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Africa

NUPI conducts wide-ranging research on Africa.

In particular we focus on issues related to social and economic development: fundamental questions concerning the conditions for state formation and democracy, as well as specific studies of individual countries and areas. Other important thematic areas include how post-conflict counties can avoid relapse, and the role of international peace operations in such circumstances – not least, the activities of the UN and the African Union.
Articles
New research
Articles
New research

NUPI to provide research support to Denmark in the UN Security Council

Researchers at NUPI will contribute with their expertise to Denmark’s diplomacy on climate change during the country’s coming tenure in the UN Security Council.
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • South and Central America
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Migration
  • Climate
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Publications
Publications
Scientific article
Lucas de Oliveira Paes, Dr. Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood

Techno-optimism versus Techno-reality: An analysis of internationally funded technological solutions against illegal unreported and unregulated (IU...

Maritime governance has been immersed in growing techno-optimism. Technological developments have largely increased the capacity of states to render legible activities at sea and thus more effectively govern them. One area in which such techno-optimism has gained force but is yet to prove itself is the fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. While technology-aided international cooperation has been crucial in curbing piracy, it has been slower to tame IUU fishing. In this article, we study international projects introducing technology-based solutions against IUU fishing in West Africa. Triangulating project documentation, donor evaluations, interviews, and other secondary sources, we assess how the techno-optimism driving those initiatives meets the techno-reality of their contexts of implementation. We find that, while grounds for optimism are far from unwarranted, realizing the potential of technological solutions against IUU fishing requires securing parallel cooperation that allows states to transform technology-based awareness into action.

  • Africa
  • Oceans
  • Governance
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  • Africa
  • Oceans
  • Governance
Publications
Publications
Report

No Escape - On the frontlines of Climate Change, Conflict and Forced Displacement

The report, released today by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in collaboration with 13 expert organizations, research institutions and refugee-led groups, uses the latest data to show how climate shocks are interacting with conflict, pushing those who are already in danger into even more dire situations. Of the more than 120 million forcibly displaced worldwide, three-quarters live in countries heavily impacted by climate change. Half are in places affected by both conflict and serious climate hazards, such as Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Syria. Authors: (in alphabetical order) Rabeb Aloui (YOUNGO), Vicente Anzellini (IDMC), Ashleigh Basel (Alliance/CGIAR), Jana Birner (UNHCR), Oli Brown (Alp Analytica), Alessandro Craparo (Alliance/CGIAR), Cedric De Coning (NUPI), Margot Fortin (IMPACT Initiatives), Ruby Haji-Naif (YOUNGO), Xiao-Fen Hernan (IDMC), Rose Kobusinge (YOUNGO), Ochan Leomoi (Dadaab Response Association), Jasper Linke (IMPACT Initiatives), Sandor Madar (Alp Analytica), Brigitte Melly (Alliance/CGIAR), Giuliana Nicolucci-Altman (Alp Analytica), Henintsoa Onivola Minoarivelo (Alliance/CGIAR), Mohamed Othowa (Community Aid Network), Sylvain Ponserre (IDMC), Jonathan Tsoka (Alliance/ CGIAR), Cascade Tuholske (Montana State University), Jamon Van Den Hoek (Oregon State University), Kira Vinke (DGAP), Jeremy Wetterwald (IMPACT Initiatives), Michelle Yonetani (UNHCR), Andrew Zimmer (Montana State University).

  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • South and Central America
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Migration
  • Climate
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  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • South and Central America
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Migration
  • Climate
Improving UN peacekeeping performance through evidence-based impact assessments
Podcast

Improving UN peacekeeping performance through evidence-based impact assessments

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System for UN Peacekeeping Operations (CPAS) with...

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report

Women, Peace and Security in MONUSCO: Trends, Lessons and Emerging Practices

For nearly 25 years, the United Nations (UN) has had a peacekeeping mission deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) was deployed in 1999. The deployment of MONUC coincided with an evolution taking place in the UN Security Council regarding the centrality of women’s political participation in peace processes and the importance of considering women’s protection needs as part of the maintenance of international peace and security. The adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 and the establishment of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the year 2000 would have an instrumental impact on the mandates of UN peacekeeping missions, including those deployed in the DRC over the following two decades. This report examines how MONUSCO has worked to implement the WPS dimensions of its mandate in the period 2010 to 2021. Assessing the approach to the mandate and its more recent implementation offers insights into the contribution and limitations of UN peacekeeping when it comes to advancing women’s protection and meaningful participation in a conflict-affected environment. MONUSCO’s approach to WPS has evolved in the period under study. The mandate had a rather narrow understanding of WPS at the outset, with provisions to address violence and threats towards women, reflective of the insecurity and gendered threats within the DRC. These threats have remained, as have more comprehensive provisions in the mandate to address them, but the mandate has also evolved in recent years to include a more substantive focus on women’s participation in conflict prevention and political processes. The mission has developed a range of innovative practices targeted at improving women’s security and equality in the country, as part of the WPS provisions in MONUSCO’s mandate. These have included developing a women mediators’ network, mapping security threats to women, supporting initiatives to address discriminatory media coverage, and implementing positive masculinity programmes. This report offers recommendations to MONUSCO, UN Headquarters, the Security Council and Member States, troop- and police-contributing countries (T/PCCs), and the national authorities when it comes to strengthening the implementation of the WPS aspects of the mission’s mandate in the DRC, with wider lessons for other UN peacekeeping missions in terms of their approach to WPS.

  • Africa
  • Peace, crisis and conflict
  • Peace operations
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  • Africa
  • Peace, crisis and conflict
  • Peace operations
Publications
Publications
Report

Women, Peace and Security in MONUSCO: Trends, Lessons and Emerging Practices

For nearly 25 years, the United Nations (UN) has had a peacekeeping mission deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) was deployed in 1999. The deployment of MONUC coincided with an evolution taking place in the UN Security Council regarding the centrality of women’s political participation in peace processes and the importance of considering women’s protection needs as part of the maintenance of international peace and security. The adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 and the establishment of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the year 2000 would have an instrumental impact on the mandates of UN peacekeeping missions, including those deployed in the DRC over the following two decades. This report examines how MONUSCO has worked to implement the WPS dimensions of its mandate in the period 2010 to 2021. This is based on an analysis of the mandate resolution texts during this time to identify trends over time and key themes, as well as an analysis of documents and interviews with MONUSCO personnel carried out in 2021. Assessing the approach to the mandate and its more recent implementation offers insights into the contribution and limitations of UN peacekeeping when it comes to advancing women’s protection and meaningful participation in a conflict-affected environment. MONUSCO’s approach to WPS has evolved in the period under study. The mandate had a rather narrow understanding of WPS at the outset, with provisions to address violence and threats towards women, reflective of the insecurity and gendered threats within the DRC. These threats have remained, as have more comprehensive provisions in the mandate to address them, but the mandate has also evolved in recent years to include a more substantive focus on women’s participation in conflict prevention and political processes. The report offers recommendations to MONUSCO, UN Headquarters, the Security Council and Member States, troop- and police-contributing countries (T/PCCs), and the national authorities when it comes to strengthening the implementation of the WPS aspects of the mission’s mandate in the DRC, with wider lessons for other UN peacekeeping missions in terms of their approach to WPS.

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
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  • Africa
  • Peace operations
Articles
Articles

Climate, Peace and Security in the Central African Republic

In a new fact sheet from the joint NUPI and SIPRI Climate-related Peace and Security Risks Project (CPSR), the team explore the nexus between climate change, peace and security in the Central African Republic.
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Migration
  • Climate
  • United Nations

Climate, Peace and Security Fact Sheet: Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) is highly exposed to the impacts of climate change due to socioecological vulnerabilities and ongoing insecurity. Drivers of vulnerability include the absence of state authority, natural resource mismanagement, and low household and community resilience. Although the security situation has improved in recent years, it remains volatile; factions of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), self-defence groups and bandits regularly clash with government forces, allies and mercenaries such as the Wagner Group (now Africa Corps) in rural areas.
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Migration
  • Climate
  • United Nations
Banner Image_SIPRI–NUPI Fact Sheet CAR Oct 2024 copy-02.png
Publications
Publications
Report
Ingvild Brox Brodtkorb, Katongo Seyuba, Thor Olav Iversen, Kheira Tarif, Nadine Andersen, Minoo Koefoed

Climate, Peace and Security Fact Sheet: Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) is highly exposed to the impacts of climate change due to socioecological vulnerabilities and ongoing insecurity. Drivers of vulnerability include the absence of state authority, natural resource mismanagement, and low household and community resilience. Although the security situation has improved in recent years, it remains volatile; factions of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), self-defence groups and bandits regularly clash with government forces, allies and mercenaries such as the Wagner Group (now Africa Corps) in rural areas. A changing climate and the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel and the Great Lakes region have driven transhumant pastoralists further into CAR earlier in the transhumance season, creating tensions. Additionally, the spillover effects of the war in Sudan have put added pressure on the humanitarian situation in CAR, particularly in the Vakaga and Haute-Kotto prefectures.

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Migration
  • Climate
Cover_SIPRI–NUPI Fact Sheet CAR Oct 2024 copy-01.png
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Migration
  • Climate
Where does it happen?
Wagner-gruppen er et privat russisk sikkerhetsselskap som tilbyr leiesoldater mot betaling, og er aktive i flere land utenfor Russlands grenser. Gruppen...
  • Terrorism and extremism
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Insurgencies
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
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