Editors' Pick

The Diplomacy Cable 05/02/2017

The Diplomacy Cable

With the invention of the telegraph cables in the 19th century, international consulates and embassies began sending shorter encrypted telegrams, using Morse Code. While the messages are now sent electronically, the moniker “cable” stuck and the term is still in use today for shorter, encrypted diplomatic messages.

The Pontiff Goes to Egypt

Pope Francis embarked on a two day visit to Egypt to push for dialogue with the Muslim population and to support the Christian minority population after they have suffered many attacks, reports Al Jazeera. During his visit, he met Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ; Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Imam of the Al-Azhar mosque; and Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Christian Church in Egypt. He concluded his visit with a mass in Cairo.

Women’s Place in the Middle East

In a recent survey, men in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Palestine were found to have stereotypically sexist views of women in the workplace and at home. The survey included almost 10,000 people between the ages of 18 and 59. According to the Guardian, “a majority of the men supporting a range of traditional and inequitable attitudes toward women, including a belief that they are not fit to be leaders, should not work outside the home, and that it is more important to educate boys than girls.”

Maduro Imitates Chavez

On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for a constitutional assembly that shocked many. 20 years ago, his predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez pulled a similar move. Critics of Maduro argue that this move is to delay elections because he faces slim odds to be re-elected, reports Reuters.

NATO Membership for Montenegro

Montenegro’s parliament ratified the ascension to join NATO despite disapproval from Russia. The BBC reports joining NATO could have an impact on Montenegro’s economy since one fifth of its wine exports go to Russia, and Russia has already banned Montenegrin wine as a result. Domestically, NATO membership remains a controversial issue.

Canadian Basic Income Study

A project to study the effectiveness of providing a basic income in Ontario was launched in the cities of Hamilton, Lindsay, and Thunder Bay. According to CBC, this three year project will provide a single person with $17,000 a year, and 4,000 households were chosen for the study. Academics who study poverty and basic income believe this project provides an opportunity to see how this idea works in a changed economy.

Diplomacy Fast Facts:

Ambassadors live where?

An embassy is a workplace, not a residence. US ambassadors typically live in an official residence adjacent to the embassy, but not part of it.

Patricia Mace is a second semester graduate student at Seton Hall University. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Relations with a specialization in global negotiation and conflict management. She received her undergraduate degree in History, Japanese, and International Relations from University of Delaware.

Erin Dobbs is a second year graduate student at Seton Hall University. She is pursuing her master’s degree in diplomacy and international relations with specializations in foreign policy analysis and global negotiation and conflict management. She received her undergraduate degree in political science and history from Villanova University.

Follow the Journal of Diplomacy on Twitter at @JournalofDiplo

 

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