04 Dec 23 Monday Briefing
the world is a boiling soup pot
Mother Nature reminds us that she doesn’t care which day you choose to climb one of her peaks, AI levels up wine sleuthing (and also discovers 2.2 million new crystals), the GOP yeets Santos (and Sandra Day O’Connor bids this earth farewell), and inherited-wealth billionaires overtake self-made ones for the first time this year.
Next Flashpoint?
If you haven’t heard much of Essequibo before this week, you might in upcoming weeks. The oil-rich area in Guyana is contested by Venezuela, and this dispute traces back to… good ol’ colonialism. The ICJ asked Venezuela to refrain from proceeding with a referendum planned for Sunday, 3rd December, but Venezuela was all “you can’t stop me”, and 95% of Venezuelans voted in favour of establishing a new state in Essequibo. Brazil’s army are also intensifying border operations. Shades of early 2022, anyone?
The other flashpoint we’re all expecting but dreading…
… if you live in Southeast Asia. If you live in Australia or New Zealand, it may be a cause for a hard-on, depending on what tickles your geopolitical proverbial. China has accused a US ship of violating its sovereignty, and not a few weeks ago, Australia accused China of “dangerous, unsafe and unprofessional” behaviour in a naval ship altercation, which China of course fiercely rejected. To add fuel to fire, the Pentagon has forged a new high-tech agreement with Australia and the UK, aimed at countering China. It feels like ASEAN, in particular, are helplessly sleepwalking into our region being caught in between two very, very uncomfortable rocks.
Eye on Indonesia
On the above note, we must not forget the pivotal role Indonesia will play in upcoming tensions. Any geopolitical watcher will understand how and why its geography, demography and politcs factor into major powers knocking at its door in hopes of securing alliances and agreements. First, watch Bloomberg’s Latitude with Haslinda Amin: Indonesia’s Joko Widodo for a quick overview, then delve into a more thoughtful, nuanced dialogue with one of Indonesia’s foremost public intellectuals, Gita Wirjawan, on the search for his nation’s epistemic narrative.