Erin McCandless

Professor Politics/IR UJ, South Africa, Qatar, mediation, HDP-climate nexus, social contracts, emerging powers. @journalpeacedev
Former @UNPeacekeeping

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

My @dailymaverick Oped with A. Moaswes argues that the US–Israel strikes on #Iran are best understood as an assertion of power that proceeded despite — and in ways that are destroying — the very mechanisms meant to uphold international peace and security.
https://t.co/JG7PRD4uur

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

Excellent statement. Now we need action.

[Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar @MofaQatar_EN]

Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of the Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia

Doha | June 2, 2026

The Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemn in the strongest terms the continued incursions by extremist Israeli settlers, into Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif under the protection of the Israeli forces, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.

They stress that these provocative and unacceptable actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo at the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Foreign Ministers further condemn the continued and systematic violations and measures carried out by Israel, the occupying Power, aimed at altering the historical, legal, and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem and undermining the sanctity and status of its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

They reaffirm their categorical rejection of any attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, and stress on its preservation while recognizing the special role of the historical Hashemite custodianship in this regard. The Ministers reiterate that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al Haram Sharif, which amounts to 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif and to regulate entry thereto.

The Foreign Ministers hold Israeli authorities responsible for halting these escalatory actions and warn that repeated Israeli violations exacerbate tensions, fuel instability and extremism, undermine international efforts to achieve peace, and constitute a clear breach of Israel’s obligations under international law. They call for an immediate cessation of all such Israeli illegal and provocative practices and reaffirm the need to respect the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif in its entirety.

The Foreign Ministers reaffirm their unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and their steadfast support for the realization of their legitimate and inalienable national rights, foremost among them their right to self-determination and the realization of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They further reaffirm their support for all efforts aimed at ending the Israeli occupation and achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace based on the two-State solution in accordance with international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.

#MOFAQatar

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

https://t.co/quCYOkDwYM

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

I’m curious… just need to find time now that #AI has sped up my already overloaded life by incalculable percentages…. How does that work? 🤔

[Shabnam Parveen @shabnam_774]

Instead of watching an hour of Netflix, watch this 2 hour hour Stanford lecture will teach you more about how LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude are built than most people working at top AI companies learn in their entire careers.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

A great choice, taking the appointments of ambassadors with seriousness and respect for other countries and cultures.

[Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa]

Roelf Meyer is a patriotic South African who has distinguished himself in the various roles he has served in. He is well qualified to execute his new role as South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

@MAGANEWS_X E.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

Unacceptable. Totally.

[New Direction AFRICA @Its_ereko]

🇺🇸 BREAKING: NYC Mayor Mamdani just said what America refuses to admit.

"The wealth of a median white household in the city is more than $200,000, while that of a black household is less than $20,000."

Ten times the wealth. Same city. Same century. Same flag.

That's not a gap. That's a design.

Spread this. America needs to stop pretending.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

To be expected. Trump did not expect this, clearly. His art of making deals does not translate to real-world diverse contexts - an awareness needed for the role of president.

[Fox News @FoxNews]

JUST IN: New video shows crowds locking arms around Iranian power plants, creating HUMAN SHIELDS – a striking scene as Trump's 8p.m. deadline for the Islamic Republic nears.

Iran has rejected the latest terms, raising the stakes with just hours to go.

[Furkan Gözükara @FurkanGozukara]

Absolute bombshell. Tucker Carlson publicly urges the US military and Pentagon officials to actively defy Donald Trump and refuse orders if he attempts to launch nuclear weapons against Iran. The administration is completely out of control.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

More of this is needed. Only the US right has the power to sufficiently rein in - or bring down - Trump.

[Earth Hippy 🌎🕊️💚 @hippyygoat]

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK
LIKE THIS”
-Tucker Carlson to Donald Trump

One of the most prominent right-wing voices has broken away from Trump, directly criticising him.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

Join us tomorrow 8:00 EST / 2:00 GMT+2 for a discussion on the causes, politics and implications of the US-Israel-Iran war, with leading experts. @JoelleZahar @BARAKAT_Sultan @fakudet @ Ali Alsayegh and Abdulla Moaswas. @go2uj

[ian bremmer @ianbremmer]

@StateDept

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

A critical initiative. We have to understand and act to ensure that particular conflicts do not feed other conflicts and crises - and the wider unfolding #polycrisis that will deepen the devastating impacts on the vulnerable. #IranWar #Sudan #foodsecurity

[Comfort Ero @EroComfort]

The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, and the war raging between Iran, the U.S and Israel, is imperilling global food security.

We @CrisisGroup and prominent individuals call for an initiative to protect it and offer a path forward.

https://t.co/37FGUERO0p

[Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders]

One month after starting the war in Iran, this is the statement of the President of the United States on Easter Sunday.

These are the ravings of a dangerous and mentally unbalanced individual. Congress has got to act NOW. End this war.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

Every action is more unbelievable.

[Furkan Gözükara @FurkanGozukara]

Absolute bombshell on Al Jazeera. The US and Israel have deliberately bombed over 30 universities across Iran, assassinating professors in their homes and massacring over 60 students. Washington is systematically trying to destroy Iranian scientific progress.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

The tale of two presidents...

[Kerry Holmes @KerryHolmekb]

BREAKING: 🇺🇸 Former U.S. President, Barack Obama:

“We cannot launch military operations to get out of an ideological or technological problem. History has taught us that conflicts in the Middle East are easy to start, but almost impossible to end in an orderly way. We must recognize that peace is not built on rubble, but on a regional architecture that provides stability. We must choose between difficult and persistent diplomacy, or a perpetual regional war that has no winners, only victims.”

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

@piersmorgan @realDonaldTrump It is really too late. We already think he has.

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

Qatar still advancing #mediation processes abroad while under attack at home.
#DRCongo

[Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar @MofaQatar_EN]

Qatar Participates in Meeting on Supervision of Ceasefire Between DRC Government, March 23

Doha | March 05, 2026

The State of Qatar participated Thursday in a meeting, via video conference, of the supervision and verification mechanism of the ceasefire stemming from the Declaration of Principles between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Congo River Alliance (March 23) Movement, which was signed in Doha on July 19, 2025.

In a speech during the meeting, Qatar affirmed the need to refrain from taking any escalatory steps or carrying out any measures that may be considered a violation of the ceasefire in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, before formally reporting any concerns or observations through the approved mechanism.

Qatar also stressed the importance of raising all security concerns through the agreed channels, allowing mediators and facilitators the opportunity to address issues and work to resolve them through the agreed peaceful and diplomatic means.

During the meeting, reference was made to the active role played by the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), with the support of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), in assisting monitoring and verification on the ground.

They also emphasized the need to fully benefit from these mechanisms in a way that contributes to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire.

#MOFAQatar

[Financial Times @FT]

FT Exclusive: Qatar’s energy minister has warned that war in the Middle East could 'bring down the economies of the world', predicting that all Gulf energy exporters would shut down production within weeks and drive oil to $150 a barrel. https://t.co/CfQ2vs0h8W

[Erin McCandless @McCandlessErin]

Delighted to speak wtih my wonderful colleague Abdulla Moaswas today on Trump's #boardofpeace.
Thank you Salaamedia for covering this critical topic.
#Trump, #Gaza, #GazaReconstruction, #MiddleEast, #Israel #Peace #Mediation

[Salaamedia @salaamedia]

Exploiting a Crisis: Trump’s Board of Peace in Gaza and Why the World Should be Concerned, Prof. Erin McCandless, expert on peace and international relations. #Ramadan2026 #Ramadan2026SM #Gaza https://t.co/CAvX4K145L