Complexities of Achieving Strategic Stability in Southern Asia: An Indian Perspective
The concept of strategic stability provides a framework for strengthening security in the nuclear age. This report explores the possibilities and constraints for achieving strategic stability in South Asia. The strained relationship between India, on the one hand, and Pakistan and China on the other makes it challenging to achieve such stability. Nevertheless, it is important to explore new options in a region that is frequently exposed to crises, and where some countries have nuclear weapons strategies that rely manipulating risks to bolster deterrence. The report discusses various measures that could weaken incentives for using nuclear weapons.
The Military Power Seminar 2020: Transatlantic security relations after the US Presidential elections: What to expect?
We are delighted to welcome you to the Military Power Seminar 2020 – this year in a digital format! Join us in the discussion when we take a closer look at what the US Presidential election will mean for Norway’s security relations with the USA.
Predict and prevent: overcoming early warning implementation challenges in UN peace operations
The UN has made progress in the adoption of new technologies to predict and prevent local violence. To maintain the momentum, it needs to continue to innovate to be able to serve people in need faster, better, and more efficiently. The UN will need to find a way to analyse the enormous amount of data it produces every day. Machine learning to detect patterns in these data and produce early warnings holds great promise in this regard. However, the use of new technologies is not without risk. Collected data can fall into the wrong hands. With budget cuts missions have been forced to reduce their footprint in the field, increasing the reliance on technology. New technology also requires new types of specialist expertise to manage data, and better understanding among all staff of how data should be managed, vetted and put to use. Some have expressed concerns about the use of technologies being at the expense of face-to-face engagements, ultimately resulting in peacekeeping efforts that are divorced from realities on the ground. From a practical point of view, the UN will also have to resolve an uneasy tension between enabling access to these data in order to conduct data-driven early warning analyses on the one hand and the need to prevent any data breaches on the other hand.
Britain and Norway: Partnership in a changing world
Which areas of cooperation are being prioritised as the UK leaves the European Union, and how can the relationship be expected to develop in the coming years?
Regulatory barriers to trade in services: A new database and composite indices
This paper presents new data on services trade regulation for 46 countries in 22 services sectors over 6 years (2014–2019). The data consist of qualitative information which is scored and weighted to produce composite indices. They cover market access and national treatment restrictions with respect to all GATS modes of supply, but also behind the border domestic regulation such as licensing, non‐transparent regulatory procedures and competition policy. The database is updated annually. The trade restrictiveness indices (STRIs) are significantly correlated with services trade flows, but also with the performance of the sectors subject to the restrictions including logistics performance indicators, interest spreads, density of ATMs and secure servers, broadband penetration and outcomes such as legal rights and the time to resolve insolvency.
Defending and renewing multilateralism: Estonia and Norway in the UN Security Council
This project will explore possibilities to enhance Estonian-Norwegian bilateral cooperation in promoting multilateral cooperation and a rules-based global order in the framework of the...
Brunei Darussalam: How to Build an Investment Climate for Renewable Energy?
Brunei Darussalam has yet to make major progress in renewable energy and become an attractive destination for investors. Only 0.05% of Brunei’s electricity came from renewable energy sources, while 99.95% was based on fossil fuels. In 2014, the country set a renewable energy target of 10% in the power generation mix by 2035. To reach the target, it needs to increase the share of renewables by 0.66% every year from 2020 to 2035. The country still needs to adopt a regulatory regime to scale up the development of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, which is more abundant than wind energy. We propose five actions to build the investment climate for renewable energy in Brunei Darussalam: prioritise renewable energy in the governance system; adopt and implement key legislation; mobilise domestic investors; improve market entry for foreign investors.
Multilateralism Reimagined: Towards a UN and multilateral system that is more democratic, rules-based and inclusive
NUPI and UN75 invites you to this webinar where a multi-stakeholder discussion will take a closer look on how a better common effort can help us reach the 17 SDGs.
Impact of Digital Technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Trade In Services
Digital technologies are cutting trade costs for services, turning more services from non-tradables into tradables, and putting trade in services on a stronger relative growth path than trade in goods. Digital enablement of services depends on inputs of cross-border data flows, which are themselves growing exponentially. The shift to the digital economy has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic as goods producers connect with customers via online platforms, and services like health, education, and entertainment are delivered online. Purchasing services offshore is not far behind, so e-service trade will likely continue to accelerate. However, regulatory frameworks are lagging, putting productivity gains at risk. We offer eight recommendations to the Group of Twenty (G20) leaders to start shaping a trade policy agenda for a digital future. For every nation to reap the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, sustained openness to international services trade, investment, and data flows is essential.