Bilateral Relations Research Articles

Understanding the Republic of Malawi’s trade dynamics: A Bayesian gravity model approach

International trade enables countries to expand their markets, access more products, improve resource allocation, and boost economic growth by leveraging comparative advantage and specialization. The aim of this article is to analyze the primary factors that influence Malawi’s international trade flows. The study is relevant because it examines Malawi’s trade patterns with its main partners, which include surrounding nations and traditional trade allies. The novelty is that, through the analysis, the research offers valuable insights into the primary factors that influence Malawi’s international commerce. Panel data is gathered from various sources, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, covering the period from 2000 to 2023 for 11 countries that are trading partners with Malawi. We employ the Bayesian Mindsponge gravity methodology. The results show that the economic size (characterized by the gross domestic product) of the origin and destination countries, bilateral agreements, and the population size of the destination country have a beneficial impact on Malawi’s exports. In conclusion, Malawi’s export performance is significantly enhanced by the economic size of both Malawi and its trading partners, the existence of bilateral agreements, and the population size of the destination countries, underscoring the importance of strategic economic partnerships and targeted trade policies in boosting Malawi’s international trade. We recommend Malawi authorities focus on strengthening bilateral agreements and targeting trade relationships with larger and more populous economies to boost international trade.

Peace Brand Activism: Global Brand Responses to the War in Ukraine

Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, many global brands took a stand on the crisis, which often elicited polarized consumer responses. This study explores this phenomenon—peace brand activism (PBA)—by conducting an inductive analysis of global brands’ responses to the Russia–Ukraine war as disclosed on social media channels across three different platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The analysis highlights the range of PBA tactics that global brands employ, revealing diverse action- and statement-based forms that they can adopt, including instances of pseudo-activism. In addition, this study identifies seven key characteristics of PBA: substantiality, nature, side-taking, location specificity, responsiveness, persistence, and diversity, each manifesting across spectra of differential ends. This work elucidates the evolving role of businesses in promoting peace and offers valuable guidance for managers navigating the complex terrain of PBA, emphasizing the importance of brands being cognizant of the various PBA options and thoroughly weighing the implications of taking a stand on sensitive geopolitical issues. The findings bear important policy implications, suggesting that policy makers must consider PBA's impact on bilateral relations and collaborate with brands to develop informed, strategic PBA initiatives. Finally, the authors outline important avenues for future research.

India and the African Union’s Engagement Through IAFS: Challenges of Strengthening Partnership

India’s engagement with the African Union has been one of its important partnership agreements with Africa. The India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) kickstarted the engagement with African countries through the African Union overtaking bilateral relations and partnerships with regional organisations. India has since then remained a unique, request and need-based partner of the African Union. The various capacity-building initiatives taken up through IAFS have shown that India has shown serious commitment to India–Africa partnership. The first three IAFS shows that India committed substantial amounts of funds through IAFS. However, in reality, it could only deliver a very small portion due to the slow implementation of projects. Only 4% of Indian grants in 2017–18 were committed to Africa which improved slightly after 2019. Subsequently, over 40% of funds were committed but implementation had been very slow. There is never a third independent party evaluation of these projects for impact assessment or to suggest a solution for implementation issues. Presently, there is an urgent need to hold the next IAFS which has been delayed for a long time now. There is a need to organise review meetings with AU on a regular basis. India made extra-ordinary efforts to get the African Union admitted in G20 at the New Delhi meeting. However, the Indian expansion of Banjul Formula for IAFS, India’s renewed focus on Global South, bureaucracy-driven implementation of partnership projects and insufficient political-level communications with AU leadership throw new challenges.

Russian-Romanian relations during the Balkan Wars in the to memoirs and reports of Nikolai Shebeko, envoy to Bucharest (1912–1913)

Following the conclusion of the Crimean War, Russia adopted a policy aimed at the abolition of the Treaty of Paris of 1856, which it perceived as humiliating. To this end, Russia commenced a process of rapprochement with France, resulting in the signing of an agreement in 1859. However, having secured Russian neutrality during the 1859 Italian War, France was reluctant to honour reciprocal commitments supporting Russian efforts to abrogate the terms of the 1856 Treaty. It became increasingly clear that Napoleon III’s policy was lacking in sincerity when the Polish question reached a new level of aggravation. In a joint initiative with the United Kingdom and Austria, France launched a comprehensive political and diplomatic offensive against Russia with the intention of exerting pressure and transforming the Polish question into an international issue. Russia, on the other hand, required peace to enable the continuation of internal reforms. Consequently, it sought to identify strategies to resist the interference of the great powers. Belgium, neighbouring France, emerged as a key player in this endeavour. King Leopold I, motivated by the objective of maintaining European equilibrium, wary of the French emperor, and intent on demonstrating that the Polish question could not impinge upon the bilateral relationship between Russia and Belgium, proved to be a pivotal intermediary in the diplomatic negotiations with Paris, London, and Vienna. The reports of the Russian envoy to Belgium, Nikolai Orlov, served to supplement the information that had been transmitted by other Russian embassies in Europe. However, adhering to the instructions that had been provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Orlov, who was known for his independent views and sympathetic attitude towards the fate of Polish émigrés, openly expressed his own judgements on the possible solutions to the Polish question in his dealings with Russian and European statesmen, as well as with representatives of the Tsar’s family. Consequently, during the Polish crisis, Napoleon III endeavoured to engage Orlov in the diplomatic process. In the article, the author analyses the activities of the embassy in Brussels in 1863–1864 drawing on a hitherto unexamined set of archival documents. In addition, she examines the extent to which the mission of Nikolai Orlov as a diplomat was successful. Furthermore, the article reveals new details of the diplomatic negotiations between European states that took place during the period of international tensions in the early 1860s.

Russian embassy in Brussels and the January Uprising, 1863–1864

Following the conclusion of the Crimean War, Russia adopted a policy aimed at the abolition of the Treaty of Paris of 1856, which it perceived as humiliating. To this end, Russia commenced a process of rapprochement with France, resulting in the signing of an agreement in 1859. However, having secured Russian neutrality during the 1859 Italian War, France was reluctant to honour reciprocal commitments supporting Russian efforts to abrogate the terms of the 1856 Treaty. It became increasingly clear that Napoleon III’s policy was lacking in sincerity when the Polish question reached a new level of aggravation. In a joint initiative with the United Kingdom and Austria, France launched a comprehensive political and diplomatic offensive against Russia with the intention of exerting pressure and transforming the Polish question into an international issue. Russia, on the other hand, required peace to enable the continuation of internal reforms. Consequently, it sought to identify strategies to resist the interference of the great powers. Belgium, neighbouring France, emerged as a key player in this endeavour. King Leopold I, motivated by the objective of maintaining European equilibrium, wary of the French emperor, and intent on demonstrating that the Polish question could not impinge upon the bilateral relationship between Russia and Belgium, proved to be a pivotal intermediary in the diplomatic negotiations with Paris, London, and Vienna. The reports of the Russian envoy to Belgium, Nikolai Orlov, served to supplement the information that had been transmitted by other Russian embassies in Europe. However, adhering to the instructions that had been provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Orlov, who was known for his independent views and sympathetic attitude towards the fate of Polish émigrés, openly expressed his own judgements on the possible solutions to the Polish question in his dealings with Russian and European statesmen, as well as with representatives of the Tsar’s family. Consequently, during the Polish crisis, Napoleon III endeavoured to engage Orlov in the diplomatic process. In the article, the author analyses the activities of the embassy in Brussels in 1863–1864 drawing on a hitherto unexamined set of archival documents. In addition, she examines the extent to which the mission of Nikolai Orlov as a diplomat was successful. Furthermore, the article reveals new details of the diplomatic negotiations between European states that took place during the period of international tensions in the early 1860s.

An increasing cooperation between Vilnius and Bucharest: the reflection of Lithuania in Romanian media

The purpose of this article is to analyse how the most read Romanian media outlets (Libertatea, Digi24, Ştirile Pro TV, Adevărul, Click!) were reporting news about Lithuania in the period between 24 February 2022 and 15 April 2024, with two aims being elaborated in the research. The first goal is to focus on the reflection of Lithuanian and Romanian bilateral relations; the second goal is to assess the Romanian media coverage on the news related to Lithuanian national security. The research suggests that the Romanian media is extensively reporting news from Lithuania. These news items can be grouped into three categories: the first category is the security news; the second category is the other news containing anything directly related to Lithuania excluding security questions; the third category is the contextual news, with only contextual references to Lithuania among other things. Meanwhile, the security category can be grouped into three subcategories, those being: the news from Lithuania; the news covering Lithuanian and Romanian bilateral relations; the contextual news. The analysis confirms the intensively developing bilateral relations as well as wide coverage of Lithuanian security questions in Romanian media. The study aims to expand the perceptions of the geographical dimension of the Lithuanian network of bilateral relations, and representation of Vilnius’ security perceptions in NATO allies.

Emergence of Economic and Cultural Ties between USSR and Sweden (1924–1937)

This article explores the distinctive features of the economic and cultural interactions between the USSR and Sweden from 1924 to 1937. The research is grounded in a comprehensive array of sources, including official documents, publications from the periodical press, and personal accounts. The methodological framework is informed by the imagology of international relations, which focuses on the study of mental geography, transnational imagery, perception stereotypes, and myths, as well as the comparison of the "Self" and the "Other" to understand the role of "Others" in shaping national self-conceptions. The author investigates how shifts in Swedish perceptions of Soviet Russia influenced the development of bilateral relations and assesses the contributions of A.M. Kollontai, the Soviet ambassador to Sweden since 1930, to Soviet-Swedish interactions. The article illustrates how Swedish political figures, pursuing their own interests, viewed elements of Soviet society as potential models for reforming their own countries, shaped by their internal agendas of political and socio-economic change.

Examining the impact of water scarcity on agricultural output in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region

AbstractThis research paper examines the impact of water scarcity on agricultural output in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It highlights the increasing global water scarcity and its consequences, including the prevalence of water‐stressed areas and the adverse effects on human health and economic sectors. The paper focuses on the GCC region, known for its water scarcity and desertification, exacerbated by climate change and pollution. The study aims to investigate the relationship between water stress levels and agricultural productivity, evaluating the effects of freshwater withdrawals, fertilizer consumption, and agricultural methane emissions on crop production. Additionally, it explores the connection between agricultural output and net national income per capita. By addressing these research questions, the study contributes to the understanding of agricultural water scarcity and its implications for global food security and sustainability. The paper utilizes data from the World Bank to analyze crop production in the GCC countries from 2001 to 2020, shedding light on the influence of water scarcity on agricultural landscapes. The research highlights the efforts made by GCC countries to enhance food security, including strategic investments in agricultural lands and bilateral agreements. It also discusses the challenges faced by specific countries within the region, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait, in terms of agricultural production and water constraints. Overall, the paper provides insights into the complexities of agricultural water scarcity and its effects on the GCC region, emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions to ensure food security and economic stability.

Italian Libyan Relations 1951 – 1969 Eecnomic Study

This study explores the economic dimensions of Italian-Libyan relations from 1951 to 1969, a period marked by the shifting sands of post-colonial geopolitics and economic development. After Libya's independence in 1951, Italy, as a former colonial power, sought to maintain and reshape its economic ties with the newly sovereign nation. This period witnessed significant Italian investment in Libyan infrastructure, oil exploration, and trade, reflecting both countries' evolving economic priorities and strategies. The study examines key agreements, economic aid, and the impact of the oil boom on bilateral relations. By analyzing trade data, investment flows, and political agreements, the research highlights how economic considerations influenced diplomatic interactions and contributed to the broader geopolitical landscape of the region. The findings provide insights into the complexities of post-colonial economic relationships and the strategic maneuvers of a former colonial power seeking to secure its interests in a rapidly changing world.

Redefining Middle Power Diplomacy: South Korea’s Strategic Shift towards Global Leadership

This paper explores South Korea’s evolving foreign policy under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, highlighting its shift from a traditional middle power to a “Global Pivotal State” (GPS). The study examines the key drivers behind this transformation, particularly the enhanced U.S.-South Korea alliance, which has allowed South Korea to increase its regional and global influence. Through an analysis of the "Global Pivotal State" policy, the paper delves into how South Korea seeks to expand its leadership role in multilateral diplomacy, focusing on areas such as security, democracy, and climate change. Additionally, the study emphasizes South Korea’s efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, especially with the U.S., Japan, and Europe, while expanding its diplomatic reach to new regions such as the Indo-Pacific. By leveraging its strengths in green growth, technology, and official development assistance (ODA), South Korea aims to secure leadership in key global issues. Ultimately, the Yoon administration’s vision reflects South Korea's ambition to redefine its role in the international order, positioning itself as an influential actor in global governance.

Impact of Nepal-India Relations on Arun III Hydroelectric Project Implementation

The Arun III Hydroelectric Project, Nepal's largest hydropower enterprise, is a cornerstone of Nepal-India bilateral ties, demonstrating the intricate interaction of energy diplomacy, political dynamics, and economic cooperation. This paper investigates how these bilateral ties have impacted the implementation of the Arun III project, from its inception to its current evolution. It examines the historical framework of Nepal-India interactions, including political agreements, economic interdependence, and regional geopolitics, which have influenced the project's progress. The article also discusses the obstacles that have hampered the project's timely completion, such as border conflicts, economic blockades, and changes in political leadership. It also looks at the opportunities that come with effective partnership, with a focus on energy commerce and sustainable development in South Asia. This paper, using international relations theory and detailed case studies, provides a comprehensive understanding of how bilateral relations between Nepal and India have shaped the Arun III project's trajectory, as well as insights into the broader implications for cross-border infrastructure development in the region.

The Solutions for The Conflict of Laws Relating to Copyright and Its Exploitation" A Comparative Study"

Determining the applicable law for copyright is a complex issue in the jurisprudence of private international law. This is because it is an intangible moral property, meaning that the nature of the subject to which the right is attributed differs from other material rights. In addition, most legislations have not established specific attribution rules for moral rights, making it difficult to determine the applicable law for copyright. Hence, the research problem is embodied in the absence of explicit and clear texts that address the issue of conflict of laws if it relates to the author’s topics moving between the scope of more than one law, which leads to an overlap in the scope of the applications of the law that related to those rights, raising the issue of which law should apply and which one is more accurate in achieving justice. The importance of this research is evident in raising the awareness among rights holders of the existence of a legal organization that protects the copyright, which may ease their minds due to their prior knowledge of the existence of a law that protects the product of their mind on the one hand and deters the aggressor on the other hand. Moreover, this study aimed to demonstrate the validity of the laws referred to by the traditional attribution rules to resolve conflicts of laws in matters related to copyright. It must be noted that the study adopted the analytical and descriptive comparative approach between Jordanian law and Iraqi law and the role of each in resolving problems arising from conflicts of laws.The study found that the Jordanian legislator specifically addressed unpublished works in Article 57 of the Copyright Protection Law, clarifying whether they fall under the law's provisions. However, we did not find an explicit provision in the Iraqi Copyright Protection Law regulating the issue of unpublished works. However, the researcher recommended that the Jordanian legislator conclude new bilateral or regional agreements in addition to joining international agreements due to the inadequacy or inappropriateness of traditional agreements related to judicial cooperation to rule on what arises from a conflict of legislative jurisdiction regarding copyright.

Whither China–Japan Relations: A Recent Political and Security Perspective

Political-security relations are not only an essential part of China–Japan relations but also a key factor influencing and limiting the overall improvement and growth of China–Japan relations and their impact on the common security of Northeast Asia. This relationship has shown signs of improvement for a while. However, after President Joe Biden took office in January 2021 and Japan had a new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in October 2021, the political-security relationship between the two Asian powers has reversed compared to the previous period. The paper aims to point out the factors affecting this relationship and analyzes the current political and security relations between China and Japan from 2021 to the present to forecast prospects for the bilateral relationship.

Srebrenica as a Marker of Memory in Bilateral Relations Between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Light of Ontological Security

Abstract This article aims to analyze the impact of memory on security/foreign policy using the example of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s bilateral relations. The basis for these considerations is the concept of ontological security. It indicates the construction of the identity of the state and is implemented through political decisions and social practices (for example remembering important historical events). Here, memory is treated as a social construct. In addition, the article focuses on memory leading to the formation of state identity, also seen in the international sphere. Historical memory has a considerable impact on bilateral relations between countries that used to be in conflict, like Serbia and BiH. In the example analyzed, leaders use historical memory to create separate identities, commemorate chosen and appropriate victims/heroes or important dates, historical sites, monuments events and develop selective narratives. The most significant elements in the analysis of the historical memory of Serbia and BiH relations are (1) the goals of foreign and security policy of Serbia and BiH (2) the contemporary narrative of the Srebrenica genocide and its perception by governments of Serbia, BiH, and by Bosnian Serbs and Bosniaks, and (3) an official Srebrenica commemoration (memorials, Srebrenica Memorial Day).

Modeling complex network perturbations on resilience of the bilateral regional trade agreements

The resilience of cooperative relationships within a trade agreement network, when subjected to external shocks or internal disturbances, underscores the role of network structure in the robustness and adaptability of the trade agreement system. Addressing the gap in understanding the resilience of trade agreement network dynamics, this study constructs a complex network based on the bilateral regional trade agreements. By applying reciprocal dynamics to measure cooperative relationships among countries in the network, we model the impact of complex network perturbations on the resilience of bilateral regional trade agreements. Various complex network perturbations are considered, including node removal, link removal, and three orders of null models for network reshuffling, which correspond to the failure of a trade agreement, simultaneous agreement failure, and signing. Experimental findings reveal that network resilience gradually diminishes with the random removal of nodes and links. However, when nodes are removed based on their degree, removing nodes with larger degrees first proves to be more effective than the reverse. Specifically, network resilience decreases more rapidly when smaller nodes are removed. This highlights the significant contribution of countries with numerous trade agreements to the overall network resilience. In network reshuffling experiments, an increase in the order of reshuffling correlates with a gradual decrease in network resilience, ultimately converging toward real values. These findings emphasize the importance of network structure in maintaining the stability and adaptability of trade agreement systems.

Post-colonial Relations of Britain with India and Pakistan, 1947–71

Abstract The decolonization process of Britain in India was completed with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. Because of the long colonial history in that area, it was natural that creating bilateral relations between Britain and the two former colonized parties (India and Pakistan) would be challenging and not free of issues. Furthermore, the two colonized parties were in a bitter relationship with each other. The major concern of this paper is to present the post-colonial bilateral relations of Britain with each country, India and Pakistan, between 1947 and 1971. It argues that multiple factors led Britain to maintain a balanced relationship with its former colony. These are: 1) British trade interests, 2) cold war relations, 3) wars between India and Pakistan, 4) Commonwealth issues, and above all, 5) British national interests in that region.

Regional integration and export performance of Pakistan: Empirical evidence from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The study examines export impact of Pakistan's integration into Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on its export's performance. We apply Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood (PPML) on augmented gravity model to estimate trade data from the period before and after permanent membership with Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2017. The study aims to explore changes in exports volume and analyze the key mechanism through which Shanghai Cooperation Organization promotes exports. The study assesses that after integration which key exports sector such as agriculture or manufacturing sectors are affected more significantly. The initial findings suggest that SCO integration positively affect and provide access to Central Asian markets, leading to modest but noticeable promotion in exports promotion. In heterogeneity analysis we find that exports of Pakistan are more significant with low and middle-income level countries compared to higher-income level countries. Additionally, exports in the manufacturing sector benefited more than in the agriculture sector. The significant and positive findings of mechanism analysis indicate that the belt and road (B&R) initiative and bilateral trade agreements are the key factors to enhanced exports. The overall impact remains moderated by structural changes in Pakistan economy, such as poor infrastructure, deficiency in energy sector and limited trade relations with its neighbors India and Iran. The study concludes that although the SCO integration has positively promoted exports of Pakistan however, it requires to address domestic economic constraints and capitalize more effectively the benefits of SCO membership through regional cooperation mechanism. For more potential benefits in the region SCO needs to expand B&R connectivity, encourage more trade agreements, and adopt favorable environment to attract high income countries in the organization. The study provides the base for future research in depth analysis of long-term impact of SCO integration on Pakistan exports.

Comparative Analysis of Human Rights Provisions in the EU Migration Agreement

The loss of thousands of migrants’ lives at the European borders has raised questions about the European Union’s (EU) commitment to its role as a promoter of human rights. The EU’s management of migration through bilateral agreements has demonstrated challenges in adequately protecting the rights and dignity of migrants and asylum seekers. Human rights principles should be universal to all individuals regardless of their migration status ensuring their freedom and dignity. This paper argues for the adoption of a human rights-oriented approach in such agreements comparing the implications and dimensions of human rights in these agreements on Türkiye and Northern African countries, notably Morocco and Libya offering insights across different regions. This paper will examine the human rights implications of these agreements considering the continued increase in migration flows to the EU and the efforts to manage them. Furthermore, it evaluates the mechanisms to address human rights within the migration agreements as well as their interaction with international laws and EU policies. By looking at the human rights challenges in these agreements, the paper contributes to the ongoing debates on migration policies prioritizing human rights in EU decision-making in future migration agreements.

India, Japan and the Indo-Pacific: Evolution, Consolidation and Limitations of the Strategic Partnership

India–Japan relations over the last two decades have become a regionally and globally oriented ‘strategic partnership’ from a narrow bilateral relationship. A key factor driving this transformation has been the discourse of the Indo-Pacific regional construct. Considering the overwhelming space occupied by maritime affairs in the bilateral strategic agenda, describing contemporary India–Japan relations as an India–Japan Indo-Pacific Strategic Partnership is justified. The article attempts to provide an evolutionary account of the India–Japan Indo-Pacific strategic partnership. In doing so, it identifies four phases in the evolution of the partnership: conception, actualisation, consolidation, and resilience, corresponding to the evolution of the Indo-Pacific concept from a geographic idea to a strategic concept to a regional order framework.

Academic Capacity Building of Lecturers through International Collaboration:

This international community service program aims to enhance the academic capacity of lecturers through collaboration with universities in Malaysia. The program is designed to address the issue of lecturer quality by leveraging the exchange of knowledge and innovative teaching methods. The implementation method includes establishing a baseline, analyzing needs, conducting workshops, evaluating results, developing sustainable solutions, and the role of contributions from related parties. This article highlights the importance of international collaboration in higher education and its contribution to the development of lecturer capacity and the improvement of educational quality. Through this program, an increase in lecturer competence is expected, which in turn can strengthen the bilateral relations between Indonesia and Malaysia in the higher education sector learning.