Archive | Regional cooperation and integration RSS feed for this section
Regional cooperation and integration

Does the Eurasian Union have a future?

By . Posted March 27, 2012
On 3 October 2011, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed the establishment of a Eurasian Union in an article published in the Russian broadsheet Izvestia. The article was entitled “New integration project for Eurasia – making the future today.”

Regional cooperation and integration

Chinese and US health programs in Africa have more in common than you might think

By . Posted February 27, 2012
The new African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, a gift from the PRC.
Concerns have been expressed in the Western media that Chinese aid to Africa represents a form of “new colonialism.” However, comparing Chinese and US health programs in Africa suggests that the two have more in common than might be expected. Both countries’ health efforts in the region share similarities in terms of objectives, priorities and challenges. Foreign aid from the PRC and the US is provided not only as development assistance but also as a tool of soft power. Both the PRC and the US shape some of their health efforts to boost friendship and goodwill across Africa. Public opinion polls suggest that both countries are generally viewed positively by Africans.