali prioritizes building strong relationships with diverse partners, both within Africa and globally, fostering economic and political cooperation. For instance, the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Kigali further cemented Rwanda's role as a convener of international dialogue (Source: CHOGM 2022 official website). 📜 Visionary Leadership: The government's long-term vision and commitment to good governance have enhanced Rwanda's credibility and influence in international forums. This is reflected in Rwanda's high ranking on various governance indices. 📜 Investing in Soft Power: Rwanda strategically invests in sectors like tourism, technology, and environmental conservation to enhance its image and attract foreign investment. Rwanda was recognized in the recent World Economic Forum report as one of the safest countries in Africa. Rwanda's commitment to pan-African solutions and its active participation in regional bodies like the African Union are crucial for driving economic integration and addressing shared challenges. As Rwanda continues to punch above its weight in international affairs, its experience offers insights into how smaller nations can leverage diplomacy and strategic partnerships to achieve their development goals. How do you see Rwanda's global influence evolving? Let's discuss! #InternationalBusiness #AfricaRising #Leadership #KigaliLife #RwandaFirst

💧Water can divide — or it can connect. The new Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy, co-edited by Martina Klimes, #SIWI, Shafiqul (@ShafikIslam) Islam, Kevin M. Smith Tufts University, and Aaron Salzberg The Water Institute at UNC brings together more than 80 contributors from around the world. As demand for water increases and climate risks deepen, the need for cooperation has never been greater. This Handbook creates an accessible reference for those seeking negotiated resolutions to water conflicts and dialogue opportunities at all scales. It offers clear lessons: 🔷 Every water challenge is unique — context matters more than models. 🔷 Lasting cooperation depends on relationships, dialogue, and learning. 🔷 Progress happens when science and diplomacy work hand in hand. Available online from 20 October, the Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy is an essential resource for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers working to turn shared challenges into shared opportunities. Read our interview with Martina Klimes ➜ https://lnkd.in/dg4CQYEZ Access the Handbook online from 20 October ➜ https://lnkd.in/dhtMxZJh   SIWI’s contribution was made possible with support from the International Centre for Water Cooperation (ICWC) — a UNESCO Category II Centre hosted by SIWI — reflecting our shared commitment to advancing cooperation through water. Taylor & Francis Group, European Economic and Social Committee, European External Action Service, UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), UNDP, UNIDO, Union for the Mediterranean Geneva Water Hub, a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, OSCE, Council on Foreign Relations   #WaterDiplomacy #WaterForPeace #SharedWaters #Cooperation #SIWI #ICWC #AquaPedia

The Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy is out! --> https://lnkd.in/eKwnPpp5. Congratulations to the co-editors and the many contributors. I am happy to have contributed, together with Lina Hillert, an open access chapter on Managing Water Diplomacy Processes: https://lnkd.in/efmaPkmH In it, we draw on #peace #mediation practice and the work of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) to propose approaching water-related disputes and #negotiations from a political and peacemaking perspective, and show how that can look like in practice.

🌍 Namibia in the Global Soft Power Index 2025 🇳🇦 Namibia has once again secured its place on the Global Soft Power Index, ranking 123rd out of 193 countries with a score of 30.9 – a +0.4 improvement from last year . While we remain in the lower third of the global rankings, this upward shift signals that Namibia’s story of peace, stability, natural beauty, and commitment to sustainability is resonating internationally. 🔹 Why this matters: Soft Power is about influence through attraction and persuasion, not coercion. For Namibia, this means our ability to: • Strengthen our voice in international diplomacy 🌐 • Attract trade, tourism, and investment 💼 • Share our cultural heritage and values 🎶 • Champion sustainability and green industrialisation 🌱 As global competition for visibility grows, Namibia must continue to leverage digital diplomacy, cultural exchange, and strategic communication to tell our story to the world. This year’s report shows that smaller nations, even without hard power, can make significant impact if they invest in their nation brand and build on their unique strengths. #Namibia #SoftPower #PublicDiplomacy #GreenIndustrialisation #DigitalDiplomacy #NationBrand

We had the privilege of hosting H.E. Ambassador Anouar Ben Youssef, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to Kenya, as a keynote speaker during the #IRSKConference2025. In his keynote address, Ambassador Ben Youssef emphasized the strategic importance of Kenya–Tunisia relations, which he described as a true reflection of the spirit of COMESA, integration, cooperation, and shared progress. He noted that relations between the two nations are expanding beyond government-to-government ties, with growing bilateral trade, private sector partnerships, and emerging opportunities for joint Kenya–Tunisia ventures, not just as trading partners, but as co-creators of solutions for the continental market. The Ambassador also acknowledged the challenges facing the region, including issues of peace and stability, trade harmonization, and external shocks and called for greater investment in intra-African trade and for Africa to speak in one voice on matters of shared interest. He concluded by commending Kenya’s commitment to these values, underscoring that strong partnerships between key regional players like Kenya and Tunisia are key to unlocking Africa’s economic and developmental potential. 🎥 Here’s a short snippet from our interview with Ambassador Ben Youssef at the #IRSKConference2025. #Diplomacy #COMESA #AfricaIntegration #RegionalCooperation #TunisiaKenya

📢 New GEO-POWER-EU Deliverable Out! “Discerning the perceptual gap between the #EU🇪🇺 policies and the countries’ expectations and needs.” The study unpacks how EU 🇪🇺 institutions and candidate countries in the Western Balkans (WB6) 🇦🇱🇧🇦🇽🇰🇲🇪🇲🇰🇷🇸 and the Associated Trio of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) 🇺🇦🇲🇩🇬🇪 view enlargement differently. Based on 109 elite interviews with decision-makers, diplomats, experts, NGO reps, and journalists, the report highlights divergences on: - The credibility and predictability of #accession; - The role and application of conditionality; - Reform momentum and institutional readiness; - The impact of geopolitical pressures on enlargement. The report concludes that EU #enlargement is currently shaped by a strategic trilemma: safeguarding merit-based accession, responding to geopolitical imperatives, and deepening internal EU integration. The capacity of the EU to reconcile these three dimensions will be central to the future of enlargement. Read the full report here🔗 https://shorturl.at/Nexwh

📢 New publication from the GEO-POWER-EU project! The study explores how EU institutions and candidate countries view enlargement differently, focusing on credibility, conditionality, reforms, and geopolitical pressures. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dsRN7DFB