On 5–6 March, SIPRI co-organized a workshop on the future of conflict management and peace operations in South East Asia and the Pacific. The workshop was held in Bangkok, Thailand, and formed part of the New Geopolitics of Conflict Management (NGCM) initiative, a long-standing collaboration between SIPRI and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES).
The workshop brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to examine how conflict management in South East Asia and the Pacific may evolve by 2035. Participants came from countries in the region and from major international organizations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations. Discussions focused on emerging security challenges, the role of regional and international actors, and the norms and concepts shaping future peace operations. Sessions addressed issues including the drivers of conflict, the capacity of regional organizations such as ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum, and the motivations and capabilities of state and non-state actors. Participants also considered how existing frameworks for conflict management may need to adapt in a changing global context.
Dr Jaïr van der Lijn, Director of the SIPRI Peace Operations and Conflict Management Programme, and Gretchen Baldwin, SIPRI Senior Researcher, moderated the workshop discussions.
The workshop was held under the Chatham House Rule. Its findings will contribute to ongoing research under the NGCM initiative and inform a forthcoming SIPRI Policy Brief.
About the New Geopolitics of Conflict Management initiative
The New Geopolitics of Conflict Management (NGCM) initiative builds on over thirteen years of collaboration between SIPRI and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). The initiative provides a key platform for dialogue and research on the future of international conflict management and peace operations. Recognizing that answers to these questions vary geographically, the initiative convenes regional workshops, among other activities. In 2026 the initiative kicked off its fourth phase with a workshop in Dakar, Senegal. The most recent workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, focused on the South East Asian and Pacific conflict management landscape.