Abstract: The study examines Nigerian subregional diplomacy: study of Nigeria’s role in promoting West African Institutions The study focuses on Nigeria’s relations with West African institutions such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The authors consider in detail Nigeria’s national interests vis-à-vis West African institutions and Member States. To achieve the objective of the study, the authors pay particular attention to Nigeria’s bilateral relations with neighbouring States and cooperation with African institutions. The study is based on the theory of political realism, which implies constant competition among States defending their national interests. In the process of studying this problem, the authors apply institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods. The main conclusions of the study are the establishment of Nigeria’s role in the settlement of border and territorial disputes, which enabled the state to interact and cooperate with its neighbours, the importance of Nigeria’s contribution to the peacekeeping of the region, Identifying the stability of Nigeria’s foreign policy towards both Africa as a whole and neighbouring States, analysing the main problems of the West African region, which is the basis of Nigeria’s subregional diplomacy: insecurity, political instability and economic imbalance. Moreover, the authors provide critical analysis of Nigeria’s institutional cooperation. The relevance of the study is due to the growing political and economic influence of Nigeria on the African continent.

Keywords: Economic Community, African Union, Anticolonialism, Leadership, ECOWAS, West Africa, Subregional Diplomacy, Nigeria, Mutual Interests, West African Institutions

Abstract: The article presents a structural and component model of the political system of Tajikistan, which has developed over 30 years of institutional transformation, analyzes the hierarchy and role of institutions that have the most significant impact on the political life of Tajikistan. The conclusion is made about the complete transformation of the Soviet institutions of the political system into a national institutional model combining democratic institutions and authoritarian practices. Over the 30 years of independence, Tajikistan has undergone a transformation of the political system and the entire society. By the transformation of the political system, we will understand organizational, value deconstruction, the transformation of former institutions and the reproduction of new political and state institutions, values, norms and social relations. The socio-cultural heritage of the socialist way of life and Soviet authoritarianism, the consequences of the brutal civil war laid the specifics of the genesis of the political system of Tajikistan. The institutional transformation initiated and carried out by the regional elites who won the civil war led to the construction and functioning of a kind of political system synthesizing democratic institutions and authoritarian political and administrative practices of government institutions. This phenomenon arouses scientific interest, which determined the subject, purpose and methodology of the study – the definition of the institutional content of the political system of Tajikistan and the identification of the specifics of its design based on the structural component model.

Keywords: institutional transformation, political state institutions, transformation political system, political system, Tadjikistan, system, transformation, power, institutional model, political science

Abstract: This study focuses on the policy of the People’s Republic of China in the Black Sea Region (1976-2022). The object of the study is the political and economic relations of the People’s Republic of China with the countries of the Black Sea Region: Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria. The author examines in detail the conflict potential of the region and its causes, the national interests of the People’s Republic of China towards the States of the region. Close attention is paid to the tension in the region and ways of its alleviation by the People’s Republic of China. The study is based on the theory of political realism, which implies constant competition among States defending their national interests. In the process of studying this problem, the author applies institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods. The main conclusions of the study are the definition of the conflict potential of the region, the establishment of the role of the People’s Republic of China in the Black Sea region, the definition of methods of expansion of China in the region, the evaluation of relations with the States of the region, both political and economic, identifying China’s concerns in its policies in the region. Moreover, close attention is paid to the growth of trade between the People’s Republic of China and Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria. The historical phenomenon of displacing hegemon from the region has been revealed. The relevance of the study is due to the growing political and economic influence of the People’s Republic of China throughout the world, not excluding the Black Sea region. The novelty of the study is due to the study of the expansion of the People’s Republic of China in conditions of high conflict potential of the region.

Keywords: NATO, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Black Sea, People's Republic of China, China, Crimea

Abstract: In the article, the author addresses the problem of conflict settlement on the Korean peninsula through the prism of interaction between the leading regional powers. This conflict is considered as one of the rudiments of the bipolar system of international relations, which has the potential for nuclear escalation in the XXI century. The author analyzes the experience of interaction between the United States, Russia and China with the countries of the Korean peninsula, highlights the priorities of these countries in the region, and also provides an overview of the most likely scenarios for the development of events, taking into account the correlation of interests of the countries of the "Korean node". Particular attention is paid to the approach of regional Powers to the nuclear aspect of the conflict in Korea. The author comes to the conclusion that the deterioration of relations between external actors involved in the resolution of this conflict has a direct negative impact on the development of the situation in the region. The low degree of convergence of interests of the parties to the conflict and the lack of coordination of actions on nuclear issues hinders the search for a compromise in resolving the Korean issue. Given the current foreign policy situation, the most likely scenario for the further development of events in the region is the consolidation of two opposing blocs Washington-Seoul-Tokyo and Beijing-Moscow-Pyongyang, which will actually consolidate the existing distribution of influence in the Northeast Asia region.

Keywords: Northeast Asia, nuclear umbrella, North Korea's nuclear program, six-party talks, China, USA, Russia, Republic of Korea, North KOREA, north Korean missile program

Abstract: This study examines the role of Vietnam in the fight against terrorism. The study focuses on the activities of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member VietNam in the area of counter-terrorism, radicalism and extremism. The authors examine in detail the legal framework of ASEAN’s counter-terrorism activities: the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism, the ASEAN Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter-Terrorism, ASEAN plan of action to prevent and counter the rise of radicalisation and violent extremism (POA PCVE). Moreover, close attention is given to the activities of specialized bodies: ASEAN Ministerial Meetings on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Intersessional Meeting on Terrorism and Transnational Crime (ISM on CTTC). The main conclusions of the study are the establishment of activities of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the field of counter-terrorism, the definition of the role of Vietnam in the fight against terrorism, radicalism and extremism, Analysis of Viet Nam’s cooperation with various international organizations on counter-terrorism issues and identification of further necessary actions of Vietnam aimed at improving the fight against terrorism. The relevance of the study is due to the increased level of terrorist threat in the world and in the region of South-East Asia in particular. This study is based on the theory of political realism, which views international relations as an eternal confrontation between States defending their national interests. In the process of studying this problem, the authors apply institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods.

Keywords: ARF, AMMTC, SOMTC, UN, Cooperation, Vietnam, Convention, Terrorism, ASEAN, ISM on CTTC

Abstract: The article is devoted to the identification and characterization of the main tools and mechanisms for the implementation of Chinese cultural diplomacy in relation to the Russian Federation. The author proceeds from the fact that in the context of the new international situation and a new stage in the development of Sino-Russian relations, the maintenance and intensification of cultural exchanges between the two countries plays an important role. The article emphasizes that the means by which China conducts cultural diplomacy in Russia differ in ways and mechanisms depending on the sphere. It is shown that China's cultural diplomacy in Russia has achieved more significant results mainly in the field of education, literature, artistic cooperation and exchange between the media. Strategic, fateful decisions taken by the top political leadership of the two countries aimed at uniting the two states should be understood and accepted by the population of these countries, which is impossible without a deep mutual understanding of cultural heritage and cultural features. In the article, the author gives numerous examples demonstrating the variety of tools and mechanisms used by Beijing to implement cultural diplomacy in relation to Russia. The author concludes that China uses cultural diplomacy as a means of spreading its culture in Russia, effectively presenting the image of modern China. Cooperation between China and Russia in the field of culture is of great strategic importance for the development of relations between the two countries.

Keywords: MASS MEDIA, cultural relations, educational cooperation, cultural exchanges, Russia, China, cultural diplomacy, Sino-Russian relations, literature, external policy