{"id":9213,"date":"2020-02-04T11:43:30","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T10:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/?post_type=publication&#038;p=9213"},"modified":"2020-10-09T11:27:18","modified_gmt":"2020-10-09T09:27:18","slug":"ipis-briefing-january-2020-focus-gis4peace","status":"publish","type":"weekly-briefing","link":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/fr\/weekly-briefing\/ipis-briefing-january-2020-focus-gis4peace\/","title":{"rendered":"IPIS Briefing January 2020 &#8211; Focus on GIS4Peace"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><em>The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business &amp; Human Rights and arms trade.\u00a0 Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS&rsquo; areas of research.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong>In focus: GIS4Peace, from desk research to field implementation.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong>In the news: Congolese army implicated in natural resources trade; Qatar furthers its influence in Africa; Angolan corruption\u00a0scandal.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><em>New subscribers can register <a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/subscribe-ipis-briefing\/\">here<\/a> to receive the briefing and updates on IPIS&rsquo; new maps and reports.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><em>This briefing is produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of IPIS and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">IN FOCUS: GIS4PEACE, FROM DESK RESEARCH TO FIELD IMPLEMENTATION<\/span><\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Maps have been used for centuries to conduct war efforts, but since a few decades the use of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>Geographical Information Systems<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> (GIS) have changed our approach to conflict analysis and peacebuilding initiatives.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Everything started with simple needs. When humanitarian actors needed to know <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>how to reach <\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">people affected by conflict or natural disaster, they turned to whatever map was available: from colonial roadmaps to military maps or even maps scribbled on a piece of paper by local partners. When they needed to know <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>how many people<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> were affected, international NGOs started to use digital mapping tools and strengthened their information management systems in order to improve their needs assessment and logistical capacities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In the field of conflict analysis and peacebuilding, the production of geo-referenced datasets and the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/accessible-interactive-new-methods-data-visualization-tools-data-analysis-information-sharing-transitional-justice-research\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">emerging use of data visualization tools<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">have remodelled field practices and our theoretical understanding of peace, power relations and political economy of conflicts. By collecting first-hand information in remote and conflict-affected areas, the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>International Peace Information Service <\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">IPIS<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">) developed a new approach to conflict mapping as a tool for conflict analysis and the promotion of peace.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\" lang=\"en-US\" style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">From mapping natural resources\u2026<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">About a decade ago, IPIS initiated a program of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/home\/conflict-mapping\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">conflict mapping<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">through a <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/home\/conflict-mapping\/maps\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">series of static and interactive maps<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">about Central Africa in order to identify key parties and what drives them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">As an independent research center, IPIS contributed to the discussion on conflict minerals through the use of mobile data collection tools and extensive field research. For example, in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), IPIS visited more than 2700 artisanal mining sites and produced an interactive webmap to visualize <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/mapping-artisanal-mining-areas-mineral-supply-chains-eastern-drc\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">the link between natural resources and armed conflict in Eastern DRC<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">. By toggling on and off a few layers one can easily visualize how many of those sites were subjected to armed interference during their latest visit by our teams (<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/mapping\/webmapping\/drcongo\/v6\/#-1.6337379075538792\/28.25311979645221\/7.274079674991406\/4\/1,8\/4.1z\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">the answer is 884<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">By providing information and regular updates on socio-economic indicators of the artisanal mining sector, IPIS strives to contribute to more transparency and a better governance of resource rich countries such as DRC, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/mapping-artisanal-small-scale-mining-northwest-tanzania\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">Tanzania<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/artisanal-small-scale-mining-mapping-runde-rural-district-zimbabwe\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">Zimbabwe<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">and more recently the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/2020\/02\/mapping-asm-sites-central-african-republic-official-presentation-bangui\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">Central African Republic<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(CAR).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\" style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong>\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">To a better understanding of conflict drivers\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Using a similar methodology, IPIS has also mapped <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/everything-moves-will-taxed-political-economy-roadblocks-north-south-kivu\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">866 roadblocks operated by both regular forces and armed groups in North and South Kivu<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(DRC). These roadblocks are often used for the illegal taxation of trade and people. By visualizing the distribution of roadblocks along the major roads as well as the area of control of the main actors and key incidents (for example in <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/comprendre-la-spirale-de-la-violence-au-kasai\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">Central Kasa\u00ef in 2017<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">), IPIS static and interactive maps contributed to a better understanding of complex conflict situations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><em>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">IPIS maps are an integrated part of the research methodology and are used as a crucial source for analysis by IPIS researchers and its partners.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In CAR, IPIS combined the outcome of various research projects &#8211; the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/politics-pillage-political-economy-roadblocks-central-african-republic\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">political economy of roadblocks<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, the spatial distribution of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/central-african-republic-conflict-mapping\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">conflict events and areas of influence<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, as well as predation of armed groups on <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/2019\/05\/pastoralism-central-african-republic-conflict-new-ipis-research-launched\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">pastoralism<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">and <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/2019\/07\/mapping-asm-sites-central-african-republic-update-field-teams\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">natural resources<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"> \u2013 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">into various maps. These maps are not only used to illustrate findings but also serve as a primary source on which the analysis is based. As such, IPIS\u2019 GIS capacities are at the core of its practices and methodology as a research center.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"western\" style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong>\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">to support local peacebuilding initiatives<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In recent projects, IPIS has implemented <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>participative mapping and crowdsourcing tools<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> to support local and practical peace initiatives. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">In CAR, IPIS designed a database built from hundreds of face-to-face interviews and dozens of focus groups of pastoralists and villagers in order to better understand transhumance dynamics and related conflicts. This <a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/2019\/05\/pastoralism-central-african-republic-conflict-new-ipis-research-launched\/\">field knowledge<\/a> was converted into maps visualising former and recent pastoralist routes. The maps clearly demonstrated that in recent months herders started to avoid traditional paths of transhumance well known by local armed militias in order to evade taxation and violence. This led to an increase in local conflicts between villagers and farmers. When mapping the new roads of transhumance, IPIS highlighted that local markets are important nodes where herders sell their cows and buy farmed products. Quantitative data demonstrated the importance of exchanges of good between the two groups for their survival and that mediation and conflict resolution should target women from both sides (who have an history of trading at local markets) and butchers. The latter play a key role in remote villages and often speak multiple languages, in particular those spoken by the herders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In DRC, IPIS worked specifically on national parks and protected areas. In order to study the impact of artisanal mining and deforestation, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>IPIS used satellite imageries<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> and the eyes of dozens of Belgian volunteers. Through a series of<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u> <a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/home\/conflict-mapping\/maps\/mapathon\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">mapathons<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"> \u2013 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">short and coordinated mapping events during which a group of volunteers attempt to improve maps \u2013 IPIS contributed to the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.openstreetmap.org\/about\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">OpenStreetMap<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">project by geolocating buildings, artisanal mining sites and deforestation areas <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/okapi-wildlife-reserve-illegal-sourcing-gold-timber\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">within the Okapi Wildlife Reserve<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Ituri Forest.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In another project, IPIS developed an <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><b>SMS-based incident reporting mechanism<\/b><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> that allowed Congolese civil society organizations (CSO) <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/home\/conflict-mapping\/maps\/conflict-mapping-drc\/asm-incident-tracker\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">to report and monitor incidents in Eastern DRC<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">in a transparent, independent and participatory way. The system allows anyone to report incidents as described in <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Annex II of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/daf\/inv\/mne\/mining.htm\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">OECD Guidance on Responsible Minerals Sourcing<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">, such as mining related accidents, violence, child labor, environmental degradation, corruption, roadblocks, etc., in a free and anonymous way by sending an SMS to a Congolese phone number which automatically triggers a responsive questionnaire. The incidents are then organized in a geo-localized database accessible online by selected CSOs for review and follow-up with competent authorities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In the future, IPIS will continue to support local ownership and sustainable initiatives in the field of conflict analysis and peacebuilding. This translates concretely in the use of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/IPISResearch\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">Open Source technologies<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">and the release, whenever possible, of key datasets on our <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/home\/conflict-mapping\/maps\/open-data\/\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"fr-BE\">Open Data page<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">. As a key tool for the comprehension of complex conflict situations, static maps, interactive webmaps and participative GIS will continue to play a central role in IPIS research methodology which stands at the edge of academic and practitioner publications.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\" style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Alexandre Jaillon<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en-US\" style=\"text-align: justify;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">IPIS Researcher and GIS manager<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">FURTHER READING<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scidev.net\/sub-saharan-africa\/data\/news\/satellite-images-help-create-land-use-maps-in-villages.html\">Satellite images help create land use maps in villages<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 15 November 2019 | ScidevNet<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Using high-resolution satellite images to create land use plans could lead to economic development without depletion of natural resources in rural Tanzania, researchers say.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bworldonline.com\/denr-to-use-gis-based-mapping-to-settle-land-disputes-in-marawi\/\">Department of Environment and Natural Resources to use GIS-based mapping to settle land disputes in Marawi<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 8 July 2018 | BusinessWorld Online<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be using the geographic information system (GIS)-based mapping and information system to settle land disputes amid the government\u2019s efforts to rebuild war-torn Marawi City.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"http:\/\/news.trust.org\/item\/20180323160358-p5wkq\/\">Peace technology: A promising tool for preventing wars at reduced price<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 23 March 2018 | Thomson Reuters Foundation<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">From apps to help citizens avoid missiles and land mines to rumor tracking mobile-based services using SMS, peace technology is one promising tool to prevent conflict<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/journals\/international-organization\/article\/geographic-information-systems-gis-in-international-relations\/55A4048CF217E8053B49A8126E437960\">Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in International Relations <\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>| 2016 | International Organization (Journal)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are being applied with increasing frequency, and with increasing sophistication, in international relations and in political science more generally. Their benefits have been impressive: analyses that simply would not have been possible without GIS are now being completed, and the spatial component of international politics\u2014long considered central but rarely incorporated analytically\u2014has been given new emphasis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prio.org\/News\/Item\/?x=2009\">PRIO-GRID 2.0 Launches at grid.prio.org<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 9 November 2015 | Peace Research Institute Oslo<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The latest version of the PRIO-GRID is now available at grid.prio.org\u200b , featuring several new dimensions and types of data, making it one of the best standardized platforms for visualization and analysis of conflict data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/news\/2015\/05\/21\/students-put-gis-skills-to-use-on-social-justice-projects\/\">Students put GIS skills to use on social justice projects<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 21 May 2015 | UW Today<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Geography professor Sarah Elwood sits at the front of a University of Washington classroom on a recent afternoon, listening and making suggestions as students discuss the data challenges they\u2019re having.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2071-1050\/6\/5\/2435\/pdf\">Use of GIS Tools for Environmental Conflict Resolution at Map Ta Phut Industrial Zone in Thailand<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 2014 | Sustainability (Journal)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">This paper highlights the need for GIS-based environmental quality monitoring for guiding industrialization-based urban development towards sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\">GIS as a Tool for Territorial Negotiations<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 2000 | IBRU Boundary and Security Bulletin (Journal)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">This paper looks at how data relating to boundary functions might be collected, organised, analysed and displayed within a geographic informationsystem(GIS)aspartofterritorialnegotiations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">IN THE NEWS<\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">BUSINESS &amp; HUMAN RIGHTS<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/ai-blockchain-technology-to-rescue-modern-slaves\/a-52137018\">AI, Blockchain technology to rescue modern slaves<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 24 January 2020 | DW<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">For years people have been knowingly or unknowingly consuming goods made by millions of forced workers worldwide. Now, technology is forcing them to reflect on their choices by exposing their complicity in slavery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/frontpageafricaonline.com\/county-news\/charity-calls-on-uk-to-prosecute-british-companies-that-violate-human-rights-in-liberia\/\">Charity Calls on UK to Prosecute British Companies that Violate Human Rights in Liberia<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 23 January 2020 | Front Page Africa<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The United Kingdom should create a law that will compel British companies to respect human rights and environmental sustainability in countries they operate or be made to account for not doing so, a recent report by the charity Traidcraft Exchange is urging the government of that country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/series\/luanda-leaks\">Luanda Leaks<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | The Guardian<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2020\/jan\/19\/isabel-dos-santos-revealed-africa-richest-woman-2bn-empire-luanda-leaks-angola\">How Angolan ruler&rsquo;s daughter used her status to build $2bn empire<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 19 January 2020 | The Guardian<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/01\/19\/world\/africa\/isabel-dos-santos-angola.html\">How U.S. Firms Helped Africa\u2019s Richest Woman Exploit Her Country\u2019s Wealth<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0| 19 January 2020 | The New York Times<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icij.org\/investigations\/luanda-leaks\/how-africas-richest-woman-exploited-family-ties-shell-companies-and-inside-deals-to-build-an-empire\/\">How Africa\u2019s Richest Woman Exploited Family Ties, Shell Companies And Inside Deals To Build An Empire<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 19 January 2020 | ICIJ<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The complex financial schemes that helped Africa\u2019s richest woman amass a fortune at vast cost to the Angolan state can be revealed for the first time after a huge leak of confidential documents from her business empire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitecase.com\/publications\/insight\/bhr-benchmarks-2020\/business-case-understanding-human-rights-and-esg-benchmarks\">The business case for understanding human rights and ESG benchmarks<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 13 January 2020 | White &amp; Case LLP<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Some companies are skeptical about engaging with human rights and ESG benchmarking, because they question whether human rights and ESG disclosures and compliance have a direct economic effect on their bottom line. Some businesses and\/or legal counsel are wary about the potential for litigation targeting their statements on human rights commitments. On the other hand, a lack of disclosure on human rights and ESG issues poses risks\u2014as evidenced by the intense scrutiny, and in some cases litigation, that companies have faced around climate-related risks in the US, the UK and other countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"http:\/\/opiniojuris.org\/2020\/01\/13\/the-mighty-apple-google-tesla-dell-and-microsoft-in-the-dock-a-look-at-the-child-labour-lawsuit\/\">The Mighty Apple, Google, Tesla, Dell and Microsoft in \u201cthe dock\u201d \u2013 A Look At the Child Labour Lawsuit<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 13 January 2020 | Opinio Juris<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Apple, Google (through its parent company Alphabet, Inc), Dell, Microsoft and Tesla have been named as defendants in what could be a landmark case pertaining to the use of child labour in the mining of cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/news.wbfo.org\/post\/ugandan-farmers-take-french-oil-giant-game-changer-case-multinationals\">Ugandan farmers take on French oil giant in game-changer case for multinationals<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 10 January 2020 | WBFO<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Dorothy Mbabazi used to live comfortably as a vegetable farmer in western Uganda. The single mother of seven had 9 acres of land in the Buliisa region \u2014 nestled between Lake Albert and Murchison Falls National Park \u2014 and could afford good food, basic necessities and her children&rsquo;s school fees. Then Total SA came to town.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linklaters.com\/en\/insights\/blogs\/arbitrationlinks\/2020\/january\/the-hague-rules-on-business-and-human-rights-arbitration\">The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 6 January 2020 | Linklaters LLP<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">On 12 December 2019, the launch of The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration (the \u201cHague Rules\u201d) took place at the Peace Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands. As described in an earlier post, The Hague Rules provide a set of rules for arbitration in relation to business and human rights (\u201cBHR\u201d) disputes. A copy of the Hague Rules, including a commentary per provision and various model arbitration clauses, is available online.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">NATURAL RESOURCES<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/mg.co.za\/article\/2020-01-27-gold-miners-face-dangerous-life-in-nigerias-bandit-country\/\">Gold miners face dangerous life in Nigeria\u2019s \u2018bandit\u2019 country<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 27 January 2020 | Mail &amp; Guardian<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">From dawn, before the sun starts to sear the earth, Biltamnu Sani is already hard at work, pounding away at the dusty soil in his perilous quest for gold. The mineral-rich earth of Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, has provided generations of families with the means to make ends meet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/corbeaunews-centrafrique.com\/centrafrique-les-artisans-miniers-outilles-sur-les-bonnes-pratiques-en-matiere-de-lor-en-rca\/\">Centrafrique : Les artisans miniers outill\u00e9s sur les bonnes pratiques en mati\u00e8re de l\u2019or en RCA<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 26 January 2020 | Corbeau News<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Le projet droit de propri\u00e9t\u00e9 et Artisanat minier (DPAM) a apport\u00e9 une assistance au gouvernement de la R\u00e9publique centrafricaine dans le secteur minier artisanal. Du 15 au 16 janvier, le DPAM a organis\u00e9 un atelier de pr\u00e9sentation des travaux sur la cartographie de l\u2019or et formation CRAFT comme outil de devoir de diligence pour le secteur de l\u2019or artisanal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2020-01-16\/mining-companies-threaten-action-against-tanzania-over-new-law\">Mining Companies Threaten Action Against Tanzania Over New Law<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 16 January 2020 | Bloomberg<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Indiana Resources Ltd. threatened legal action against Tanzania for alleged breach of contract after the East African nation amended its mining law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-congo-mining\/congo-opens-chinese-owned-deziwa-copper-and-cobalt-mine-idUSKBN1ZE14G\">Congo opens Chinese-owned Deziwa copper and cobalt mine<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 15 January 2020 | Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The Democratic Republic of Congo\u2019s state mining company G\u00e9camines on Wednesday opened the Deziwa copper and cobalt mine and processing plant, part of a joint venture majority-owned by China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.energyvoice.com\/oilandgas\/africa\/217466\/new-oil-law-in-somalia-tests-uneasy-peace\/\">New oil law in Somalia tests uneasy peace<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 13 January 2020 | Energy Voice<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Somalia is taking steps to attract foreign investment to its energy sector but challenges remain, most notably in how the federal government can integrate its policies with those of the state governments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/deskeco.com\/2020\/01\/06\/le-groupe-dexperts-de-lonu-rapporte-une-fois-de-plus-limplication-de-certains-membres\">Le groupe d\u2019experts de l\u2019ONU rapporte une fois de plus l\u2019implication de certains membres des FARDC dans l\u2019exploitation ill\u00e9gale des ressources mini\u00e8res dans l\u2019Est de la RDC<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 6 January 2020 | Deskeco<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Dans son rapport publi\u00e9 le 20 d\u00e9cembre 2019 et adress\u00e9 \u00e0 la Pr\u00e9sidente du Conseil de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 de l\u2019ONU, le Groupe d\u2019experts sur la R\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du Congo est une fois de plus revenu sur l\u2019exploitation illicite des ressources naturelles du pays.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">ARMS TRADE<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/middle-east-online.com\/en\/qatar-ups-meddling-campaign-africa-0\">Qatar ups meddling campaign in Africa<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0| 26 January 2020 | Middle East Online<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Qatar is investing in a military and defence alliance with Turkey to further its influence in Africa, where the Gulf nation continues to meddle in an effort to pressure its Arab rivals. The Qatari regime has moved from a policy of denying accusations of funding terrorism and insurgency movements in a number of African countries to a resumption of offensive penetration in an effort to restore influence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"http:\/\/opiniojuris.org\/2020\/01\/23\/a-hard-sell-arms-export-licensing-and-international-responsibility-for-unlawful-arms-transfers-part-i\/\">A Hard Sell? Arms Export Licensing and International Responsibility for Unlawful Arms Transfers \u2013 Part I<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 23 January 2020 | Opinio Juris<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Domestic licensing procedures implementing the international legal obligation to ban weapons transfers that are likely to provide assistance to serious violations of international law have failed to do so. States continue to sell weapons where there is a voluminous record attesting to the buyer\u2019s structural inability to comply with key international legal principles, to their past record of serious violations of international law and thus to the eventuality that the arms sold will be used for the perpetuation of serious violations. What does it take, then, to bring about the revocation of such arms licenses, or hold to account the licensing authority or company benefiting therefrom? Thousands of arms are sold every day, but regrettably only spectacular conflicts, such as the one in Yemen, have helped bring some of the human consequences of such well-oiled supply chains to light.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"http:\/\/opiniojuris.org\/2020\/01\/14\/extraterritorial-obligations-of-arms-exporting-corporations-new-communication-to-the-icc\/\">Extraterritorial Obligations of Arms Exporting Corporations: New Communication to the ICC<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 14 January 2020 |Opinio Juris<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">On 11 December 2019, ECCHR together with a group of NGOs \u2013 Mwatana (Yemen), Rete Disarmo (Italy), Centre Del\u00e0s (Spain), the Campaign Against Arms Trade (UK) and Amnesty International Secretariat \u2013 submitted a communication to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) urging for the opening of a preliminary examination into the conduct of several European companies supplying weapons to the Saudi\/UAE-led coalition currently engaged in the armed conflict in Yemen. The communication alleges that fighter jets and other military equipment supplied by these companies were used in indiscriminate attacks against civilian objects since March 2015 which may have violated Articles 8(2)(c)(i), and 8(2)(e)(i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) of the Rome Statute of the ICC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trtworld.com\/opinion\/the-wagner-group-a-private-military-company-that-s-not-exactly-private-32840\">The Wagner Group: a private military company that&rsquo;s not exactly &lsquo;private&rsquo;<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 10 January 2020 | TRT World<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The Wagner Group is Putin&rsquo;s most potent weapon in advancing Russian policy objectives while maintaining plausible deniability. The so-called Libyan National Army, warlord Khalifa Haftar&rsquo;s force in Libya, yesterday refused to honour a ceasefire proposed by Turkey and Russia. Haftar&rsquo;s forces have been carrying out an offensive to capture Tripoli from the UN-backed Government of National Accord based in the capital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/publication\/arms-and-ammunitions-factories-in-africa\/\">Defence-related companies in Africa<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> (interactive map) | 1 January 2020 | IPIS vzw<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Africa\u2019s domestic defence industry remains relatively unknown. Therefore, the International Peace Information Service (IPIS) and Omega Research Foundation have compiled a database of the main entities comprising this industry, including companies that manufacture, assemble or maintain: arms and ammunition; aeronautical components; vehicles; as well as importing and management companies. This data has been mapped to give an overview of the industry\u2019s size and geographic layout.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"western\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">CONFLICT<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nation.co.ke\/news\/africa\/UN-rights-chief-says-most-DR-Congo-violations-by-state-agents\/1066-5434552-wgtas6z\/index.html\">UN rights chief says most DR Congo violations by state agents<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 28 January 2020 | AFP | Daily Nation<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">DR Congo&rsquo;s army and other agents of the state commit a majority of the rights violations in the conflict-wracked central African country, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.defenceweb.co.za\/security\/human-security\/conspiracy-jail-sentences-for-rwandan-opposition\/\">Conspiracy jail sentences for Rwandan opposition<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 27 January 2020 | DefenceWeb<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Six Rwandan opposition figures were jailed for seven to 12 years after being convicted of forming an illegal armed group and conspiring against government, state radio reported.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.crisisgroup.org\/africa\/central-africa\/democratic-republic-congo\/b150-averting-proxy-wars-eastern-dr-congo-and-great-lakes\">Averting Proxy Wars in the Eastern DR Congo and Great Lakes<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 23 January 2020 | International Crisis Group<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Three Great Lakes states \u2013 Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda \u2013 are trading charges of subversion, each accusing another of sponsoring rebels based in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Outside powers should help the Congolese president resolve these tensions, lest a lethal multi-sided melee ensue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/thedefensepost.com\/2020\/01\/22\/burkina-faso-volunteers-defence-fatherland-vdp\/\">Burkina Faso to recruit and arm volunteers to protect communities from militants<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 22 January 2020 | DefensePost<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Burkina Faso\u2019s parliament on Tuesday, January 21 unanimously adopted a law allowing for the recruitment of Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP) \u2013 local volunteers who will act as auxiliaries in the fight against militants.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/actualite.cd\/index.php\/2020\/01\/22\/sud-kivu-traques-par-les-fardc-les-rebelles-rwandais-du-cnrd-se-retranchent-kasika-et\">Sud-Kivu: traqu\u00e9s par les FARDC, les rebelles rwandais du CNRD se retranchent \u00e0 Kasika et pillent les champs des autochtones<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 22 January 2020 | actualite.cd<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Mis sous pression par l\u2019offensive des Forces arm\u00e9es de la RDC (FARDC), des rebelles hutu rwandais du Conseil national pour la renaissance et la d\u00e9mocratie (CNRD), une dissidence des Forces d\u00e9mocratiques de lib\u00e9ration du Rwanda FDLR), se sont install\u00e9s \u00e0 Kasika dans le territoire de Kalehe (Sud-Kivu). D\u2019apr\u00e8s certains t\u00e9moignages, ils s\u2019adonnent aux pillages des champs de la population locale.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/allafrica.com\/stories\/202001210706.html\">Tanzania: Human Rights Lawyer Detained in &lsquo;Outrageous&rsquo; Attempt to Silence Government Critics<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 21 January 2020 |Amnesty International | AllAfrica<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">The ongoing detention of the human rights lawyer Tito Elia Magoti and his co-accused Theodory Giyani is an &lsquo;outrageous&rsquo; attempt to silence government critics by keeping them behind bars, said Amnesty International, as the men were arraigned in court today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/chimpreports.com\/looting-is-part-of-war-gen-sejusa-speaks-out-on-updf-congo-escapade\/\">Looting Is Part of War \u2013 Gen Sejusa Speaks Out on UPDF Congo Escapade<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 20 January 2020 | Chimpreports<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Former Head of Uganda\u02bcs Military Intelligence Gen David Sejusa has come out to defend the Uganda People\u02bcs Defense Forces (UPDF) which stands accused of plundering natural resources from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/news\/en\/press-room\/20200109IPR69910\/human-rights-breaches-in-nigeria-and-burundi\">Human rights breaches in Nigeria and Burundi<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 16 January 2020 | European Parliament<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted two resolutions taking stock of the human rights and rule of law situation in Nigeria and Burundi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/allafrica.com\/stories\/202001150003.html\">Africa: Human Rights Violations and Violence &#8211; The Continent&rsquo;s 11 Hotspots<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 15 January 2020 | AllAfrica<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Eleven African nations are highlighted in a major annual report on human rights as places where violations of citizens&rsquo; rights were accompanied by insurgencies, domestic conflict or inter-communal violence in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/corbeaunews-centrafrique.com\/rca-memorandum-des-groupes-armes-aux-garants-de-laccord-politique-pour-la-paix-et-la-reconciliation-en-republique-centrafricaine-appr-rca\/\"><span lang=\"fr-FR\">Memorandum des groupes arm\u00e9s aux garants de l&rsquo;accord politique pour la paix et la r\u00e9conciliation en R\u00e9publique Centrafricaine (APPR-RCA)<\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> <span lang=\"fr-FR\">|<\/span><span lang=\"fr-FR\"> 14 January 2020 <\/span><span lang=\"fr-FR\">|<\/span><span lang=\"fr-FR\"> Communiqu\u00e9 de Presse FPRC\/UPC\/FPC <\/span><span lang=\"fr-FR\">| Corbeau News<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p lang=\"fr-FR\"><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">En date du 16 d\u00e9cembre 2019, nous vous avons adress\u00e9 une lettre dans laquelle nous vous avons exprim\u00e9 nos inqui\u00e9tudes et pr\u00e9occupations quant \u00e0 la mise en \u0153uvre de l\u2019APPR-RCA et propos\u00e9, en vertu de l\u2019article 34 de l\u2019APPR-RCA, la convocation d\u2019une r\u00e9union de concertation avec le gouvernement afin de trouver ensemble des solutions idoines aux probl\u00e8mes qui freinent la mise en \u0153uvre de l\u2019APPR-RCA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/EN\/NewsEvents\/Pages\/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25459&amp;LangID=E\">Inter-ethnic violence in Ituri may constitute \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d \u2013 UN report<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 10 January 2020 | UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Killings, rapes and other forms of violence targeting the Hema community in the Democratic Republic of Congo province of Ituri may amount to crimes against humanity, a UN report released on Friday said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a class=\"western\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2020\/01\/06\/burkina-faso-armed-islamist-atrocities-surge\">Burkina Faso: Armed Islamist Atrocities Surge<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> | 6 January 2020 | Human Rights Watch<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Armed Islamist groups in Burkina Faso have committed targeted attacks and summary executions that have killed over 250 civilians since April 2019, Human Rights Watch said today. Witnesses said that assailants sought to justify killings by linking victims to the government, the West, or Christian beliefs. A surge in attacks in recent months have caused hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business &amp; Human Rights and arms trade.\u00a0 Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS&rsquo; areas of research. In focus: GIS4Peace, from desk research to field implementation. In the news: Congolese [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":9244,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"publication-author":[],"publication-gis":[],"briefing-category":[7051],"publication-editor":[],"narrative":[],"class_list":["post-9213","weekly-briefing","type-weekly-briefing","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","briefing-category-ipis-briefing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>IPIS Briefing January 2020 - Focus on GIS4Peace - IPIS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/weekly-briefing\/ipis-briefing-january-2020-focus-gis4peace\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IPIS Briefing January 2020 - Focus on GIS4Peace\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business &amp; Human Rights and arms trade.\u00a0 Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS&rsquo; areas of research. 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