Confronting an impunity crisis in Southeast Asia
In the region, impunity not only silences dissent and erodes public trust, but also perpetuates cycles of repression and inequality.
The Church in a globalised world
The Church’s openness to globalisation—not as a threat but as an opportunity to manifest its universal mission—is a beacon of hope in a fractured world.
Syria to South Korea: An age of uncertainty?
The old order—along with its underlying assumptions—is perishing, while a new order is yet to crystallise.
The fall of Bashar al-Assad: Lessons of transition
History offers cautionary tales for Syria. Libya and Iraq, both torn apart after the fall of autocratic regimes, failed to establish stable political orders. These examples…
EU must raise its game with ASEAN
ASEAN is central to the EU’s Indo-Pacific policy and the regional bloc has explicitly called for greater engagement with all its dialogue partners to balance geopolitical…
From COP16 to INC5: Will ASEAN champion the fight against plastic pollution?
Despite efforts, ASEAN’s overall presence in the negotiations has been less prominent compared to other regions, though there remains significant potential for leadership, as…
What went wrong at the Sado mines
Understanding what went wrong is crucial for avoiding similar setbacks in the future and ensuring that historical grievances do not continue to hinder diplomatic progress.
The unresolved question of ‘non-economic’ loss and damage
Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund negotiations largely focus on economic losses, leaving non-economic loss and damage underrepresented in the global climate negotiations.
Rising above youthwashing at COP29
Tokenism at events like COP29 risks reducing youth engagement to mere visibility. This approach not only disrespects their talents and intelligence but also fails to harness their…
Power play at COP29 climate talks
The main argument for rich nations to foot the bill on climate finance is the “polluter pays principle” enshrined in the 1992 Rio Declaration, which, in essence, requires…