At various points in recent months, proposals have been made to create a “free economic zone” in parts of Ukraine’s territory. These proposals seem to pursue at least two different purposes. First, they can be understood as an alternative solution to questions of a territorial nature, i.e. creating a territorial arrangement which involves neither full Ukrainian sovereignty over…

Building on the excellent post by Michelle Burgis-Kasthala on UNSC Resolution 2803 and President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, annexed to this “deeply problematic Resolution”, we would like to explore here the background and context of the physical reconstruction proposals for Gaza contained in this Plan. Burgis-Kasthala rightly mentions that these plans…

The current COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the World Health Organization (WHO) into sharp relief. Views differ on the questions of whether the WHO has convincingly managed the pandemic, whether its International Health Regulations are up to scratch and whether it and its current leadership are under too heavy influence of China, other member states or even private actors…