Blair et al. (2023) examine the effect of UN peacekeeping on democratization in conflict-affected countries. They use fixed effects and instrumental variable estimators and find evidence that "UN missions with democracy promotion mandates are strongly positively correlated with the quality of...

Frame of the research: Purpose-driven organizations can revolutionize business conduct and leadership in conflict zones through the private sector's engagement in peacebuilding. Prioritizing stakeholder dignity and societal benefits aligns with Business for Peace (B4P) initiatives, aiming to...

The Weimar Triangle countries - France, Germany, and Poland - could enhance Europe's defense and strategic autonomy thanks to their complementarities. Germany, enjoying fiscal space, opted for debt-financed rearmament but stagnant voluntary recruitment and sluggish procurement form bottlenecks....

In the 50th year of its existence, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is more than ever looking for a new role. The war in Ukraine and other conflicts in the OSCE area show how important the work of civil society organi­sations is in times of war and crisis -...

This article analyses aspects of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in its international context from a game theory perspective, with particular attention to the possible use of the brinkmanship strategy by US President Donald Trump.

Vladimir Putin underestimated the war against Ukraine on several levels, both in terms of the response within Ukraine and, above all, in terms of the response from the US and Europe. What can we learn from this? What policies should Europe pursue? What signals should it send to Putin to prevent...

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325/2000 (UNSCR 1325) is the first UN resolution which addresses the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women. It stresses the need for women's equal and meaningful participation as active agents in the prevention and resolution of conflicts,...

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325/2000 (UNSCR 1325) is the first UN resolution which addresses the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women. It stresses the need for women's equal and meaningful participation as active agents in the prevention and resolution of conflicts,...

At a time when multilateralism is needed more than ever to address the global challenges and rising geopolitical tensions, paradoxically, the capacity and delegated power of the United Nations (UN) to uphold a rule-based order to keep peace and security is being weakened. Even in an increasingly...

This paper examines the contending futures of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping through an analysis of key UN publications and interviews conducted in New York in 2024. At a time when peacekeeping faces multiple challenges - including a crisis of trust, diminished legitimacy, and a deadlocked...

We consider a dynamic setting where two countries with competing claims to a resource/asset first arm and then choose whether to resolve their dispute through war or peacefully through settlement. War precludes international trade and can be destructive, but also locks gains and eliminates...

Can negotiated peace settlements promote fiscal capacity in post-conflict countries? We explore this question in the context of the 2016 peace agreement in Colombia, after which more than 6,000 insurgents collectively demobilized and a series of peace zones was created. Leveraging the uneven...

The existential catastrophe faced by the population of the Gaza Strip currently looms large in the foreign policy and security debates. The plight of civilians there is par­ticularly acute. Yet, severe crises persist elsewhere too - from Ukraine and Sudan to Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of...

This study examines the ideology-driven armed conflicts in the Philippines and analyzes the peacebuilding elements that have contributed to durable peace across conflict-affected regions. Focusing on separatist movements in Mindanao and communist insurgencies in various places nationwide, the...

This article examines how local populations in conflict-affected countries perceive foreign military interventions, focusing on Mali. While existing research has largely assessed peacekeeping from a supplyside perspective, this study centres on the preferences and perceptions of local...

The United Nations and the European Union have been working together since 2003 in the areas of peace operations and crisis management. They cooperate in regions such as the Western Balkans, Africa, and the Middle East. As the main representatives of the most important global and regional...

Rebuilding state legitimacy is a thorny challenge in the aftermath of civil wars. The international community has stepped in to support post-conflict states in rebuilding state capacity, sometimes replacing governments in providing public goods. Most notably, research shows that UN peacekeepers...

Blair et al. (2023) examine the effect of UN peacekeeping on democratization in conflict-affected countries. They use fixed effects and instrumental variable estimators and find evidence that "UN missions with democracy promotion mandates are strongly positively correlated with the quality of...

With the aim of bringing Russia's war of aggression to an end and developing a sustainable post-war peace, Ukraine has advanced its vision of peace (as encompassed in President Zelenskyy's 'peace formula') and the paths that lead to this (as outlined in Ukraine's 10-point peace plan). Other...

With the aim of bringing Russia's war of aggression to an end and developing a sustainable post-war peace, Ukraine has advanced its vision of peace (as encompassed in President Zelenskyy's 'peace formula') and the paths that lead to this (as outlined in Ukraine's 10-point peace plan). Other...

This paper aims at assessing the foreign direct investment inflows to Ethiopia from 2018 to 2022. A qualitative research method is applied to analyze current and relevant documents, government reports, and case studies, obtained through library research. The results indicate that investment...

Somalia stands at a critical juncture with notable progress in stabilisation, better governance, billions in debt relief, joining the EAC, liberating territories from al-Shabab, and lifting the arms embargo. Yet, challenges still remain. The analysis reveals that the current aid system,...

We model a rent-seeking contest among two "identity ideologues", differentially located along a uni-dimensional identity continuum, and a "mercenary", who can choose any location in-between. The contest jointly awards an identity-relevant good ("religion") and an identity-irrelevant good...

The United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) was established at the request of Sudan’s government to assist the country’s political "transition" towards domestic peace and democratic governance. Rather then being able to see its mandate through, the Mission...

We model a rent-seeking contest among two 'identity ideologues', differentially located along a uni-dimensional identity continuum, and a 'mercenary', who can choose any location in-between. The contest jointly awards an identity-relevant good ('religion') and an identity-irrelevant good...

There are still a number of UN arms embargoes in place to prevent the flow of arms and military material into conflict zones. Although the UN Security Council is not generally deadlocked on this issue, it has only taken relevant decisions to re-design the embargoes in a few cases over the last...