The problems of donor coordination and horizontal integration in Haiti are well documented. The research project I am involved in, which focuses on Vertical Integration in Peacebuilding, hopes to shed some light on an overlooked relationship between local, grassroots efforts at community violence reduction and a distinctly top-down, UN-led police reform process (itself a peacebuilding project on a country-wide scale).
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Since the death of the incumbent President Malam Bacai Sanhá on January 9 2012, the small African nation of Guinea-Bissau has been in turmoil. In accordance with the constitution, elections began following the president’s death, with Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior winning the first round. On April 12 ahead of the second round, elements of the Guinea-Bissauan armed forces staged a coup arresting Gomes Junior and seized government assets.
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Six years since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed, Nepal remains mired in a political impasse with no obvious solution in sight. Deadlines for producing a constitution have been extended one after another for the last six years. The government is under serious political strain with its major parties quibbling against each other on issues of federalism and reintegration.
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Even though the 18-month long civil war in Syria shows no signs of abating, many are wondering what will occur should the Assad regime collapse. Under this premise, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), in partnership with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), recently brought together 45 opposition representatives from Syria to discuss and define unified goals for a democratic transition in a post-Assad order.
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The issue of violence around elections is as prevalent as ever. Venezuela and Georgia recently went through contentious elections and emerged unscathed. Kenya may yet face similar fears in their upcoming elections, especially with recent outbreaks of violence from disaffected youth gangs. What are global leaders doing to deal with security and elections?
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