European Peace Institute / News

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On April 12-13, IPI, together with George Mason University, hosted a meeting in Vienna to discuss the costs of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict and see what practical steps could be taken to enjoy the benefits of peace. As one participant asked, “Has enough time passed since the 2008 conflict to restore people to people contacts?” Another welcomed the opportunity “to meet and talk, instead of shooting.”

The meeting, which took place in the Palais Niederösterreich, brought together an eclectic group of Georgian and South Ossetian participants including local officials, political scientists, journalists, ombudsmen, students, economists, sociologists, archeologists, and representatives of civil society. They were joined by international experts from the Russian Federation, the United States, International Crisis Group, and Conciliation Resources, as well the European Union Monitoring Mission, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the United Nations and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Representatives of donors from Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States also took part.

Discussions centered on a publication, launched at the meeting, entitled Cost of Conflict: Core Dimensions of the Georgian-South Ossetian Context, published by George Mason University. The report presents diverse views on the social, institutional, and economic costs of the conflict. These themes were raised in an open, frank, and constructive dialogue among the participants.

A particular focus was placed on the human costs of the conflict. This was illustrated by reading out interviews that had been made, particularly in rural communities, from people who had lived through the conflict and were struggling to cope in its aftermath.

The meeting also looked at the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict in the context of broader geo-political tensions, including between Russia and Georgia, Russia and the West, Turkey and Russia, as well as the recent outbreak of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh.

At the meeting, an archaeologist from Georgia presented results from a project designed to make digital archive materials of archaeological and ethnographic expeditions to North and South Ossetia accessible to South Ossetian colleagues. The maps, drawings, paintings, and photos show the way of life of the peoples of the Caucasus over a period of more than a century. To applause from the participants, he handed a copy of the collection to a representative from South Ossetia.

In addition to assessing the costs of conflict, the participants tried to identify small, meaningful steps to improve the lives of people in the affected region. A positive example cited by many participants was the recent exchange of Abkhaz, Ossetian and Georgian prisoners.

Representatives of the diplomatic corps in Vienna were briefed on the main conclusions of the meeting at a wrap-up session.

The meeting was held under the Chatham House rule of non-attribution.

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“We can’t address today’s challenges with yesterday’s mindset,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, while calling for continued member state support for peace operations at an IPI co-organized conference on the 2015 UN peace & security reviews.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General reminded that change did not come overnight and that the sustained support and ownership of all recommendations by member states was required to move from rhetoric to the coordinated action needed to deal with the logistical, financial, and most importantly, strategic challenges UN peace operations are facing today. He urged for greater investments in order to improve responses and increase the UN’s efficiency.

Mogens Lykketoft, President of the UN General Assembly, also gave opening remarks at the conference, held at the United Nations headquarters April 11. Representatives of more than 60 UN member states were in attendance, along with UN personnel and members of civil society. The discussion was convened in support of the May 10–11 General Assembly High-Level Thematic Debate on Peace and Security.

The intent of the conference, “UN Peace Operations Review: Taking Stock, Leveraging Opportunities, and Charting the Way Forward,” was to take stock of the status of implementation of the recommendations put forward by June 2015 report of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) to date, keeping in mind that this year marks the final year for the current Secretary-General’s term. It gave member states and other relevant stakeholders a forum to reflect on the present proceedings of the relevant UN mechanisms, including the C34 and the Peacebuilding Commission, and identify areas for further intensive efforts to be made in the remainder of the year 2016, aiming to build and sustain the political momentum to champion the strengthening of peace operations during and beyond 2016.

As highlighted by the conclusions in the IPI meeting brief that was published the following day, the discussion highlighted that the completion of the three major reviews, namely the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO), the review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture, and the review of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, had brought forward many recommendations and gathered much attention. However, translating ideas into action still requires the championship by member states on a number of areas, particularly on issues related to gender, enhanced field support, and regional partnerships. Further, this collective commitment should focus on the concepts of sustaining peace and of prevention, and base itself of both formal and informal discussions, in particular with local and regional entities and actors.

Panelists and participants also stressed the need to embrace the suggested changes in a holistic manner, and to tackle long-lasting issues impeding the flexibility of the world organization – including in the area of funding and that of the sequencing of mandates. Finally, the need to sustain commitment during the transition to the next secretary-general and to build on the momentum of the three reviews, were deemed critical to operationalize the changes foreseen.

The event was co-organized with the Permanent Missions of Ethiopia, Norway, and the Republic of Korea to the UN.

Download the IPI Meeting Brief
Download the conference agenda

Along with the formal UN process, IPI, in parallel with the UN office of the General Assembly President, is broadcasting personal conversations with each candidate for UN Secretary-General. You can read the list of official candidates here. The candidates are listed below in order of appearance at IPI. All official candidates have been extended an invitation.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is stepping down at year’s end after two five-year terms. His successor takes office on January 1, 2017.

 Follow our event page to be notified when we broadcast, and for updates and behind-the-scenes videos.

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Republic of Moldova

Official GA document/bio IPI Event Q&A
Prof. Dr. sc. Vesna Pusić
Republic of Croatia

Official GA document/bio IPI Event Q&A
GO Interview

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On Wednesday, April 6, IPI hosted Vesna Pusić of Croatia at a lunchtime Global Leaders Series event featuring official candidates vying to become the new UN secretary-general. After making a ten-minute presentation, she participated in a wide-ranging question-and-answer format with members of the audience and those following via video.

Dr. Pusić is Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament and the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is stepping down at year’s end after two five-year terms. His successor takes office on Jan. 1, 2017.

Read more about IPI’s “Meet the Candidates” Series >>

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“We should thank the one million desperate migrants for exposing a few uncomfortable truths,” said migration expert Kilian Kleinschmidt speaking at IPI’s Vienna office on April 5th. “They have exposed the fact that we are not as tolerant as we thought, EU integration has failed, our social systems have failed, and our colonial system of development and humanitarian assistance has failed.” He observed that within just a few years, the vision of constructing a common European community has been replaced by building fences.

Kleinschmidt, who worked for 22 years at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, including as director of the massive Zaatari refugee camp on the Syrian-Jordanian border, was speaking at the IPI Vienna Office’s inaugural Peace Café. The event, attended mostly by students and young NGO activists, focused on the issue of “People on the Move” and how to cope with mixed migration and integration.

Kleinschmidt criticized the distinction between “good” refugees and “bad” migrants and said that greater legal protection as well as practical assistance should be offered to all categories of people on the move.

He mentioned that a silver lining of the international community’s mishandling of the refugee crisis was that it demonstrated the massive potential of “we the peoples” when it comes to helping people on the move. He highlighted the work of volunteers and civil society actors who have selflessly worked to help those in need.

IPI’s Senior Vice President, Walter Kemp, who chaired the event, pointed out the importance of also looking at those who have been forcibly displaced but who cannot move, like the millions of internally displaced persons. It was stressed that people in refugee camps for long periods of time need to be addressed in a development and not just a humanitarian perspective in order to empower displaced persons rather than victimizing them.

Participants divided up into two groups: one focused on challenges and implications of mixed migration, the second looked at what fosters or hinders integration.

The group on mixed migration focused on the issue of categorization—for example, the connotation as well as the legal consequences of labelling people as refugees or migrants. Some participants underlined the need for greater protection for migrants (particularly the desperately poor), while others cautioned against the uncontrolled influx of everyone who wants to move. The extension of the United Nations Refugee Convention was hotly debated. Kilian Kleinschmidt gave vivid examples, from his past field experience and current business, on creative solutions from different countries and sectors on how to empower refugees and migrants. He has founded a company called Switxboard which is designed to connect people with needs together with those who have solutions.

The break-out group on integration agreed that language, education, legal aid and jobs are among the priorities for successful inclusion. One recent refugee from Syria and another from Afghanistan shared their personal experiences on the challenges of integration in Austria. They recalled, in particular, the sense of isolation, boredom and legal uncertainty during the first few months in Austria. It was also noted that efforts to acclimatize recent immigrants to their new societies without exposing them to citizens of those societies–for example, having separate schools or language classes only for refugees–did not encourage integration. The group brainstormed on how to change the toxic narrative about asylum seekers and refugees. Views and information were also exchanged on good practices for inclusion from national and municipal experiences.

IPI is carrying out a project called “Desperate Migration” which is looking at the root causes of the current massive movement of people around the world, particularly those fleeing conflict. The project includes a number of case studies on past and present refugee situations. IPI is also preparing a number of events in the build up to a High-Level meeting that will take place in New York on September 19 on Managing Large-scale Movements of Migrants and Refugees. Furthermore, the Independent Commission on Multilateralism recently issued a discussion paper on Forced Displacement, Refugees and Migration.

One of the main threats to the current world order is the erosion of the rule-of-law based international system. Due to the advent of new technologies and hybrid warfare, the laws of war have also become blurred. A major cause of both of these trends is the emergence of armed non-state actors. This meeting note aims to explore this erosion of the rule of law and its impact on justice, peace, and security.

This note stems from a meeting the International Peace Institute (IPI) organized on the theme “The Rule of Law and the Laws of War” from September 6 to 9, 2015 in Salzburg, Austria. The meeting brought together current and former foreign ministers, experts on international humanitarian law, diplomats, academics, journalists, and representatives from civil society. It was part of the IPI Salzburg Forum, a major annual event to address the risks and challenges of today and contribute to more effective multilateral governance in the future.

Over a series of eight sessions, participants discussed a wide range of challenges to, or weaknesses in, the current system of international public, criminal, and humanitarian law, including how to:

• Address threats to social cohesion, bad governance, and violent non-state actors;
• Strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law;
• Make effective use of the UN normative framework around the “responsibility to protect”;
• Enable self-governance without changing borders by force;
• Adapt the international system to accommodate new technologies;
• Criminalize the illegal use of force;
• Build trust and cooperation in Europe, particularly in relation to the crisis in Ukraine; and
• Deal more effectively with the urgent global refugee crisis.

At the end of the meeting, participants issued the Salzburg Declaration on the European Refugee Crisis, proposing concrete steps to help save refugees.

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On Wednesday, March 16th, the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) hosted a Public Consultation on two of its Discussion Papers: “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Addressing Climate Change” and “The Relationship between the UN and Regional Organizations, Civil Society, the Private Sector, and NGOs.” This joint Public Consultation provided a platform for representatives from member states, civil society, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academia, and the United Nations to comment on the Discussion Papers’ recommendations and exchange perspectives on the larger trends and challenges at hand.

Click here to view the event video on YouTube>>

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, both universally applicable, were adopted with an unprecedented sense of ownership by member states. The relevant ICM Discussion Paper addresses the key opportunities and challenges for the UN system as it moves towards the implementation of these agreements, while examining the links between sustainable development, climate change, and peace and security. In April, the UN will be convening high-level meetings on the 2030 Agenda and the signing of the Paris Agreement. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, implementation will require that the UN not only change its working methods and updates its structures, but also build new and existing partnerships across the multilateral system.

In analyzing an increasingly complex and crowded international system, the second ICM Discussion Paper focuses on the UN’s relationship to three groups: regional organizations; civil society and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and the private sector. It also asks how the UN system can better leverage relations with and among these actors and institutions for a more efficient and legitimate international system. Whether concerning the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals or cooperation in peacekeeping or emergencies, the UN must strive to improve its relations and partnerships with civil society, the private sector, and regional organizations if it is to remain capable of fulfilling its mandate.

Discussants:
Dr. David Nabarro, Special Advisor of the United Nations Secretary-General, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Ms. Minh-Thu Pham, Executive Director of Policy, United Nations Foundation
Ms. Jimena Leiva-Roesch, Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute
Dr. Adam Lupel, Director of Research and Publications, International Peace Institute

Moderator:
H.E. Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Secretary-General, Independent Commission on Multilateralism

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Lebanon has long been a model of relative stability in the Middle East, but with economic, political and security strains on the country, Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), said that stability is very fragile.

“I often get very worried when we applaud and recognize Lebanon’s resilience,” she said, speaking at a March 15, 2016 event entitled “How to Keep Lebanon Stable in an Unstable Region.” “That doesn’t mean we can take our eye off the ball for a very split second.”

The international community, and Europe in particular, cannot ignore the mounting crisis in Lebanon, as it is a keystone of regional stability, she said.

She emphasized the importance of investing in Lebanese institutions. “If you do not want further problems to come your way, invest… in Lebanon’s stability and security, including through assistance for refugees, but not only,” she said. “Take stabilization as an ambitious agenda and build that.”

Ten years on from UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on Lebanon, Kaag emphasized that unlike previous UN mandates, which had only given the UN authority in the Southern border area, today, “We don’t split a country, we look at it holistically.”

“We’ve adopted, with the support of the Security Council, a whole of Lebanon approach, and that requires a whole of system support mechanism with international support,” she said.

With international attention for the Middle East primarily focused on the failure to find a political solution to the Syrian civil war, and the resulting refugee crisis, Lebanese leaders need to “focus on managing affairs of state by their own hands,” she said.

After nearly two years without a head of state, her first recommendation on stabilizing Lebanon at IPI March 15th 2016, was for the country to “elect a president without fail.” The parliament has failed 35 times to attract a quorum to hold a vote.

“We need to create all prospects for national elections in 2017,” she said.

And Lebanon needs to act on its own, she said. “Do not wait for anyone from the region, shield your own country from regional tensions.”

Without a chief executive, key aspects of Lebanon’s public sector cannot function, she explained. “Decisions do not get adopted, laws do not get passed, politics has become more and more fractured, and there is a delay in executive life of the state,” she said. “You can erode your own country without violence, and that’s what we see in Lebanon.”

The absence of a political process is making the population restive, she said. “As you know, the less you have elections, the more the gap between political elite and class,” she said.

Disenfranchisement of Lebanon’s large refugee community poses acute challenges, she said. Lebanon hosts approximately 50,000 Palestinian refugees, and an additional 1.3 million Syrian refugees followed last year.

“Refugees which came from Syria are twice or three times displaced,” when they reach Lebanon, she pointed out. “It is a repeat lifecycle of displacement.”

The UN Refugee Agency, (UNHCR), reported that with further refugee flows anticipated, the country’s “exceptional hospitality will be extremely stretched.”

Answering a question about Lebanon’s Palestinian refugees, she said, “The more marginalized you are, the less access you have to opportunities and assistance.”

While being careful not to make generalizations about any one ethnic or socioeconomic refugee group, she did acknowledge that the most desperate among these refugees might be prone to narratives that lead to thier radicalization by extremists.

Kaag said that the goals of addressing the refugee crisis, and improving stability in Lebanon, go together. However, to achieve both, there must be a shift in mindset.

“We need to look at creating employment opportunities for the Lebanese, and under certain conditions, the Syrian refugees,” she said. “Syrian refugees are an asset, they don’t have to be a liability. The more we invest in education, the more we can employ where possible, Syrian refugees.”

Reflecting on the failure of European institutions to meet the needs of the migrants flowing to the continent, Kaag praised Lebanon’s institutions for giving refugees rights and dignity in their country.

“There is no OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)-DAC (Development Assistance Committee) country that could manage 400,000 children, as new school arrivals, [with] language deficits, and war traumatized, in a five-year period,” she said. “This is a tremendous achievement, with all the obstacles, but that is to be expected. The achievement is tremendous, and that is really to Lebanon’s credit.”

The event was held as part of IPI’s Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Series.

IPI Senior Adviser for External Relations, Warren Hoge, moderated the conversation.

Watch event:

On Thursday, March 17th, IPI co-hosted a policy forum event to discuss how the Women, Peace, and Security and Youth, Peace, and Security agendas complement and mutually reinforce each other.

Click here to view the event video on YouTube>>

The UN Security Council’s (UNSC) adoption of Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security in December 2015 was a historic milestone in realizing young people’s contribution to the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security by acknowledging the central role they play in global peace efforts.

This resolution complements and reinforces the Women, Peace, and Security agenda (including UN Security Council Resolution 1325) by supporting the work of young peacebuilders and helping raise the voices of girls, boys, young women, and young men working for peace and stability, while also reminding decision makers of the role of civil society in sustaining peace throughout the world. Effective implementation of UNSC Resolution 2250 can create more space for youth to directly contribute to reducing the drivers of fragility in their communities—including by supporting gender equality and inclusive development, as well as the promotion of a culture of peace.

Speakers discussed how the Women, Peace, and Security community can support the Youth, Peace and Security community in monitoring and implementing UNSC Resolution 2250, taking into account the lessons learned from the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325.

This event was in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Italy and Jordan to the United Nations, the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA); UN Women; the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY Peacebuilders); Cordaid; the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP); and the Working Group on Youth & Peacebuilding.

Welcoming remarks:
H.E. Benedetto Della Vedova, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Italy
H.E. Dina Kawar, Permanent Representative of Jordan to the UN
Video Message: Ahmad Alhendawi, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth

Speakers:
Hajer Sharief, Together We Build, Libya, representing UNOY Peacebuilders
Sölvi Karlsson, Leading Coordinator, UNOY Peacebuilders
Hon. Betty Ogwaro, member of the National Legislative Assembly of the Republic of South Sudan and representative of the GNWP
Laura Londén, Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA

Moderator:
Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, IPI

The UN system, member states, and national and local partners face complex challenges in deploying UN peace operations in countries where there is not only little or no peace to keep but also, increasingly, a threat of terrorism and violent extremism. The UN is increasingly asked to “stay and deliver,” forcing it to review its capacity to operate safely and effectively in such environments. This has implications not only for budgets and staff safety but also for the UN’s core business of promoting lasting peace through political solutions.

This meeting note aims to explore the political and practical challenges, opportunities, and implications for UN peace operations of operating in complex security environments, particularly when operating in parallel with a non-UN counterterrorism force.

The report stems from a roundtable IPI’s Center for Peace Operations organized in New York on February 11, 2016, in partnership with the French Ministry of Defense’s Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS). This roundtable was part of the three-year “New Issues Observatory” project, a series of research papers and roundtables examining “new” issues in peace operations.

Although participants agreed that the UN is not the right actor for engaging in counterterrorism operations, they also concluded that the UN is not irrelevant in asymmetric threat environments and can play a useful role in its core activities of protecting civilians and facilitating political processes. However, a number of areas for strategic and operational improvements were suggested:

• There is a need for improved understanding of the context and planning of missions before deploying them, including through liaisons and cooperation with regional organizations.
• Peace operations should have clear mandates and appropriate postures and should be adequately resourced and capacitated for operating safely in such environments.
• Missions should have the ability to adequately monitor what happens in their environments by deploying intelligence capacities and making sure these are well integrated into the mission.
• Missions need to become more people-centric.

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Evolution is better than revolution was one sentiment expressed on the future of the Middle East at this Global Leaders Forum with Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Successful societies come from an open-minded society that promotes religious tolerance and an economy that is rule-based, according to participants who are of the opinion that it is better for the Middle East if it would strive to evolve.

Reasons behind the Arab Spring range from frustrated youth, rise of social media, mixture of bad politics, weak institutions, and lack of clarity around the role of religion in government, according to participants.

The session, held on March 1, 2016, was moderated by IPI MENA Director Nejib Friji and included representatives from government, ambassadors, various religious figures, businesswomen and men, media leaders, and civil society representatives.

The meeting focused on the recent developments in Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and other Middle Eastern and North African countries. In this regard, the participants agreed on the need to unite all efforts to tackle violent extremism. The discussion had a wide range of views on attempts to de-stabilize successful countries, arguing they will have unpleasant consequences.

The IPI initiative on regional cooperation and integration was discussed as an important approach to seek an end to divisions, conflicts, and lay the ground for sustainable cooperation for development between the large number of nations in the region and the neighborhood.  Comments went that societies work best when they are pluralistic and there was a need to create a society in which people can tolerate disagreement.

Attention was drawn to the plight of the refugees in Jordan, stressing that one out of five people in Jordan is a Syrian refugee.

The session concluded with the sentiment that religious leaders have a powerful role in promoting peace and tolerance and in educating people of their faith not to be disrespectful to other religions.

The event was part of IPI’s Global Leaders Series.

On Friday, February 26th the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) hosted its 14th retreat on Empowering Global Youth.

Click here to view the event video on YouTube>>

The aim of the ICM’s retreat on Empowering Global Youth is to review how global challenges facing young people have been portrayed and analyzed within multilateral circles and take a critical look at the policies and practices for addressing them.

Following various breakout groups, from Economic Empowerment to Education, Implementation of the 2030 Agenda to Social and Political Inclusion, and Media and Messaging to Preventing Violent Extremism, the wrap-up sessions provided an opportunity for all participants to voice their thoughts and policy recommendations for the multilateral system.

On February 18th, IPI hosted a Distinguished Author Series event featuring Scott Shane, author of Objective Troy: A Terrorist, a President, and the Rise of the Drone.

Click here to view the event video on Ustream>>

“Objective Troy” was the military code name for Anwar al-Awlaki, the charismatic American jihadi targeted and killed by an American drone in Yemen in 2011-the first US citizen deliberately hunted down and executed on the order of a president without trial or court order. The book tells the unsettling story of how this once-celebrated and widely cited American imam who called for moderation after 9/11 and was invited to speak at the Pentagon ultimately directed his outsized talents to plotting the mass murder of his fellow citizens.

And it recounts how President Obama directed the mammoth machinery of spy agencies to hunt Awlaki down in a frantic pursuit that would end with a missile fired using the new robotic technology that has changed the nature of warfare and provided the Obama Administration with its anti-terrorism weapon of choice–the drone. It follows how the reaction to the excesses of the Bush counterterrorism effort led a president steeped in constitutional law to become an advocate of an extra-judicial killing of an American. In its commentary on Objective Troy, The New York Times Sunday Book Review said, “Governmental policy has not facilitated the needed debate about drones and counterterrorism, but this readable and skillfully reported book will surely move us toward that fuller discussion.”

The event was moderated by IPI Senior Adviser for External Relations Warren Hoge.

On February 5th, IPI, together with the inter-agency Working Group on Youth and Peacebuilding, and the Permanent Missions of Jordan and Sweden, will cohost a policy forum focusing on UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security and its implementation, as well as opportunities for young people’s participation in peacebuilding today and in the future.

Click here for the live webcast beginning at 1:15pm EST>>

The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security marks the historical achievement of having the UN Security Council formally recognize that young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security.

The resolution was sponsored by the Government of Jordan and is a direct follow-up to the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security held in August 2015, as well as the Security Council’s Open Debate on the Role of Youth in Countering Violent Extremism and Promoting Peace held in April 2015. UNSC Resolution 2250 was co-sponsored by Angola, Chad, Chile, France, Lithuania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Spain, the UK, the US, and Venezuela.

Speakers:
Warren Hoge, Senior Adviser for External Relations
H.E. Dina Kawar, Permanent Representative of Jordan to the United Nations
H.E. Olof Skoog, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations
H.E. Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary-General
Martine Ekomo-Soignet, founder of the youth-led peacebuilding organization “URU” Central African Republic
Saba Ismail, Executive Director of Aware Girls and representative of United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY Peacebuilders)
Yasmine Nasser El Masri, Project Coordinator at Search for Common Ground’s Lebanon office
Cécile Mazzacurati, Peacebuilding Support Office/Co-Chair of the Working Group on Youth and Peacebuilding

Moderator:
Saji Prelis, Program Director, Search for Common Ground/Co-Chair of the Working Group on Youth and Peacebuilding

Violent extremism has become a dominant problem in the Sahel-Sahara region in the last couple of years. An increasing array of nonstate actors are threatening the state and the safety of populations while at the same time taking on a transnational character and increasing ties and affiliations with actors beyond the francophone space. Despite the urgency of this critical threat, current responses of states in the region seem to be uncoordinated and inadequate.

This meeting note, written in French with an English summary included as an annex, aims to contribute toward better mutual understanding of violent extremism in the Sahel-Sahara region and its underlying causes. It also outlines a number of potential regional, national, and community responses.

The report stems from a seminar IPI organized in Tunis, Tunisia, from December 7 to 8, 2015, in partnership with the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and the Centre for Strategies and Security for the Sahel Sahara (Centre 4S, Nouakchott, Mauritania).

The following are among the recommendations that emerged from the seminar’s discussions:

• Analyze, Disseminate, and Communicate: Local actors could benefit from greater access to research, analysis, and lessons learned from other contexts. In addition, local researchers could be supported in developing their own knowledge and narratives, and media could be encouraged to adopt a more positive and analytical approach to covering violent extremism.
• Promote a Culture of Dialogue and a Dialogue of Cultures: A culture of dialogue must be promoted both between and within different cultures and religions, as well as between the state and religious actors. This dialogue should extend to the regional level.
• Rethink State-Society Relations: Increased space for dialogue among different actors in society is needed to help the state engage in more long-term preventive solutions. Such solutions could include reaching out to youth and preventing the manipulation of religious discourse.
• Invest in Prevention: Regional integration could help find common preventive strategies for the francophone space. This integration should not be limited to cooperation among states.

Read more about the seminar>>

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The Middle East/North Africa region and Europe are linked more now than ever, said IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen during IPI MENA’s first annual advisory council meeting on January 20, 2016. The meeting was attended by members of the diplomatic and business communities, representatives from Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths, and civil society activists.

Mr. Rød-Larsen said that the rise of radical ideologies—similar to Europe’s Nazi, fascist and Stalinist movements in the 20th century—are leading to increasing religious polarization in Europe. The triple threat of violent extremism, desperate migration and regional instability, he said, can be countered with a three-pronged approach of regional cooperation, prevention and protection.

IPI’s President further stressed the importance of bringing key regional players together as a means to develop regional cooperation, noting the irony that the MENA region does not have a prominent seat in the Iran negotiations with the Permanent 5 members.

Mr. Rød-Larsen introduced the regional integration initiative that IPI, in partnership with the World Bank, will launch in the coming months. The homegrown initiative will take the form of a task force, involving regional leaders with its secretariat at IPI, MENA.

Nejib Friji, IPI MENA Director, briefed the audience on the activities undertaken in 2015, and introduced the key projects for 2016, including the regional integration task force, an interreligious dialogue initiative, Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) task force, a series of workshops on the themes of protest, unrest and state-society relations, and preserving world heritage in armed conflict.

In addition, IPI MENA will host regular conferences and presentations with distinguished speakers under IPI’s “Global Leaders” program.

Participants engaged into a substantive discussion on the submitted agenda items.

Francesco Mancini, Non-resident Senior Adviser at IPI, tells TRT World that the United Nations remains a “relevant body for world decision-making,” despite deadlock among its members about the way forward for Syria and the refugee crisis.

He offered two suggestions for UN reform. He said it was necessary to better equip peacekeepers for asymmetric warfare. He also said that finding a way to make emerging powers “be more engaged,” and have “more space to make decisions,” would be how the organization could remain relevant in the 21st century.

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The Syrian crisis has disrupted education trajectories for Syrian youth both inside and outside Syria. The lack of learning opportunities further destabilizes the lives of young refugees, making them more vulnerable to various forms of exploitation and susceptible to extremist ideologies. While these risks are widely recognized, education programming tends to focus on younger children and basic education, leaving out the needs of youth.

The latest report by IPI attempts to bridge this gap by focusing on education for Syrian youth in Jordan. Drawing on interviews conducted in Jordan, the report considers challenges for Syrian adolescents and youth, and it offers recommendations for how to improve youth programming in emergencies both in Syria and in other contexts.

The report focuses on challenges particularly relevant to Syrian youth (a contested concept, but commonly defined as 15- to 24-year-olds). These include:

• Humanitarian programming does not systematically target youth.
• Education programs tend to focus on younger children.
• The Jordanian government restricts vocational training for Syrian youth.
• Some Syrian students struggle with differences between the Jordanian and Syrian curricula.
• Many students face bullying in school.
• The cost of transportation is an economic burden that keeps some youth out of school.
• Young men are often more concerned about finding work than pursuing education.
• Young women often want to pursue higher education but cannot afford it.

The report concludes by offering three recommendations for how to improve youth programming in emergencies:

• A Holistic Approach: Emergency responses should develop a youth strategy that addresses the needs of youth and their connection to other areas such as education, health, and livelihoods. This could take place through youth taskforces at the local, national, or even regional levels.
• Minimum Standards for refugee education programs should be established from the start. Such standards could tie into an international system for certifying learning achievements.
• A Transition Plan for what will happen next in refugee graduates’ lives should be developed. This could include long-term vocational training, income-generating projects, and opening particular employment sectors to refugees.

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On December 16, IPI Vienna hosted a meeting on peace polling with keynote speaker Colin Irwin of the University of Liverpool. Peace polls are public opinion polls designed to test a series of questions and seek to identify common ground on which a peace process can move forward. Unlike market surveys or binary polls designed to give a yes or no answer, peace polls present a range of choices from “essential” on one side to “unacceptable” on the other, with “desirable, “acceptable” and “tolerable” options in-between. In such a way, red lines become evident, but so too do possible second choices around which compromise can be sought.

The process of peace polling can be considered a confidence-building measure. All stakeholders, including adversaries, are invited to draft suitable questions, and also take part in analyzing the results. This encourages their buy-in to the process, and makes it harder for them to dismiss the results.

Irwin described peace polling as a way of “bringing the people to the negotiating table.” He also explained that it is a useful way of testing policy options that can prepare the ground for mediation. Peace polls can disprove a leader’s assertion that his or her people do not support a particular policy. Conversely, they can be used to prepare the public for proposals that have been agreed behind closed doors. In both respects, peace polls can play a vital role in “ripening” a peace process through public policy. It also makes peace processes more inclusive.

Peace polling was used extensively, and successfully, in the Northern Ireland peace process. The methodology was also applied in the Balkans, Kashmir, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Darfur, and the Middle East. Irwin sees great potential for the technique to be applied in Syria.

Irwin’s interest in peace polling stems in large part from a decade that he spent living with the Inuit in the Canadian Artic. He explained how Inuit councils deliberate until there is consensus. A mediator listens to the divergent views and then seeks a solution acceptable to all. All parties may not get what they want, but they will at least get what they need.

Participants discussed how peace polling could be applied to the so-called “frozen” conflicts in the OSCE area.

Colin Irwin’s book The People’s Peace is available here: http://www.peacepolls.org/peacepolls/documents/002539.pdf

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Can trade and energy cooperation promote peace? On December 14, an IPI Vienna meeting discussed the possibilities and limitations of peace and economic connectivity between Europe and Asia; the European Union (EU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU); and across unrecognized boundaries, for example within states where there have been “frozen” or protracted conflicts. The potential role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in promoting economic connectivity was also discussed. The meeting, “Economic Connectivity,” was part of IPI’s Swiss-funded “Peace Incubator” project.

Pipelines, train tracks, roads, water lines, and power cables connect communities and states and provide the lifeblood for economic development. While their disruption for political reasons, as seen in the recent case of Crimea, can hamper living conditions, such arteries of trade can also help to promote greater understanding and improve well-being which, in turn, can contribute to stability and good-neighborly relations. That said, it was observed that economic connectivity alone is no guarantee of peace: Europe was highly integrated in terms of trade in 1914, but this did not avert a war.

Participants discussed what steps could be taken to reduce politicization of economic relations between the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian halves of the OSCE area, in what is sometimes described as the “integration of integrations” between EU and the EaEU. It was suggested that ways should be found to help states (like Armenia, Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine) to build bridges between the EU and EaEU rather than being forced to make a “false choice” between them. The trilateral talks between the EU, Ukraine and Russia were cited as a positive example, as was relations between Turkey and a number of partners. It was also noted that members of both unions should harmonize their rules and standards in line with commitments of the World Trade Organization. Several participants stressed the importance of a “small step” policy rather than working towards the grand design of a common pan-European economic space.

A lively discussion focused on how economic cooperation could help to de-escalate tensions in and around Ukraine, and rebuild trust and cooperation in Europe. It was noted, for example in the context of trade and energy, that there is a high level of co-dependence between Russia and many EU countries, and therefore incentives for cooperation. At the same time, the crisis is forcing traditional trade partners to diversify their products and markets. Some participants stressed the role that economic cooperation can play as part of wider efforts to enhance stability while others warned that trade cannot operate in a political vacuum or reward bad behavior.

One participant pointed out the importance of rules in the context of trade. In the same way that states need the rule of law for legitimacy at home and predictability abroad, connectivity can only work effectively if investors can operate in an environment that they trust.

There was a detailed discussion on the impact of energy on security (and vice versa), particularly Russian oil and gas. It was noted that Russia has an over-supply of gas, that demand is dropping, and that Russia is pivoting to Asia. The impact of other geo-political changes, for example in Iran, Turkey and the Gulf, and their impact on energy markets were also discussed.

Participants discussed whether or not there is a role for the OSCE in promoting economic connectivity. One participant pointed out that this has been part of the OSCE’s work since the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, and now takes on a renewed significance. It was noted that, moving forward, discussions on this topic within the OSCE should involve the business community. This will be one of Germany’s priorities during its Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2016. It was noted that the recent report by the OSCE Panel of Eminent Persons included recommendations designed to increase the OSCE’s work in the field of economic connectivity. Furthermore, it was recalled that the 2010 OSCE Astana Summit Declaration called for an intensification of energy security dialogue.

Several participants suggested that science diplomacy and energy diplomacy could build bridges at a time when traditional diplomacy faces gridlock, and gave examples of on-going initiatives.

Participants discussed economic connectivity in the context of building confidence among parties to protracted conflicts. It was noted that identifying common economic interests and facilitating or regulating trade – even among parties that do not officially recognize each other – can create mutually beneficial incentives. The cases of China/Taiwan, Serbia/Kosovo, Cyprus as well as Georgia/Abkhazia were cited. This is an area of work where IPI intends to increase its activities, potentially in Moldova.