EU’S NEW MERCANTILISM:

The European Union, a project designed for peace, is preparing for war

Security, defense technologies now permeate Brussels agenda

MILITARY MOBILITY, STOCKPILING, EXTERNAL BORDER REINFORCEMENT PRIORITIES
EL PAÍS (Spain), March 30, 2025 – “The rest of the world is engaged in a race towards military modernisation and technological and economic advantage. This race is intensifying, and Europe has yet to carve out a fully coherent response.” Russia is the greatest threat to the Union, and the war in Ukraine will determine Europe’s future, the document states….
Europe must also take into account that its competitors are investing heavily in technologies critical to economic and military growth, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum mechanics, biotechnology, and hypersonics. European militaries need more air defense systems, artillery, ammunition, missiles, and drones. This also applies to the cyber and electronic fields, as well as to space. Military mobility, stockpiling, and the reinforcement of external borders are priorities to prepare for the worst-case scenarios.

‘FORTRESS NORTH AMERICA’:

Major Canada-U.S. talks are coming — here’s what’s in play

LONG-TERM DEEP FREEZE, OR METAPHORICAL CONTINENTAL FORTRESS

CBC News (Canada), March 28, 2025 – We learned Friday the next government will start wide-ranging negotiations on a new economic and security arrangement with the United States.
This could lead to drastically different places — down one path, a long-term deep freeze in U.S. relations; down the other, a tighter relationship than ever in a metaphorical continental fortress….
This points to a potentially broader geostrategic play, says Geoffrey Gertz — one where allies lower barriers with each other, but raise them on adversaries like China.
“[It could] really set the foundation for what some people are calling a ‘Fortress North America’ approach,” said Gertz, a former White House and State Department official in the Biden administration.
REPORT LAUNCH: MICROPROCESSORS | A PARTNERSHIP FOR INNOVATION: FROM ‘MADE IN MEXICO’ TO ‘DESIGNED IN NORTH AMERICA’
Wilson Center, March 24, 2024

Moscow Says Yerevan Must Choose Between EU or Eurasian Union, Warns of Dire Economic Fallout

‘THIS WILL AFFECT THE LIVING STANDARDS OF PEOPLE IN ARMENIA’

Asbarez, March 27, 2025 – A day after the Armenian parliament approved to pursue membership in the European Union, official Moscow warned Yerevan that it must choose between membership in the EU or the Russia-backed Eurasian Economic Union.
“We understand that the EEU and the EU have similar agendas,” Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk told Russian reporters on Thursday….
“We understand that if Armenia is moving toward Europe, then, as such, we will have to review the entire complex of economic relations with this country,” Overchuk said.
EAEU, EU MEMBERSHIP MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE, SAYS COMMISSION
A STATE CANNOT DELEGATE TRADE POLICY TO BOTH EAEU AND EU SIMULTANEOUSLY
PanArmenian, March 28, 2025 – The Eurasian Economic Commission’s Board on Trade has explained why a single state cannot simultaneously be a member of both the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union (EU), Armenpress reports.
“From a legal standpoint, both the EAEU and the EU are customs unions established under international trade law. That is why the same state cannot be a member of both unions at the same time. A state that has already transferred its trade policy powers to either the EU or the EAEU cannot simultaneously engage in similar processes within the other union,” the clarification states.
On March 26, Armenia’s National Assembly approved in second reading a draft law initiating the process of joining the European Union.

ASEAN AND UK REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIP

ASEAN.org, March 27, 2025 – The Meeting welcomed the progress of  the UK’s five flagship cooperation programmes with ASEAN and agreed to explore collaboration in areas such as maritime security; cybersecurity; trade and investment; economic integration; green finance; sustainable infrastructure; supply chain resilience; financial services; digital transformation; e-commerce, artifical intelligence, and financial technology.

OPINION: ‘TRUMP’S TWO GRAVE GEOSTRATEGIC ERRORS’

TOFALL: TRUMP MAKES RUSSIA, CHINA BENEFICIARIES OF UKRAINE, EUROPEAN POLICY
The Globalist, March 26, 2025 – Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is a desperate attempt to forge the Eurasian Union he has long sought with blood and violence. For without Ukraine as an important component of a Eurasian Union, Putin’s plans cannot be realized and remain in their infancy.However, Donald Trump’s Ukraine and European policy now means that Putin could come closer to his geopolitical goals with U.S. help.
For Putin, the capitulation of Ukraine — in whatever form — is only the first step towards the occupation of the whole of Ukraine and a subsequent major war in Europe in order to expand the Eurasian Union and lend it more geopolitical weight….A potential major war in Europe is likely to strengthen, not weaken, China’s geopolitical position. Donald Trump could therefore be doing the United States a disservice with his Ukraine and European policy.

‘FORTRESS NORTH AMERICA’:

Globalist Wilson Center pushes NA ‘customs union’

‘A Case for a North American Common Tariff’

‘TO HELP KEEP NORTH AMERICA AS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE REGION OF THE WORLD’
Wilson Center, March 19, 2025 – Unlike 35 years ago, today, no consensus exists on how to rank the models of international production. Unexpected supply shocks and the rejection in many countries to subject their trade to rules and bureaucracies distant from their national institutions of popular representation have discredited the global model of the late 20th century. In its place, sub-global production chains emerge, probably leading to less efficient trade but also likely to be more resilient to unforeseen events.17 In this sub-globalized world, anchoring a common tariff with a customs union agreement would contribute more effectively than the USMCA to help keep North America as the most productive region of the world.
MEXICO TO REVIEW CHINA TARIFFS IN POTENTIAL WIN FOR TRUMP
MSN | Bloomberg, March 15, 2025 – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country would review tariffs on Chinese shipments, a move that could give the Trump administration a win in its push to build a “Fortress North America” that blocks shipments from the Asian nation.
“We have to review the tariffs that we have with China,” Sheinbaum said at a press conference Thursday.

‘BUY EUROPEAN’:

ReArm Europe: Two-Thirds of Arms Procurement Must Be EU-Made

European Conservative, March 19, 2025 – Furthermore, the proposal states that member states may only use the instrument to buy products from companies “established and headquartered” in the EU, the EEA/EFTA countries (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland), and Ukraine. What’s more,
member states will have to ensure that components representing 65% of the costs of the end product originate from [Europe].
The inclusion of this ‘Buy European’ clause is an obvious nod to the group of member states with robust defense industries, led by France, who had been strongly arguing against propping up foreign manufacturers with joint EU money.

EU-US rift triggers call for
made-in-Europe tech

MP: EUROPE SHOULD DEVELOP ‘SOVEREIGN AI AND SECURE CLOUD’

U.S.-based companies like OpenAI, Anthropic leading AI revolution

Politico, March 10, 2025 – European data is primarily stored on U.S. cloud services, with companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Google owning over two-thirds of the European market. Europe accounts for just 10 percent of the global microchips market.

SE ASIA:

ASEAN summit invites China, Gulf states amid tariffs threat

‘Ensuring ASEAN’s strategic relevance in a multipolar world’

DW (Germany), March 9, 2025 – The combined gross domestic product (GDP) of the Arab Gulf states, comprising the so-called Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stood at around $2.1 trillion (€1.96 trillion) in 2023, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)….
ASEAN is one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions, with a combined population of approximately 690 million. In 2023, its 10 member states reached total GDP of nearly $3.8 trillion….
ASEAN STATES UNITE FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC STABILITY
TARIFFS COULD PROMPT CHINESE FIRMS TO RELOCATE TO ASEAN MARKETS
Vietnam Investment Review, March 6 2025 – According to ASEAN Briefing, under consultancy firm Dezan Shira & Associates, a potential resurgence of tariffs could disrupt global supply chains, prompting Chinese firms to relocate production to ASEAN markets. This strategy would protect Chinese exports while boosting ASEAN’s role as a global manufacturing hub.
“However, ASEAN exporters, especially in electronics, textiles, and consumer goods, could face tariffs if perceived as conduits for Chinese-made products,” ASEAN Briefing said. “Vietnam’s electronics and textile exports, Malaysia’s semiconductor production, and Indonesia’s automotive parts sector may come under scrutiny. To avoid such risks, ASEAN economies must diversify export markets and strengthen regional trade agreements.”

THE ‘NEW MERCANTILISM’:

Opinion | Is Trump’s ‘Fortress North America’ a coherent foreign strategy or just more gamesmanship?

CROSS BETWEEN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY AND ORWELL’S ‘1984’

Hamilton Spectator (Canada), March 7, 2025 – It’s the consolidation of the new American empire, in a world that suddenly starts to look like a cross between the late 19th century and Orwell’s “1984.”There will be the spheres of influence of the three superpowers: Oceania (the Americas), run from Washington; Eurasia, run from Moscow; and Eastasia, run from Beijing — all perpetually or at least periodically at war with one another. South Asia and Africa will be disputed colonies or borderlands, and that’s where most of the wars are actually fought.

Armenia faces crucial choice: EAEU or EU membership?

EAEU, EU ‘incompatible’

Caliber (Azerbaijan), March 7, 2025 – Armenia cannot simultaneously be a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the EU, stated Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin, emphasizing that this is due to the objective impossibility of being part of two customs unions. According to him, Armenia must make a choice….
In Russia, Armenia’s intention to join the EU was compared to purchasing a ticket for the “Titanic,” given the current problems within the European Union. Armenia must decide on its integration course, as the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union are incompatible due to differences in the principles of free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor, warned Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk.

Trump’s tariffs: What does it mean to be made in America?

‘MADE IN (NORTH) AMERICA’

USA Today, March 2, 2025 – Negative portrayals of the southern border are common, as in the president’s executive order describing the region as “overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from foreign adversaries and illicit narcotics that harm Americans.”
But this region has also played host to an economic transformation over the past 25 years that has interlaced the U.S., Canadian and Mexican economies in a way that lets North America compete with China, experts say….
Factory wages in Mexico are a fraction of what they are in the U.S. Along Mexico’s northern border, the minimum wage is 50% higher than in the rest of the country, but workers still earn roughly $2.62 per hour, or roughly $21 per day, at the current exchange rate
COMMENTARY: BETTER TOGETHER: USMCA AND NORTH AMERICAN CRITICAL MINERAL FLOWS
Brookings, March 5, 2025 – The minerals and metals needed to support the modern economy are one of the most economically and geopolitically significant supply chains—as evidenced by President Donald Trump highlighting the need to “assess the national security implications of the Nation’s mineral reliance” in his executive order declaring a national energy emergency.

‘FORTRESS NORTH AMERICA’
COMMON EXTERNAL TARIFFS:

Mexico has proposed matching US tariffs on China, Bessent says

‘WE COULD HAVE FORTRESS NORTH AMERICA’ FROM CHINESE IMPORTS

‘COMMON EXTERNAL TARIFFS’ IS LEVEL 2 (USMCA LEVEL 1)

Reuters, Feb 28, 2025 – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that Mexico has proposed matching U.S. tariffs on China in a move that he described as “very interesting” and one that Canada should match.
“I think it would be a nice gesture if the Canadians did it also so in a way we could have fortress North America from the flood of Chinese imports that’s coming out of the most unbalanced economy in the history of modern times,” Bessent said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

Not the 51st state, but maybe a ‘North American Superstate’?

TRUMP’S PROVOCATIVE POSITION ‘OPENS UP A DISCUSSION ON NEW WAYS OF THINKING’

Financial Post (Canada), Feb 21, 2025 – In the atmosphere of political conflict created by United States President Donald Trump it is hard, even impossible, to understand what his administration’s objectives are. His confrontational style has unleashed a global wave of uncertainty and instability that is shaking nations and international institutions, from Ukraine to Europe and Asia. Nobody knows that experience better than Canadians who have been grappling with Trump’s consistent and demeaning claim to want to turn Canada into “the 51st state.”….
In the view of U.S. historian Arthur Herman, the great potential is to forge an economic alliance between the United States and Canada…. And here Herman borrows a phrase created more than half a century ago by Herman Kahn, founder of the Hudson Institute. Through economic co-operation, Canada, the United States — and Mexico — would create a “North American Superstate.”
Herman is quick to acknowledge that the superstate’s structure is economic, not political….
[Oh, sure. This “economic union” would follow the exact incremental path that the European Union took to becoming the bureaucratic monolith that now usurps sovereignty from its member nations.]

EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION:

Russia, Iran embrace national currencies for trade, boosting economic ties

IRAN’S OBSERVER-MEMBER STATUS WITH EAEU PAVES WAY FOR DEEPER INTEGRATION

Caliber.Az, (Azerbaijan)Feb 18, 2025 – Russia and Iran have successfully transitioned to almost complete settlements in national currencies for their mutual trade, signaling a significant shift in their economic relations.
The announcement was made by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk…. He revealed that, within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), national currencies now account for over 92 per cent of mutual settlements. More significantly, Russia and Iran have adopted their own financial and banking message transmission systems, marking a near-total transition to national currencies in their bilateral trade….
Overchuk also pointed out that Iran’s recent status as an observer member of the EAEU paves the way for deeper integration, allowing Iran to access documents and participate in open meetings of the union’s governing bodies.

Renewed push for India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor

MACRON: IMEEC TO ‘SECURE REGIONAL SUPPLY CHAINS’

TRUMP: ‘IT WILL RUN FROM INDIA TO ISRAEL TO ITALY AND ONWARD TO THE UNITED STATES’
Financial Express (India), Feb 19, 2025 – “The IMEEC is vital for bilateral interests, enhancing strategic supply chains and boosting security in economic, energy, and health sectors across India, Europe, and the Middle-East,” prime minister Narendra Modi had said earlier in the week, after reviewing the project with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the United States connecting our partners by ports, railways and undersea cables. Many many undersea cables,” US President Donald Trump said after a meeting with Modi in Washington.
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
AN OPEN QUESTION: OPEN BORDERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

EUROPEAN UNION:

Zelensky calls for ‘army of Europe’ against Russia

‘In a way that no one can say no to Europe’

‘WE NEED A UNIFIED FOREIGN POLICY…OF COMMON EUROPE’

The Times (London), Feb 15, 2025 – The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has called for “an army of Europe” and for its leaders to speak with “a single voice” to defend the continent against Russian aggression, indicating that it can no longer rely on America under Donald Trump for its defence.
“As we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe so that Europe’s future depends only on Europeans, and decisions about Europe are made in Europe,” Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference.

VANCE TORCHED THE EUROPEAN ELITE FACE-TO-FACE AND THEY ABSOLUTELY HATED IT

Breitbart, Feb 14, 2024 – In most cases an audience can bring itself to at least raise half-hearted, polite applause but in Munich on Friday Vance couldn’t even get that: In a room of hundreds, perhaps a thousand top military, security, and political figures…. The response was particularly frosty mid-speech as Vance listed some particularly egregious recent cases in European states where the government has cracked down on liberties, from arresting Christians for silent prayer to cancelling elections, and when he outright accused the leaders of the continent of Soviet, anti-democratic attitudes. Worst of all, he said, they held these feelings towards their own people.
If Europe’s paternalist elites hated this shock therapy, populists in Europe loved it. Britain’s Nigel Farage amplified the notion Vance had better articulated the future of Europe than those elites could, while Reform MP Rupert Lowe called it a “brutal” tour-de-force of “Truth, after truth, after truth.”

NORTH AMERICA:

Canadians want an ‘economic union,’ says Kevin O’Leary

US would gain access to Canadian resources ‘in a free flow — no tariffs’

‘LET’S JOIN THE TWO ECONOMIES, BECOME A BEHEMOUTH — COMMON CURRENCY PERHAPS — AND THEN TAKE ON CHINA’

VIDEO: Fox Business – The Evening Edit, Feb 10, 2025

See also:
TRUMP’S CANADA ‘JOKE SPARKS HEGELIAN DIALECTIC TOWARD NORTH AMERICAN ‘ECONOMIC UNION’

‘ECONOMIC UNION’ IS LEVEL 4 (USMCA IS LEVEL 1):

A MIDDLE EAST UNION?

Blinken: ‘We’re much closer’ to ‘integration in the Middle East like the European Union’

Atlantic Council, Washington, D.C. Headquarters, Jan 14, 2025
COUNCIL CEO FREDERICK KEMPE: “This path to the future – and let’s not forget where Europe was up until 1945, before the European Union, before NATO, before all of that. You talked, I think, about Saudi normalization almost in that spirit. And some people have talked about a path of integration that could create economic integration in the Middle East like the European Union, military integration – not a NATO necessarily, but countries coming closer together. Are we closer to that now?….“
SECRETARY BLINKEN:  “Look, I believe we’re much closer to it.  And what we’ve done over the past four years, building on the Abraham Accords, was to try to get to their ultimate realization, which is normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. A lot of work went into that, including, as I described, agreements necessary between the United States and Saudi Arabia as well as between Saudi Arabia and Israel.  And as we sit here, it’s ready to go. That could move forward tomorrow.
“But it requires two things.  It requires an end to the conflict in Gaza and it requires a credible pathway to a Palestinian state.  So Israelis will have to decide if actually realizing a foundational dream – being integrated into the region, being treated like a normal country, and benefitting from being part of a security architecture that we saw in action when Iran attacked Israel….”
CEASEFIRE PAVES WAY FOR REGIONAL BLOC AGAINST ‘TROUBLEMAKER’ IRAN, BLINKEN SAYS
Iran International | Volant Media (UK), Jan 16, 2025 – Speaking in his valedictory press conference days ahead of the second administration of Donald Trump, Blinken hoped the end of the 15-month war would pave the way for regional peace….
A ceasefire to the war in Gaza and regional cooperation to repel Iranian strikes on Israel pave a way towards the unity of Mideast countries opposed to Iran, secretary of state Anthony Blinken said….
“Israel now sees powerfully what it stands to gain from greater integration in the region, including a common security architecture … all can see this is a way to effectively isolate the troublemaker in the region, Iran.”
FROM THE ARCHIVES: AN OPEN QUESTION: OPEN BORDERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST?
CircumspectNews, Jan 6, 2024

AFRICAN UNION:

African Union Calls for Visa-Free Movement to Boost Regional Integration

‘WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT A UNITED AFRICA IF AFRICANS THEMSELVES CANNOT MOVE FREELY WITHIIN THEIR OWN CONTINENT’
African Union, Feb 12, 2025 – As African leaders gather for the 38th African Union (AU) Summit, the call for a visa-free continent has taken center stage. The AUC and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have jointly urged African governments to accelerate the removal of visa restrictions that continue to hinder regional integration, trade, and economic development.
“We cannot talk about a united Africa if Africans themselves cannot move freely within their own continent. It is time for our governments to evaluate what has worked and what has not worked,” said Ambassador Albert Mudenda Muchanga, the African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals.

EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION:

Russia’s Plans for New World Order Leaked

DEPICTS LONG-TERM PLANS TO RIVAL EXISTING BLOCS

Kyiv Post, Feb 10, 2025 – According to the FT, Russia sought to create a Moscow-led, trade-oriented Eurasian “macroregion” to restore its global influences – a bloc that would also connect the Global South by granting each side access to raw materials, as well as developing financial and transport ties….
The bloc, as per the Kremlin’s vision, would eventually counter other economic blocs, including those of the US, the EU, and Moscow-ally China.
[The leaked report] said there are “systemic problems” in the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, evidenced by the preference of Western payment systems when Russia’s banking access became limited.
RUSSIA’S FEARS OVER EX-SOVIET NATIONS LAID BARE IN LEAKED PAPER
Rare insight into how Moscow sees invasion of Ukraine harming ties with close allies
Financial Times (London), Feb 9, 2025 – The report says western countries have successfully threatened central Asian countries into complying with sanctions through a “carrot-and-stick” approach while offering them access to global markets, transport corridors and supply chains that bypass Moscow….

EUROPEAN UNION:

You’re ‘Wrong’: JD Vance Berates Brussels for Its Social Media Censorship Rules

European Conservative, Feb 10, 2025 – The sidelines of the ongoing AI Summit in Paris will provide the perfect setting for Vice President JD Vance to clash with Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and other European Union executives on the bloc’s content moderation rules under its infamous Digital Services Act (DSA).
Although Vance arrived in France to deliver a keynote speech on AI…. they will likely concentrate more towards the DSA and the threat of free speech-oriented American platforms being slapped with enormous fines, for refusing to censor everything that Brussels deems “hate speech” or “misinformation.”

EUROPEAN UNION:

Trump’s divide-and-conquer tactics overshadow EU leaders’ retreat

EU FLAILING AND ADRIFT, AWAITING TRUMP’S NEXT MOVE

The Parliament, Feb 4, 2025 – Donald Trump may not have been in attendance at EU leaders’ first-ever ‘informal retreat’ on Monday, but his presence could be felt….
The lack of any decision or even a collective statement left the impression of an EU flailing and adrift, reduced to being a mere spectator of global events as leaders await Trump’s next move.

SE ASIA – ASEAN:

Trump’s Sudden Impact and Implications For Southeast Asia

DISRUPTIONS TO SUPPLY CHAINS SHOULD BE EXPECTED

ADMINISTRATION’S AID CUTS, TARIFFS, AND NEW CHINA STRATEGY ARE ALL SET TO FURTHER TEST ASEAN
The Diplomat, Feb 4, 2025 – Donald Trump’s administration has lived up to expectations by slashing USAID programs, slapping tariffs on major trading partners, and issuing a list of demands for the rest of the world to follow.
Within Southeast Asia, deep cuts to USAID have already resulted in the suspension or curtailing of a wide range of programs targeting land mine clearance, health services for refugees, and education, forcing the region’s governments to reach into their own pockets if those humanitarian needs are to be met.

SOUTH ASIA – BIMSTEC:

Push for tourism with common Bimstec visa, currency

Kathmandu Post, Feb 7, 2025 – On Thursday, the Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) network of tour operators—an international organisation comprising seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations with a combined population of 1.73 billion—held its third meeting in Kathmandu.
Deepak Raj Joshi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, said as members of Bimstec, “we share a common vision of regional prosperity, and tourism is one of the strongest pillars that can drive us forward together”.
“To enhance intra-regional travel, we must prioritise simplifying visa processes, streamlining border crossings, and improving infrastructure,” he said.
“Additionally, easing currency convertibility is equally crucial for hassle-free travel. Moving towards a more integrated Bimstec travel network, we should explore solutions such as multiple-entry regional visas, digital travel permits, and improved border facilitation to make cross-border tourism seamless.”

AFRICAN UNION – ECOWAS:

Three military-run states leave West African bloc – what will change?

ECOWAS COUNTRIES HAVE RIGHT TO LIVE, WORK IN ALL MEMBER STATES

BBC, Jan 29, 2025 – The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is a huge blow to Ecowas, which at 50 years old is considered Africa’s most important regional group….
While Ecowas works out the terms of its future relationship with the three countries, it says it will continue to recognise all passports and identity cards bearing the Ecowas logo held by citizens from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The countries will also remain in the bloc’s free-trade scheme….
Ecowas – which stands for the Economic Community of West African States – was founded in 1975 in a bid to improve economic and political integration in West Africa.
Prior to Wednesday’s shake-up, the bloc had 15 members, including states like Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
Citizens of all Ecowas countries currently have the right to live and work in all member states, while goods can circulate freely.

EUROPEAN UNION OR EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION?

Armenians Should Prepare for ‘Several Cold Winters,’ Lavrov on Yerevan’s Aspirations for EU Membership

Asbarez, Jan 27, 2025 – Moscow intensified its criticism of Yerevan’s efforts to garner membership in the European Union, with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, signaling that Armenia’s population should prepare for “several cold winters.”
“Unfortunately, the republic often reacted favorably to the unsubstantiated promises of the United States and the European Union as a replacement for Russia for Armenia,” added Lavrov.
He asserted, however, that the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization is “the cornerstone of Armenia’s security,” adding that Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union “is the guarantor of its economic well-being.”

ARAB GULF, GCC – REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE:

Gulf railway project gains momentum

Semafor, Jan 27, 2025 – The project, set to be completed by 2030, will connect Kuwait to Saudi Arabia and, eventually, to a line linking Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Muscat.
Projected to transport eight million passengers and 95 million tons of cargo annually by 2045, the 2,117-kilometer (1,300-mile) Gulf Cooperation Council network is seeing contracts awarded across most Gulf countries, according to AGBI.
One of the busiest routes — the Abu Dhabi-Dubai corridor — will feature a high-speed train capable of transporting passengers between the two cities in just 30 minutes at speeds of up to 350 kilometers (215 miles) per hour.

‘MADE IN NORTH AMERICA’:

Mexico creates nearshoring incentives in push for regional integration

Long-term plan to bolster Mexico’s role in North America’s supply chains

Supply Chain Dive, Jan 24, 2025 – The package’s goals would include strengthening the national economy while increasing regional integration, jobs, pay and overall wellbeing, Sheinbaum said. Furthermore, it would help Mexico substitute imports with domestically produced goods….
Broadening the funding was necessary to push domestic companies of all sizes to better integrate into regional supply chains, according to the decree.

THE ‘NEW MERCANTILISM’:

Trump and fear : the new alliance between mercantilism and geopolitics

PROJECTION OF A WORLD DIVIDED INTO CONTINENTAL BLOCS

Etudes Economiques, Jan 16, 2025 – The final stage of the Trump rocket is the continental projection of power and the capture of resources…. This sort of “mercantilist geopolitics” was on display at the muddled press conference he gave at Mar-a-Lago last week. …This type of projection of a world divided into continental blocs controlled by dominant powers – a well-known pre-war grammar – risks encouraging those nostalgic for empire, and those who would like to belong to the club of powerful countries, to move from thought to action.
From the archives: KISSINGER’S ‘NEW MERCANTILISM’ OF ‘COMPETING REGIONAL UNITS’
HENRY KISSINGER, ‘THE CHANCE FOR A NEW WORLD ORDER’
New York Times, Jan 12, 2009

NEW REGIONAL ORDER:

Economic Outlook for 2025 Weighed Down by Fragmentation, Debt and Political Uncertainty

World Economic Forum, Jan 16, 2025 – Business responses to the increasing fragmentation of the global economy are expected to include restructuring supply chains (91%), regionalizing operations (90%) and focusing on core markets (79%).
THE FUTURE OF GLOBALIZATION: REGIONALIZATION AND THE EMERGING ECONOMIC ORDER
Global Banking & Finance Review (London, UK), Jan 15, 2025 –  Regional alliances and trade agreements are surfacing as mechanisms for mitigating geopolitical risks and enhancing economic resilience. These alliances often operate based on mutual interests and complementary economic profiles, creating more robust and adaptable markets to global disruptions.
For instance, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in Asia—uniting ASEAN nations with major economies like China, Japan, and South Korea—illustrates the strategic pivot towards creating self-sufficient regional economic hubs….
Regional trade agreements emerge as powerful instruments, enabling nations to synchronize economic policies while fostering market access, and ensuring stability in a fragmented geopolitical environment.

NORTH AMERICA and ‘THE ART OF THE DEAL’:

Trump’s Canada ‘joke’ sparks Hegelian dialectic toward North American ‘economic union’

KEVIN O’LEARY: DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TRUMP NOISE, SIGNAL

‘NOBODY SAID YOU HAVE TO SELL YOUR SOVEREIGNTY, BUT MANY CANADIANS ARE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE ECONOMIC UNION’ WITH COMMON CURRENCY, PASSPORT, TARIFF POLICY, DEFENSE
CircumspectNews.com, Jan 15, 2025 – Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary, also a bombastic deal negotiator of Shark Tank fame, recently visited President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He insists that Trump’s joke about Canada statehood is merely bombastic noise to begin a dialogue, even as he signals that his real objective — to which O’Leary is in agreement — is an “economic union” of the two nations that would resemble the development of the European Union.
The possibility that O’Leary is right about Trump’s real objective being “only” economic union should prompt consternation among Trump’s nationalist MAGA supporters. But Trump has orchestrated this entire sequence of comments and perceptions across two nations, and it certainly has been a master class in misdirection.

SE ASIA – REGIONAL PROTECTIONISM:

Asean sees opportunity amid shifting trade dynamics

Southeast Asia’s Asean bloc is turning inward

New Straits Times, Jan 16, 2025 – As global trade faces increasing uncertainty and shifting economic policies, Southeast Asia’s Asean bloc is turning inward to reinforce regional ties.Amid concerns over the impact of US tariffs and the ongoing fragmentation of the global economy, Asean member states are exploring deeper cooperation, creating new opportunities for growth and stability.
WHY MALAYSIA-LED ASEAN COULD GO TOE TO TOE WITH TRUMP
Asia Times, Jan 17, 2025 – With the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House and intensifying superpower rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, the year ahead will be crucial for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its place in the global security spotlight….
ASEAN will increasingly struggle to effectively “hedge” between competing powers as both the US and China press for advantage in the vital and strategic region….
The incoming Trump administration, however, will likely have little patience for ASEAN dithering or any hint of China-friendly opportunism dressed up as diplomatic “hedging.

NORTH AMERICA:

Sheinbaum ‘ready’ for dialogue with Trump administration

BELIEVES INTEGRATION OF MEXICO, US, CANADA ECONOMIES ALLOWS NORTH AMERICA TO ‘BETTER COMPETE’ WITH OTHER REGIONS OF WORLD
Mexico News Daily, Jan 15, 2025 – Asked how the federal government would “combat” Trump’s pledge to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican exports to the United States, Sheinbaum responded that her administration would “have dialogue with the United States government,” but didn’t say how soon it would occur.
DONALD TRUMP’S ‘BOMBASTIC’ TALK OF ANNEXING CANADA IS ABOUT FORMING ECONOMIC UNION, KEVIN O’LEARY SAYS
The Glob and Mail (Canada), Jan 13, 2025 – Mr. O’Leary, also a reality TV star, has visited the U.S. president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida a number of times since Mr. Trump won the 2024 presidential election, most recently with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith this past weekend.
Donald Trump’s ‘bombastic’ talk of annexing Canada is about forming economic union, Kevin O’Leary says
Mr. O’Leary said one idea that was discussed multiple times during his meetings at Mar-a-Lago was getting rid of Canadian tariffs on U.S. imports and a removal of interprovincial trade barriers.
His vision would include a common currency between Canada and the United States and granting Canada as many as two seats on the board of governors of the U.S. federal reserve system.
MEXICO’S SHEINBAUM LAYS OUT PLAN TO CUT CHINESE IMPORTS IN APPARENT NOD TO TRUMP
Reuters, Jan 13, 2025 – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday rolled out an economic plan aimed at curbing imports from China in an apparent nod to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his allegations that Mexico is a back door for Chinese goods entering the United States….
The plan includes boosting local sourcing for industries reliant on Chinese imports, like textiles and autos….
Sheinbaum also plans to bump investments up to 28% of GDP, adding 1.5 million manufacturing jobs by boosting local production and cutting red tape.
Mexico plans to boost its position using trade agreements, tariff policies and strengthening customs enforcement, a government presentation showed.

EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION, EUROPEAN UNION:

Armenia navigates European integration while staying in the Eurasian bloc

KREMLIN: ARMENIA CANNOT BE MEMBER OF TWO DIFFERENT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Kursiv Media Kazakhstan, Jan 15, 2025 – Armenia’s government has no plans to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) while simultaneously pursuing European Union (EU) membership, according to the country’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan, as reported by the Interfax news agency….
In response, the Kremlin remarked that while Armenia has the sovereign right to pursue such actions, it highlighted that the country cannot simultaneously be a member of two different international organizations.
RUSSIA VIEWS ARMENIA’S EU ENTRY MOVE AS BEGINNING OF EAEU EXIT
News.Az (Azerbaijan), Jan 15, 2025 – Russia has expressed concern that Armenia’s decision to initiate the process of joining the European Union marks the start of its withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

SOUTH AMERICA – MERCOSUR, UNASUR:

Lavrov: “Latin America is one of the powerful poles of the emerging multipolar world order”

RT (Google Translate), Jan 14, 2025 – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday before local and foreign journalists , described Latin America as “one of the powerful poles of the emerging multipolar world order.”….
“Russia maintains relations with Mercosur , with Unasur , with the Central American Integration System ( SICA ), with ALBA , of course, and much more,” he added.

See older article links, summaries in NEWS ARCHIVE

VIDEO: GLOBAL SHAKEDOWN (2015)
The world’s developing and projected regional blocs. (Excerpt @ 20:15 of 27:33)