The EU and peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo
This paper, the EU and peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is published as part of a series of Civil Society Dialogue Network discussion papers by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office. In it, I reflect on the EU’s trackrecord in contributing to peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly...
New book: EU foreign policy, Transitional Justice and Mediation: Principle, policy, and practice
This book analyses how the European Union translates its principles of peace and justice into policy and puts them into practice, particularly in societies in or emerging from violent conflict. The European Union treaty states that in its relations with the wider world, the EU is to promote peace,...
Transitional justice and peace mediation
In these short videos onTransitional justice and peace mediation for the Peace Mediation Platform, I discuss the Peace and Justice Debate, Addressing justice questions in peace processes, Gender Inclusive Transitional Justice and Universal Laws and Norms in Peace Processes...
Supporting peaceful change in #Mali: recommendations for donors
In late 2013 and early 2014, I headed a research team (pictured left) on behalf of International Alert and Mouvement Malivaleurs. Our objective was to identify ways in which donors could contribute to long-term, peaceful change in Mali after the calamities of 2012. We listened to Malians from different walks of life from...
The Perils of Euphemism: #SSR in #DRC
In this post for the Security Sector Reform Resource Centre I argue that the contextual, structural, and political challenges to SSR point to the perils of euphemism. Peace and sustainable development in Congo require a security system that protects public safety. This does not require ‘reform’ of the existing system, but...
Make do, or mend? EU security provision in complex conflicts: the Democratic Republic of Congo
This article, published in European Security (2014), assesses whether the EU contributes to long-term positive change in societies emerging from violent conflict, helping them ‘mend’ or whether it simply encourages societies to ‘make do’ with the status quo. To do so, the article focuses on two of the...
Power shared and justice shelved: the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Global Accord (2002) ended the Congo War, contributed to the creation of the Third Republic and influenced subsequent peace agreements. This article (in the International Journal of Human Rights, 2013, Vol. 17, No. 2, 289–306) analyses how justice for human rights violations was included in the Global Accord and later...
HR Ashton and transitional justice in Libya. But is the EU up to it?
EU foreign policy chiefs were unusually quick off the mark to comment on the fall of Sirte and reported death of Colonel Gaddafi today. Presidents Van Rompuy and Barrosso called on the National Transitional Council (NTC) to ‘pursue a broad-based reconciliation process which reaches out to all Libyans and...
Transitional justice & security system reform
Reforming the security system in postconflict environments to ensure security agents become protectors of the population is vital for peacebuilding and state-building. Justice-sensitive SSR aims to prevent recurrence and repetition of human rights violations by reforming abusive institutions, increasing their integrity, accountability and legitimacy, and transforming the institution’s role...
Justice-sensitive SSR in DR Congo (2009)
The Congolese security system is incapable of defending the state and the state’s authority, and poses a serious threat to the population, particularly to women and children. Impunity within the security system allows serious human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, to go unchecked. In this paper, published by...
