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This chapter aims to improve the mechanisms of economic integration between Russia and Cuba. The methodology used by the author in this chapter is mainly composed of the method of historical-comparative, inductive, and analytical-synthetic analysis. The author used the existing information on the internet and other analyzed references. Additionally, the author qualitatively analyzed the opinions of various experts and drew conclusions. Regional integration is examined conceptually as a basis for a better understanding of integration processes. The research provides historical data after including Cuba in the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), considering this structure as the first one with characteristics of an economic integration structure. Next, the author considered the post-Soviet stage until the present. Statistical data according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) summary are provided. These data correspond to the periods from 2018 to 2021 and show the statistics of exports, imports, and other important indicators between the two countries. Based on the analysis, it is necessary to update the integration mechanisms to reduce tariff rates, promote free trade between the two countries, and increase the participation of Russian companies in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZED Mariel), Havana, Cuba.

This study aims to analyse the potential impacts of free trade agreement (FTA) between Indonesia and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries by eliminating import tariffs in the halal food sector on welfare, gross domestic product (GDP) and trade balance. OIC countries as the second-largest organisation after the United Nations are the potential markets for the halal food industry.

This study used the Global Trade Analysis Project database version 10 by adopting a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for two scenarios. The first scenario stated that Indonesia should conduct an FTA with ten potential OIC countries as export destination, while the second one stated that it should be conducted with all OIC countries.

Indonesia is predicted to get the highest increase in welfare by making an FTA with all OIC countries. Scenario 2 showed that Indonesia had much higher changes in real GDP with a positive change of 0.0018%. Even though it is projected to experience a surplus in the trade balance in both scenarios, Indonesia is predicted to experience a decline in exports for the particular halal food sector. The findings contribute some new insights to the existing literature, revealing an alignment between economic integration and the concept of international trade in Islam.

The limitation of this study is the available data that cannot describe the population of all OIC countries. Only 31 countries out of a total of 56 OIC countries can be used in research. The scope of research is limited to analysing FTAs between Indonesia and OIC countries in the form of abolishing import tariffs and does not include non-tariff barrier issues such as halal certification.

The preferential trade agreement is considered relevant as Indonesia’s initial commitment to conduct a bilateral trade with ten selected OIC countries. The Indonesia Government, however, still needs to make several mitigation efforts in various sectors experiencing losses as a result of economic integration, such as by creating a more conducive business climate, supporting the sources of capital, facilitating bureaucratic affairs, as well as providing tax incentives.

This paper contributes to the literature by focusing on the critical aspects of the FTA’s impacts on halal food sectors by optimizing the reduction of import tariffs of OIC countries. Different from previous studies, this study applied a static CGE model to examine the impacts of FTA on macroeconomic indicators.

The Eastern Mediterranean countries exhibit diversity in religion, culture, politics, and economy, amid rapid and dynamic regional developments shaped by global polarization and the international security landscape, rendering future prognostications challenging. This chapter delves into the realms of oil and natural gas production, the influx of multinational corporations, water boundaries, and renewable energy vis-à-vis fossil fuels in the Eastern Mediterranean, elucidating the realities of cooperation and competition within the region. Analysis of cooperation and competition dynamics is imperative for comprehending the tensions among states. Enhanced cooperation between states may lead to mutual benefits, such as increased oil and gas prices favoring their partnership, while any escalation in competition can swiftly be perceived as a threat, exacerbating tensions. The desirability of such cooperation or competition in the international political economy remains subject to ongoing debate.

The game strategies differ when different regions participate in the oil game. Under what circumstances will different participants choose cooperation or sanction strategies? This is the core issue of this paper.

Regarding the current and future game behavior between different regions in the oil trade, this paper constructs an evolutionary game model between two regions to explore the possibility of sanctions strategies between the two sides in different situations.

The research finds: (1) When the benefits of in-depth cooperation between the two regions are greater, both sides tend to adopt cooperative strategies. (2) When the trade conflict losses between the two regions are smaller, both sides adopt sanctions strategies. (3) When a strong region trades with a weak region, if the former adopts a sanctions strategy, the net profits are greater than the benefits of in-depth cooperation between the two regions. If the latter adopts a sanctions strategy, the net profits are less than the trade conflict losses between the two regions. There will be the strong region adopting a sanctions strategy and the weak region adopting a non-sanctions strategy. At this time, the latter should reasonably balance the immediate and future interests and give up some current interests in exchange for in-depth cooperation between the two regions. Otherwise, it will fall into the situation of unilateral sanctions by the strong against the weak.

There is no paper in the existing literature that uses the evolutionary game method to analyze the oil game problem between the two regions. This paper constructs a two-party evolutionary game model composed of crude oil importers and crude oil exporters and, based on this, analyzes the evolutionary stability between the two regions under sanctions and cooperation strategies, which enriches the energy research field.

Building on current debates on innovation, knowledge diffusion, and institutional dynamics, we explore the influence of national innovation systems (NISs) on international innovation collaborations in Latin America, focusing on intellectual property rights (IPR), access to scientific knowledge and regulatory quality.

We analyze data from 17 Latin American countries from 2002–2015 using time-series panel analysis to evaluate how different NIS elements affect regional cooperation for innovation.

Regulatory quality can improve international collaboration by compensating for weaker IPR and scientific knowledge bases. Interestingly, while both IPR and scientific knowledge inherently promote cooperation, stronger regulatory environments may diminish the effectiveness of IPR protections, suggesting a potential substitution effect.

The study offers actionable insights for policymakers in developing regions to help them craft more effective policies for collaboration in innovation that consider the balancing act between regulatory quality and other NIS elements.

This research shifts focus from the conventional analysis of how developing countries attract collaboration from developed nations to how they can foster innovation among themselves, providing a unique perspective on the interaction between institutional factors and innovation capabilities within the Latin American context.

This study aims to present how an inter-organisational cooperation network can contribute to the competitive performance of higher education institutions (HEI) and also to students’ academic performance. The intention is also to examine how knowledge-sharing processes should develop to meet the needs of maintaining cooperation networks.

This study adopts a qualitative approach, using the case study (network) method. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, group interviews and documentary analysis. The convenience sampling technique was used. Data analysis was carried out through a data triangulation process.

The general benefits arising from cooperation networks are encouraging. The HEIs improved not only through creating an environment that supports learning processes and knowledge-sharing efficiently, but also through cooperation between students and lecturers.

The cooperation network experience studied here can be used by other universities or HEIs as an approach/strategy to launch a cooperation initiative in order to increase levels of knowledge, learning, innovation and competitiveness. The results also help university or HEI leaders to understand the importance of academic cooperation networks, letting them form innovative teaching strategies that stimulate academic and competitive performance, as well as economic growth.

The central elements of originality lie in advancing a new vision of cooperation networks, creating a new, innovative framework that considers the dimensions presented from the theoretical and practical point of view. The framework helps to understand what is necessary for network cooperation to develop and create value for HEIs. Combining different perspectives of the cooperation network inevitably represents a significant innovation.

International investment law governs matters related to transnational investments. The extensive reach of transnational corporations (TNCs) has granted them substantial economic, political and social influence, often intertwining them with public interest issues and implications in human rights violations. This paper aims to explore the profound influence exerted by TNCs in today’s globalized world and its implications for human rights and social responsibility within the framework of international investment law. Particularly, it acknowledges the vulnerability of economically weak South Asian states and cites past instances such as the Bhopal gas tragedy in India and the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh as egregious violations of human rights. Focusing on South Asian bilateral investment treaties (BITs), this paper aims to examine the scope of investors’ social accountability.

This research engages with doctrinal and analytical methods in traversing through primary and secondary sources. It would parse the arbitral tribunals’ jurisprudence for their discussion on the inclusion of social accountability obligations within international investment agreements (IIAs). Further, it engages in a quantitative analysis related to the nature of the social accountability-related obligation of the corporation within South Asian BITs.

The findings reveal a glaring absence of the law on investors’ social accountability and the need for enhanced regulatory mechanisms to address the escalating influence of TNCs on human and social rights. The absence of a robust legal framework, coupled with the asymmetric nature of international investment law, granting investors greater rights and leverage compared to states, exacerbates this challenge. The phenomenon of “regulatory chill” inhibits states from effectively enforcing regulatory measures aimed at protecting human rights and the environment. Furthermore, the broad interpretation of clauses such as “fair and equitable treatment” by investment tribunals often undermines states’ ability to implement measures in the public interest. While international organizations such as the UNCTAD and the UNCITRAL Working Group III are actively discussing reforms to IIAs, the existing guidelines addressing investors’ social accountability are woefully lacking in the content as well as the method of their integration with international human rights law. The findings underscore the imperative for South Asian nations, the subject of this research’s empirical analysis, to adopt a comprehensive approach involving both domestic law reforms to promote corporate social accountability and active pursuit of negotiations for the inclusion of binding social obligations for investors within IIAs.

This research, drawing upon international law developments, offers suggestions for incorporation of social accountability provisions via relevant domestic law reform. The research could be viewed as a prelude for mapping the legal developments in the area of investors’ social accountability within investment agreements, as well as investment contracts, drawing guidance from international law instruments.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no other study analysed the scope of investors’ social accountability in South Asian BITs.