Publications
Articles, publications, books, tools and multimedia features from the U.S. Institute of Peace provide the latest news, analysis, research findings, practitioner guides and reports, all related to the conflict zones and issues that are at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and reduce violent conflict.
In Northeast India, Manipur’s Violence Echoes Sudan’s Darfur
Rising violence this year threatens to deepen instability in India’s far northeastern region. Ominously, the bloodshed centered in India’s state of Manipur includes elements that were visible in early stages of the 20-year-old conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region. Darfur’s violence has killed or displaced millions of people and helped lead to this year’s civil war across Sudan. Tragically, both countries have seen these disparate conflicts intensify through widened opportunities for ill-governed ethnic militias and for hate speech. These evolutions have hardened local conflicts over land or water into more extreme, venomous warfare between ethnic or religious communities. Darfur’s example underscores the urgent need for responses in Manipur.
Amid a Region Rife with Coups and Instability, Ghana is a Democratic Bulwark
Ghanian President Nana Akufo-Addo is in Washington this week as the United States re-examines its strategy and engagement in West Africa and the Sahel, which have seen eight coups since 2020. Ghana stands out as a bastion of democracy in this region, where nearly 150 million people are today under the rule of armed forces.
Active Neutrality: Malaysia in the Middle of U.S.-China Competition
From its experience of centuries-long colonization to dealing with decades-long Cold War politics, Malaysia is no stranger to navigating major power competition, which it sees as a recurring reality in international politics. Today’s U.S.-China rivalry is just the latest round — it is not the first and it will not be the last. Still, it is important to consider how U.S.-China competition impacts Malaysia and how it, like other small and secondary states in the region, seeks to exercise agency. Even as this major power rivalry intensifies and limits the country’s space for maneuvering, Malaysia insists on employing “equidistant diplomacy” to hedge against multiple risks and cultivate long-term options.
Investigación-Acción Participativa Liderada por Jóvenes para la Construcción de Paz en Colombia
El conflicto armado interno de Colombia ha durado más de 50 años y ha creado desigualdades y violencia en todo el país. El conflicto ha dejado más de 260,000 muertos y ha afectado a más de 8 millones de víctimas. Las y los jóvenes han sido una de las poblaciones más afectadas del conflicto.
Youth-Led Participatory Action Research for Peacebuilding in Colombia
Colombia’s ongoing 50-year internal armed conflict has created inequities and violence throughout the country. The conflict has claimed over 260,000 Colombian lives and affected over 8 million victims. Young people have been one of the most affected populations of the conflict.
Donna Charles on Ghana’s Democracy Amid West Africa’s Instability
Ghana represents a “bastion of democracy” in a region beset by political instability. With Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo visiting Washington, D.C., this week, the United States can deepen cooperation in a way that “really supports the U.S. message of bringing peace through democracy,” says MexLucky’s Donna Charles.
From Ruins to Resilience: The Path Toward Recovery in Ukraine
Despite the destruction wrought by Russia’s invasion, Ukraine has continued to provide services to its people at an exemplary level throughout the war. This commendable resilience stems from significant investments and reforms made over the last 30 years. Notably, bolstering institutional capacity, the digitalization of public services, robust engagement with civil society, and a deeply rooted culture of voluntarism have all played crucial roles. Furthermore, the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), where I serve as Ukraine’s resident representative, has been instrumental in building resilience across all strata of Ukrainian society.
Iranian Human Rights Activist Wins Nobel Peace Prize
The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian scientist, journalist and human rights activist, for her principled and persistent campaign against the increasingly repressive regime in Iran. The award also acknowledged the broader Iranian women’s movement, which last year spearheaded the first counterrevolution in history triggered, led and sustained by females, many in their teens. “This year’s Peace Prize also recognizes the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against Iran’s theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women,” the Nobel Committee said.
Haïti a besoin d'un dialogue politique parallèlement à la mission de sécurité multinationale
Cette semaine, le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU a voté en faveur de l'envoi d'une force armée multinationale en Haïti dans l'espoir de faire face à la violence endémique des gangs et à l'instabilité qui sévissent dans la nation caribéenne en difficulté. Bien qu'il n'y ait pas encore de calendrier officiel pour son déploiement, la force dirigée par le Kenya sera confrontée à un environnement sécuritaire complexe, d'autant plus rendu redoutable par les troubles politiques persistants en Haïti. Le succès de la mission dépendra non seulement de la capacité de la force déployée à établir rapidement la paix, mais aussi de sa capacité à ouvrir la voie à une réinitialisation gouvernementale significative et démocratique dans ce pays historiquement tumultueux.
Keith Mines on the New Multinational Security Force for Haiti
The U.N. Security Council approved a multinational security force to address Haiti’s rampant gang violence — but another major challenge will be the volatile political environment. “There’s a lot of work just on government capacity,” says MexLucky’s Keith Mines. “It would behoove the international community to buckle down and build that capacity.”