In this episode of the Warpod we combine two interviews. In the first, we speak to Samantha Crompvoets from the research company, Rapid Context and discuss what the UK can learn from the Brereton inquiry into abuses by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. In the second we speak to Malte Riemann and Norma Rossi, from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and discuss how the increased use of private military contractors has impacted society. Through both interviews we explore how the changing character of conflict – and the use of special forces or private military contractors – challenges how we understand and more important how we oversee the use of force abroad. All the guests agreed on the need for more transparency and accountability so we can check bad strategy and stop any harm that our states do in our name. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld.

WarPod

Saferworld’s Warpod episode 7: Special Forces, Private Military Security Contractors and Remembrance

In this episode of the Warpod, we pair with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century (PS21) to discuss whether no intervention would be better than the current interventions in the Sahel. Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are joined by: Ornella Moderan, Head of Sahel Programme at the Institute for Security Studies in Bamako and Nina Wilen, Africa Director at Egmont Institute in Brussels. They discuss recent developments in the region, including the ‘double coup’ in Mali, the assassination of President Déby in Chad and the attempted coup in Niger. They also consider how the many international actors involved in the region, including the EU, the UN, France and the UK, should change their approach. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld.

Saferworld’s Warpod episode 6: Recalibrating external missions to the Sahel: Is no intervention better than these interventions

In this bonus episode of the Warpod, we pair with Chatham House’s Undercurrents podcast to discuss security forces in Nigeria and the role played by young people in trying to bring about change. The episode is broken into two halves. Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are first joined by Tarela Ike from Teesside University and Odeh Friday from Accountability Lab. They discuss the problems with responses to Boko Haram in the North East of the country and the recent EndSars movement. In her half, Amrit Swali, project coordinator in the International Security Programme at Chatham House, speaks to Mariam Haruna, a member of Chatham House’s Common Futures Conversation, and Tolu Oni, a member of Chatham House’s Panel of Young Advisers, about their experiences of the EndSARS movement in 2020, the role of social media in the protests, and how to move towards sustainable change in policing structures. The episode can also be listened to on the Chatham House website, here: https://undercurrents.libsyn.com/ Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld.

Saferworld’s Warpod (bonus) episode 5: The impact of #EndSARS? (with Undercurrents)

In the fourth episode of the Warpod, Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are joined by: Wayne David, Shadow Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Lewis Brooks, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at Saferworld and Dr Kate Ferguson is Co-Executive Director and co-founder of the human rights NGO Protection Approaches. They discuss their takeaways from the UK Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, including reflecting on the gap between rhetoric and reality on conflict and atrocity prevention. Wayne also lays out the plans for Labour’s own foreign policy review and Lewis and Kate explain how this review could avoid some of the same mistakes as the Integrated Review.

Warpod episode 4: The Integrated Review and Labour’s Foreign Policy Review

In the third episode of WarPod, Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are joined by Sarah Kreps, Director of the Cornell Tech Policy Lab, and Maysa Ismael from Airwars. In the episode, we discuss why and how the secrecy surrounding warfare has increased. Sarah and Maysa explain what this secrecy may mean for discussing the true risks of contemporary conflict and why Western publics and parliaments often fail to understand these risks. This episode was recorded before the Integrated Review was published and discusses how it should incorporate the protection of civilians. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld.

Saferworld’s WarPod episode 3: Understanding the cost of conflict

Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are joined by Roy Isbister and Elizabeth Kirkham from Saferworld’s Arms Unit, and the Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood. Tobias Ellwood reflects on these issues from his perspective as Chair of the Defence Committee and member of the Committees on Arms Export Controls. The group discusses the history of UK leadership on the arms trade, including its role in developing the Arms Trade Treaty, and how the UK’s reputation is being unravelled by the devastating impact of arms sales to Saudi Arabia on the people of Yemen. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld.

Saferworld’s Warpod episode 2: Global Britain and the arms trade

Saferworld is excited to announce that the Warpod podcast has joined Saferworld. This first episode examines the biggest security threats facing the world and what policies we should develop to make the world a safer place.  Its host, Saferworld’s Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator, Abigail Watson will be joined by: Larry Attree, Head of Global Policy and Advocacy at Saferworld Abdijalil Tahir, Policy, Advocacy and Communications Manager for Somalia and Somaliland at Saferworld Delina Goxho, an independent analyst and usually co-host of the podcast Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld.

Launch at Saferworld: Challenges facing global peace and security

Delina Goxho and Abigail Watson speak to Jack Watling, from RUSI, and Erica Gaston, from the Global Public Policy institute, about support relationships, partnerships and proxies. In particular, they discuss Jack and Nick Reynold's book "War by Others' Means: Delivering Effective Partner Force Capacity Building" and Erica's work on U.S.-Iran Proxy Competition in Iraq.  Further Reading: U.S.-Iran Proxy Competition in Iraq by Erica Gaston, Douglas Ollivant in New America, https://www.newamerica.org/international-security/reports/us-iran-proxy-competition-iraq/  War by Others' Means: Delivering Effective Partner Force Capacity Building, RUSI, https://rusi.org/publication/whitehall-papers/war-others-means-delivering-effective-partner-force-capacity-building  No Such Thing as a Quick Fix: The Aspiration-Capabilities Gap in British Remote Warfare by Emily Knowles and Abigail Watson, https://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/no-such-thing-as-a-quick-fix-the-aspiration-capabilities-gap-in-british-remote-warfare Fusion Doctrine in Five Steps: Lessons Learned from Remote Warfare in Africa by Abigail Watson and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen, https://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/fusion-doctrine-in-five-steps-lessons-learned-from-remote-warfare-in-africa Music by BenSound Image credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff/ Flickr Creative Commons 

WarPod #21 | Partnerships or proxies? The risks of arming and training others

In a special series of podcasts, we talk with people involved in the development and evolution of ORG from its early days. In this episode, we‘ll be joined by Oliver Ramsbotham, Emeritus Professor at Bradford University and a Senior Advisor to Oxford Research Group's Strategic Peacebuiding Programme. We discuss Professor Ramsbotham’s work with Oxford Research Group, particularly his role in developing Collective Strategic Thinking, an approach that has heavily influenced the work of the Strategic Peacebuilding Programme in Yemen and Israel-Palestine. Music by Bensound About the discussants Oliver Ramsbotham is Emeritus Professor at Bradford University and a Senior Advisor to Oxford Research Group's Strategic Peacebuiding Programme Alasdair McKay is Senior Editor at Oxford Research Group Abigail Watson is Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld

A Story of ORG: Oliver Ramsbotham

In a special series of podcasts ORG talks to people involved in the development and evolution of ORG from its early days. In this episode ORG interview Gabrielle Rifkind, a senior advisor to the Oxford Research Group’s Strategic Peacebuilding Programme, which she founded as the Middle East Programme in 2002. She is now the Director of Oxford Process. Today we will discuss her impressive career in preventive diplomacy - and, in particular, her crucial role in the development of Oxford Research Group’s Middle East Programme. Music by Bensound  About the discussants  Gabrielle Rifkind is Director of Oxford Process. Alasdair McKay is Senior Editor at Oxford Research Group  Abigail Watson is Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld  

A Story of ORG: Gabrielle Rifkind

In a special series of podcasts, ORG talks with people involved in the development and evolution of ORG in its early days. In this episode, ORG interviews Dr. Scilla Ellworthy, who founded ORG in 1982 and was its Executive Director until 2003. After ORG she founded Peace Direct and undertook extensive research into peace and security, her most recent book is the Business Plan for Peace: Building a World Without War. We will discuss the founding of ORG, how its ideals have defined Scilla’s subsequent work, and her most recent book. Music by Bensound About the discussants Scilla Elworthy is Director of A Business Plan for Peace and the Founder of Oxford Research Group.  Alasdair McKay is Senior Editor at Oxford Research Group Abigail Watson – Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld

A Story of ORG: Scilla Elworthy

In a special series of podcasts we talk with people involved in the development and evolution of ORG from its early days. In this episode, ORG interviews Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University and a Oxford Research Group's Senior Fellow in International Security. We  discuss his impressive career in the field of international security and in particular, his crucial role in the development of the Oxford Research Group. Music by BenSound About the discussants Paul Rogers is Oxford Research Group's Senior Fellow in International Security and Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford. Alasdair Mckay is Senior Editor at Oxford Research Group Abigail Watson – Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld 

A Story of ORG: Paul Rogers

As Covid-19 reshapes the world and Britain begins its Integrated Defence and Security Review, what does the word “security” really mean in 2020 – and what structures, skills and mindsets are necessary to achieve it. This PS21 virtual panel examines those questions, as well as how the UK can balance geopolitics, human rights and fast changing technology to survive and thrive in an increasingly messy, complex century. Speakers Aditi Gupta (Moderator) – All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, on the board for Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security UK Abigail Watson – Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld Josh Arnold-Forster – Defence consultant and former Special Adviser to UK Defence Secretary John Reid Emma Salisbury – PhD candidate at Birbeck College specialising in emerging technology and the military-industrial complex.

PS21 Event Podcast: What Does “Security” Mean in 2020?

Abigail Watson is joined by Camilla Molyneux and Mark Godwin-Hudson to discuss the Overseas Operations Bill.  Music by Bensound Abigail Watson is Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld. Camilla Molyneux is a research consultant and policy advisor at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, with a focus on sustainable security, civilian protection in armed conflict and parliamentary scrutiny over the use of force.  Mark Goodwin-Hudson is a former British Army officer and head of the NATO civilian casualty investigation and mitigation team in 2016.  

Dissecting the Overseas Operations Bill

Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen is joined by Ewan Lawson, an ORG Fellow, and Save the Children's Amanda Brydon to discuss the importance of incorporating a strong focus of the protection of civilians into UK policy and how this may factor in the forthcoming Integrated Review.  Further Reading Forging a New Path: Prioritising the Protection of Civilians in the UK’s Response to Conflict Questions for the Integrated Review #3: How Should the UK Measure Success? Questions for the Integrated Review #2: How to Engage: Deep and Narrow or Wide and Shallow? Questions for the Integrated Review: #1 How Do We Define Security? The UK Strategy on Protection of Civilians: Insights for the Review Process Music by BenSound Image credit: UNMISS. 

WarPod Ep #20 | Incorporating the Protection of Civilians into UK Policy

Official podcast of Oxford Research Group's Remote Warfare Programme.