The Ukraine war, environmental destruction and the question of ecocide
October 17, 2023Arms Trade Bulletin: September – October 2023 Early September, controversy erupted due to the US delivery of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition to Ukraine as part of their latest $175 million military aid package, including the M1A1 Abrams tanks. Despite the US following the UK’s example, which had already sent DU ammunitions, this is the second controversial US arms delivery since the
Reimagining Western engagement: New strategies for stability in the Sahel are underway
July 12, 2023On 29 September 2022, IPIS organised a panel discussion on the implications of the Ukraine invasion for Russia-Africa relations. The discussion touched upon shifting power balances, the role of Russian mercenaries and the impact of the war in Ukraine on the African and global diamond industry. Nowhere are these evolutions better reflected than in the Sahel, a region stretching from Seneg
Where would Ukraine’s “wings for freedom” be flying to?
February 24, 2023Arms Trade Bulletin: January – February 2023 Today marks the first year of Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine, and with a Russian spring offensive in sight, Kyiv is requesting ever more offensive weapons from NATO countries. From the very outset of the war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has been maintaining a proverbial shopping list that included NATO-standard weapons. Despite initial
Why M23 is not your average rebel group
February 6, 2023Ce briefing est également disponible en français The past year saw some major changes in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has been ravaged by armed groups for decades. One group in particular rose to the forefront, the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23). The objectives of M23 are perched at the intersection of local, national and regional power interests as w
Africa and the Arms Trade, 2022
December 19, 2022Arms Trade Bulletin October – December 2022 The past year has seen many geopolitical shifts from the war in Ukraine, anti-French sentiments in the Sahel and Xi’s increasing influence on China and the world stage. These geopolitical shifts cannot be separated from the international arms trade. For instance, the world’s second-largest exporter of major conventional arms, Russia, is heading for an es
IPIS Briefing December 2021 – January 2022: Grievances, Governance and Gold in the eastern DRC
February 1, 2022The IPIS briefing offers a selection of articles, news and updates on natural resources, armed conflict, Business & Human Rights and arms trade. Every month, an editorial and related publications shed a light on a specific topic in IPIS’ areas of research. In focus: Grievances, Governance and Gold in the eastern DRC. In the news: DRC: 51 people sentenced to death over 2017 murder of two UN ex
