In Geopolitics Today: Monday, October 3rd
In Geopolitics Today: Monday, October 3rd
Army Officers Declare Successful Coup in Burkina Faso, The Vatican on a Diplomatic Tour of Central Asia, and other stories.
Army Officers Declare Successful Coup in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has experienced its second coup d'état this year after the leader of the former military junta offered his resignation to Ibrahim Traoré. His resignation means an end to the tensions that gripped the country in recent days. Traoré said the previous government was removed due to an inability to deal with armed uprisings across the country.
The previous military junta came to power in a coup back in January, when Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba installed himself as leader of the country's 16 million people. Now, Damiba is said to have stayed at a French base before fleeing to Togo. The general staff of Burkina Faso’s army dismissed the coup as just an “internal crisis” and said that dialogue was “ongoing” with factions to remedy the situation.
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Prisoner Swap Deal Between the US and Venezuela
A prisoner swap deal agreed by the United States and Venezuela signals improved ties between the two countries. Venezuela has reportedly freed seven US citizens in exchange for two relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a relatively rare engagement after years of a policy of “maximum pressure” toward Caracas by Washington.
The swap included executives of Citgo Petroleum and US Marine veteran Matthew Heath and another US citizen named Osman Khan, all of whom were exchanged for two nephews of Maduro’s wife. The transfer reportedly took place on Saturday in the Caribbean island of St Vincent and Grenadines, a place both countries trusted would facilitate a smooth prisoner exchange. Washington has maintained tough sanctions on Venezuela, and has stated that easing the measures would only be possible if Maduro negotiates with a US-backed Venezuelan opposition party suspended last year.
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China and India Remain Neutral at the UN on Russia’s Annexation
In a recent UN vote condemning the recent Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory, both China and India seemingly maintained their neutrality on the matter by abstaining on the vote. Russia voted against and vetoed the resolution, while Brazil, China, India and Gabon abstained.
If passed the resolution would have declared the annexations illegal and allow UN mechanisms and resources to be used to press for an immediate withdrawal of all Russian military forces from Ukraine. The UN Security Council vote is a reminder that China and India remain slightly differential to their economic and political partner in Russia, ties both powers are unwilling to break. This despite reports that suggested a back channelling effort by American diplomats to encourage China and India to put pressure on Moscow.
Read more about this story here.
The Vatican on a Diplomatic Tour of Central Asia
Pope Francis has represented the Vatican in a diplomatic tour of Central Asia that was part of broader diplomatic engagement in the region. On the very day of his arrival at the Kazakh capital, Francis promised support for Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and his team held talks with local representatives. The pope vehemently called on regional leaders to avoid the logic of bloc politics.
The Holy See’s engagement with the region is rooted in a long history. The Church has been present since the 4th century CE, and papal envoys have visited since the 13th century. The Holy See was proactive when the Soviet Union collapsed, quickly recognizing the independence and sovereignty of countries in the region. And for those emergent states, the Vatican promises a resourceful partner, one that is able to advocate for issues that concern the region through a variety of channels. Francis’ visit saw the Catholic Church build trust with local authorities while promising pastoral support to local churchgoers.