No 6 (2023)

Lately, when restarting nuclear weapons debate, Japan has to strike a delicate balance since, as the only country to have experienced the horrors of a nuclear attack, it remains committed to leading discussions on bringing about a world without nuclear weapons and continues to face calls from survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings to do more to achieve that.Although there are several factors that can critically affect the anti-nuclear stance of Japanese public, this paper, based on results of opinion polls 2018–2022 and researches about nuclear issues debates, focuses on Japanese public opinion towards deployment of nuclear weapons in the territory of Japan and analyzing one, but specific factor, which can affect the Japanese public while discussing this issue – social pressure among the Japanese in the society.Highlighting the importance of social pressure in public opinion toward different issues in both in Japanese society and the online arena, the author makes a conclusion that Japanese people are less likely to succumb to social pressure in matters they consider vital.

At the beginning of 2023, the second (and last) term of Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency came to an end. On February 25, there took place a general election, as a result of which Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, was elected as the new head of state. The election was held against the backdrop of a marked polarization of the country along ethnic and religious lines, exacerbated by the divisive rhetoric of certain presidential conten-ders.The new leader will face a host of challenges ranging from a security crisis to a mismanaged economy. Political instability persists in many parts of the country: terrorists of Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province, operate in the northeast; the conflict between pastoralists and farmers is escalating in the northwest and central regions; in the south, in the Niger Delta, anti-government groups engage in oil theft and vandalism; there is an upsurge of pro-Biafra separatist sentiment in the southeast, etc. At the same time, the coming to power in Nigeria of B.Tinubu, who actively participated in the political life of the country during the terms of M.Buhari and supported the former president in many undertakings, is unlikely to lead to fundamental changes in domestic, economic and foreign policymaking, including Abuja’s relations with Moscow.

The article focuses on the activities of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The authors outline the conditions and prerequisites for the UN Security Council decision on deployment of a peacekeeping contingent in the south of Lebanon. They also consider the specifics of fulfilling the mission’s mandate and the tasks assigned to the peacekeepers. The authors come to the conclusion that the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon acts as a deterrent in the confrontation between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah, and it also undertakes mediation efforts in the negotiation process between Tel Aviv and Beirut. And although the results of the peacekeeping mission over the past almost four and a half decades cannot be called particularly effective, the absence of peacekeepers in the Southern Lebanon could increase the likelihood of a direct clash between the warring parties. The causes of the conflict have not yet been eliminated. Consequently, the UNIFIL mandate could be extended for years to come. The authors also pay attention to the humanitarian aspect of the peacekeeping mission, whose personnel have made significant efforts to help the local population and carried out the demining of the territory.

Today, Europe pays close attention to its relations with African countries. Germany is the locomotive of the EU and is also building its own policy towards African countries. During the chancellorship of Angela Merkel, several initiatives were proposed aimed at the development of economic relations with Africa. In 2021, Olaf Scholz became the chancellor of Germany. The article examines Germany’s policy towards African countries both before and during the chancellorship of Olaf Scholz. Africa is the key to Europe’s economic sustainability, especially as Europe has continued to separate from Russia economically and politically in the last years. In this context, Africa plays a significant role in meeting Europe’s pressing fossil fuel needs. Despite the European rhetoric to the contrary, in recent decades relations between Africa and Europe have stalled in the paradigm of charity rather than equal partnership. However, Europe now really needs a genuine strategic partnership with African countries in order to be able to negotiate on the energy and climate crisis, prevent future migration crises and compete with geopolitical rivals. The policy of “green energy” is a promising direction of German foreign policy towards the African continent. Against the background of already existing German initiatives towards Africa, the results of recent international summits on climate and the provisions of new initiatives in the field of green energy and climate conservation are considered. All this can become one of the main bridges for strengthening relations between Germany and African countries. In this regard, the article attempts to highlight the main prerequisites for the formation of modern German foreign policy in Africa and attempts to describe the establishment of German-African relations during the chancellorship of Angela Merkel and her successor Olaf Scholz.