Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Dr Elif Selin Calik
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GCC Energy stands as the ‘Superman’ of Global Energy Markets
The energy sector of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries represents the ‘Superman’ of global energy markets according to both analysts and diplomats. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries now represent a unique combination of stability and transformation in a world where energy security continues to intersect with geopolitical tensions...
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The re-engagement of Anatolia with the Levant
The relationship between Turkiye and Syria is like a dense tapestry woven with threads of imperial legacy, ideological divergence and strategic recalibration. From the Ottoman conquest of Syria in 1516 to the 21st-century refugee crisis, the story is not merely one of borders and treaties, but also of civilisational...
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Opportunities and risks: How Turkiye might navigate Trump’s trade shake-up
Few countries occupy such a unique position where the East and West economic fault lines meet as Turkiye does, especially with the global economy preparing for potential disruptions from Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. Under protectionist trade policies, Trump is imposing aggressive tariffs and bilateral deals...
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Between war and hope: Ukraine’s gratitude for European support amid global rivalries
As the war in Ukraine drags into its third year, the country finds itself at the heart of a growing global rivalry between the United States and Russia. Beyond military conflicts and diplomatic talk, there exists a deeper and more intricate trend that represents what we must recognise as...
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How Trump’s new energy policies reshape global oil markets
Only two months into his second term, President Donald Trump has wasted no time reactivating his signature “energy dominance” doctrine—this time, with even sharper tools and bolder ambitions. The initial executive orders and international policy actions from his administration show a revitalised transactional approach to energy diplomacy which relies...
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Does the Iran-Iraq-Turkmenistan Triangle provide a solution for Europe’s energy security?
Europe’s energy crisis is far from over. European energy diversification efforts have faced significant challenges since the Ukraine war jeopardised Russian gas supplies. European leaders search for energy alternatives as a potential solution emerges from an unlikely region: the Iran-Iraq-Turkmenistan energy triangle. Europe has access to reliable long-term energy...
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Pope Francis to visit Turkiye in May despite health concerns: What comes next?
Despite ongoing health issues, Pope Francis plans to visit Turkiye in May 2025 for diplomatic and interfaith purposes. The planned visit of Pope Francis to Turkiye in May 2025 will become one of the year’s top diplomatic and interfaith events. The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis is considering...
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The power of cinema: From No Man’s Land to No Other Land
My Bosnian neighbours Karim and Selma invited me to view No Man’s Land during my 2010 work tenure in Sarajevo, as the movie reflected their own experiences deeply. Through its depiction of the Bosnian War (1992-1995), the film demonstrated both the senseless tragedy and the devastating impact on their...
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What are the implications for regional trade and investment of the Turkiye-Abu Dhabi port deal failure?
The failed port negotiations between Turkiye and Abu Dhabi Ports (ADP) represent a major disappointment for the economic goals of both countries. Turkiye’s Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated that negotiations for expanding İzmir’s Alsancak Port ended without agreement which would have improved Turkiye’s maritime trade capabilities. It is clear...
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The ripple effect of tariffs on global trade and energy markets
Tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump will lead to significant changes in global trade dynamics and energy market conditions. The recent announcement by President Donald Trump regarding 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods and proposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports has generated extensive conversations...
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Libya and Turkiye: Pioneering a renewable energy consortium for a sustainable future
Nestled in the heart of North Africa, Libya finds itself at a historic crossroads. Long known for its oil reserves, the country now grapples with growing electricity demand that requires a shift toward renewable energy. This is where Turkiye enters the picture, with a growing renewable energy sector and a history...
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The future of the mining industry in the Middle East: 2025
The global mining sector stands on the verge of fundamental change as it gears up for a decade in which it will need to invest $6 trillion, according to Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources. Into this global mix, the Middle East is emerging as a leader of mining...
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DOHA FORUM 2024: Qatar’s LNG future and the acrobatics between Asia and Europe in a shifting energy landscape
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) father Michael Tusiani, writing in his book From Black Gold to Frozen Gas, How Qatar Became an Energy Superpower, noted that the world energy market has entered an intersection where sustainability, security and affordability must be addressed. Qatar, the world’s largest exporter of LNG, plays a...
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After Assad: the hard way out for Syrian refugees returning from Turkiye
The recent fall of Syrian dictator, Bashar Al-Assad’s regime has added new optimism and challenges to Syria’s prospects and the future of democracy. In Turkey, with close to 3.76 million Syrian refugees (UNHCR, 2024), the issue of whether and how those refugees should be repatriated is at its most urgent....
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Connecting worlds: Turkiye’s rapidly expanding trade with Southeast Asia and Oceania
Turkiye’s trade with Southeast Asia and Oceania has picked up incredible pace during the current globalised and connected market environment. As a strategic nation-state, industrial powerhouse and economic powerhouse, Turkiye is using its strategic location and policy advantage to expand relations with these areas. Turkiye’s trade volume with Southeast Asia increased...
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The new Trump age: A turn in US-Turkiye relations?
Henry Kissinger in his book, “Diplomacy” says that ‘When statesmen want to gain time, they offer to talk.’ Now that Donald Trump is back in the White House, the US-Turkiye relationship comes to an impasse. Related with Kissinger’s statements, the question appears: Will Trump offer to talk with Erdogan around...
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Vision 2030: Why renewable energy is the key to a healthier, wealthier future
As ways to curb carbon emissions become more urgent with each passing day, Vision 2030 takes a much needed, sometimes radical but always sensible plan for Saudi Arabia and oil-rich economies to go renewable and make the environment cleaner, the economy healthier and the society stronger as is stated...
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Turkiye’s strategic shift: Why BRICS membership matters for the world’s 19th largest economy
Turkiye’s potential BRICS membership is an intriguing move that signals Ankara’s strategic intent to diversify its international alliances beyond its traditional affiliations, primarily NATO and the EU. This development is not only about enhancing trade or economic opportunities but also reflects Turkiye’s ambitions to reposition itself as a more...
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TurkStream’s $16bn impact: Geopolitical shifts for Ukraine, Turkiye and Hungary in Europe’s energy landscape
In the shifting landscape of global energy geopolitics, the TurkStream natural gas pipeline stands out as a critical artery for energy flows between Russia and Europe, with far-reaching consequences for Turkiye, Ukraine and Hungary. Launched in January 2020, TurkStream was designed to deliver Russian natural gas to Turkiye and...
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The US-Turkiye S-400 and F-35 standoff: Future paths and implications
Turkiye and the United States have long shared a strategic alliance under the NATO umbrella, with both countries mutually benefiting from economic, military and geopolitical cooperation. However, the ongoing dispute over Turkiye’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defence system and its exclusion from the F-35 program has put...
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‘Leveraging Scandinavian expertise: How Turkiye can enhance its renewable energy capacity by 50%’
In his acclaimed book, “The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations”, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Daniel Yergin, insightfully observes, “Energy transitions are not just about fuel; they are about how we live, how our economies function, and how we respond to the central challenge of our time—climate change.”...
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The life and legacy of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi: A beacon of hope for Palestine
The world of activism was shaken by the tragic news of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi’s death at the hands of Israeli forces in the West Bank. Her demise has sparked a renewed conversation about the Occupation of Palestine, the struggles of the Palestinian people, and the role of international activists...
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Turkiye’s humanitarian approach to refugees on World Humanitarian Aid Day
Turkiye’s humanitarian approach to refugees, particularly in the context of the Syrian civil war, stands as one of the most significant and large-scale efforts in modern history. As of 2023, Turkiye hosts the largest refugee population in the world, with over 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees and approximately 300,000...
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Immigration policies in the UK and Turkiye — A comparative reflection
Immigration is a topic that frequently stirs emotions, debates and, most critically, policies that shape the lives of millions. When comparing the immigration policies of the United Kingdom and Turkiye, we are presented with a stark contrast in how two nations, each grappling with its own challenges, address the...
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UK Elections: Turkiye-UK relations amid new immigrant policies
After the Labour Party won the British elections, new laws against immigration of Turks living in the UK are on the agenda. Based on a long and deep-rooted diplomatic history, Turkiye-UK relations have been following an extremely positive course for a long time compared to Turkiye’s relations with the...
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Voters in North Ealing are guided by their backing of a Gaza ceasefire, Sameh Habeeb says
For voters in North Ealing, Gaza is a local issue and one that’s forming their decision on who to back in the 4 July UK election, Workers Party candidate Sameh Habeeb has told MEMO. Born in the Gaza Strip, Habeeb survived Israel’s bombing campaigns before seeking refuge in the...
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‘In Palestine, the olive cycle gives the rhythm of our cuisine’
Olive trees are a universal symbol of peace and a powerful symbol of Palestinian steadfastness and connection in their land. Franco-Palestinian Chef Fadi Kattan says few things encapsulate Palestinian identity quite like the humble olive tree. “You know why I decorate my restaurants with olive trees? It’s very, very iconic,...
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How the Freedom Flotilla became a global humanitarian mission to Gaza
The visionary international coalitions for the Freedom Flotilla’s success often begin with the names of the ships. Vicdan (“conscience” in Turkish), Anadolu (Anatolia), Akdeniz (the Mediterranean) and Handala (the iconic innocent Palestinian child); these are the rousing names of the Freedom Flotilla ships. Dedicated Flotilla workers were very shrewd...
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There is always a special place for Turkiye’s diplomatic initiatives in Palestine
More than 200 days have passed since Israel began its attacks on Gaza. Several rounds of ceasefire talks have not yet produced any concrete results, and it does not look like they will produce any positive results in the short term. Presently, it seems that Israel has not given...
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Turkiye 2024: The uncertainty in inflation and exchange equations
Inflation remains a fundamental policy issue for Turkiye, not only for this year and next year, but in the medium term. As one of the most important explorers in the world, Captain James Cook said after visiting many countries: “Inflation makes the wealthiest people richer and the masses poorer”....
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The Turkish earthquakes: Have the wounds healed?
I lost 34 members from my family last year and my grandmother lost her treasured house in one night. Since I woke up this morning, I have been trying to think of words to describe the pain we experienced in the wake of the 6 February 2023 earthquakes in...
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Applying climate justice for young generations – COP28 and Middle East and energy transition
“In my country a lot of people, including my mother, can’t afford to buy biogas for cooking. So, we must rely on charcoal and firewood. If we want countries like Malawi to make the transition to biogas, they should be supported with funds to decrease its cost,” said Rana, from Sudan...
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Destruction of the ‘Mavi Marmara’ monument draws international attention to Israel war crimes
A book titled “Midnight on the Mavi Marmara: The Attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and How it Changed the Course of the Israel/Palestine Conflict”, consists of 48 essays compiled by Arab-American author and professor, Mustafa Bayoumi. Its diverse accounts, which were published only three months after the attack, include witness testimonies, rebuttals...
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Cooperation between rival transport corridors could change global economies
On the sidelines of the G20 Summit last month, the leaders of India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, Italy, Germany and the EU announced a new maritime and overland transport corridor between Asia and Europe: the India, Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Also present at the...
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Anti-Arab sentiments in Turkiye will not save Turkish Lira
Last week, a Turkish man was detained in connection with an assault on a Kuwaiti tourist in the northern city of Trabzon. The attack was widely publicised in the local Turkish and social media. Racist attacks in Turkiye, especially in Istanbul, towards Arabs first became apparent with the arrival of Syrian...
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Will the UAE COP28 roadmap help the region for the energy revolution?
This week, a ground-breaking green energy investment of the UAE hit all the media outlets: The UAE has pledged $4.5 billion to help speed up the development of clean energy projects in Africa. This means UAE pitches itself as Africa’s carbon credits leader. According to the American consultancy, Mckinsey, the...
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Turkiye’s post-quake city transformation: Finance vs policy
“It is like The Pianist movie scene with collapsed buildings. Just like how Roman Polanski depicts a city of a war-torn country with devastated cities. Now, Kahramanmaras is the same.” This is how one of my journalist friends who witnessed the devastation of the earthquakes described the scenes the day after....
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Turkiye NATO agenda: Sweden bid, F-16s and war mediation
Last week was, by all standards, a historical turning point for the relationship between Turkiye and its NATO allies. Three important developments were witnessed at the Vilnius summit. First, there was the long-awaited breakthrough in negotiations, which allowed Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to finally approve Sweden’s membership. Secondly,...
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Hydrogen money can be beneficial for green infrastructure in the Middle East
The conversation about climate change needs to shift from simply reducing carbon emissions to ensuring developing nations can take part in a diversified green economy in the Middle East region. Yet, first it is important to accept that governments have hardly any source of revenues, independent from oil and...
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The challenges facing Erdogan’s new cabinet
After a very tight first round, Turkiye’s Erdogan has emerged the clear winner of the presidential election last Sunday. After overcoming the biggest political challenges ever faced, with a coalition comprising six opposition parties, he will hope his third term will further tighten his grip on power. Opponents have expressed dismay,...
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Is Turkiye democratic enough not to apply forced repatriation and politicising refugees?
Syrian refugees in Turkiye have emerged as a political flashpoint in the country’s ongoing election journey, with leading opposition candidates competing to offer the most aggressive proposal to deport the refugees to Syria. Although the plans vary in substance, they share a disregard for international law – and Turkiye’s...
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Are Turkiye’s nuclear power ambitions a threat to regional safety?
Everyone who watched the American disaster thriller movie called ‘The China Syndrome’, directed by James Bridges in 1979, remembers that the events leading up to the “accident” in ‘The China Syndrome’ are, indeed, based on actual occurrences at nuclear plants. Turkiye’s newly launched nuclear power plant reminds us of...
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On World Water Day, spare a thought for the Middle East
The Middle East may have an abundance of oil and gas, but it has very few natural water sources. This is fast becoming a source of tension. According to three UN Secretaries-General, water may well be the cause of future conflict in the region. “The next war in the...
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Aid Diplomacy after earthquake
While the world is dealing with the first anniversary of the deadly war in Ukraine, the solidarity shown towards Turkish society after its devastating earthquake is one of the best examples of “aid diplomacy” in modern history. Even though Turkiye was against Sweden’s and Finland’s membership of NATO, less...
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The Middle East and its move away from oil and gas
In 2022, the biggest energy issue in the Middle East was Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil cut as the world economy entered into a period of ‘heightened uncertainty and rising challenges’. In October, OPEC cut its 2022 forecast for growth in world oil demand for a...
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Turkiye’s energy outlook and achieving energy independence
“This century will be, to a large extent, about energy. Energy security is a theme where NATO is in the process of defining its added value. Protection of critical energy infrastructure,” these were the words of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the former NATO secretary-general, they were delivered during a...
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Global energy markets apocalypse in 2022
The year 2022 saw the energy topic return intensely to the attention of media, political leaders and public opinion after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Russia’s war has had huge impacts on the global energy system, disrupting supply and demand patterns and fracturing long‐standing trading relationships. Each energy...
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COP27 has shown we need a new taxation order in the world
For three decades, world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP) have pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions and greener energy sources. This year, COP27 finished with an agreement for an historic “Loss and Damage Fund”. In negotiations that went down to the wire over the weekend, countries...
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IEA World Energy Outlook 2022 and energy transition following global energy crisis
This week, the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2022 was published, highlighting the UN Climate change Conference (COP27) and energy transition in the age of the Ukraine war. The 524 page IEA report IEA speaks of the need for a 38 per cent fall in CO2 emissions to...
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Russia gas and Turkiye
To produce energy takes ages, but setting up new diplomatic ties, changes day by day. Even 24 hours are too many to follow all these changes in the 21st Century’s energy wars. Literally, we have seen this in 2020 during the energy price war between Mohammed Bin Salman and...
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Aegean Sea tensions threaten NATO’ s unity
For the first time in its long history, NATO’s unity is under threat as a result of the rift between two of its members; Turkiye and Greece and their manoeuvres in the Aegean Sea. The latest crisis between the two began in August when Turkiye accused its neighbour of...
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Queen Elizabeth II and Turkiye
The United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II died last Thursday, aged 96. The flowers for her funeral will apparently be shipped from Turkiye. This is not as unusual as it first appears. In 2008, during her first visit to Turkiye after more than 30 years, the Queen delivered a speech...
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Why Africa needs Turkish drones
After NATO countries, African countries are also knocking at the door of Turkiye for collaboration with the defence industry. With Turkiye’s Bayraktar TB2 Drone, Turkiye has been experiencing high demand on collaboration with African countries. In Africa, the TB2 Bayraktar model is in high demand after it was used...
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Ukrainian refugees should be resettled and empowered before it’s too late
At least 12 million people have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UN has confirmed. More than five million are refugees in neighbouring countries, while seven million others are believed to be internally displaced within Ukraine itself. If there is no ceasefire, the UN High Commissioner...
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Four special projects in the MENA region leading the way to NET ZERO 2050
As I highlight in my newly published book “The Renaissance of Smart Energy”, the Middle East region is more than the Syrian war or visits to Dubai for super-posh expensive shopping. The following are four landmark green innovative projects that can make the Middle East sustainable: Saudi Arabia: NEOM...
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When the dust settles, how Africa will help the EU energy crisis
Europe is grappling with an unprecedented energy crisis. And its options are few and far between. However, Africa has emerged as, perhaps, the most viable alternative source of energy. But just how did Europe get here? It started with the crippling economic sanctions it imposed on Russia over Moscow’s...
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The Middle East can help resolve Europe’s energy crisis with green energy investments
Despite the many political crises that plague the Middle East, the region still has the capacity to become energy independent. The East Mediterranean Gas Forum formed by Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and Palestine in 2019, is an encouraging indicator that the countries of the region can...
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Turkiye is getting caught between NATO and Russia
Reacting to the ongoing tension within NATO after Sweden and Finland applied to join the alliance, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that it is important to note that no other NATO member state had suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkiye; and that NATO’s borders with Russia will double...
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Davos myth: Unchanging poverty and changing climate
The main takeaway from this year’s Davos conference was best expressed by the US Vermont independent senator and former presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders when he said; “The oligarchs party and the poor suffer.” While some billionaires, including Bill Gates and Elon Musk, have been focusing on technological solutions driven...
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Economic crisis in Turkey triggers racist acts
In Turkey, the release of the short film, “Silent Invasion”, which was commissioned by the Head of one of the opposition parties, the Victory Party, Umit Ozdag, circulated widely on social media last weekend and was watched by more than 2 million viewers. It, however, incited the masses against...
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Palestinian human rights should not be a diplomatic tool in the game of nations
After nine Turkish activists were killed by Israeli commandos who boarded Turkey’s humanitarian ship the MV Mavi Marmara in 2010 in international waters (a tenth activist died of his wounds later), the international community did not condemn categorically this brutal human rights violation; nor did it offer to mediate...
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Can the UK’s Energy Security Plan be a substitute for Energy Relations with the Middle East?
The ongoing war in Ukraine has prompted the UK to set up a new energy security plan for energy independence from Russia. Last week, the Johnson Government announced an “Energy Security Plan” to challenge rocketing energy bills and transition away from Russian fossil fuels after the invasion of Ukraine....
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What will be the future of global energy post-Ukraine war?
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise video appearance at Qatar’s Doha Forum last Saturday, stressing the need for the energy-rich nation and others to shift their production from Russian based energy into renewable energy to counteract the loss of Russian energy supplies. This emergency call from the president...
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History is repeating itself: From Bosnia to Ukraine
On 5 March 1992, Aida woke up to bombing and shooting as the Serbian army opened fire from the iconic Holiday Inn Hotel and killed two women protesting on the Vrbanja Bridge. In order to continue her medical studies, she had to escape from her beloved city Sarajevo to...