GHOST COUNTRIES

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, does it make a sound? Similarly, if a country declares its independence but nobody acknowledges it, is it independent? Our Special Reporter Sam Gould is travelling the World to visit these lost territories.

This is not a theoretical question but a dilemma affecting a handful of wannabe nations that, despite having their own governments, flags and anthems, are not recognized as sovereign states by the international community. Sometimes, these independence hopefuls comprise an ethnic minority at odds with the majority population.

Since the sudden demise of Gambia’s Vice-President, Dr. Badara Joof, there have been wild rumours about his replacement; however, it appears that President Adama Barrow, who has the constitutional prerogative ...

The fighting in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has received regional and international attention since its outbreak on the fifteenth of April, especially as it ...

With the dawn of each “Independence” anniversary on February 18th, we, as Gambians, blow horns, sing, drum and cheer to celebrate “Independence Day.” This year shall be no exception. Independence ...

In a report published by Global Financial Integrity, the revenue generated by transnational crimes is estimated to be worth between $1.6 trillion and $2.2 trillion annually. Out of this value, ...

Turkey was hailed as an example for a modern Muslim democracy during the early 2000s. The current ruling party that came to power in 2002 implemented reforms that were aligned ...

Our special envoy Sam G. travelled to war-torn Somalia in order to continue our series of articles regarding Ghost Countries. Sam’s articles are a reflection of what he saw on ...

Our special envoy Sam G. travelled to war-torn Somalia in order to continue our series of articles regarding Ghost Countries. Sam’s articles are a reflection of what he saw on ...
Young Diplomats Kurdistan

Kurdistan, ‘The Land of the Kurds,’ internationally recognized as an area with territory in four different countries – Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq. Even though its territory technically lies within ...

Samuel G. is a World Traveller writing special Reports for Young Diplomats. He is passionate by the issue of unrecognized states. This article is the first one of his series ...