Policy Papers - March 14, 2006
Commercial Security in Humanitarian and Post-Conflict Settings: An Exploratory Study
James Cockayne
This exploratory study begins to describe the decentralized, ad hoc use of commercial security in these settings, in an attempt to provoke the further research and discussion needed before these questions can be adequately answered.
Senior managers of organizations operating in humanitarian and postconflict settings currently lack understanding of the legal, reputational, operational and strategic risks associated with using commercial security. Analysis of these risks has been hindered by user embarrassment and sensitivity to negative publicity, concerns over proprietary information, users' preference for focusing attention on state incapacity rather than private capacity, and users' reticence to comment on peer groups.
The study involved forty-four interviews with senior officials, describing their organizations' relations with commercial security providers. It deals with a wide variety of users and providers, while highlighting common themes and previously obscured fault lines.
The Global Observatory
One Year Later, Egypt's Future Remains Uncertain
One year after the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, there is waning hope that Egypt is undergoing a democratic transformation.
Key Global Events in February
A list of key upcoming meetings and events with implications for global affairs.
The Global Observatory is a new website by IPI, providing timely analysis on peace and security issues, interviews with leading policymakers, interactive maps, and more.
Contact Us
Adam Lupel | Publications
E-mail
Recent Events
January 26, 2012
Kai Eide: Peace Can Only Be Made By Afghans
“There is no other way. The United States, or NATO, or anybody else international, cannot make peace in Afghanistan,” Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan from March 2008-2010, told an IPI policy forum on January 26, 2012. “We can address some of the components perhaps, but peace in Afghanistan can only be made by the Afghans themselves, and therefore the Afghan government has to be brought on board.”
January 20, 2012
Moreno-Ocampo: "I Follow Evidence, Not Politics"
“I follow evidence. I’m a criminal prosecutor, I’m not a political analyst,” Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), told an IPI policy forum on January 20, 2012. Mr. Moreno-Ocampo was responding to a question about why the court prosecutes certain people and not others. “Maybe you don’t like it, but I will not prosecute people for political reasons.”
January 18, 2012
Settling International Disputes: Lessons from the Åland Islands
This two-panel event entitled “Settling International Disputes: Lessons from the Past, Challenges for the Future,” marked the 90th anniversary of the historic settlement of the Åland Islands question.
Latest News
January 23, 2012
A Quiet Diplomat for Challenging Times
January 22, 2012
Al-Shabaab Fears Political Agenda in Western Aid Says IPI's John Hirsch
January 13, 2012
IPI Initiative: Cops Without Borders