In The News

The Economist: Why Morocco Cozies Up to Sub-Saharan Africa

August 8, 2018
As the intra-Maghreb rivalry continues unabated, Morocco cultivates ties with sub-Saharan neighbors. King Mohammed VI has visited 14 African nations since October 2016. A recent article for the Economist notes: “Like their king, Moroccan companies are also lavishing attention on west Africa. The African Development Bank estimates that 85% of Morocco’s outward foreign direct investment (FDI) goes...

Globe and Mail: Saudi Arabia Breaks Ties With Canada

Steven Chase August 7, 2018
Canadian officials called for the release of civil-rights and women’s rights activists being held in Saudi Arabia and expressed concern about a crackdown on dissidents. “In response, Saudi Arabia expelled Canada's ambassador Sunday, recalled their ambassador and frozen new trade dealings with Canada, decrying what they called foreign interference in their domestic affairs,” reports Steven...

Korea Times: North Korea Shipment Tests US-South Korean Ties

Kim Bo-eun August 7, 2018
The United States, with the world’s largest military and economy, finds it challenging to encourage support among close allies for enforcing sanctions. The leaders of North Korea and the United States met in June to discuss initial steps on denuclearization. The US urges strict maintenance of North Korea sanctions until the country takes significant steps on denuclearization are made. South Korea...

New York Times: What Tariffs Have Unleashed for US Farmers

Robert Leonard July 27, 2018
The United States is a major agricultural power, and about half of all US corn and soybeans are exported. China and other countries targeted with tariffs from the Trump administration immediately retaliated by targeting US agriculture products. “Indeed, the impact of his tariffs will probably be felt by family farms and the area for generations,” writes Robert Leonard in an opinion essay for the...

The Economist: How to Rescue the WTO

July 26, 2018
The World Trade Organization, long dependent on US trade policy, now struggles to intervene in the current trade war with China. The WTO is forced to remain a bystander as the United States blocks nominations to seats to the dispute settlement board even as the number of trade disputes rise. Another ongoing challenge is China’s distortion of trade through mercantilism, state-owned firms and...

Spiegel: WTO Faces Existential Threat

Martin Hesse July 19, 2018
Free trade adds efficiency to the world’s marketplaces. The WTO’s 164 members make decisions by consensus with the goal of leveling “the playing field between strong and weak countries, between industrialized and developing economies, with the goal of increasing prosperity for all,” reports Martin Hesse for Spiegel Online, but the organization has become less relevant as countries pursue...

South China Morning Post: Japan and EU Sign “Biggest” Trade Deal

July 17, 2018
The European Union and Japan signed a large trade deal even as the US president has imposed tariffs and criticizes major trade partners including the European Union, China and Mexico: “Both sides also signed a strategic partnership agreement, a framework aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation on a broad range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including security, cybercrime and climate...