Policy Briefs and Memos

Fragmented Governance in Somalia: Understanding Justice and Security through Galkayo and Kismayo

Authors: Nisar Majid, Khalif Abdirahman and Marika Theros

This policy brief examines justice and security in Somalia through the lens of fragmented peace-conflict spaces, drawing on the PeaceRep PA-X Local database analysis by Christine Bell and Laura Wise.

Syria’s Economic Transition: From Kleptocracy to Islamic Neoliberalism in a War-Torn Economy

Authors: Joseph Daher and Zaki Mehchy

This policy brief shares recommendations that would lay the groundwork for a future economic paradigm through inclusive dialogue until a democratic government and parliament can be elected.

Sustaining the Post-Agreement Peace – Galkayo, Somalia

Authors: Nisar Majid, Khalif Abdirahman and Marika Theros

This policy brief draws on a forthcoming article which examines the dynamics of ‘post-agreement peace’ in Galkayo, Somalia, following the signing of the Galkayo ‘local’ agreement in 2017.

Is the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda Still Relevant for Afghanistan?\

Author: Gaisu Yari

This policy brief looks at the progress and setbacks of women’s rights in Afghanistan and the different approaches and interventions under the WPS Agenda.

Somalia Election Brief – Making Elections Relevant

Authors: Nisar Majid, Khalif Abdirahman and Guhad Adan

This policy brief brings attention to the nature of Somalia’s political settlement and elite bargain as this provides a useful starting point and reality check on the wider political culture which has evolved over the last ten plus years as part of Somalia’s internationally supported federal government. We conclude with some suggestions to consider in improving election processes.

The African Union in Sudan: Perspectives from the Sudanese Media

Author: Willow J. Berridge

This policy brief discusses media perspectives on key moments of the AU’s involvement in talks and political processes in Sudan, such as its attempts to support the resolution of conflicts in Darfur and Abyei, the post-2014 National Dialogue Process, and the transitional process that followed the toppling of Umar al-Bashir in 2019.

Mid-term, Corruption and International Engagement – xaa iigu jira? (what’s in it for me?)

Authors: Nisar Majid and Khalif Abdirahman

This policy brief provides reflections on the current moment in Somalia’s political and political economy trajectory, half-way through the current presidential term. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on some of the underlying trends in Somalia’s approximately ten-year period as an internationally recognised state. The policy brief draws upon work undertaken under the LSE Conflict Research Programme (CRP) and its successor, PeaceRep.

Reindustrialization as a Key Element of Ukraine’s Recovery

Author: Brian Milakovsky

In this policy brief, Brian Milakovsky argues that a key goal of Ukraine should be to pursue re-industrialisation through an effective programme of state aid and use of preferential trade and procurement policy.

Empowering MSMEs in Syria: Overcoming Operational Challenges

Authors: Zaki Mehchy, Rim Turkmani and Mazen Gharibah

This analysis is anchored in a PeaceRep report carried out in collaboration with UNDP Syria, which extensively explores the challenges impeding the ability of Syrian MSMEs to contribute to poverty reduction and peacebuilding efforts. Additionally, it draws from the outcomes of a workshop conducted in November 2023, aiming to generate actionable recommendations to empower MSMEs in Syria. The workshop convened Syrian business figures, academics, representatives from international organisations, and donor countries to deliberate on strategies.

Building on the Galkayo Agreement: Mitigating Revenge Killings

Authors: Khalif Abdirahman and Nisar Majid

This policy brief highlights the recent cases of revenge killings in Galkayo, Somalia, and discusses some of the emerging issues, including the competing roles of government and elders, and the significance of cabtoy (‘drunkards’) and WhatsApp groups linking local and diaspora populations. Such groups may include hidden Al Shabaab elements.

The Ukraine War and the Nature of Russian Power

Author: Sophie Gueudet

This policy brief explores the proposition of a long-term 'freeze' as a potential resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. Drawing on examples from unresolved territorial conflicts in eastern and south-east Europe, particularly those influenced by Russia’s 'de facto state playbook', the paper highlights the risks associated with such a strategy.

Broad and Narrow Visions of Security: Investigating the strategic discourse of selected NATO Member States

Author: Agata Mazurkiewicz

This policy brief traces the evolution of the understanding of what security is and how it can be achieved, analysing the strategic discourse of selected European states and focusing on two factors: the broadness of the definition of security and the assignment of responsibility for security.

Is the ‘Buy Ukrainian’ Policy Legal?

Authors: Inna Dzhurynska and Luke Cooper

This policy brief offers an outline assessment of the current legal frameworks in Ukraine in relation to public procurement and the legal impediments to the Government of Ukraine adopting a ‘Buy Ukrainian’ policy to supports its war-economy and on-going reconstruction efforts.

Insourcing the war-economy: Building a resilient Ukraine means maximising its domestic output

Author: Luke Cooper

This policy brief argues that the Government of Ukraine should pursue policies that prioritise Ukraine’s economic resilience and mitigate against the risk of balance of payments crisis, in the event that there is a significant reduction in donor support.

“Insourcing” the Recovery: Ukrainian manufacturers in reconstruction efforts

Authors: Volodymyr Vlasiuk and Brian Milakovsky

Materials required for the repair or replacement of Ukrainian housing and infrastructure damaged in the full-scale Russian invasion are estimated to cost $62.8 billion. Sourcing these materials from Ukrainian manufacturers with international funding would be a significant stimulus to recovery of Ukraine’s economy. This policy brief outlines the benefits and challenges of sourcing the required materials domestically.

Women, Peace and Security: National Action Plans in the UK and Ukraine

Authors: Christine Chinkin and Oksana Potapova

This policy brief highlights how localisation of Ukraine’s NAP remains a priority, especially while the status of local democracy in Ukraine continues to be vulnerable. The authors address key challenges to enabling active participation, and offer recommendations for addressing these challenges.

Poland’s Role in Ukraine’s Security Amid the Challenge of Migration

Authors: Rafal Pankowski, Karolina Czerska-Shaw, Iavor Rangelov

PeaceRep’s Ukraine team convened a seminar on 10 March 2023 to discuss Poland’s response to the war against Ukraine - drawing together members of PeaceRep’s regional network in Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, along with our academic staff at the LSE. This readout contains a non-verbatim summary of key points made by panellists in their presentations.

Security Sector Governance in Ukraine: Key Considerations for Policy Makers in 2023

Authors: Polina Beliakova and Sarah Detzner

This brief offers insights into the current challenges to Ukraine’s security sector governance, gleaned from examining Ukraine’s track record of security sector reform (SSR) since independence in 1991; it has a particular focus on reform progress since the Russian incursion of 2014 and the impact of reform successes and failures on the current war.

A Year of the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine in Numbers

Authors: Daryna Sudachek, Danylo Nikiforov, and Luke Cooper

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has now passed its first anniversary; the numbers presented in this policy brief, from the terrible toll of unemployment has taken on the Ukrainian economy, to confirmed civilian casualties, and the vast scale of displacement, expose the terrible hardship it has unleashed. But other pieces of information demonstrate the ingenuity and adaptation capacity of Ukraine’s institutions and the resilience of its civil society. On both these tragic and 'heroic' levels, the statistical data reveals a deeply human story.

Russia and Putin: Authoritarianism at Home, Imperialism Abroad

Authors: Volodymyr Artiukh, Mazen Gharibah and Inna Berezkina

This policy brief provides a non-verbatim summary of key points made by presenters at a seminar discussion. The seminar was hosted on 11 March 2023 during the Solidarity with Ukraine conference at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Summary of Publications and Research Relevant to the Post-Earthquake Context

Compiled by the PeaceRep Syria Research Team, Conflict and Civicness Research Group at LSE.

The high level of destruction and subsequent needs in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that hit Southern Turkey and Syria on the 6 February 2023 have brought several important questions about Syria-related polices to the surface. This digest points to the most relevant policy papers offering insights into questions on political, economic and social responses and implications of the earthquake. References signpost the reader towards relevant sections of each publication, and provide context for its linkage to the current situation.

Economic resilience, social dialogue and democracy in wartime: Challenges for Ukraine

An interview with Dr Luke Cooper for LRT, the Lithuanian public broadcaster.

In this translation, Dr Cooper argues that recent labour market reforms and extensive privatisation by the Ukrainian government represent a repetition of economic mistakes made after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Security sector governance in Ukraine: Lessons, general principles and progress

Contributors: Sarah Detzner, Polina Beliakova, and Radmila Šekerinska

This policy brief reviews general principles and lessons internationally from successful SSR in the context of considering the challenges facing Ukraine, in the form of a non-verbatim summary of presentations at a recent private seminar organised by PeaceRep’s Ukraine team.

Taxation and Civicness in South Sudan: Revenue Reforms for a More Inclusive Democracy

Author: Matthew Benson

This policy brief identifies how three different eras of tax practices continue to inform extractive governance outcomes in South Sudan. The first commenced during colonial occupation of the country from 1899-1956. The next emerged during waves of coercive rebel and Khartoum-led tax practices from 1956 to 2005, and the present era of fragmented taxation and governance outcomes emerged from 2005-onwards.

Is a Peace Deal Possible With Putin? On the problems of peacemaking in the Russian war on Ukraine

Authors: Timothy Snyder, Yulia Kazdobina, and Olexander Scherba

With an introduction by Luke Cooper and Mary Kaldor

This policy brief considers the relationship between peace and justice in any attempt at peace-making in the Russian-Ukraine War. A recent private seminar on 20 July 2022 hosted a discussion around the question, ‘Is a peace deal possible with Putin?’ This publication contains a non-verbatim summary of key points made by panellists in their presentations. The audience was a small group of experts, academics, civil society advocates and policy-makers.

Meeting the Immediate Needs of the Ukrainian Economy

Authors: Tymofii Brik, Nataliia Shapoval, Luke Cooper and Mary Kaldor

This policy brief addresses meeting the immediate needs of the Ukrainian economy, the role of international actors and the importance of understanding the conflict as a conventional war; it provides key pillars for emergency economic assistance.