Essays

Diluted disarmament in space: Towards a culture for responsible behaviour

Rapid commercialization

Cultural reconstruction is critical after Islamic State occupation

The scars left by the Islamic State group’s three-and-a-half-year occupation in northern Iraq are deep.

Maritime disputes in the eastern Mediterranean: Why and why now?

In August 2020, Greek and Turkish frigates collided in the eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish ship had been escorting a Turkish seismic survey vessel, RV MTA Oruç Reis.

A breakdown in cooperation puts us all at risk

Earlier this year, I took on the task of writing the introductions to two surveys of the contemporary global landscape. One was SIPRI Yearbook 2020, our annual review of armaments, disarmament and international security.

COVID-19: A new wave of European arms industry consolidation?

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused the most severe economic crisis since the 1930s, could we witness a new phase of consolidation within the Western and Central European arms industry? This SIPRI Essay gives an early glimpse at where these three factors stand after the ‘great lockdown’. It proposes that the European arms industry may be at the outset of a larger consolidation movement.

Trust and coercion in times of emergency: COVID-19 and structures of authority in North Africa

The coronavirus disease 2019 crisis can function as a prism through which more fundamental political and societal structures can be better understood.

Climate change, disease and the legitimacy of armed non-state actors

To many, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic came as a surprise. It has placed enormous strain on governments to contain the spread of the disease and address the fallout from the measures that have been implemented.

The resurgence of the Islamic State in Iraq: Political and military responses

The Islamic State (IS) is back, or so the headlines say. The key thing is that IS never left.

Scope for improvement: Linking the Women, Peace and Security Agenda to climate change

This SIPRI Essay discusses key findings from the Insights on Peace and Security paper ‘Climate Change in Women, Peace and Security Agenda National Action Plans’, which examines how the United Nations Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda national action plans (NAPs) frame climate change, and how may they promote women’s participation in addressing related risks.

Russia’s new Arctic policy document signals continuity rather than change

On 6 March 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the ‘Basic Principles of Russian Federation State Policy in the Arctic to 2035’ (Basic Principles 2035).