To change, first the monochrome Brussels Bubble must pop
euobserver.com I 12th December 2023
Time travel and parallel universes are not just science fiction. For EU-watchers, they can also be part of life in Brussels.
Islamophobia and antisemitism are equal scourges – and the EU is finally recognising that
The Guardian I 7th December 2023
Anti-Muslim hate surges in Europe after terror incidents. Yet for too long, officials have treated tackling it as an afterthought.
Geert Wilders’ victory points to a surge in anti-Islam populism across Europe
Hyphenonline.com I 24th November 2023
Dutch far-right and anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders’ success in this week’s elections in the Netherlands has been widely described as a “shock” result. It is nothing of the sort.
The EU is failing on Israel-Gaza, so it's now up to member states
euobserver.com I 14th November 2023
As calls for a Gaza ceasefire intensify and antisemitism and Islamophobia flare up across Europe, EU countries continue to demonstrate a woeful inability to meet their international and domestic obligations.
Some uncomfortable truths for EU's 140 ambassadors this week
euobserver.com I 6th November 2023
EU ambassadors, posted in over 140 countries across the world, are set to meet their bosses in Brussels this week. They must use the opportunity to speak truth to power.
EU's Mideast policy flip-flops means summit risks irrelevance
euobserver.com I 16th October 2023
EU leaders meeting online on Tuesday for an emergency summit on the Israel-Palestine crisis must move fast to stop the bloc's slide into geopolitical irrelevance.
Afghan women need global support, not feminism lessons
euobserver.com I 10th October 2023
Two years after the chaotic departure of US forces and the Taliban takeover — and despite the latest devastating earthquake in the west of the country — Afghanistan has all but disappeared from the global headlines.
Where are you really from?
Media Diversity Institute I 2023
It was nothing special, just a run-of-the mill encounter at a pre-Christmas reception attended by European Union policymakers, foreign diplomats and others in the so-called “Brussels Bubble”.
Full essay
Europe is sleepwalking into a far-right trap. Who will sound the alarm?
The Guardian I 21st September 2023
I arrived in Brussels four decades ago as a student, scarred by the legacy of two deadly wars between India and Pakistan, and their constant enmity.
Who's afraid of the Global South?
euobserver.com I 19th September 2023
Welcome to an exciting new season of the headline-grabbing TV series: "Who is afraid of the Global South?"
The dangerous decline in the EU's 'moral compass'
euobserver.com I 6th June 2023
European Union policymakers are proud of their "strategic compass" to boost the bloc's defence and security.
The Global South Is a Geopolitical Reality
ip-quarterly.com I 29th June 2023
Caught in a Western, Eurocentric world view, the European Union has not yet woken up to the fact that it needs to fundamentally change its approach to developing countries.
Regional actor, global player
ceps.eu I 26th June 2023
The collapse of Europe’s security order coincides with a period of global transformation. Both these phenomena threaten to change the international environment that the EU has grown accustomed to and that has served its interests relatively well.
In 2024, Europe's voters need to pick a better crop of MEPs
euobserver.com I 6th June 2023
It's not looking good. Reports of corruption and widespread harassment at the European Parliament are bad for the assembly's reputation and the EU's global standing.
Full article
'Fortress Europe' is the root cause for strains in EU-Africa relations
euobserver.com I 11th May 2023
The search for an elusive "partnership of equals" between African states and the European Union remains a slow, unsteady and increasingly challenging work in progress.
Don't worry, be happy: EU can thrive in a multipolar world
euobserver.com I 25th April 2023
Oh, the angst and the handwringing as the 'West' finally discovers that it's a topsy turvy, unpredictable multi-polar world — and that it's time to stop giving orders and start courting the 'rest'.
The China-Brokered Iran-Saudi Deal Could Re-Order Global Politics, Not Just the Middle East
Brussels International Center I April 2023
Western capitals were caught unaware by the announcement in Beijing last month of the breakthrough Iran-Saudi deal to restore diplomatic relations.
When geopolitics trump human rights, we are all losers
euobserver.com I 21st March 2023
For a fleeting moment this month, global attention switched from guns to people and from geopolitics to human rights. Many were too busy fighting wars or speaking the "language of power" to pay attention.
Full article
The taboos are falling fast as the EU embraces the far-right racist approach to migration
The Guardian I 15th February 2023
Allowing controversial ‘fortress Europe’ policies to become mainstream puts the EU’s cohesion and world standing at risk
What Europe can learn from Jacinda Ardern's leadership
euobserver.com I 14th February 2023
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is achieving gender equality and empowerment through innovation, technological change and education in the digital age.
Six reasons why 'where are you really from?' is racist
euobserver.com I 17th January 2023
It was nothing special, just a run-of-the mill encounter at a Brussels Bubble reception. As she introduced me to the EU representative of an international organisation, a friend mentioned that I was a European "expert" on EU stuff.
Digital EU: the Good, the Bad — and the Ugly
euobserver.com I 26th December 2022
The European Union has impressive digital ambitions and an equally-impressive array of initiatives, proposals, directives and regulations, all designed to make the bloc 'fit for the digital age'.
A long, hard year closes — let's celebrate humanity's connections
euobserver.com I 20th December 2022
Once their missing plane is finally back on earth, passengers on Flight 828 in the cult US television show Manifest quickly realise their lives are inextricably entangled.
Diversity and power in the European Union
EPC I 11th November 2022
The European Union is striving to be a serious and respected actor on the global stage. Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has accelerated its efforts to achieve strategic autonomy by ramping up its security and defence policies.
The G20 in Bali, ASEAN, and the forgotten art of EU diplomacy
euobserver.com I 22nd November 2022
Sometimes there's a glimmer of hope even amid geopolitical turmoil.
The back-to-back leaders' meetings in the Indo-Pacific last week could have degenerated into another brawl between the so-called Great Powers.
Decolonising minds is crucial as the EU journeys to diplomacy's new frontiers
euobserver.com I 26th October 2022
Preparing the EU's journey to the bold "new frontiers of diplomacy" is a serious and important task.
EU should admonish less, and listen more, to the Global South
euobserver.com I 27th September 2022
This is no time for short attention spans. Last week's mega jamboree, aka the UN General Assembly, is already history as we grapple with new and pressing EU priorities.
Iran’s Harsh Crackdown On Protests Is Unlikely To Silence Calls For “Women, Life, And Freedom”
Brussels International Center I 26th September 2022
As they have done in the past, Iranian authorities are using brutal force against anti-government protesters who have taken to the streets following the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody of Iran’s morality police. Yet their attempts to silence calls for “women, life, freedom” will be no easy task.
Reforming migration requires tackling EU pride and prejudice
euobserver.com I 31st August 2022
So far, so predictable. As Europe re-opens for business, the tragic death of a three-month old infant at the squalid and over-crowded Ter Apel refugee centre in the Netherlands has sparked shock, horror and recrimination.
Global hunger crisis requires more than just the Odessa deal
euobserver.com I 3rd August 2022
The departure of a first ship carrying much-needed grain from Odessa to Lebanon is good news for an increasingly food insecure world.
'War on Women' needs forceful response, not glib statements
euobserver.com I 6th July 2022
Across the world, women's rights are under assault. This global war on women demands urgent international attention — and a forceful collective response.
UK in a Changing Europe
UACES I 23rd June 2022
WHAT IS THE SITUATION NOW? Despite the corrosive racist discourse of Europe’s far right populists and the increasing number of mainstream politicians who follow their lead …
EU must speak with one voice for Western Balkans influence
euobserver.com I 7th June 2022
High-level visits, stirring speeches and new blueprints proliferate as EU leaders gear up for a much-anticipated meeting with their six Western Balkan counterparts on June 23.
The Brussels-based insider on the importance of diversity within EU institution
Hyphenonline.com I 7th June 2022
Shada Islam is a prominent Brussels-based adviser on development and migration policies. She believes that the European Union’s failure to embrace diversity and protect the rights of minorities is threatening European influence worldwide.
Ukraine shows the EU must think beyond tomorrow
euobserver.com I 10th May 2022
Even in the midst of war, it is vital to think beyond tomorrow. Ambitious and visionary organisers of the Bretton Woods Conference did just that almost 80 years ago.
Working at EU institutions not easy for ethnic minority staff
euobserver.com I 4th May 2022
EU institutions have failed to create an inclusive culture for Europeans of colour and people with disabilities, according to the European Commission's first-ever survey on diversity, inclusion and respect at the workplace.
For EU Green Deal to go global, you need delicate diplomacy
euobserver.com I 12th April 2022
Russia's war in Ukraine means the EU should "move into renewables at lightning speed," says Frans Timmermans, the EU's lead Green Deal-maker.
Ukraine, yes. But remember Afghanistan and Somalia, too
euobserver.com I 15th March 2022
As I write this column at the College of Europe campus in Natolin, Poland, local volunteers and others from across Europe are helping relief agencies as they provide food, shelter and transport to the refugees, mostly women and children, who are streaming across the border.
Fortress Europe should lower drawbridge — for all
euobserver.com I 1st March 2022
There is much to admire in EU leaders' quick, robust and hopefully effective response to Moscow's war against Ukraine.
Faux woke wars must not derail EU anti-racism plans
euobserver.com I 15th February 2022
Spare a thought for the EU's brave foot soldiers who are putting the final touches on new Europe-wide rules to fight racism.
Decolonising EU-Africa Relations Is A Pre-Condition For A True Partnership Of Equals
Center for Global Development I 15th February 2022
European leaders should spend some time at the “Human Zoo” exhibition at Brussels’ iconic Africa Museum when they arrive in Brussels for the much-anticipated EU-Africa summit this week.
Shada Islam – a pioneer of Eurasian mediation
Table China I 10th February 2022
The fact that she feels part of both Europe and Asia at the same time is actually something of a competitive edge, says Shada Islam.
Saving Afghanistan Requires More than Humanitarian Aid
Brussels International Center I February 2022
The European Union must respond quickly and generously to the United Nations latest appeal to end Afghanistan’s “unfolding nightmare”.
Humans in the EU
Humansinthe.eu I 27th January 2022
“I am a mother, a professional, a journalist, an analyst and a founder of my own company; I do come from a Muslim background. However, it does not define my identity.”
A EU-Africa 'equal partnership' must tackle past and present
euobserver.com I 19th January 2022
Expectations are high for the EU-Africa summit on 17-18 February.
French president Emmanuel Macron is leading efforts to revitalise the EU's "tired" relationship with African states and - so far - hard-to-get African leaders seem ready to play ball.
Why Europe’s Muslims are braced for France’s stint running the EU presidency
The Guardian I 3rd January 2022
France has taken over the rotating EU presidency for the next six months, an opportunity the president, Emmanuel Macron, will no doubt use to nudge Europe towards his goal of greater “strategic autonomy” in the world.
Tough Migration and Refugee Policies are a Blight on the EU’s Geopolitical Ambitions
Brussels International Center I December 2021
European Union leaders make no secret of their geopolitical ambitions. Yet their hostile refugee and migration policies are undermining EU influence and authority across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Bigots, bores and EU's bogus debate will not ruin my Xmas
euobserver.com I 22nd December 2021
Bored tonight, nothing on Netflix and suffering from a gentle hangover? Never fear, just tune in to a recording of last week's European Parliament debate on fun, faith and fundamentalism, European Union-style.
The Asia-Europe Meeting needs to agree on a connectivity code of conduct
EastAsiaForum.org I 9th December 2021
The 13th Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) on 25–26 November 2021 confirmed ASEM’s ambitions to become the ‘institutional home of connectivity’.
AUKUS spurs EU’s Indo-Pacific ambitions
gatewayhouse.in I 25th November 2021
The news of the EU's much-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy was overshadowed by the Australia-UK-U.S. military alliance, AUKUS. Eight weeks later, tempers are cooling off as the U.S and EU signed agreements at COP26.
Biden's 'democracy summit' is a risky venture
euobserver.com I 24th November 2021
US president Joe Biden's upcoming "summit of democracies" may excite those invited but it is a risky venture. The online gathering is unlikely to help heal democracies' deep and largely self-inflicted wounds.
'Brussels So White' needs action, not magical thinking
euobserver.com I 27th October 2021
For an exhilarating moment last year, 'Brussels So White' seemed to be cracking under pressure.As Black Lives Matter protests spread across European cities in summer 2020 …
Muslim leaders must stop Taliban violating women's rights
euobserver.com I 8th October 2021
Leaders of Muslim-majority countries must act urgently to stop the Taliban's violation of Afghan women's rights.
It is time for a difficult but honest debate between the EU and the Western Balkans
Slobodenpecat.mk I 3rd October 2021
Shada Islam, one of the most influential women in Brussels and a longtime EU foreign policy expert, told MIA about the European Commission President's visit to the Western Balkans …
AUKUS ruckus may blow over but transatlantic scars run deep
euobserver.com I 29th September 2021
On the off-chance you are bored with the humanitarian crisis, chaos and uncertainty in Afghanistan, here's something to take your mind of life's grim stuff: AUKUS.
EU's hard Afghan slog may perish due to 'Fortress Europe'
euobserver.com I 1st September 2021
As the last US forces left Afghanistan on Tuesday (31 August), ending a painful 20-year conflict, this could have been Europe's hour.
Promoting regional connectivity should be a EU priority for Afghanistan
Brussles International Center I 5th August 2021
For many, it is a disaster foretold. As America ends the longest of its “forever wars”, foreign troops leave Afghanistan after twenty troubled years and Taliban militants seize more and more territory …
Burkinis and 'soul caps' - policing Olympic women back in fashion
euobserver.com I 4th August 2021
Forget football, hockey and cricket: policing what women wear at work and at play is the world's most popular sport. It always has been. But the sexist and racist obsession with how women cover their head and their bodies has reached new heights in the summer of 2021.
History matters for the EU’s geopolitical ambitions
EPC I 15th July 2021
While Europe has a decent record in dealing with the consequences of its bloody modern history, it is only now beginning to confront the collective amnesia regarding its behaviour during the colonial era.
Values? EU leaders must 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'
euobserver.com I 7th July 2021
Remember the Rumble in the Jungle? As attacks on the rule of law and democratic standards multiply across Europe– and Slovenia takes over the EU presidency …
Avoiding pitfalls in the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy
eastasiaforum.org I 10th June 2021
Implementing Europe’s strategy for a stronger ‘strategic focus, presence and action’ in the Indo-Pacific will be difficult.
'Sorry' still the hardest word, as EU steps up courtship of Africa
euobserver.com I 9th June 2021
Sometimes it takes a little geopolitical competition to acknowledge the sins of the past. For years, relations between the European Union and African countries ticked along more or less nicely.
Finding a way forward on EU–India trade negotiations
eastasiaforum.org I 8th June 2021
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled most of his full-packed summit agenda with other world leaders to tend to the devastating COVID-19 crisis at home.
Why EU falls behind US on Palestine-Israel issue
Al-monitor.com I 27th May 2021
The European Union was once viewed as an important and credible actor in the Middle East, even a potential counterweight to the United States.
EU–South Asia relations in the 21st century: Rethink, reimagine, reshape
EPC I 25th May 2021
Amid the intense competition underway between the US and China and the increasing presence of Russia, China, Turkey, Iran …
EU-India: Intentions, with results
Gatewayhouse.in I 13th May 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual summit with European Union leaders on May 8 sets relations between India and the EU on a new and more ambitious trajectory.
EU needs good diplomats in Indo-Pacific, not people in uniforms
euobserver.com I 12th May 2021
Europe's planned strategy for a stronger "strategic focus, presence and actions" in the Indo-Pacific sparks breathless commentary.
Full article
Turkey has endangered the Istanbul Convention but may have strengthened the global combat for women’s rights
Brussels International Center I May 2021
It was meant to be a pre-emptive salvo against an alleged feminist onslaught on “family values”. But President Recep Tayyip’s overnight decision on March 20 to pull Turkey out of the Istanbul Convention …
Time to dump the G7 - it's a relic of the past
euobserver.com I 3rd May 2021
Dormant during the Covid-19 lockdown, the Group of Seven (G7) is determined to get back in the driver's seat of global governance.
Is the EU Doing Enough to Fight Coronavirus Globally?
Carnegieeurope.eu I 29th April 2021
The EU is struggling hard to maintain its reputation as a generous global actor that is responsive to the needs of its partners—when they are really in desperate need.
Muslims, Ramadan, and myths facing 'European civilisation'
euobserver.com I 14th April 2021
Brace yourselves. The purity of European civilisation is going to be tested over the next four weeks by a full-frontal display of 'otherness' by Europe's increasingly feisty and self-confident Muslims.
America Needs a New Transatlantic Script to Deal with China
Nationalinterest.org I 12th April 2021
Battered relentlessly by former President Donald Trump over four difficult years, relations between the United States and the European Union are back on track, with China providing an important spur for the renewed warmth.
What should the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy focus on?
The Straits Times I 9th April 2021
European Union foreign ministers are expected to approve the broad outlines of their long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on April 19, paving the way for the bloc's policymakers to craft a comprehensive and more detailed final document by July.
EU Anti-Racism Summit I 19th March 2021
Meghan Markle, royal racism and the 'European Way of Life'
euobserver.com I 17th March 2021
It is easy to shrug off the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle's revelations alleging racism in and around Britain's royal family as just another celebrity-triggered tsunami in a tea cup.
An EU strategy for Indo-Pacific must be clear and credible
euobserver.com I 17th February 2021
"Extreme competition" between America and China has guaranteed the region formerly known as the Asia-Pacific a permanent place in the geopolitical hall of fame.
Judy Asks: Is the EU Willing to Defend Human Rights Globally?
Carnegieeurope.eu I 4th February 2021
Yes, the EU has the tools to do so, but its ambitions of being a global human rights defender often crumbles in the face of nasty reality.
Biden's 'Age of Aquarius'? Mars and Venus will clash over China
euobserver.com I 20th January 2021
With its promise of new beginnings, Joe Biden's presidency is the perfect start to a new Age of Aquarius.As he begins to heal a deeply-fractured nation, tackle rising pandemic rates and – at least according to hopes in Brussels …
What Europe can learn from the US about fighting racism
Politico I 26th January 2021
As Europe seeks to reboot transatlantic relations with the United States, one urgent common challenge should — but is not — on the long list of priorities: tackling racism.
Europe can only fix its relationship with Africa if it exorcises its colonial ghosts
The Guardian I 19th January 2021
Black Lives Matter protests last summer sparked an uncomfortable reckoning for many European nations with a legacy of slavery and colonialism.
In a messy world, EU's clout depends on respecting values
euobserver.com I 16th December 2020
Whether swooning over US president-elect Joe Biden, scolding Russia and Turkey or chastising China, EU leaders love the thrill of the global stage.
Biden’s ‘summit of democracies’ won’t work
Politico I 8th December 2020
There is much to celebrate in the new foreign policy initiatives being planned by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and his team. Plans to convene a global summit of democracies is not one of them.
![It has taken time, but the new EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership mattersEPC I 7th December 2020On 1 December 2020, the EU and the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)[1] agreed to upgrade their ties to a strategic partnership, endi…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eecc415fef2a632634fe61b/1607425136162-Y1PDJ3EU832QIQIPZ1WI/shada-islam%253Dasia)
It has taken time, but the new EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership matters
EPC I 7th December 2020
On 1 December 2020, the EU and the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)[1] agreed to upgrade their ties to a strategic partnership, ending years of often difficult discussion on the tone, content and direction of their relationship.
Upgrade of Asean-EU ties comes at right time
The Straits Times I 3rd December 2020
As strategic partners at a time of great power competition, both can benefit from greater collaboration in areas such as trade, pandemic preparedness, air transport agreements and support for multilateralism.
Judy Asks: Can the EU Solve the Budget and Rule-of-Law Crisis?
Carnegieeurope.eu I 26th November 2020
Ursula von der Leyen was sworn in almost a year ago, in December 2019, as president of a “geopolitical” European Commission.
Europe's Muslims are European. Stop outsourcing their plight to foreign leaders
The Guardian I 13th November 2020
Terror attacks in France and Austria have put Europe’s 25 million Muslims back in the spotlight. The unwanted attention is familiar. Discussing Muslims as a security risk invariably reaches fever pitch after an Islamist-inspired terrorist act.
Europe, don’t let Biden clip your wings
Politico I 1st November 2020
Hard as it may be for Brussels to admit, Donald Trump has been good for Europe.
Sure, the U.S. president took a sledgehammer to transatlantic relations, rooted for Brexit and denounced the European Union as America’s almost-number-one enemy.
Europe's migration 'crisis' isn't about numbers. It's about prejudice
The Guardian I 8th October 2020
Fortress Europe is being redesigned – but it is no easy task. European Union home affairs ministers on Thursday began the process of repairing the bloc’s broken migration policy, just weeks after the tragic devastation of the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos.
Ignore Washington: That’s Europe’s China strategy
Politico.eu I 15th September 2020
As European leaders prepare for a high-level virtual meeting with Chinese leaders in September, get ready for more stories highlighting a clueless EU’s lack of geopolitical heft. Read them with a pinch of salt.
The EU needs a new story on race and inclusion
Socialeurope.eu I 7th September 2020
If the sensitising impact of ‘Black Lives Matter’ is not to ebb, a new European narrative and concrete actions are needed.
The world needs cool-headed global leadership: can the EU deliver?
Bledstrategicforum.org I 31st August 2020
It has its flaws – some very major ones – but the European Union’s hard-won financial deal mid-July is a much-needed boost for the bloc’s reputation both at home and abroad. Within the EU, the 27 leaders’
Full article on page 9
Lebanon: Time for a regional EU strategy
EUObserver.com I 14th August 2020
The tragedy in Lebanon must spark a deeper European Union rethink of its engagement in the Mediterranean. The focus at the moment is - quite correctly - on urgent assistance to help the people of Lebanon.
The world needs grown-up leadership. Time for Germany to step up
The Guardian I 13th July 2020
With Trump’s US missing in action from the global stage, the European Union should be stepping into the vacuum.
Despite a heavy domestic agenda, Europe must drive globalisation’s reset
DOC Research Institute I 7th July
As European Union member states exit COVID-19 lockdowns slowly, step-by-step, the bloc’s Brussels-based executive Commission is seeking to make up for lost time – and lost opportunities – by grabbing the initiative on a range of budgetary, economic, trade, and other measures.
4 ways #BrusselsSoWhite can fight racism
Politico.eu I 24th June 2020
The European Union is finally ready to talk about racism. It must not mince its words.
Common endeavors
China Daily I 12th June 2020
Striving for a better tomorrow and ensuring that people around the world can live healthier lives are shared goals that can bring Europe and China together.
Judy Asks: Will U.S. Troop Pullouts Accelerate European Defense Integration?
Carnegieeurope.eu I 11th June 2020
The U.S. decision to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany exacerbates tensions in the transatlantic relationship. Could it also focus the EU’s attention on the need for a serious defense policy?
Europeans of colour are finding their voice – it's time ‘Brussels so white' listened
The Guardian I 9th June 2020
Black Lives Matter protests across Europe are exposing the continent’s dismal record of race-based violence, discrimination and harassment.
The G7 is a relic of the past; it’s time to ditch it and move on
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 2nd June 2020
US President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone the G-7 meeting until September and invite Russia, India, South Korea and Australia to the gathering may have made the headlines.
COVID-19 spotlighted European migrants’ vital role; the EU must tell their story
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 19th May 2020
Six years ago, British author Hanif Kureishi wrote searingly of Europe’s fear of migrants who “invade, colonise and contaminate”. Migrants, he mused, had “no face, no status, no protection and no story”.
Reviving trade is key to a global recovery – here’s how Europe can help
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 28th April 2020
Trade wars aren’t good or easy to win. US President Donald Trump’s breezy approach to trade conflicts is as dangerous as it was two years ago – and as deadly as his advice on the health benefits of disinfectants.
Old economic policies won’t work for tomorrow’s problems
City Press I 15th April 2020
Better late than never. The global spotlight is finally on the Covid-19 coronavirus’ devastating social and economic impact on the world’s most vulnerable, after weeks of neglect. Statements of support, promises of help, and plans for quick aid and debt relief, albeit piecemeal, are welcome.
Yesterday’s aid and trade policies won’t work for tomorrow’s problems
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 6th April 2020
Better late than never. After weeks of neglect, the global spotlight is finally on Covid-19’s devastating social and economic impact on the world’s most vulnerable.
Feminism is not a numbers game, it’s about inclusion
Idees I 30th March 2020
Feminist leadership is not about the number of women in top jobs. It’s not about symbols and tokenism. It’s about the quality of women in leadership positions, the power they wield and the way they use it.
Three scenarios for a Covid-19 world: we can still make the right choices
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 23rd March 2020
Adjusting to life in a Covid-19 world is difficult. Daily disruptions impair thinking beyond today. Last week was history, yesterday another country. Tomorrow is unknown, the day-after, unknowable.
Goodbye Venus, hello Mars – but so far, Europe’s only being tough with the weak
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 9th March 2020
Goodbye Venus, hello Mars. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her team have spent the last 100 days struggling to shed the EU’s image as a geopolitical dwarf.
Rethinking Global Governance
Friends of Europe I February 2020
It is a dangerous paradox: multilateralism is in retreat just when collective action is most desperately needed to tackle complex and interconnected global challenges, including the climate crisis.
These EU budget feuds are so dispiriting – we now need some real glory days
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 25th February 2020
They came. They talked (uninterrupted for 30 hours) and then the 27 EU leaders stalked off, tired, distracted, irritated, and without agreement on the EU’s new seven-year budget.
The EU Green Deal can go global – but ‘climate diplomacy’ won’t be easy
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 11th February 2020
In the 1990s, Europe’s drive to create a single market earned international kudos. It also triggered a wave of anxiety as policymakers across the world fretted about the plan’s external ramifications.
We’ve got problems – but talks on Europe’s future must not be a Big Moan
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 28th January 2020
Europe is having another party. Sorry, my mistake. It’s not a party nor a celebration. It will be a sober and serious reflection, a much-anticipated ‘Conference on the Future of Europe’.
Measure EU clout where it counts – and that’s Africa, not the Middle East
Friends of Europe, Frankly Speaking I 14th January 2020
It’s been a sobering start for ‘Geopolitical Europe’. America’s killing of Qassem Suleimani, Iran’s top military commander, spurred frenetic EU activity.
Trump’s climate denial and tariffs are a problem for Europe and Asia. Here’s what they can do about it
South China Morning Post I 10th November 2019
In Brussels, Beijing and Bangkok, concerns over US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies dominate. But while stable ties with Washington are vital for both Europe and Asia, it’s time to inject more effort into Europe-Asia relations.
How the EU can tidy up Eurasia’s tangled web of infrastructure projects
South China Morning Post I 6th October 2019
Resurrecting the dream of an interconnected Eurasia is enticingly strategic and fiercely geopolitical. It is also very complicated.
Connectivity needs a strong rules-based multilateral framework – for everyone's sake
Friends of Europe I 24th September 2019
The figures are staggering, the rewards tantalising and the competition is tough. Resurrecting the dream of an inter-connected Eurasia is enticingly strategic and fiercely geopolitical. It’s also very complicated.
Europe's migration challenge: from integration to inclusion
Friends of Europe I June 2019
As Europe prepares for the arrival of new Members of the European Parliament, a new
European Commission and a new President of the European Council, it’s time to take a fresh look at Europe’s conventional thinking on migration.
Pakistan, democracy and the demise of the independent press
Euractiv I 12th November 2018
The truth is I was expecting the letter. And it came on 8 November while I was in Rome, thinking about what to write for my weekly column in Dawn, Pakistan’s leading independent newspaper.
View From Abroad: Khashoggi’s murder spotlights global war on free speech
DAWN I 2nd November 2018
The gruesome killing of Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul has provoked global outrage. Let’s also focus on the plight of other reporters — much less visible and politically well-connected than Khashoggi — who are killed, tortured, imprisoned and threatened every day.
View From Abroad: Islam, Europe and the magic of fashion
DAWN I 29th September 2018
It's a truth universally acknowledged: Europe has a difficult relationship with Islam, immigration and refugees. Populists, nationalists, racists dominate the political landscape, toppling traditional political parties from their pedestals, striking fear into the hearts of liberal and progressives.
Europe wakes up slowly to risks and opportunities ahead
DAWN I 15th September 2018
RESPECT. And relief. For the moment. The fat lady hasn’t sung just yet. No need to worry about who will be the last one to switch off the lights. There’s still a glimmer of hope for Europe, still a glimmer of hope in Europe.
View From Abroad: Brexit is getting up close, personal — and it’s not funny any more
DAWN I 8th September 2018
A weekend in London and the sun is shining, natives and tourists are out shopping and lingering in cafes and a giant balloon depicting London Mayor Sadiq Khan, scowling in a yellow bikini, has taken flight over Parliament Square in Westminster.
View From Abroad: Cartoon furore satiates Wilders hunger for publicity
DAWN I 31st August 2018
GEERT Wilders, the fiercely anti-Islam Dutch politician, has got what he wanted: his decision to hold a controversial cartoon competition on his party’s private premises in the Dutch Parliament in November this year means he’s back in the headlines, the centre of national and international attention.
Europe’s got problems: Brexit, burqas and Bannon
DAWN I 25th August 2018
AFTER an unusually long and hot European summer, Europe’s packed autumn agenda looks likely to produce equally long and heated debates on three complex and interconnected issues: Brexit, burqas and Bannon.
Not just about Trump and Brexit, Europe’s biggest test is populism
DAWN I 15th July 2018
IT’S been a tough six months but it’s going to be an even tougher autumn.
Europe faces a long list of challenges as it prepares for a new European Commission, elections to the European Parliament and Britain’s withdrawal from the EU club — all expected to happen next year.
Settling Islam In Europe
Outlook India I 16th March 2016
A specter is haunting Europe — the specter of Islam. Fear has reached new heights, pushed by rising concerns about terrorism and the flow of refugees.
Whisper It Softly: Muslims Are Part of Europe's Future
YaleGlobal Online I 10th March 2016
BRUSSELS: A specter is haunting Europe – the specter of Islam. Fear has reached new heights, pushed by rising concerns about terrorism and the flow of refugees.
Population Dynaminc in Muslim Countries
Hans Groth & Alfonso Sousa-Poza I 2012
Shada Islam addresses the demographic changes in Muslim communities …
ASEM Experts To Discuss Counter-Terrorism Strategies – OpEd
Eurasiareview.com I 7th December 2011
Asian and European counter-terrorism experts meet in Indonesia on December 12 for talks on reinforcing cooperation to combat radicalisation and extremism.
Beyond Minarets: Europe’s Growing Problem with Islam
YaleGlobal Online I 14th January 2010
BRUSSELS: Switzerland's vote to ban the building of new minarets exposes a damaging fissure in Europe. It has provoked outrage among Muslims and applause from Europe's increasingly popular anti-Muslim politicians.
China’s Crackdown on Tibet Divides Europe
YaleGlobal Online I 14th April 2008
BRUSSELS: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's three-day visit to Beijing, starting April 24, was planned months ago to spotlight European Union hopes of upgrading political and business ties with China.
Europe Looks East – Part II
YaleGlobal Online I 1st February 2008
BRUSSELS: A procession of European leaders to China – Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown – demonstrates the importance the European Union attaches to the Asian giant.
Muslims and the Tale of Two Continents
YaleGlobal Online I 14th September 2007
BRUSSELS: Muslims in Europe are once again in the spotlight – this time because of German police foiling a terrorist plot hours after Danish authorities arrested Muslim youth for plotting attacks.
Europe: Crises of Identity
International Peace Institute I 14th February 2007
This paper will present the different factors––internal and external––contributing to Europe’s current crisis of identity and the implications of this EU-wide malaise for human and international security.
How Far East Can Europe Go?
YaleGlobal Online I 3rd May 2004
DUBLIN: On May 1 one could hear the sound of Champagne bottles popping across Europe. The dream of a unified continent, articulated by 15 nations more than a decade ago, has come true.
Headscarf Ban Misses the Point
YaleGlobal Online I 30th January 2004
BRUSSELS: The proposed French law banning the Islamic headscarf and other "conspicuous" religious symbols in schools and public administrations has brought to the surface the uncomfortable issue of the role of minorities in European societies.
Ethical Journalism Initiative
ijf.org I July 2017
This paper describes the origins of a programme that aims to raise awareness among journalists about the challenges they face in reporting from within an increasingly polarised world …
Dawn.com I Articles by Shada Islam
Politico.eu I Articles by Shada Islam
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