Thursday, 29 October 2020

JRF online event: The local integration of refugees

On 29 October 2020, the Johannes-Rau-Research Community (JRF) event "The local integration of refugees—Experiences from NRW" (in German) took place. The five JRF institutes ILS, BICC, DST, ZfTI and DIE examined the topic from different perspectives and presented current research results in the form of impulse lectures at the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences and Arts. » more

Tuesday, 27 October 2020

Event \ The United Nations between aspiration and reality

The Minister for Federal, European and International Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and BICC invited to an online discussion event (in German language) on 27 October 2020. Together with DIE and CASSIS, they reviewed the role of the United Nations with regard to peace, security and development. » more

Wednesday, 07 October 2020

New publication \ Five ways to make the EPF a role model for arms export control

The Council of the European Union is discussing the establishment of a European Peace Facility (EPF). One of EPF’s aims is to finance transfers of armaments and further military equipment and infrastructure to third countries as a form of capacity-building. In this BICC Policy Brief the authors Stella Hauk and Max Mutschler argue that arms transfers in the name of capacity-building are often accompanied by significant risks. The authors make five concrete suggestions for safeguards against... » more

New publication \ Assessment of the HALO Trust marking and registration of small arms and light weapons project in Bosnia-Herzegovina

In the Western Balkans, the diversion of state-owned small arms and light weapons (SALW), and limited control over privately held SALW, are a main source of illicit arms traﬃcking. In his assessment of the HALO Trust project for marking and registration of these weapons in Bosnia-Herzegovina, BICC researcher Andreas Heinemann-Grüder concludes that the project has been successful in finding valid lessons learnt for similar SALW control projects in the region. » more

New publication \ Syrian war at the crossroads

The war in Syria, now in its tenth year, has resulted in more than 500,000 victims, 6.2 million internally displaced persons and 5.7 million refugees. 11.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. In BICC Policy Brief 4\2020, the authors Lena Schellhammer and Marius Bales recommend an arms embargo to secondary conflict parties to stop the arms flow from eastern European states, to establish no-fly zone and to extend humanitarian aid. » more