Using a qualitative research methodology and explanatory approach to collect data, we assessed whether the Beijing Consensus diplomacy in Africa is a promoter or threat to Africa’s pathway to sustainable development. The collected data were analysed using document and content analysis techniques. Analysis of the data revealed that the Beijing Consensus diplomacy in Africa is a positive initiative that has created a win-win situation, promoting sustainable development. The Beijing Consensus is opposed to the Washington Consensus, which influenced a win-lose situation that has deepened poverty, making Africa unable to move towards achieving sustainable development. The study found that China’s resource-for-development approach has similarities with pre-colonial Africa’s barter trade approach, which Africans practised in the entire continent. The analysis showed that applying the Beijing Consensus diplomacy to Africa has led to economic growth and development. The results showed that China’s Belt Road Initiative has transformed Africa, changing the continent from poverty to economic productivity, as road infrastructure is associated with economic growth and development. Moreover, it was evident from the analysis that without an African continental foreign policy rooted in continental sovereignty with transparent terms and conditions, Africa’s current benefits from China’s investments would lead to poverty instead of sustainable development. A continental foreign policy would create an African Consensus, which would act on behalf of the entire continent. This African Consensus diplomacy would thus become a continental foreign policy defining Africa globally. However, as it stands, the Beijing Consensus diplomacy is a promoter of sustainable development, but this promotion would not last long without African Consensus diplomacy. The study recommends that Africa should establish a continental foreign policy with African Consensus diplomacy to enable the continent to have one standard foreign policy and goal when trading with China and any other external world.

The mining issue’s real-world impact is directly linked to the insufficient policing efforts by relevant institutions, potentially affecting the credibility of law enforcement agencies and regional performance. This research project sought to evaluate policing performance related to mining activities in Indonesian regional areas. Using an indexing method, a composite index was developed based on supervision, partnership, and law enforcement aspects. This index functioned as a representation of policing within the mining and quarrying context. The evaluation was carried out in Indonesian provinces with active mining and quarrying operations. The composite index was then juxtaposed with regional gross domestic products to gauge the correlation between policing and regional economic performance. Results revealed that regions heavily reliant on mining for regional GDP, like East Kalimantan, South Sumatera, and Papua, tended to have lower policing indices due to shortcomings in supervision and law enforcement. Conversely, regions with stronger policing indices typically excelled in the supervisory dimension, as seen in Yogyakarta. The study suggests that engaging with communities and increasing the ratio of mine inspectors to mine areas can enhance mining governance and regional competitiveness. Boosting the number of mine inspectors in specific areas can also positively impact overall policing activities within mining regions.

Sustainable development (SD) is an approach that aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a key component in achieving this goal, as it equips young people with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to make sustainable decisions. This study investigated how preschool teachers in Saudi Arabia understood (SD) and the state of (ESD) practices. A survey was used to collect data from 230 Saudi preschool teachers. The findings revealed that 90% of teachers lacked awareness regarding SD. The overall evaluation of ESD practices among participants indicated a weak subpar status, with an average score of 2.49 out of 4. Notably, in ascending order, the following three dimensions had weak mean scores: the content aspect (2.38) had the lowest score, followed by the practice aspect (2.54) and the competencies aspect (2.58). Meanwhile, the values aspect (2.63) had an average outcome. Analysing the mean scores of ESD practices based on teachers’ qualifications and school types revealed significant differences, although no variations were observed based on experience. The primary obstacle to ESD implementation in pre-schools was the lack of awareness regarding SD/ESD. The study underscores the significance of expanding teacher training to promote ESD effectively in pre-school settings. The results highlight the need for professional development opportunities to improve ESD implementation in classrooms, educate Saudi preschool teachers about SD, and create instructional materials that align with the principles of ESD.

The urban fringe – the zone lying between urban areas and the countryside, - offers valuable opportunities for commercial and residential development as well as for recreational activities, but it is often characterised by a number of land use problems and environmental conflicts. Within the UK, the urban fringe can be seen as a contested and dynamic space, yet for almost 70 years statutory town planning policies for the urban fringe have been largely concerned with containment designed to stop urban encroachment into the countryside. However, in 1970s a number of experimental urban fringe management projects were established around town and cities within the UK, culminating in the creation of the Groundwork projects, and here the focus was on a wider and more flexible approach, and more specifically on providing a range of opportunities for recreation, and to attempt to reconcile environmental conflicts. This paper explores the evolution of Groundwork, and more specifically focuses on two Research Questions namely, what was the initial rationale and aims of Groundwork? and secondly what is its current focus and future direction?

The research is focused on the evolution of the enterprises, in the field of specialized professional services, medium-period, enterprises that implemented projects financed within Regional Operational Program (ROP) during the 2007–2013 financial programming period. The analysis of the economic performance of the micro-enterprises corresponds to general objectives, but there can be outlined connections between these performances and other economic indicators that were not considered or followed through the financing program. The study case is focused on the development of micro-enterprises in the services area, in the Central Region, Romania (one of the eight development regions in Romania). The scientific approach for this article was based on a regressive statistical analysis. The analysis included the economic parameters for the enterprises selected, comparing the economic efficiency of these enterprises, during implementation with the economic efficiency after the implementation of the projects, during medium periods, including the sustainability period. The purpose of the research was to analyse the economic efficiency of the selected micro-enterprises, after finalizing the projects’ implementation. The authors intend to point out the need for a managerial instrument based on the economic efficiency of companies that are benefiting from non-reimbursable funds. This instrument should be taken into consideration in planning regional development at the national level, regarding the conditions and results expected. Although the authors used regressive statistical analysis the purpose was to prove that there is a need for additional managerial instruments when the financial allocations are being designed at the regional level. This study follows the interest of the authors in proving that the efficiency of non-reimbursable funds should be analysed distinctively on the activity sectors.