International Reports

Around the world with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation

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The Konrad Adenauer Foundation is one of the world's leading think tanks and maintains more than 100 offices abroad. Their experts explain international politics and provide background information on current developments and events.

May 29

South Africa between Polarisation and Populism

Three decades after the end of apartheid, South Africa’s young democracy faces profound challenges. Persistent inequality, political polarization, and the legacy of racial segregation continue to shape the country’s future. Following the 2024 elections, the African National Congress (ANC) lost significant support and entered a Government of National Unity with several other parties. At the same time, populist movements and identity-based politics are reshaping the political landscape, making consensus and stable governance increasingly difficult. In this episode, we explore with Gregor Jaecke, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s South Africa Office, and Doctor Holger Dix, Head of the Konrad- Adenauer Foundation’s Regional Programme Political Dialogue Sub-Saharan Africa, the fragmentation of South Africa’s party system, the challenges facing its democracy, and the prospects for reform, social justice, and political stability. We also examine similar political trends across other African countries, where economic pressures, democratic backsliding, and growing public discontent are reshaping political landscapes and challenging established parties.

24 min
Apr 20

Latin America’s Party Landscape Shifts to the Right

Latin America is once again in political transition—this time tilting to the right. In this episode, Henning Suhr, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s Regional Programme Party Dialogue and Democracy in Latin America, and Olaf Jacob, Head of KAS in Chile, discuss the decline of the “pink tide” and the rise of leaders like Javier Milei and Nayib Bukele. Driven by a younger, less ideological electorate, the shift reflects demands for stability, growth, and accountability. But is this a durable realignment—or another turn in the region’s political cycle?

25 min
Feb 27

Backing with Side Effects: Israel’s View of Trump 2.0

This episode examines how the second administration of Donald Trump marks a return to a clearly pro-Israel but increasingly unilateral Middle East policy. Aid to Israel expanded while support for the Palestinian Authority froze. Joint strikes against Iran and disputes over Gaza reveal widening gaps, fueling debate in Israel over strategic risks and growing dependence on partisan US backing. In this episode, we speak with Michael Rimmel, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Jerusalem, and Thomas Volk, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department. They offer firsthand insights into Israel’s shifting political landscape and the regional implications of Trump’s second term.

24 min
Jan 28

Asia’s relations with the United States under Trump 2.0

In this episode, we explore how Asia — and especially Vietnam — are navigating a new and unsettled era in their ties with Washington. We trace Vietnam’s rise since 1975, its ambitious doi moi reforms, and the recent peak in relations under Biden’s 2023 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Now, with tariffs initially set at 46 per cent and later reduced to 20 per cent, and with key USAID programmes suspended, Hanoi leans on its trademark “bamboo diplomacy” to maintain stability. While Lewe Paul, Head of the Vietnam Country Office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, offers insights into Vietnam’s position, Christian Echle, Head of the Department Asia and Pacific of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, explains how countries across Asia are recalibrating their relations with the United States in this new era of strategic uncertainty.

24 min
12/10/2025

Rethinking German Development Cooperation

German development cooperation should be more closely aligned with economic priorities and take a more strategic approach to strengthen public support at home and to facilitate access for German companies to developing and emerging economies. Partner countries often view an open and transparent acknowledgement of Germany’s own interests as respectful and legitimate, while paternalistic approaches shaped by socio-political debate in Germany weaken support both domestically and in partner countries. We trace the contours of a more pragmatic and transparent development policy — in conversation with Dr. Olaf Wientzek, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundations Multinational Development Policy Dialogue in Brussels, and Dr. Susanne Conrad, Policy Adviser for Rule of Law and Security in Africa and for Anglophone West Africa at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

23 min
10/10/2025

New Old Dependencies? Trade with Africa

Africa’s economy is changing. Trade with Europe and the US is no longer the main focus — today, countries like China play a leading role. The old idea that Africa is still dependent on the West doesn’t tell the full story. With new trade deals and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), many nations are taking their future into their own hands. This episode examines these developments and their global impact together with Anja Beretta and Gunter Rieck Moncayo from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

27 min
08/29/2025

A History of Oppression: Russia as a Colonial Power in the Caucasus

Although Russia has pursued an imperial policy in its Eurasian neighbourhood since the early 19th century, the country is not perceived as a colonial power in much of postcolonial discourse - yet its impact is still deeply felt. The Tsarist and later Soviet expansion into Central Asia and especially the South Caucasus continues to shape the region today. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain strategically contested spaces. This episode examines how Moscow’s colonial past drives current conflicts, with insights from Stephan Malerius and Florian Binder of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

17 min
07/11/2025

Maritime security: the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ and the protection of critical infrastructure

As global tensions rise, the world’s oceans are becoming the new frontline of foreign policy. From undersea cables to critical pipelines, maritime infrastructure is increasingly under threat. In this episode, we speak with Ferdinand Gehringer, policy advisor on homeland and cybersecurity issues at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, about Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and the growing challenges in securing the seas. What risks are we facing, and how prepared is Germany to respond?

20 min
06/02/2025

Why Lake Chad Offers Ideal Conditions for Islamist Terrorists

Lake Chad, once the sixth-largest lake in the world, is now a shrinking, lawless zone at the heart of Africa’s Sahel region. Ulf Laessing, Head of Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, speaks about how climate change, weak governance, and armed jihadists are turning the lake into a humanitarian and security crisis zone and why the world should be paying attention.

19 min
05/02/2025

Flashpoint in the South China Sea

Few places reveal the fault lines of global power like the South China Sea. As China asserts sweeping territorial claims, the Philippines and Vietnam respond -boldly, but in strikingly different ways. What drives their strategies? And what is at stake for the region and the world? With on-the-ground insights from Daniela Braun, Head of the Philippines Office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Florian Feyerabend, Head of the Vietnam Office, this episode examines the political and security dynamics shaping the region.

36 min

10 Episodes

The Konrad Adenauer Foundation is one of the world's leading think tanks and maintains more than 100 offices abroad. Their experts explain international politics and provide background information on current developments and events.

Creator

Around the world with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

10
Rating

Clean
Show Website

International Reports