Welcome to our Newsletter !
In an international environment marked by fragmentation, rapid escalation of crises, and diminishing confidence in multilateral processes, the question is no longer whether diplomacy must evolve, but how. The Board of Peace, launched under President Donald Trump’s approach to international engagement, represents a concrete initiative aimed at reshaping diplomatic engagement in an era of disruption. It offers a practical framework for exploring new diplomatic formats that emphasize agility, direct dialogue, and results-oriented engagement alongside traditional institutions.
Global conflicts today are increasingly complex, shaped by overlapping political, economic, and security dynamics. Traditional diplomatic mechanisms, while indispensable, often struggle to respond with the speed and flexibility required by such environments. The Board of Peace proposes an alternative logic: one that emphasizes agility, direct engagement, and the strategic use of political capital to open dialogue where formal channels may be constrained.
The initiative draws on a long-standing diplomatic practice which is personal and informal diplomacy. Throughout history, breakthrough moments in peace processes have frequently emerged outside official negotiating rooms, driven by trusted intermediaries, discreet dialogue, and the willingness of influential figures to take calculated risks. The Board of Peace positions itself within this tradition, leveraging experience, credibility, and high-level networks to support de-escalation, facilitate negotiations, encourage commitments, and contribute to the resolution of conflicts.
What distinguishes this approach is its focus on leadership-driven mediation. By prioritizing outcomes over institutional formality, such a board could help reframe negotiations, reduce symbolic barriers, and create momentum in stalled processes in polarized contexts.
The initiative also reflects a broader shift in global governance, where peace and security are no longer addressed solely by states and international organizations. In a world where public opinion, media cycles, and political urgency increasingly shape diplomacy, such innovative mechanisms may help restore a sense of agency and responsiveness to peace efforts. If articulated clearly and connected constructively with existing institutions, the Board of Peace could contribute to a more layered and adaptive diplomatic ecosystem.
Ultimately, the value of such an initiative lies in its capacity to add flexibility without undermining legitimacy, to encourage dialogue without bypassing norms, and to support peace processes without replacing established frameworks. As international diplomacy continues to adapt to new realities, experiments that expand the toolkit of peacebuilding deserve careful attention.
|
|
|
Implementing a Gaza Reconstruction and Development Program
Hafez Ghanem
This piece highlights the urgent need to implement a Gaza reconstruction and development program following UN Resolution 2803, with the World Bank as a neutral facilitator. It emphasizes rebuilding Gaza beyond physical structures by transforming its economy, promoting private investment, and involving Palestinians in the process. Lifting the blockade, improving governance, and opening Gaza to global trade are essential for sustainable peace. A successful reconstruction could create tangible benefits for both Palestinians and Israelis, helping shift the region toward lasting stability... Read more
|
|
Is the Two State Solution Really Dead?
Hafez Ghanem
This piece highlights cautious optimism from an Israeli–Arab dialogue, the urgent need to end Hamas control in Gaza and rebuild its economy inclusively, the viability of a two-state solution with soft borders and economic cooperation, and the crucial role of trust, leadership renewal, and joint reconstruction in paving the way for lasting peace... Read more
|
|
|
(FR) The Long March Toward the Establishment of a Palestinian State
Mohammed Loulichki
This paper highlights the long journey toward establishing a Palestinian state, emphasizing recent agreements like the October 2025 Gaza Accord and the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit as steps toward ending hostilities and enabling humanitarian aid. It underscores the importance of the two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace, while noting the incremental diplomatic recognition of Palestine by the international community. Progress depends on implementing ceasefires, disarming Hamas, stabilizing Gaza, and securing political will from all parties. Ultimately, full UN recognition of a Palestinian state would mark the completion of a historic process initiated in 1947... Read more
|
|
(FR) The Trump Plan for Peace in the Middle East
Abdelhak Bassou
In this paper, the author highlights the immediate approach to pacifying Gaza, focusing on the idea that prosperity is a prerequisite for peace. Trump’s strategy, initiated by Jared Kushner, emphasized economic investment rather than political compromise to stabilize the region, starting with a $50 billion plan for infrastructure, trade, and innovation. After the 2023 Gaza war, this logic was revived, framing the ceasefire not as an end but as the foundation for political restructuring and future economic cooperation... Read more
|
|
|
(FR) Trump’s America Confronting the Fault Lines of the International Order
Ferid Belhaj
This paper highlights how Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency in 2025 accelerates the fragmentation of the post-1945 international order, replacing multilateral rules with power-based, transactional geopolitics. It examines the instrumentalization of global financial institutions, the rise of a parallel Chinese-led order, and the growing vulnerabilities of the Global South. The analysis underscores a shift toward coercive hegemony, conditional alliances, and strategic fragmentation. Ultimately, it argues that the central challenge of the 21st century is to rethink global governance in a fractured world defined by power rather than universality... Read more
|
|
The International Justice System: The ICJ, the ICC, the Challenge and Risk of Double Standards
Ferid Belhaj
The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court play key roles in upholding international law but face criticism over selective enforcement. The ICJ’s reliance on state consent and UN Security Council enforcement often weakens its impact, while the ICC’s jurisdictional limits and selective prosecutions raise concerns about equity. Contrasting global responses to similar rulings reveal geopolitical influences. The study underscores the need for institutional reform to strengthen credibility, ensure consistent application of international law, and restore trust, particularly in the Global South... Read more
|
|
|
|
|
How MENA Middle Powers Are Reshaping the Architecture of Regional Diplomacy
This podcast examines the rising role of MENA middle powers as diplomatic brokers amid shifting alliances and declining security guarantees. Our guest discusses how these states are redefining regional diplomacy through diversified partnerships, humanitarian engagement, and strategic autonomy in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape... Listen
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Episode – The Board of Peace in the Middle East
Amid one of the Middle East’s most complex and turbulent periods, peace initiatives are emerging in unconventional forms. The Trump administration recently launched the Board of Peace, raising questions about the future of diplomacy, the role of international institutions, and whether this represents a new attempt to break political deadlocks or a broader shift toward parallel diplomacy reshaping mediation in the region. This episode will explore its stakes and potential impact on peace and stability... Read more
|
|
|
INSIGHTS FROM ATLANTIC DIALOGUES
|
|
|
|
|
Can Democracy Deliver in a Post-Trust World?
Amid compounded global crises, democracies face declining trust in institutions and leaders, fueled by economic inequalities, political polarization, and misinformation. This session explores how emerging and established democracies are responding to these challenges through governance innovation, civic engagement, and social accountability. It examines the institutional, cultural, and technological factors that support resilience and invites reflection on whether democracy can reinvent itself as a more responsive, inclusive, and effective system for citizens... Watch
|
|
|
|
|
From Trade Wars to War Economies: Are Conflicts Rewiring Global Markets?
Rising economic nationalism and escalating geopolitical conflicts are reshaping global trade and financial systems, giving rise to a new “war economy” in which tariffs, sanctions, and supply chains are weaponized. From the disruption caused by the war in Ukraine to the United States renewed “America First” economic strategy, these shifts are redefining transatlantic and North–South relations. This session examines how trade and financial instruments are increasingly used as tools of geopolitical competition and explores how Atlantic actors can strengthen resilience and cooperation in a fragmenting global economic order... Watch
|
|
|
You are receiving this email because you have subscribed in the past, attended one or more of our events, have contact with our staff or Fellows or broader network. We consider that you want to keep receiving our think tank's publications unless you unsubscribe from our mass mailing system.
Unsubscribe from this mailing list | Update your details | Other requests
|
|
|
Policy Center for the New South
Rabat Campus of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University Rocade Rabat Salé 11103, Morocco
www.policycenter.ma | contact@policycenter.ma
© 2026 Policy Center for the New South. All rights reserved.
Ce traitement a été notifié et autorisé par la CNDP au titre du récépissé N° D-NL-718/2020
This processing has been notified and authorized by the CNDP under receipt N ° D-NL-718/2020
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
