The inadequate response to the use of chemical weapons by a state against its own population was an important catalyst leading to the creation of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). A great deal has been achieved under the CWC, which is an important example of how multilateral cooperation can succeed.
This paper takes a regional approach to understanding the state of the social contract in MENA countries. It describes, country-by-country, the impact of protest movements, or their absence, on relations between society and the state, and the likely effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on those relations.
The ever-increasing dependence on information and communication technologies (ICTs) in all aspects of society raises many challenges for national crisis management agencies. These agencies need to prepare not only for new cyberthreats and cyber vulnerabilities, but also for the fact that the aftermath of a cyber incident affecting critical infrastructure has its own challenges.
Climate-related security risks are increasingly compounding existing political, social and economic challenges worldwide, with natural resources like water posing risks for geopolitical tensions and violent conflict. This policy paper presents a regional analysis of environment, peace and security linkages in the Horn of Africa, with a specific focus on water security and governance. It provides entry points for the international community to address the multifaceted risk landscape in the region.
Climate-related security risks are transforming the security landscape in which multilateral peacebuilding efforts take place. This policy paper offers a glimpse into the future of peacebuilding in the time of climate change by providing an in-depth assessment of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
This paper highlights five key areas where attention should be focused in order to build acts of everyday peace in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Military conditions in Europe are changing quickly. Past experience is only of limited value in understanding the nature and implications of the changes, and existing restraint measures were not designed to address them.
Armed clashes between Russia and Ukraine in the Kerch Strait in November 2018 are a timely reminder of the fragile nature of security in the Black Sea. Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the onset of conflict in eastern Ukraine, tensions have risen as Russia has continued to build up its regional armed forces and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has significantly strengthened its commitment to the Black Sea. While neither side is seeking a direct military confrontation, the risks from military accidents and unintended clashes, misperception and miscalculation are clear.
This paper offers a comprehensive overview of perceptions of nuclear security risks in the wider Black Sea region, along with a detailed assessment of how the level and nature of those risks have changed in Ukraine since 2014.
This policy paper assesses the participation of women in multilateral peace operations based on new gender-disaggregated data from SIPRI’s Multilateral Peace Operations Database.