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...
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...
The ICC: a straw man in the peace-versus-justice debate?
This briefing paper for the Oslo Forum Africa Mediators Retreat 2013 aims to stimulate discussion within the mediation community about the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in peace processes. In a brief overview of the peace-versus-justice debate to date, it lays out the main arguments for and against...
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...
The Nobel Challenge
The EU’s Nobel Peace Prize is well-deserved. The EU has transformed most of Europe from a continent of war to one of peace, as the committee said. It has done so by supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law, building interdependent economies and institutions. Far from the spotlight...
Institution-itis?
In this letter to the European Voice (published 11 October 2012), I argue that the EU has the instruments to build peace but tends not to use them effectively. Any future European Institute of Peace should harness the wealth of experience and expertise in the EU institutions and in think-tanks,...
The European Union: time to further peace and justice
The EU has become increasingly engaged in peace processes, which is welcome. This engagement has often been through the European Union Special Representatives (EUSRs), and has tended to be ad hoc. In this Security Policy Brief for Egmont, the Royal Institute for Foreign Affairs I argue that the External Action Service...
Justice, Peace and Ivory Coast.
What is the ideal transitional justice scenario in Ivory Coast? the Belgian newspaper De Morgen asked me this week in an interview published on Thursday. It is always impossible to predict these types of questions, but there are some trends we can see from other places, which might help the...