Synthesis Report: Reviewing UN Peace Operations, the UN Peacebuilding Architecture and the Implementation of UNSCR 1325
In 2015, three reviews in the field of Peace and Security were undertaken: the UN peace operations review, the review of the UN Peace building Architecture and the review of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325. These reviews reflect the acknowledgement that the changing dynamics of conflict in the world necessitates a revision of the UN’s tools in order for the organisation to maintain its relevance and ability to meet these challenges. This report presents the key recommendations as well as common themes across the reviews. The common themes are: the changing nature of conflict; the importance of the women, peace and security agenda for the UN’s work;the primacy of prevention and the need for a long-term focus; the necessity to shift towards people-centred, inclusive processes; the primacy of politics; the need for field focus and context awareness; the privileging of the military response to violent conflict is counterproductive; partnership with other actorsis important; leadership and professionalisation of the UN is needed; and a call for stronger UN system coherence. It ends by offering some recommendations to the current and next UN Secretary General.
Nord Stream 2: policy dilemmas and the future of EU gas market
The Nord Stream 2 (NS2) gas pipeline project is one of the most controversial issues in EU gas-related debates today. Its proponents hold that the project is driven by purely commercial considerations, while opponents label it as political and contradictory to EU goals and rules. The project has also contributed to raising several questions concerning the role of commercial actors in the shaping and realization of the EU energy policy as well as the impact on EU internal cohesion and relations with Ukraine and Russia. Realization of NS2 may boost the role of Russian gas in the European energy mix, especially in northwestern Europe; however, it could also undermine the credibility of the common EU energy policy, which aims, at least formally, at diversification of supply routes and suppliers as a joint and coordinated response to the energy-security challenges faced by the EU as a whole and by its member states. This Policy Brief sheds light on the current state of the debate on this project and examines the possible short-, mid- and long-term implications.
Støtte, handling og forpliktingar: FNs arbeid for å fremje menneskerettar Nytt seminar i the serien "UN70: A new dagsorden seminar series". Dette seminaret har som mål å komme med idear og forslag til dagsorden for neste generalsekretær som tiltrer 1. januar 2017. Seminaret er det andre i rekkja av tre seminar i serien "UN70: A new dagsorden seminar series", som NUPI arrangerer i samarbeid med Uteniksdepartementet. Seminaret tar for seg menneskerettar og ser på FNs arbeid innan for dette feltet. Målet med diskusjonen er å komme med idear og forslag til dagsorden for neste generalsekretær som tiltrer i stillinga si 1. Januar 2017. Viss du ikkje har høve til å delta, kan du følgje seminaret live på YouTube: Program 10:00-10:15: Introduksjon. Eli Stamnes,Seniorforskar, NUPI. Gjermund Sæther, Prosjektleiar, FN70: Ein ny dagsorden, Utanriksdepartementet Njål Høstmælingen, Direktør, International Law and Policy Institute. 10:15-10:35: Key note, Gianni Magazzeni, Kontoret for Høykommissæren for menneskerettar i Genève: ”The state of human rights and the work of the UN at country level” 10:35-10:45: Spørsmålsrunde: Møteleiar, Gianni Magazzeni, Njål Høstmælingen, Direktør, International Law and Policy Institute. 10:45-11:30: Paneldiskusjon. Menneskerettar i dag: Oppnådde mål og forbetringspotensial. Kirsten Sandberg, Jussprofessor, Universitetet i Oslo. Rania Maktabi, Forskar, Institutt for kulturstudiar og orientalske språk, Universitetet i Oslo. Petter F. Wille, Direktør, Noregs nasjonale institusjon for menneskerettar. Beate Ekeløve-Slydal, Politisk rådgivar, Amnesty International. 11:30-12:00: Diskusjon Paneldeltakarane og publikum. Relevant publikasjon kan lastast ned her
Nytt seminar i the serien "UN70: A new dagsorden seminar series". Dette seminaret har som mål å komme med idear og forslag til dagsorden for neste generalsekretær som tiltrer 1. januar 2017.
Tilbake til «business as usual»? Russland, EU og gass
Kommersielle interesser i EU og Russland har gått sammen om å doble kapasiteten i Nord Stream-ledningen som frakter gass fra Russland til Tyskland. Prosjektet har vekket betydelig motstand i andre EU-land.
Being Peacekept? The Implicit Assumptions that Hamper the Protection of Civilians
Protection of Civilians (PoC) has during the last decade evolved to become an important guideline for international actors in post-conflict and conflict affected societies. While much policy literature has been written on how to better implement the PoC framework, less has been written on the conceptual framework of the protection of civilians and how this fits with local contexts, networks and relationships. Drawing on recent research and empirical material from Afghanistan, Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, Uganda and Colombia this policy brief identifies five implicit assumptions underpinning the Protection of Civilians as conceptualized in the Aide Memoire and UN Security Council resolutions. Through these assumptions we analyze how a skewed conceptual platform for protection implementers paradoxically disconnects protection needs.
Reform, Renegotiation and Referendum
The UK stands on the brink of a momentous decision: whether to leave or remain in the European Union. Unlike all the other states that have sought late entry to the EU, the UK did not hold a referendum on whether to join in 1973: the decision was taken on the basis of a parliamentary vote. However, in 1975 voters were asked whether they wished to stay in the European Community, and a strong vote to remain was thought to have resolved the matter. However, in 2013, divisions within the Conservative Party led Prime Minister David Cameron to promise to engage in reform of the EU and to renegotiate the UK’s terms of membership before holding a referendum on whether to stay in. It was a high-risk, high-stakes proposition. Cameron must persuade his party, the British lectorate and his partners in the other EU member states of the merits of his case. The negotiation covers four areas of concern for the UK: economic governance, competitiveness, sovereignty, and immigration. To some British Eurosceptics, the emands seem woefully inadequate; to fellow EU leaders, they pose significant difficulties. The formal negotiations began in late 2015, after months of exploratory talks with the other member states, and are expected to be completed by the end of February, with the referendum coming as early as June 2016. While those who seek to leave the EU have been honing their arguments at least since the 1993 Maastricht Treaty, just that they envisage leaving the EU to look like is unclear. Brexit could take many forms, representing a journey to an unknown destination.