In Geopolitics Today - Monday, January 24th
The Taliban Arrives in Oslo for Talks, Australia Seeks Closer Ties with Vietnam, Army Mutineers Orchestrate a Coup in Burkina Faso
The Taliban Arrives in Oslo for Talks
A Taliban delegation has arrived in Oslo for conversations with NATO representatives to release billions in Afghanistan state assets. The closed-door discussions are ongoing between the representatives of the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Norway, the European Union on one side, and the Taliban delegation on the other. Discussions are expected to revolve around a potential settlement regarding frozen assets belonging to the Afghan state and power-sharing in Afghanistan moving forward. The US froze Afghan state assets valued at roughly $9.5 billion when the Taliban took control of the country.
Washington’s hesitance to release the frozen assets has contributed to the economic hardship much of Afghanistan has been embroiled in since the Taliban took power as around 80% of the Afghan state budget is said to have come via NATO aid. Taliban representatives will likely press for the release of frozen state assets in the discussions, with the United States and its allies eager to gain political concessions from the Taliban before releasing the funds. Faced with the Taliban's request for funds, NATO powers are likely to demand that the Taliban administration share power with one of Afghanistan’s minority ethnic and religious groups which cooperated with NATO forces over the course of the 20-year war.
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Australia Seeks Closer Ties with Vietnam
Australia is set to pursue new milestones in its relations with Vietnam going forward. Last year, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlined to his Vietnamese counterpart his wish to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. As a part of reaching this goal, the two countries have announced an enhanced economic engagement strategy which sets out a roadmap to boost bilateral trade and investment.
Economic cooperation has been a key priority as two-way trade between Australia and Vietnam has grown to a record $10 billion. The two countries are also deepening cooperation through military ventures, with the Australian Defence Force and Vietnam People’s Army participating in joint training exercises. Through Australia’s Defence Cooperation Program, Canberra now supports reciprocal military personnel training for Vietnamese troops, allowing their participation in military courses at Australian defence institutions, and establishing frameworks for conducting joint counterterrorism and maritime security operations. Moreover, the two countries share strategic interests, as both Australia and Vietnam are benefactors of the status quo in the Indo-Pacific, and both are wary of Beijing’s growing power in the region.
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Army Mutineers Orchestrate a Coup in Burkina Faso
A coup has taken place in Burkina Faso in which mutineers have reportedly deposed the sitting government and assumed control of the country. Burkina Faso’s army announced that it has deposed President Roch Kabore, suspended the country’s constitution, dissolved the current government and the national assembly, and shut down the country’s borders as they assume power. Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba is believed to be the coup leader.
The announcement said the takeover had been carried out without violence and that the now former government officials taken in custody were in a secure location. In justifying the coup, the military leaders cited the deterioration of the security situation in the country, and went on to blame Kabore for his inability to unite the country. It remains unclear what changes to the government the mutineers will make. The landlocked country is one of West Africa’s poorest despite being a major gold producer. Gold makes up roughly 77% of the country’s entire export portfolio, the vast majority of which is bought by Switzerland.
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