Last year, 2023 was a tough year for United Nations peacekeeping. The UN’s “big four” multidimensional peacekeeping operations, accounting in 2023 for about 75 percent of the UN’s peacekeeping $6.3 billion budget, struggled to implement their mandates dialogueinitiatives.org/a-peacekeepers…

#DRC | Ahead of the DRC’s pivotal December election, the Kofi Annan Foundation facilitated a meeting of Congolese churches and civil society organisations to identify and agree on a joint set of recommendations for action.

The outcome of the discussions is captured in a

Whatever the outcome, the Wagner insurrection is a warning to African governments that employ mercenary forces. As my article Soldiers of Misfortune (africanarguments.org/2022/05/africa…) argues, they are not the answer to state weakness. They exploit that weakness.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drew a muted response from Africa. My Oxford Global Society article “Out of Step: The West's Waltz with Africa”  (oxgs.org) asks why and calls for a new relationship with Africa. which too often is marginalised in global policy making.

Presidential elections in the Congo are due this year. The UN mission MONUSCO says it will aid  the Electoral Commission to secure 'quality elections.' But what can the UN do to prevent the massive fraud that undermined the legitimacy of the last presidential election?

La #MONUSCO 🇺🇳 soutient le processus électoral en #RDC 🇨🇩.

Sur demande de la CENI, la mission apporte et continuera d’apporter l’appui nécessaire pour des élections de qualité qui favoriseront la stabilité politique et institutionnelle du pays.

PM Anwar slams ASEAN on Myanmar: 'In all honesty, I believe that non-interference is not a license for indifference'

#Myanmar issue “cannot be considered as purely internal because it’s affecting the security and welfare of the region' rfa.org/english/news/m…

As 93 million #Nigeria ns go to the polls today, we wish #Nigeria a peaceful election that deepens the country's democracy.

We hope all candidates live up to the Peace Pledge they signed this week.

#Nigeria Decides2023 #NationalPeaceAccord #peacepledge

How to avoid the conflict trap? In Passblue.com David Harris of Bradford University and I analyse factors that aided Sierra Leone & Liberia avoid a relapse into war. Leaders and legitimacy are critical. Upcoming Presidential elections will pose a new test for stability

Optimism From West Africa: Sierra Leone and Liberia Have Escaped the Conflict Trap - eepurl.com/ik0zZv

I'm delighted to contribute to The Political Economy of Civil War and UN Peace Operations, edited by Mats Berdal & Jake Sherman with my chapter focused on how UN peace missions engage with political elites and armed groups to end conflict fueled by the political economy.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s death during the COVID crisis recalls the importance of adaptability in policy making. In the South China Morning Post (scmp.com/comment/opinio…), I recount my encounters with Jiang, and Premier Zhao Ziyang, and their pragmatic approach to reform.

My main message to #PPF22 : Populism and multilateralism don’t mix. Unless the global wave of populism in domestic politics slows down, multilateral international politics can hardly be revived. Populism thrives on tense external relations, not on peaceful cooperation.

The perennial crisis of civilian protection in eastern Congo is a crisis of politics, which the UN's peacekeepers cannot resolve. The UN’s strategy is defined by conditions beyond its control or even influence. Is there an answer? See my article in PassBlue: Catch-22 in the Congo

We are remembering Kofi Annan today. In the four, short years since he passed, the world has changed immeasurably. But his unfaltering commitment to peace, justice, equality, and inclusion is a timeless example we must pursue to achieve a fairer and more liveable world for all

Burma (Myanmar) is a paradox: a union without unity. In a commentary for the Oxford Global Society, (oxgs.org/2022/06/05/bur…) I explore the roots of that paradox and (lightly) speculate on what may lie ahead for the country

Mercenaries and private security companies are not the answer to security threats in Africa or elsewhere. They are an augury of failure rather than a reliable corrective. See my article in African Arguments: africanarguments.org/2022/05/africa…

What is peace and how can we measure it? I am joining a discussion of Richard Caplan’s important book, Measuring Peace organized by the Oxford Global Society on 9 March at 13.00 CEST. Do join us as well. oxgs.org/event/book-col…

This is also a strike against the heart of the UN 🇺🇳. Excellent article by Mark Malloch-Brown in PassBlue . #multilateralism #UNCharter #ukraine #RuleOfLaw 👉🏼 bit.ly/3IL1Q1K

Kenya makes strong statement opposing the undermining of the sovereignty & territorial integrity of #Ukraine during the emergency meeting of the #SecurityCouncil at 9pm on 21st February. See full statement delivered below 👇🏿