Plus, Stephen Walt on Beijingâs trajectory. AUGUST 8, 2023Â Â |Â Â [VIEW IN BROWSER](Â Â |Â Â [SUBSCRIBE]( Protesters wave Nigerien and Russian flags as they gather during a rally in support of Nigerâs junta in Niamey, Niger, on July 30. AFP via Getty Images Nigerâs coup leaders had one week to relinquish power and reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or else face military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). At midnight on Sunday, that deadline expired without Bazoum being reinstated. Now, Niger and its neighbors are preparing for possible warâand ECOWAS, which plans to hold a second emergency summit on Thursday, is questioning whether issuing its unprecedented threat was a smart idea to begin with. On Sunday, Nigerâs junta government sent troop reinforcements to the capital, Niamey, and closed Nigerâs airspace to brace for ECOWASâs potential invasion. A senior U.S. diplomat held âfrank and at times quite difficultâ talks on Monday with junta leaders, who rejected calls to restore democracy. Our writers continue to track the latest developments. FPâs Jack Detsch, assessing the reaction from the road in East Africa, [described]( the situationâs descent into âa regional free-for-all.â Samuel Ramani [argues]( most global powers with a military presence or financial stake in the country stand to lose from instabilityâand that could put pressure on the military junta. FPâs Alexandra Sharp [examines]( ECOWAS, which has been divided by the debate over how to respond to Nigerâs coup. And Emma Ashford and Matthew Kroenig [debate]( whether U.S. military training emboldens coup plotters across the African continent. [Sign up]( to receive our World Brief and Africa Brief newsletters to follow this developing story. And get all of FPâs Africa coverage directly in your inbox every week by setting up a [My FP]( alert. New and Noteworthy - Hereâs How Scared of China You Should Be: Is Chinaâs economic future bright, dark, or somewhere in between? Is Xi Jinping another Mao Zedong or another Lee Kuan Yew? âIâm mostly frustrated that the community of serious China watchers hasnât achieved more of a consensusâ on these questions and three others, FPâs Stephen M. Walt writes in his new [column](, considering Beijingâs trajectory. âThe answers to these questions would tell you a lot about how worried you should be.â
- Soft Power Is Making a Hard Return: U.N. writer J. Alex Tarquinioâs [latest]( for FP examines the role of soft power in a hard power world. âToday, many world leaders still reach for sports, language, food, music, and movies to advance their interests,â she writes. âThese efforts arenât inherently more persuasive than bullets or blockades, but itâs a much more pleasant and humane way of seeking to influence world events.â Joseph S. Nye Jr. popularized the term âsoft powerâ in the fall 1990 pages of Foreign Policy. Subscribers can read the original article and access our entire 52-year [print archive](.
- Washington Can Give Bangladeshâs Democracy the Kiss of Life: âBangladesh is often overlooked in the formation of a new cold war in Asia, but Washington needs it on its side,â Ahmede Hussain [writes]( in a new essay on the fragile state of democracy in the South Asian nation. While per-capita income there has outpaced India and Pakistan and living standards have shot up, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed rules with an iron fist. âThe United States is going to have to make some hard decisions about how it deals with Bangladeshâs democratic crisisâand the leadershipâs ties to both China and India.â FP Live Inside Bidenâs New Tech PolicyAug. 9, 2023 | 11:00 a.m. EDTThe Biden administrationâs National Security Strategy has called for an âallied techno-industrial baseâ to safeguard U.S. interests, security, and values. Key to the technological aspect of that strategy is the White Houseâs new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, run by Ambassador-at-Large Nathaniel Fick. Fick joins FPâs Ravi Agrawal to discuss cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, tech diplomacy, and more. [Register here.]( The Ask-Me-Anything EditionViewers of FP Live regularly see host Ravi Agrawal quiz world leaders and policymakers about issues such as Russiaâs war in Ukraine, the state of the global economy, and competition between the United States and China. Now itâs your turn to interrogate the host. In a special Ask-Me-Anything episode, Agrawal will field your questions in conversation with executive editor Amelia Lester. Anything the magazine regularly covers is fair game, in addition to questions about how FP makes its decisions. [Submit your questions.](Is Bidenomics Trying to Do Too Much?Is Washingtonâs turn toward industrial policy working as planned? Is Bidenomics working? As a member of Bidenâs Council of Economic Advisors and chief economist of his Invest in America Cabinet, Heather Boushey is one of the primary intellectual architects of the U.S. approach to inequality, growth, and job creation. Boushey joined FP Live for a wide-ranging discussion on the U.S. economy. [Watch the conversation.]( Exercise Your Mind Ahead of a summit later this month, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that he supports more countries joining which international bloc? - G-20
- BRICS
- Organization of American States
- Inter-American Development Bank You can find the answer to this question at the end of this email. [Click here]( to take the rest of our weekly news quiz. Expert voices, intelligent analysis.
[Get FP access today](. FP at UNGA 78: Secure Your Seat During next monthâs U.N. General Assembly in New York, FP will bring together policymakers, experts, and thought leaders to discuss interconnected global issues. We will examine the future of global governance and opportunities to drive progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering a chance to engage with those working to build a sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more below, and [register here]( for all events: The [FP Health Forum]( will address global health issues, focusing on access, equity, and security. As member states meet to assess progress on their commitment to achieve universal health coverage by 2030, conversations will examine the current gaps, challenges, and opportunities to shape practical and effective solutions. Sept. 20, 10:30 a.m. 12:45 p.m. EDT, in person and online. [Food+]( brings together experts to explore strengthening food security amid complex global challenges, including fractured global supply chains, competition over water, deforestation, and climate change. Programming will explore collaborative approaches to fortify food systems around the world through more sustainable resource management and farming techniques, leveraging of climate and market data, and equitable and effective distribution, particularly to the most vulnerable. Sept. 20, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT, in person and online. The [FP Tech Forum]( will examine the role of technology in shaping international relations, with a particular focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. We will explore the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies and examine ways they are transforming diplomacy, intelligence gathering, and foreign policy more broadly. Sept. 21, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT, in person and online. The [FP Energy Forum]( will take a critical look at the global energy transition, with a particular emphasis on decarbonization, electrification, and resilience. Conversions will consider the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of this transition, including the promotion of accessible, reliable, and sustainable energy, as well as the fostering of safe, inclusive workforces and empowered communities. Sept. 21, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT, in person and online. Also happening at UNGA: A [public briefing]( on how expanding access to quality diagnostics could help achieve the SDGs and a [conversation]( on the impacts of hybrid warfare, launching the Digital Front Lines [report]( by FP Analytics. And join us for a [live taping]( of FPâs Global Reboot podcast. Most Popular on FP [Saudi women walk past a mural depicting Saudi King Salman (center), Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left), and late King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman (right), the founder of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at a park in the capital, Riyadh, on Jan. 16.]( [The Arab Gulfâs New Nationalism]( Ambitious leaders in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are restructuring national identity to solidify their rule. By Jon Hoffman [A warning sign depicting a polar bear stands at the side of a road outside the Longyearbyen airport on May 2, 2022, in the Svalbard Archipelago, northern Norway.]( [NATOâs Northern Flank Has Too Many Weak Spots]( Key alliance members are failing to uphold their obligations in the face of Moscowâs unflagging interest in the High North. By Alexander B. Gray [People attend the ceremony for the installation of commemorative plaques to the victims of Soviet repression on the wall of their former house in central Moscow on Dec. 10, 2014. ]( [How Memory Survives in Putinâs Russia]( Russiaâs dictator controls its past. But can history that avoids politics live on? By Tanya Paperny [A farmer cuts down trees with a chainsaw to plant coca at a plantation in Colombia's Guaviare department on Dec. 6, 2021. The area is experiencing increasing environmental degradation due to illicit crops, intensive livestock farming, illegal mines, and drug trafficking. ]( [How Drugs Are Destroying the Amazon]( In the worldâs largest rainforest, cocaine and deforestation are increasingly linked. By Robert Muggah [Loyalists carrying an Orange Order flag and drummers in the Pride of Lagan Valley Flute Band march through the streets of Belfast City on July 16. Orange walks have met criticism throughout the Order's existence, from both Catholics and nationalists, who perceive them as sectarian and triumphalist. ]( [Northern Irelandâs Unionists Are Fighting for Survival]( A sense of betrayal by Westminster and lost status have fueled extremism and weakened commitment to peaceful power-sharing. By Dan Haverty [The Arab Gulfâs New Nationalism]( Ambitious leaders in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are restructuring national identity to solidify their rule. By Jon Hoffman [NATOâs Northern Flank Has Too Many Weak Spots](Key alliance members are failing to uphold their obligations in the face of Moscowâs unflagging interest in the High North. By Alexander B. Gray [How Memory Survives in Putinâs Russia](Russiaâs dictator controls its past. But can history that avoids politics live on? By Tanya Paperny [How Drugs Are Destroying the Amazon](In the worldâs largest rainforest, cocaine and deforestation are increasingly linked. By Robert Muggah [Northern Irelandâs Unionists Are Fighting for Survival](A sense of betrayal by Westminster and lost status have fueled extremism and weakened commitment to peaceful power-sharing. By Dan Haverty From Around FP - How Strengthening Women Strengthens Economies: This season of The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO) [podcast]( has looked at how women are pushing back against legal, political, and cultural barriers to better themselves and their communities. Conversations have centered on the male allies who have made it their mission to fight gender inequities, but the [final episode]( of Season 4 looks forward and interviews women leaders who are advancing gender equality in their sectors. Listen on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Tracking Financial Commitments to End Child Sexual Abuse: Recent estimates by the World Health Organization indicate that up to 1 billion children between the ages of 2 and 17 have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence or neglect within the past year. On Sept. 7, FP Analytics, with the support of World Vision and the Oak Foundation, is launching original research that deepens the understanding of the level of funding that governments are dedicating to combat this issue across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. [Register here]( to attend the virtual event. Are you interested in learning more about FP Analyticsâ cutting-edge research services, hosting an FP Virtual Dialogue event, or building a podcast with FP Studios? [Explore partnership opportunities](. Answer: B. BRICS. Lulaâs call to expand BRICS could hint at his ambition to create a BRICS-specific currency to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar, as Christopher Sabatini [discussed]( last month. Go behind the headlines Gain access to FP's insightful articles and deep analysis, enabling you to stay informed and broaden your global outlook. [SUBSCRIBE TODAY]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( Youâre receiving this email at {EMAIL} because you signed up for the FP This Week newsletter. [MANAGE YOUR EMAIL PREFERENCES]( | [VIEW OUR PRIVACY POLICY]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Reach the [right online audience]( with us. [Foreign Policy]( is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2023 Graham Digital Holding Company LLC. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.