Gaining access remainsone ofthe main impediments to the United Nations humanitarian response in Syria. Since 2011, the Syrian government has systematically blocked the United Nations from accessing...Show moreGaining access remainsone ofthe main impediments to the United Nations humanitarian response in Syria. Since 2011, the Syrian government has systematically blocked the United Nations from accessing populations in opposition-held areas. In theory, the Humanitarian Principles Neutrality and Independence provide the framework for gaining impartial access to conflict settings. Ironically, however, in practice the need to gain access has pushed the United Nations to compromise the Humanitarian Principles and comply to President Assad’s demands. While the United Nations’ compromises enable it to access at least government approved areas, these compromises have also facilitated Assad’s siege warfare tactic, population displacements and thereby re-shaped Syria’s socio-political landscape. Analysis of the Syrian conflict often focuses on President Assad’s role in perpetuating violence. Yet, the United Nations’ aid operation plays a similarly crucial role in shaping the dynamic and political outcome of the Syrian conflict. This paper therefore asks; To what extent has the United Nations adhered to the Humanitarian Principles Neutrality and Independence in its operations in the Syrian conflict between 2011 and 2017 and what are the implications?Show less
This thesis provides an analysis of international cybersecurity regulations within the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts. With China as one of the world's largest influential actors...Show moreThis thesis provides an analysis of international cybersecurity regulations within the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts. With China as one of the world's largest influential actors within the field of cybersecurity, a perspective from the country's foreign policy is given. This is realised using documents and meeting reports of the United Nations GGEs from 2013 to 2017 in order to measure the impact of China within its decision-making. By incorporating China's international objectives on information security within the broader context of the United Nations, the reasons for success and failure within the UN GGEs are determined. China's impact on cybersecurity seems to be significant but not determinative within the outcome of the international cooperation of United Nations cybersecurity policy.Show less
The complex nature of peace and security threats demands a profound approach that tackles the problem at its roots. Especially regional conflicts are highly interconnected with many causes and...Show moreThe complex nature of peace and security threats demands a profound approach that tackles the problem at its roots. Especially regional conflicts are highly interconnected with many causes and stakeholders, requiring the right collaborations between local, regional and international institutions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the African Union as a regional actor versus the United Nations as an international actor in addressing these complex challenges. The underlying motive is to research regional competences, difficulties and possibilities in the role as security actor. To do this, the regional and international response to the militant group Boko Haram in Nigeria is used to provide insight in the different dimensions of this conflict. It is argued that on the one hand, the African Union can act faster and is more relevant in cases of a regional conflict, but on the other hand suffers from a lack of neutrality. Besides this, the amount of resources and authority is limited, and financial means and legitimacy have mainly been provided by the United Nations up until now. Although the extent of influence is difficult to measure, the African Union has the potential to be of more significance and to increase its influence in effectively addressing regional conflicts on the African continent.Show less
Dit onderzoek analyseert in welke mate de totstandkoming van Estlands onafhankelijkheid in 1991 van buitenaf is beïnvloed. Aangetoond wordt dat zowel vanuit de Verenigde Staten als vanuit West...Show moreDit onderzoek analyseert in welke mate de totstandkoming van Estlands onafhankelijkheid in 1991 van buitenaf is beïnvloed. Aangetoond wordt dat zowel vanuit de Verenigde Staten als vanuit West-Europa invloeden werden uitgeoefend die de onafhankelijkheid bespoedigden. Dit werpt een nieuw perspectief op de doorgaans nationalistische historiografie over Estlands onafhankelijkheidsbeweging.Show less
For the last decade, a new trend has emerged in both the academic as well as political debate which identifies a decline of American domination and a rise of “the rest”. In other words, a movement...Show moreFor the last decade, a new trend has emerged in both the academic as well as political debate which identifies a decline of American domination and a rise of “the rest”. In other words, a movement towards multipolarity. A particular topic of dispute among both scholars and politicians is the degree to which this multipolar world order is either regionalising or globalising the world. One of the domains that has been impacted by the study of regionalisation is the domain of security. A particular topic of debate amongst politicians and scholars concerns peace operations and the role of the United Nations (UN) and regional organisations. Within the African context, the question arises if the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should take on the role of regional peacekeepers. This paper sets out to analyse the regionalisation of peace operations in Africa and question the viability of regional organisations as an alternative to the UN as main actor in peace operations. To this end, it will measure the ability of RECs to organise and execute peace operations. It will become clear that the regionalisation of security is a logical consequence of the regional and cross-border characteristic of African conflicts and that regional organisations bring some merits to the table in terms of local legitimacy and willingness. Nevertheless, the case of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will show that a long way still lies ahead and that the organisation currently only manages to bridge some of the same shortcomings as the UN encounters, without offering much advantages.Show less
Global climate change has emerged as one of the world’s most serious problems, one requiring international cooperation. China, as a large country and big emitter, is vital to such cooperation. It...Show moreGlobal climate change has emerged as one of the world’s most serious problems, one requiring international cooperation. China, as a large country and big emitter, is vital to such cooperation. It is therefore important to understand China’s position regarding climate change and international cooperation. This thesis examined China attitudes and how these are changing by conducting discourse analysis of Xinhua articles published during the 2009 and 2015 United Nations climate conferences. It found China’s attitudes shifted significantly between these two conferences and it became much more willing to cooperate.Show less
Since the end of the Cold War, international statebuilding – creating and strengthening government institutions – has been regularly promoted by international organisations and western states in...Show moreSince the end of the Cold War, international statebuilding – creating and strengthening government institutions – has been regularly promoted by international organisations and western states in order to end, resolve and prevent violent civil conflict in non-western countries. This thesis critically reflects on how statebuilding policymakers understand and represent the problem of violent civil conflict which they seek to tackle. It offers an original exploration of statebuilders’ narratives about the relationship between violent civil conflict and states, their formation, strengthening and weakening. Three arguments are made. Firstly, statebuilders represent violent civil conflict as a process which destroys states and is incapable of generating legitimate forms of governance. Secondly, this is a major divergence from a body of academic literature on domestic state formation which suggests that conflict can, and may even be necessary, to produce states. By drawing out the major divergences between these two bodies of literature, the thesis attempts to make sense of statebuilders’ narratives about conflict and their political consequences for policy. I argue, thirdly, that statebuilders’ representations of conflict are in fact vital for legitimising the norm and practice of international statebuilding.Show less
This research explores the increasing role and the importance of the private sector in sustainable development through the lens of norm development within the study of International Relations. By...Show moreThis research explores the increasing role and the importance of the private sector in sustainable development through the lens of norm development within the study of International Relations. By examining different summits between the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000 to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in 2015, it is seen that the increasing role of the private sector can be understood as a dynamic norm that is shaped and reshaped throughout its evolvement. In such, the research provides a better understanding of how the norm is constantly being defined and redefined, thus finding relevance and meaning throughout its emergence.Show less
The Millennium Development Goals were a global endeavour to achieve pro-poor human development between 2000 and 2015. Although adopted by 189 heads of state, few governments of developing countries...Show moreThe Millennium Development Goals were a global endeavour to achieve pro-poor human development between 2000 and 2015. Although adopted by 189 heads of state, few governments of developing countries took ownership of the Goals by adjusting their national policies to UNDP guidelines for accomplishment. This research finds a correlation between ownership and MDG achievement by studying the policies and progress of Burkina Faso, Uganda and Kenya. The findings are used to argue for strategic cooperation between the UNDP, World Bank and IMF for successful pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.Show less
This thesis describes the role of the principles of self-determination and sovereignty in the Security Council debates about the Indonesian dispute in 1945-1950.
Measuring success of Peacekeeping operations is an ongoing methodological challenge. This study aims at making a contribution towards the creation of a unified method to evaluate missions by way...Show moreMeasuring success of Peacekeeping operations is an ongoing methodological challenge. This study aims at making a contribution towards the creation of a unified method to evaluate missions by way studying them through the lens of Human Security. The paper reviews the extent to which the three Peacekeeping operations deployed in the Middle East (UNTSO, UNDOF & UNIFIL) have in providing or facilitating Human Security and finds that while the missions have created successful inter-operation cooperation and have evolved from their first-generation mandates, the UN needs to make Peacekeeping more people-centered in order to ensure lasting peace, progress and prosperity. This research is both theoretically driven and policy-oriented and hopes to fill the gap in the literature of how can Peacekeeping be coupled with Human Security.Show less
