Recent contributions to research on health and foreign policy. A report of the International research initiative ’Foreign Policy as Part of Globa...
Synthesis Report of the Baseline Study on Civilian Capacity: A CIVCAP Network Joint Research Project
Norsk handel med de fattigste – mellom profitt og utviklingspolitikk
From 2002, duty-free, quota-free market access (DFQF) in Norway was granted for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). In 2008, Norway extended DFQF to another 14 low-income countries. The reform has so far not led to an aggregate increase in imports from the poorest countries, but selective import increases for flowers and some vegetables from Africa. Imports from other developing countries have increased considerably. Agricultural trade generally faces strict quality, logistics and health requirements that many of the poorest countries cannot fulfill, and trade may therefore be zero even if the tariff preference is huge. Private standards for corporate social responsibility and the environment also play an increasing role. Nevertheless, there are several success stories where poor countries fulfill the standards and the study identifies successes as well as failures. Half of Norway’s import from developing countries is routed indirectly via other countries, mainly in Europe, and the value of trade increases on average by 83% on the way from a developing country to Norway. This value mark-up is higher for indirect trade and the poorest countries, and in some trades the markup may be several hundred per cent. In the study, various explanations are discussed. High price mark-ups, driven by trade costs and profit-seeking, is part of the story. The LDC+14 countries comprise only 2-3% of economy and trade in the developing world and ¼ of the world’s poor. By improving market access for the lower middle income (LM) countries, more trade can be created with countries that have an income level at 1-5% of Norway’s and comprise more than half the world’s poor. A significant number of DFQF countries are already or will soon become LM countries. A reform where LM countries are granted significantly improved market access will allow a gradual transition and avoid a trade regime based on outdated criteria. The poorest countries have more fundamental development problems and the “second poorest” are better able to exploit new market opportunities in Norway. High import markups may indicate limited competition and contribute to explaining Norway’s high price level, especially for food products. For some food products, imports are modest due to restrictive trade policies, and this limits the number of competitors and thereby the extent of competition.
BRICS, Energy and the New World Order
While the BRICS share some characteristics, they differ in several respects. How far can cooperation between them go? Is their cooperation mainly symbolic, or can extensive coordination be achieved? The BRICS are large countries, but will they act individually or jointly? In this present report, the authors examine selected issues in order to find out whether the BRICS have the capacity to develop common policies and cooperation.
Turning UNSC Resolution 1325 into operational practise: A cross-country study on implementing Resolution 1325 in peacekeeping and military operations
This report focuses on the integration of gender perspectives in four peacekeeping and military operations: Norwegian participation in the ISAF in Afghanistan (Maymaneh, Fayab province), and United Nations operations in Haiti (MINUSTAH), in South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), and in Liberia (UNMIL). UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000) is the first resolution ever passed by the Security Council that specifically addresses the impact of war on women, and women’s contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace. Although the adoption of the resolution marked a substantial achievement in international politics at the executive level, practical implementation of the content of this resolution and the follow-up resolutions 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010) has proven more difficult. With reference to the standards listed in the UNSC resolutions two goals in particular seem difficult to achieve: (i) the integration of gender perspectives at all levels of military and peacekeeping interventions and operations, and (ii) the participation of women in the armed forces. This report draws inspiration from the milestone report Operational Effectiveness and UN Resolution 1325 - Practices and Lessons from Afghanistan (Olsson & Tejpar, 2009). Olsson’s analytical framework (p. 20) for evaluating the representation and integration of Res. 1325 at the internal and external levels of a NATO-led and UN-led operation offers a meaningful approach to studies also beyond Afghanistan, and has been used in order to analyze the findings of this study.
Contextualizing peacebuilding activities to local circumstances: Local-level peacebuilding in South Sudan, Liberia and Haiti
Regional Security and Human Rights Interventions: A Global Governance Perspective on the AU and ASEAN
Security and Stability: Reflections on the Impact of South Sudan on Regional Political Dynamics