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1 day ago | 
iol.co.za | Michael Walsh
DIPLOMACYMichael Walsh|Published 13 minutes agoIn Washington, there is already some opposition to the appointment of MTN board chairman Mcebisi Jonas as the South African Special Envoy to the United States. Any new concerns are likely to amplify that opposition.
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1 day ago | 
timeslive.co.za | Michael Walsh |Charles Ray
MICHAEL WALSH & CHARLES RAY | Zimbabwe’s pragmatic approach to US tariffs presents opportunity and risk Will Emmerson Mnangagwa’s move open the door to a future reset of US-Zimbabwe relations? 23 April 2025 - 04:30 By Michael Walsh and Charles Ray Earlier this month, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared that his regime would suspend tariffs on US goods entering the country.
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6 days ago | 
eurasiareview.com | Michael Walsh
The ongoing efforts to designate the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization should be taken seriously. There is a sort of logic behind what is happening. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a commitment to the Kingdom of Morocco. He promised that the Trump Administration would facilitate the adoption of the Autonomy Proposal. But, that will not be easy.
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1 week ago | 
mg.co.za | Des Erasmus |Michael Walsh
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan foreign minister. At the meeting, Rubio reaffirmed the commitment of the Trump administration to negotiating “a mutually acceptable solution” for Western Sahara using the framework articulated in the Autonomy Proposal. The political status of Western Sahara remains the subject of considerable debate. Prior to 2020, the US recognised Western Sahara as a dependent state or area of special sovereignty.
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1 week ago | 
iol.co.za | Michael Walsh
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters during the flight from Palm Beach to Miami aboard Air Force One on April 12, 2025. Image by: Mandel NGAN / AFPPublished 6m ago | Published 6m agoEarlier this month, US Congressman Rodney Jackson introduced a bill that would not only demand a full review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa.
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3 weeks ago | 
mg.co.za | Michael Walsh
Over the past few years, Western governments have demonstrated a willingness to impose Swift bans on the banks of states that severely violate international norms. These are extremely coercive measures since Swift is the secure financial messaging network that international banks rely on to facilitate cross-border transfers. Although workarounds have been attempted, prior Swift bans have severely affected the ability of banks in targeted independent states from accessing international markets.
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3 weeks ago | 
mg.co.za | Michael Walsh
The Trump administration is committed to restoring meritocracy and promoting individuality in the international system. Those principal-based strategic goals pose a serious risk to the future involvement of the government of South Africa in the G20. Among other things, one could imagine the Trump administration taking future actions that would affect the termination of the G20 membership of South Africa and the African Union.
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4 weeks ago | 
blogs.timesofisrael.com | Michael Walsh
There are dark clouds forming on the maritime horizon of US-South Africa relations. Since the October 7 Attacks, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has demonstrated a willingness to investigate foreign governments who interfere with port access for U.S. and foreign-flagged vessels engaged in the shipment of U.S. military supplies to Israel. As evidence, the FMC opened an investigation into the restrictive port practices of the Government of Spain in December 2024.
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1 month ago | 
mg.co.za | Michael Walsh
Earlier this week, the US Federal Maritime Commission launched an examination to identify any regulations, policies, or practices by other parties that create unfavorable shipping conditions in several choke points around the world. One of those choke points is the Strait of Gibraltar. That carries significant risk for the future of US-Spain relations. According to the Federal Maritime Commission, the new examination will include a number of issues that could impact US-Spain relations.
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Jan 19, 2025 | 
timeslive.co.za | Michael Walsh
MICHAEL WALSH | Winter is coming: South African elites may face sanctions in first year of Trump administration It seems absurd that there are South African foreign policy experts who believe the US election results are likely to have a 'minimal' impact on US-SA relations 20 January 2025 - 04:30 By Michael Walsh Some South African foreign policy experts have claimed...
