The independent resource on global security

Backgrounders

Arms transfers to conflict zones: The case of Nagorno-Karabakh

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated in 2020 into a six-week war in which an estimated 5700 people died.

Why United Nations peace operations cannot ignore climate change

On 23 February the United Nations (UN) Security Council will hold an open session on the topic of climate change and security. The security implications of climate change are highly diverse, crossing and linking different sectors of society.

Reassessing SIPRI’s military expenditure estimate for the United Kingdom

In November 2020, in the midst of the ‘second wave’ of COVID-19 and despite a projected

European Union sanctions on North Korea: Balancing non-proliferation with the humanitarian impact

The international sanctions regime against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea, DPRK) is the strongest and most comprehensive set of sanctions currently in effect against any one country.

Autocracy is on the rise: Should we expect military spending to follow?

Autocracies are once again the global majority.

Starve nuclear weapons to death with a tritium freeze

A freeze on the production of tritium is a different way to manage disarmament that will gradually bring an end to nuclear weapons.

The impact of COVID-19 on critical global food supply chains and food security

A full account of the human consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, beyond the immediate health effects, remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the global economic recession and physical, economic and social disruption are being borne by the most vulnerable.

Achieving peace and development in Central Mali: Looking back on one year of SIPRI’s work

This Topical Backgrounder is based on the results and activities of the first year of project implementation. It presents the main research findings for each of the indices, namely security, governance and socio-economic development, and the conclusions highlight four key evidence-based recommendations that could help strengthen current stabilization efforts and pave the way to sustainable peace in the two regions.

The European Green Deal: A chance to promote a people-centred take on climate security

Announced in December 2019, the European Green Deal (EGD) sets out Europe’s new growth strategy with the aim of transforming the now 27-country bloc from a high- to a low-carbon economy in order to reach zero net emissions by the year 2050.

Mali: Fragmented territorial sovereignty and contested political space

On Friday 5 June 2020, the opposition to the regime proved its capacity for mass mobilization raising the fundamental question of the capacity of the regime to deal with the multiple challenges and, more generally, the ability of the Malian state to regain its sovereignty, which is fragmented, under international control and constantly disputed by domestic actors.