19 June, London
SIPRI and its publishing partner Oxford University Press hosted the panel discussion: Fragile Development 2015-2030 - understanding how insecurity and poor governance will affect sustainable development, at last week’s conference of the British International Studies Association (BISA) conference. Chaired by incoming SIPRI Director Dan Smith, the panel presented brief snapshots of the developing world in 2015, and the likely challenges to development over the next 15 years.
Roger Williamson of UNU-WIDER spoke to the overlap between fragility and poverty in Africa and addressed issues relating to minimally functioning states, and gender and conflict. Three representatives from SIPRI also presented at the conference. Sam Perlo-Freeman discussed the nexus between natural resource revenues, corruption and militarization, while Rachel Irwin presented on violence against humanitarian workers and constraints on service delivery in fragile environments. Relatedly, Gary Milante explained how systems thinking can be used to break the fragile states paradigm and promote more productive engagement on development. He also outlined prospects for poverty eradication in fragile states by 2030.
Read more about the BISA conference and contact Stephanie Blenckner for further information.