Article

China has emerged as Cambodia’s leading investor and donor and an increasingly important trading partner. Will the close relationship with China help Cambodia weather the global financial crisis? Or can we expect the economic slowdown in China to spill over into the Cambodian economy?

The Merida Initiative, a programme against the illicit trade in drugs headed by the USA and Mexico, is too focused on law enforcement. What is needed is structural reform of the police and judicial systems and more economic development.

NATO did not fail during the Cold War or after: It did safeguard the security to its member states. NATO can be successful in the future, too - provided it focuses on its primary tasks and resists the temptation to "do everything everywhere".

By joining NATO - and, five years later, the European Union - Poland has fulfilled its strategic objectives, directing its internal development towards a state more secure, democratic, and affluent.

Africa speaks up on Climate Change is an appeal about the threat climate change poses to Africa. Immediate political action is needed. The film Hotspot Africa shows how severe the problems really are.

NATO alone cannot stretch far enough to tackle the challenges we face. It must also be able to connect better with others. And if NATO is to both stretch and connect, its members will need to supplement static territorial defence with societal resilience and - a particular challenge for Germany - to develop the expeditionary capabilities necessary to enable NATO to act effectively.

The Czech EU Presidency was thrown right into the middle of the war in Gaza. And Czech politicians stumbled. Unlike the majority of their colleagues from Western Europe, who condemned Israel’s actions as disproportionate, the Czech prime and foreign ministers initially blamed Hamas for the conflict.

The film by Nana Yuriko describes the experiences of 5 single women in the Joint Land Titling process in Cambodia. By giving voice to these women, the Heinrich Böll Foundation hopes to contribute to improvements in the recognition and registration of women's land rights in Cambodia.

This short film by Ian White delivers insight into a women radio programme in Cambodia. Together with the Solidarity and Community Development Association the Heinrich Böll Foundation designed a training and radio programme to encourage women's participation in politics.

Is there a future for NATO? And, should the answer be in the affirmative, what might it look like? The question whether NATO is an outdated organisation or an indispensable alliance is a moot point. We hope that our conference and this dossier will help foster an enlightened debate on these issues.