Western Sahara Conflict: Geopolitics of Natural Resources, Foreign Actors and Humanitarian Impact
This report, a collaboration between the Middle East Watch and Conflict & Security Watch Programmes, undertakes an intensive examination of the conflict in Western Sahara. Covering the conflict’s historical, economic and humanitarian dimensions, the report explains the decades-long Moroccan sovereign claims over Western Sahara and highlights the critical humanitarian and economic risks emerging from the conflict.
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Examining China’s Total Fertility Rate
This cross-collaborative report between Conflict and Security and China Watch provides a broad overview of the challenges and internal security risks China will face in the coming decades due to its declining total fertility rate (TFR). Through providing explanations for its current decline in TFR, this report demonstrates how simply reversing the one-child policy will not solve China’s demographic crisis. Given this background, key social, economic, and political domestic risks heightened by China’s declining TFR are explored, with a focus also on potential international ramifications as well.
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Mapping Transnational Organised Crime
This special report with the Conflict and Security Watch examines the risks that stem from transnational organised crime activities. Taking a case study approach, we explore some of the most pervasive criminal markets including those of illicit drugs, arms, charcoal, timber, and most devastatingly, humans. From these analyses, we find that organised crime can create or compound several threats to operations including undermining human rights consideration, sustainability initiatives, and fuelling corruption and conflict.
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Exploring Russian Private Military Contractors
This comprehensive report details the presence, contexts, and activities of various Russian PMCs operating in 20 countries across the globe. Through this, the paper seeks to provide a detailed accounting of their impact as well as provide insight into the origins of Russian PMC organisations, their particular relationships, the key actors among them, their operations, and utilisation by the Russian state, as well as other actors, through a comparative lens.
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Overlooked Political Risks for 2022: The Politicization of “Everything”
Pressing or emerging political and geopolitical risks that have flown under the radar, including;
Contested perspectives of climate mitigation- Climate justice, reparations, and the politicisation of climate policy as a foreign policy tool and domestic issue.
The politicisation of critical resources- Critical mineral supply chains, water security, and key commodities like semi-conductors.
The growth of state-sponsored organised crime- Cyber activity and state-endorsed opioid sales.