China recently hosted the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, followed by a military parade to mark the defeat of Japan in World War II – all accompanied by bilateral meetings with leaders of several allied countries.

Japan is pivoting from aid to strategic investment in Africa to compete with China and Russia while boosting development and Japanese business engagement.

The Sahel states and Russia are deepening their strategic partnership, with a particular focus on military cooperation, built on shared interests to confront mounting security challenges and to shape an alliance independent of former colonial powers.

A recent analysis showed a significant surge in construction activity at European defense facilities since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Another round of consultations is expected to restore relations between Russia and the U.S. to normal, a development that could have implications for foreign affairs in countries where Moscow and Washington continue to influence political and security stability, notably Syria.