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Commentary

Essays

A new generation of quantum technology promises to transform military capabilities and much more. There are profound security implications that demand a coordinated governance response.

This essay briefly summarizes the potential escalation risks at the space–nuclear nexus. It also considers some of the difficulties in addressing this nexus in existing multilateral forums and suggests ways to overcome them.

Closer integration of the women, peace and security agenda with the governance of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons could have benefits for both.

This essay presents some suggestions for how a proposed ‘forum for political coordination’ could help to coordinate and plug the gaps in the European Union’s strategic trade controls.

As NATO marks its first 75 years, its core mission has arguably come full circle: deterrence and territorial defence in Europe. Remembering key lessons from cold war diplomacy could help it to navigate the challenges ahead.

WritePeace blog

To reduce violent conflict, support non-violent resistance movements

The wealth and power generated by kleptocratic networks help to put actors who drive conflict beyond the reach of international institutions responsible for maintaining peace and security. This blog explains why engaging non-violent resistance movements and the non-traditional institutions they create is therefore critical to building sustainable peace and security.

Demilitarizing environmental protection will benefit Colombia’s biodiversity

Successive Colombian governments have pursued an increasingly militarized approach to environmental protection, which in many cases has undermined and even criminalized ethnic communities and subsistence farmers who are vital to environmental stewardship and conservation. This blog explores why this is happening and what needs to be done.

Beyond food security: The potential gendered consequences of food aid

In conflict zones marked by food insecurity, men and women experience unique challenges, and food aid can impact them differently. While aid efforts seek to address these issues, they can sometimes unintentionally deepen gender inequalities, particularly for women. This blog examines these effects and how to mitigate them.

Where next for the women, peace and security agenda?

As the women, peace and security agenda approaches its 25th anniversary, is the key to progress pushing for a new Security Council resolution or stepping up implementation?

Women, peace and security: Bridging the global–local divide through contextual relevance

This blog explores two approaches to bridging the global–local divide: prioritizing inclusion within participation and strengthening the ‘connective tissue’ between global and local WPS movements.

Backgrounders

This backgrounder examines the EU Dual-use Regulation catch-all control and new guidelines intended to help exporters to comply with it.

This backgrounder explores how the war in Gaza has affected the arms export policy and practice of six of the world’s top 10 exporters of major conventional arms.

This backgrounder looks at the principles and sharing mechanisms for these direct funding arrangements, with a focus on transparency and accountability.

SIPRI presents its latest data on multilateral peace operations in 2023. This topical backgrounder summarizes the key findings of the new data along with important developments related to multilateral peace operations during the year.

Chinese and Russian approaches to peacebuilding are part of the evolving and indeed contested landscape of international peace and security. Understanding their impacts requires understanding the similarities and differences between them.