International organisations Archives

Research Briefing

In brief: Kenya after the March 2013 elections

Wednesday, 05 June, 2013

The 4 March presidential elections saw Jubilee Alliance candidate Uhuru Kenyatta win a narrow victory in the first round. , Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, are both due to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the violence that followed the December 2007 elections. The victory of Kenyatta and Ruto has presented Western governments with a dilemma. While Western rhetorical support for the ICC remains strong, many in Kenya and beyond believe that pressure is being exerted on it ‘behind the scenes’ to soften its position so that the cases do not excessively impede Western cooperation with the new Government.
Research Briefing

Rwanda: recent political and security developments

Monday, 13 May, 2013

Paul Kagame and the Rwandan Patriotic Front remain in a dominant position domestically, with parliamentary elections due in September 2013 and presidential elections set for 2017. President Kagame has indicated that he may step down then. But criticism continues of the government's intolerance of open dissent. Rwanda's role in in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo remains controversial too and there is virtually complete consensus across the international community that it has been providing support to rebel groups, including most recently M23.
Research Briefing

In brief: the Commonwealth Charter

Thursday, 18 April, 2013

On 11 March 2013 in London the Queen signed the Commonwealth Charter. However, while the UK Government has welcomed it, there has been considerable criticism of the Charter on the grounds that it is not legally binding and cannot be effectively enforced. In September 2012 three Commonwealth Nobel Laureates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nadine Gordimer and Wole Soyinka had said that a weak and ineffective Charter should not be endorsed. LGBT rights campaigners have also been vocal in signalling disappointment with the final text.
Research Briefing

The crisis in Mali: current military action and upholding humanitarian law

Tuesday, 05 February, 2013

This note describes the current military intervention in Mali, led by France, which began on 11 January as a reaction to the southward advance of militant Islamist armed groups with links to al-Qaeda. It also looks at the intervention in the context of upholding humanitarian law.
Research Briefing

Antarctic Bill – Committee Stage

Thursday, 17 January, 2013

The Antarctic Bill is presented as a Private Member’s Bill by Neil Carmichael MP. This note sets out the issues discussed in the Bill Committee on 21 November 2012. These included: the timing of the enactment of the provisions relating to the liability annex, compatibility with existing shipping liability provisions, and the wider issue of the future of the British Antarctic Survey.
Research Briefing

Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war

Thursday, 20 December, 2012

Sri Lanka's civil war ended in May 2009. Since then President Mohinda Rajapakse has consolidated his power at home but has been unable to shake off international controversy about alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by the security forces during the final phase of the conflict. There are also grave doubts about whether the govermment is willing to promote the kind of regional autonomy that many observers believe is essential to avoiding renewed conflict in the longer-term.
Research Briefing

In brief: deja vu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Friday, 23 November, 2012

On 20 November, forces belonging to the March 23 (M23) armed group seized Goma, the main city in eastern DRC. This note briefly surveys the events of recent days and the many echoes of the past that they evoke. It also looks at the roles of Rwanda and Uganda, which is leading Western governments, including the UK, to review their aid programmes to both countries.
Research Briefing

In Brief: Afghanistan – insider attacks

Tuesday, 18 September, 2012

This note looks at the rising number of insider attacks against ISAF personnel in Afghanistan and the response from ISAF and the Government.
Research Briefing

Afghanistan: The Timetable for Security Transition

Monday, 09 July, 2012

NATO assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2003. At its summit in Chicago in May 2012, NATO confirmed ISAF’s mission will end on 31 December 2014. It also mapped out the transition of security for Afghanistan from ISAF to Afghan National Security Forces. Specifically, it set the goal for Afghan forces to be in the lead for security nation-wide by mid-2013.
Research Briefing

NATO: The Chicago Summit

Friday, 11 May, 2012

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) holds its Heads of State and Government summit in Chicago on 20-21 May 2012. The main themes of the summit are Afghanistan, capabilities and partnerships.
Research Briefing

The Syrian Crisis: Update May 2012

Wednesday, 09 May, 2012

On 21 March, the UN Security Council supported a peace plan devised by Kofi Annan that called for a ceasefire, humanitarian access to Syria and the withdrawal of forces from urban areas. All sides declared their willingness to adhere to the plan. The Annan plan is at present the only hope of ending the accelerating violence in Syria, which has now caused more than 9,000 deaths, according to UN estimates.
Research Briefing

The IMF’s resources

Thursday, 19 April, 2012

The IMF’s resources come from quotas contributed by each of its 187 Member States (around £234bn in total) and from standing credit arrangements with certain industrialised and emerging economies (currently around £215bn).
Research Briefing

In brief: Afghanistan – timetable to 2014

Thursday, 29 March, 2012

This note provides a brief outline of the timetable for withdrawal of NATO combat forces from Afghanistan by 2014.
Research Briefing

The Rio+20 UN conference on sustainable development

Monday, 05 March, 2012

From 20-22 June 2012 the UN will hold a conference on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, twenty years on from the ‘Earth Summit’ of 1992, also held in Rio. This note sets out the likely agenda for the conference and some surrounding political issues.
Research Briefing

Preventing and prosecuting piracy at sea: legal issues

Tuesday, 28 February, 2012

The resurgence in piracy at sea, particularly hijackings off the coast of Somalia, has prompted a range of efforts to tackle it. These throw up a series of legal issues including the use of force by governments and private armed security guards, and transferring of suspects for trial or imprisonment. Library Standard Notes covering related issues include: Piracy at sea: overview and policy responses; Somalia: recent political, security and humanitarian developments; and Does Somali piracy have any ‘developmental effects’?.

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