Diplomacy
Timor Sea dispute: progress and prospects as a deal emerges
Throughout the course of 2017, Australia and Timor-Leste have negotiated in international conciliation proceedings to resolve their protracted disagreements over hydrocarbon…
Australia could offer Robert Mugabe a safe haven in exile
Twice I interviewed Zimbabwe’s Morgan Tsvangirai, the man who has struggled to bring to a close the long and brutal rule of Robert Mugabe. The first time, in 2007, the bruises has…
Diplomats and journalists: Adversaries or allies?
This month I joined the judging panel for the annual Lowy Institute Media Awards. No spoilers – the award ceremony takes place this Saturday, 23 September, and our lips are…
Using economic diplomacy to reduce financial risks in Asia
If Australia’s economic future lies in Asia, then managing the risk of financial crises in the region should be a top concern. Especially as any crisis could also have significant…
Digital diplomacy’s downsides
It was only a few years ago that e-diplomacy was being heralded as an unalloyed force for good. This 21st Century form of statecraft would bring transparency and openness to the…
NBN dysfunction threatens our international reputation
I met with a senior member of the foreign diplomatic corps in Canberra earlier this week for a wide-ranging discussion about the challenges for modern diplomacy and the way in…
Boris Johnson: Three cheers for the Anglosphere
Boris Johnson clearly has a soft spot for Australia.
No white bread politician, his whole manner is a breath of fresh air. Not only was he smart enough to renounce his dual…
Bishop puts the ‘liberal’ into ‘liberal international order’
In her Fullerton lecture delivered on Monday in Singapore, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop gave a full-throated defence of the prevailing regional order. From what is conceptually…
Commentary
We spend so little on ambassadors but they're more important than ever
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop should not be harangued for bringing together all of Australia's heads of mission for the first time, writes Alex Oliver for the Sydney…
Cyber influence links: Weiplomacy, Twitter in Iran, Russia’s new investments, French trollbots, US soft power and more
The monthly Digital Diplomacy links will be replaced by Cyber Influence links. These links will report on the growing collection of international actors (from foreign and…