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Author: Paul D. Williams

  • What Are the International Military Options for the Sahel?

    April 12, 2022by Nina Wilén and Paul D. Williams

    The complex, and not always coordinated, ecosystem of military operations across the Sahel has been aptly labeled a security traffic jam. Why are external forces in the Sahel? Can they help resolve any of the region’s crises? And, if so, what configuration of external forces makes the most sense?

    Analysismali, peacekeeping, sahel
  • Putin’s “Peacekeepers”

    February 23, 2022by Paul D. Williams

    Putin has ordered Russian soldiers to conduct what he called “peacekeeping operations” in Donetsk and Luhansk, a clear violation of international law and a perversion of the important international concept of peacekeeping.

    Analysisconflict, europe
  • The Pitfalls of UN Peacekeeping in Afghanistan

    September 1, 2021by Paul D. Williams

    Neither local nor international politics are currently right for a UN peacekeeping deployment in Afghanistan.

    Analysisafghanistan, peacekeeping
  • Why a UN Support Office for the G5 Sahel Joint Force is a Bad Idea

    June 8, 2021by Paul D. Williams

    The question of how the UN should best support non-UN peace operations is longstanding, however a UN support office for the G5 Sahel Joint Force is a bad idea.

    Analysispeacekeeping, sahel
  • A Decade of Developments in Peace Operations

    Peacekeepers Road Patrol
    April 14, 2021by Paul D. Williams

    A closer look at the last decade of peace operations highlights ten macro-level trends.

    Analysis
  • Despite Challenges, UN Peace Operations Will Evolve, Not Disappear

    MINUSCA Battalion
    February 19, 2021Katharina P. Coleman and Paul D. Williams

    Peace operations are a highly resilient international institution for managing armed conflict.

    Analysispeacekeeping
  • The Positive Impacts and Challenges Facing the African Union Mission in Somalia

    Somalia Security
    December 3, 2019by Paul D. Williams

    Overall, AMISOM had made progress on its three current strategic objectives, however, the mission continues to face difficult challenges and limitations.

    Analysisafrican-union, somalia
  • An Update on How Many Fatalities AMISOM Has Suffered

    Wall of Heroes Inauguration
    September 10, 2019by Paul D. Williams

    New evidence comes from independent research, newly-released financial statements, a dataset listing attacks on peacekeepers, and the erection of a memorial.

    Analysisafrica, african-union
  • Can Ad Hoc Security Coalitions in Africa Bring Stability?

    January 14, 2019by Paul D. Williams

    Debate continues over who should authorize, finance, and provide them with various forms of assistance. Outside of their benefits and drawbacks, it is clear that the coalitions pose particular challenges for the African Union (AU).

    Analysisafrican-union, peace-and-security
  • In US Failure to Pay Peacekeeping Bills, Larger UN Financing Questions Raised

    October 23, 2018by Paul D. Williams

    The UN’s special political missions are paid for out of the UN’s regular budget, but paying for most peacekeeping missions involving police and military contingents is much more complicated.

    Analysispeacekeeping, united-nations
  • Next →

This week

  • A Victory for Loss and Damage, and a Litmus Test for the World Bank

    November 7, 2023by Jimena Leiva Roesch and Michael Franczak

    The final text on how to operationalize the Loss and Damage fund is ready for COP28. The choice vulnerable countries made to give the World Bank a trial on hosting the fund is an unprecedented opportunity for the World Bank to show its commitment in assisting vulnerable countries navigate the…

    Analysis
  • The Missing Piece: Lessons from Ukraine for Integrating Masculinities in Women, Peace and Security

    November 3, 2023by Simon Carpentier

    One of the key objectives of the WPS agenda is to integrate a gender perspective into all peace and security efforts. A comprehensive gender analysis should include men and masculinities.

    Analysiswomen-peace-and-security, wpsat23

Trending

  • Gang Violence and the WPS Agenda: Analyzing Gendered Realities in Central America and the Caribbean

    November 2, 2023by Evyn Papworth and Kiki Hunegs

    The application of the WPS agenda has been hindered in places in Central America and the Caribbean that are not formally experiencing armed conflicts, but are nevertheless marred by violence.

    Analysisamericas, women-peace-and-security, wpsat23
  • The WPS Agenda and Special Political Missions: A Glance at Global and Regional Progress

    October 27, 2023by Abigail Kabandula

    Special political missions present a unique opportunity to advance the WPS agenda.

    Analysiswomen-peace-and-security, wpsat23
  • The Exploitation of Gender and Masculinities on the Far-Right

    October 25, 2023by Michaela Millender

    Understanding how gender narratives are exploited by far-right violent extremists is a pressing multilateral policy issue.

    Analysiswomen-peace-and-security, wpsat23
  • The Tumultuous Birth of the Loss and Damage Fund: a Game Changer, or More of the Same From Global Climate Negotiators?

    October 23, 2023by Jimena Leiva Roesch and Michael Franczak

    In the world of global climate negotiations, a critical one took place this past Friday, October 20th. As the fourth session of the Loss and Damage Transitional Committee was coming to an end with barely any time for negotiators to read a last-minute text, a decision was made to add a fifth…

    Analysisclimate-change, cop28
  • What Can Feminist Foreign Policy Learn From Postcolonial Feminism?

    October 23, 2023by Neha Tetali

    Last month during the general debate of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, India’s Minister S Jaishankar made a remark about how Western states invoke respect for the UN Charter and advocacy for a rules-based order. “For all the talk, it is still a few nations who shape the agenda and…

    Analysiswomen-peace-and-security, wpsat23
  • Mexico’s Feminist Foreign Policy: In Search of Accountability and Participation

    October 19, 2023by Daniela Philipson García

    Without accountability and the meaningful participation of local actors, the transformative potential of Mexico’s FFP remains limited.

    Analysiswomen-peace-and-security, wpsat23
  • Partnership Peacekeeping Works: What Does this Mean in a Divided World?

    October 17, 2023by Corinne Bara and Maurice P. Schumann

    The UN’s multidimensional approach to peace support cannot simply be replaced by putting more non-UN boots on the ground.

    Analysispeacekeeping
  • You Can’t Ignore the Voices of Afghan Women: Interview with Heather Barr

    October 10, 2023by Phoebe Donnelly

    Heather Barr, Associate Director of the women’s rights division at Human Rights Watch, shares insights from her continued work with Afghan women’s rights defenders following the Taliban takeover.

    Interviewswomen-peace-and-security, wpsat23
  • A New Agenda for Peace and the Climate Emergency

    September 25, 2023by Cedric de Coning, Gracsious Maviza and Kheira Tarif

    The New Agenda for Peace serves as a stark warning that the damage being done now will have significant implications for humanity’s future wellbeing, safety, and stability.

    Analysisclimate-change, new-agenda-for-peace
  • “A New Agenda for Peace” Interview with UN Director Asif R. Khan

    September 15, 2023by Jenna Russo

    Asif R. Khan, Director of UNDPPA’s Policy and Mediation Division and a lead penholder of the New Agenda for Peace, reflects on the policy brief and next steps ahead of the Summit of the Future.

    Interviewsnew-agenda-for-peace
  • The Role of African Multilateralism in the New Agenda for Peace

    September 13, 2023by Bitania Tadesse

    The New Agenda for Peace provides an opening for continental actors to advance priorities at the global level. However, this requires the AU to deliver on revamping its own multilateral system as a springboard to reforming global multilateralism.

    Analysisafrica, multilateralism, new-agenda-for-peace
  • WPS in the New Agenda for Peace: Seeing Patriarchy but Missing Innovation

    September 11, 2023by Phoebe Donnelly

    Bold language on transforming patriarchy is not matched with concrete proposals to advance the WPS agenda and gender equality more broadly.

    Analysisnew-agenda-for-peace, women-peace-and-security
  • “New Agenda for Peace” Outlines Reform for UN’s Fracturing Multilateral Governance

    September 6, 2023by Maya Ungar

    The New Agenda for Peace sets a clear vision for reforms, but does not go into the details on how to achieve them. This cautious approach is a reflection of the secretary-general’s belief that it is the role of the UN to support—not make—the decisions of member states. 

    Analysismultilateralism, new-agenda-for-peace, un-reform
  • What Can We Say about the Emerging Feminist Foreign Policies in Latin America?

    September 5, 2023by Daniela Sepúlveda Soto and Evyn Papworth

    The adoption of FFPs in Latin America is an opportunity to see how the region reimagines international feminist agendas and translates local feminist advocacy to the international arena.

    Analysisamericas, women-peace-and-security
  • BRICS and the West: Don’t Believe the Cold War Hype

    August 30, 2023by Cedric de Coning

    Many Western countries and BRICS members may have more shared interests than the doomsday headlines suggest.

    Analysisbrics, multilateralism
  • What Could a Successful Summit of the Future Look Like in 2024?

    August 24, 2023by Adam Day

    The next generation deserves a renewed effort to make the Summit of the Future a success.

    Analysismultilateralism, united-nations
  • The MINUSMA Liquidation Process Unpacked 

    July 24, 2023by Eugene Chen

    The difficulties inherent in the liquidation and reconfiguration of the UN presence in Mali will be exacerbated by the lack of preparation and tension with the host government.

    Analysisminusma, peacekeeping
  • MINUSMA’s Termination and the Future of Protection in Mali

    July 21, 2023by Josh Jorgensen

    A peacekeeping transition that mitigates the risks to civilians to the greatest extent possible is the UN’s best chance to continue implementing the principles of the Charter.

    Analysisminusma, peacekeeping, protection-of-civilians
  • MINUSMA and Protection of Civilians: Implications for Future Peacekeeping Missions

    July 14, 2023by Lisa Sharland

    Significant strides have been made in developing an understanding that the protection of civilians is integral to peacekeeping. There is a risk of backsliding.

    Analysisminusma, peacekeeping, protection-of-civilians
  • Should the Security Council Engage with Implications of Climate Change? Let’s Look at the Scientific Evidence

    June 8, 2023by Halvard Buhaug, Cedric de Coning, and Nina von Uexkull

    Contrary to perceptions, there is compelling scientific evidence in the IPCC’s AR6 report that climate change constitutes a risk to peace and security.

    Analysisclimate-change, security-council

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