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Once a traditional instrument of statecraft and bilateral cooperation, diplomacy has expanded to include non-state actors like think tanks, NGOs, and even Silicon Valley. What is the future of diplomacy, and is the post-war international order still fit for purpose? Will multilateral institutions rise up to the challenges of the digital century, or will they plunge further into a sea of idealistic constructs? Fiker Institute’s Diplomacy and Global Governance Program aims to study the disruption of diplomacy in light of the changing nature of global affairs, as the international community finds itself connected more intimately, yet more remotely, than ever before.
Global Trade Governance

Global Trade Governance

To state that the governance of multilateral trade, centered at the World Trade Organization (WTO), is at a crossroads is to understate the obvious. While current geoeconomics play a large role, as exemplified by US President Trump’s tariff policies, the causes are varied and of longer standing than simply current events. An increasingly complex trade […]

COP30: What to Expect

COP30: What to Expect

In November 2025, Brazil will host COP30, the annual UN climate conference. International climate governance has witnessed uneven progress in recent years, with North-South tensions and geopolitical instability threatening vital action against deteriorating climate conditions. What can we expect from Brazil’s COP and how does the summit highlight deeper problems in global climate governance?

Yasmeen Jaber
Reconstructing Sovereignty: Gaza’s Future Beyond Rubble – A Palestinian-led Vision

Reconstructing Sovereignty: Gaza’s Future Beyond Rubble – A Palestinian-led Vision

Following the Arab League emergency meeting in early March, momentum around Gaza’s reconstruction has grown amid regional urgency and renewed international focus. At the heart of this effort lies a pivotal question: Will reconstruction serve as a tool for Palestinian sovereignty or be co-opted into another externally imposed process and prolonged military occupation?  This Policy Brief argues […]

America’s Climate Finance Exodus: What It Means For Africa

America’s Climate Finance Exodus: What It Means For Africa

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump upended years of climate finance commitments to Africa. The US President issued an executive order withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement and rescinding the US International Climate Finance Plan. This did not come as a surprise as it is the second time President Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement. […]

Undoing the Transatlantic Partnership: Europe vs. Trump

Undoing the Transatlantic Partnership: Europe vs. Trump

The transatlantic partnership, historically a shared pillar of security and economic prosperity for the United States (US) and Europe, now faces unprecedented challenges as US President Donald Trump’s second term ushers in a new era of confrontation. At the Munich Security Conference in February 2025, Vice President JD Vance sharply criticized European leadership, revealing the widening rift between the […]

The 2025 German Elections: Party Politics & International Implications

The 2025 German Elections: Party Politics & International Implications

After the fall of the traffic-light coalition in November 2024 and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s failure to win a vote-of-confidence the following month, Germany’s government has a  fresh opportunity to re-constitute itself in the upcoming snap elections on February 23, 2025. Scholz’s cabinet was deeply fragmented by internal disagreements, particularly over budget proposals. Havoc erupted after a […]

Farah El Abbady