Global Economy
Indonesia’s new capital of power can’t afford the tangled wires of Jakarta
The electricity cable system in Jakarta is estimated to be more than 80,000 kilometres long, which is sufficient to circle the Earth more than twice. With the city’s rapid growth…
Economic diplomacy: Japan’s message in a gas bottle
New emissions
When Japan’s ambassador Shingo Yamagami left Australia earlier than scheduled in April, the Albanese government probably hoped it would get a break from his…
Why China tripled its heavy truck shipments to Central Asia: Unravelling the influence of Russia’s war in Ukraine
Trade data shows Central Asia’s imports from China are up sharply, as the region is progressively integrated into a Beijing-Moscow economic axis.
Central Asia is increasingly a…
Why the Black Sea Grain Initiative must be restored
Earlier this week, Russia announced that it would suspend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the landmark diplomatic deal brokered by the United Nations and…
What Norway might learn from Nauru after a massive phosphate find
The recent announcement of a high-grade phosphate deposit of at least 70 billion tonnes in Norway by Norge Mining has sparked excitement that it could meet global demand for…
The cost-benefit of turning “dirty” shipping clean
What do you value more – stopping climate chaos or keeping global shipping cheap? That was the dilemma many developing countries faced at the wood-panelled London headquarters of…
Australia and Southeast Asia: Driving EV collaboration across borders
“All countries deserve to process their natural resources, all countries deserve to make their people prosperous, and other countries must respect this right.” These words from…
Scrapping IMF surcharges is key to cutting debt burden on distressed nations
More than 50 countries, composing half of the world’s poorest people, are facing severe debt distress. “Crisis” might be an overused term in global politics, but surely this…
Timor-Leste: Breaking free from temptation of easy money
A successful 21 May election in Timor-Leste saw the smooth and peaceful transition of power to a new government led by Xanana Gusmão – new, in the sense of being newly sworn in,…
Economic diplomacy: Power shifts with Jakarta
Trading places
It’s now half a century since Australia and Indonesia signed a bilateral investment agreement leading to serial government initiatives mostly on the Australian…