Remote Warfare Podcast

With a new Labour government in power after the UK’s 2024 General Election, what does the future hold for the UK’s Integrated Security Fund (UK ISF)?   The UK ISF is a cross-government fund designed to address UK national security challenges, with a budget of approx. £1 billion. The idea of such a fund began in 2001 when a previous Labour government introduced the Conflict Pool, which evolved in 2015 to become the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), and evolved again in 2023 to become the UK Integrated Security Fund. It supports a wide range of projects around the world, from training overseas security forces to high-level dialogue between geopolitical rivals; and from supporting women’s rights organisations to tackle gender-based violence, to involvement in de-mining initiatives.   In this episode, we speak to Dr Gaurav Saini, co-founder of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research (CSDR), a think tank based in New Delhi, India. We also hear from Lewis Brooks, Saferworld’s UK Policy and Advoca

With the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) set to withdraw and the al-Shabaab insurgency still posing a very real threat, how can the Somali security sector address some of the challenges facing the region?  In this episode of Warpod, we speak with regional security analyst and Somalia security expert Samira Gaid alongside Saferworld’s Country Director for Somalia Ali Hersi. We discuss the security challenges that Somali citizens and civil society organisations face, we look at some of problems with the coordination between international actors that have been undermining peacebuilding efforts, and at the importance of investing in community reconciliation and dialogue to address security challenges in the long term. 

Our conversation with Olivia O’Sullivan and Christine Cheng was so interesting that it ended up being too long to fit into one episode. This shorter bonus episode focuses on how the next UK government might approach US and EU relationships.  If you haven’t listened to the full episode, you can do by clicking here or searching for Ep#5 How are UK political parties thinking about security policy?  Olivia O'Sullivan is the Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House and contributor to their podcast, Independent Thinking. Christine Cheng is a senior lecturer in War Studies at King's College London.  Saferworld, as a registered charity, is not politically affiliated in any way and is both politically neutral and impartial.  Please note – the views, perspectives and opinions expressed in this podcast episode are those of the guests and do not necessarily represent the views of Saferworld as an organisation. 

The UK’s place in the world is changing, and so is the nature of the conflict around the world. With new risks and developing dynamics pulling policymakers and politicians in different directions, we spoke to great guests.   Olivia O'Sullivan is the Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House and contributor to their podcast Independent Thinking.   Christine Cheng is senior lecturer in War Studies at King's College London.  Our discussion gives insight into how UK political parties approach security policy making and the various challenges they face. We cover the ways in which the UK’s major parties would respond to current conflicts and crises, the areas of consensus between their approaches, the difficulties in communicating foreign policy and security challenges to domestic populations, and the potential reorientation of the UK’s foreign policy under a prospective Labour government. We also spoke about the role of foreign policy and commentary on it in the upcoming UK election

In this episode, we explore the future of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping and the role of the African Union (AU) in peace operations with three guests:  Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, the representative for California’s 51st District and a member of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee, where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa;   David Haeri from the UN Department of Peace Operations, where he leads a division responsible for policy evaluation and training issues;   Dr Linda Darkwa, Senior Research Fellow at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy at the University of Ghana and the coordinator for the Training for Peace Programme, where she works with the AU Commission.  Our guests talk about the challenges involved in the protection of civilians, the importance of due diligence in safeguarding human rights, the threats posed by unconstitutional changes of government and geopolitical security, and the need for flexible ways of addressing emerging cha

In this episode, we explore the role of the European Union in the research, development and joint production of arms and military equipment.     Unlike other industrial policy areas such as commercial trade, decisions around arms production and export have traditionally been held solely by individual EU member states – linked closely to their sovereignty and national defence ambitions. However, in recent years and especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, we have started to see this dynamic shift, with the ramping up of joint research and development projects and collective efforts to provide military equipment to Ukraine. With this shift accelerating, can the EU’s oversight and accountability mechanisms keep up?     To unpack this question, we speak to Hannah Neumann, a Member of the European Parliament who sits on the Security and Defence Committee and chairs the delegation for relations with the Arabian Peninsula, where the issue of arms exports is often debated.  

In this second part of our discussion with Lord Peter Ricketts and Nargis Kassenova, we take a deeper look at some of the security policy change we’ve seen in recent years, and at wider patterns of geopolitical competition and alliances. We also discuss how interventions by some major players in the region have created unreliable and inconsistent security partnerships, which in some cases has eroded trust and undermined their broader strategic aims.  Lord Peter Ricketts is a former British diplomat of 40 years who was the UK’s first National Security Adviser and who now chairs the European Affairs Committee in the House of Lords. Nargis Kassenova is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Programme on Central Asia at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.  If you’ve not listened to part one of this discussion, you can find it here.

The world is more dangerous now than ever, with worrying upward trends in the estimated number of civilians being killed in conflicts around the world, and rising challenges posed by climate change, new technologies, disinformation and upcoming elections.   To open our new series of Warpod, we look at the trends shaping contemporary security policy, at what’s changed and what hasn’t since our last episodes, and at some of the different approaches being taken to address the challenges facing the world today.   To help us do this, we've interviewed two experts:  Lord Peter Ricketts, a former British diplomat of 40 years who was the UK’s first national security adviser and who now chairs the European Affairs Committee in the House of Lords.   Nargis Kassenova, a Senior Fellow and Director of the Programme on Central Asia at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.  The discussion with our guests has been split into two parts. In this first episode our guests identify the R

Every day, civilians suffer in violent conflicts attacked by armed forces, militias and rebel groups. These attacks have left many dead or injured, and caused millions to be forcibly displaced. However, most attempts to address these issues are done by influencing conflict parties to cease attacks on civilians, instead of enhancing the protection of civilians in places affected by violent conflict. In this episode, we discuss the Global Public Policy Institute’s report on preventive protection efforts that hinder future harms rather than mitigating the effects of past violations, “The logic of protection approaches: Four models to safeguard civilians from harm”, and what can be done to increase protection of civilian, using examples from Iraq. We are joined by: Julia Steets, Director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, Germany. Zmkan Ali, Research Director at the Institute of Regional and International Studies at the American University in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Please note the views and o

Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, violent conflict had been ongoing since 2014 in part of Ukraine’s eastern regions, the Donbas. In this episode, we discuss Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi)’s study on Ukrainian perspectives on peace, specifically the two groups that have been severely impacted by the conflict: veterans of the Donbas and internally displaced people residing in eastern Ukraine. We also talk about how the lessons and recommendations from this study stand up to the realities of the current conflict in Ukraine. To discuss this, our hosts are joined by: Julia Friedrich, a research fellow at the GPPi in Berlin and author of the study ““What should we have to say about it?” Perspectives on Peace in Eastern Ukraine”. Oleksiy Malnyk, Co-Director of Foreign Relations and International Security Programmes at the Razumkov Centre, Kiev. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not necessarily the views

In this episode of Warpod, we discuss the biggest challenge that feminist and women's rights organisations and movements face: funding. With 99 per cent of gender-related aid failing to reach them directly, there is a critical need for flexible, core and direct funding for women's rights organisations in places affected by conflict. To discuss the issue, our hosts Jessica Summers and Delina Goxho are joined by: Anna Tazita Samuel, Executive Director at Women for Change in South Sudan Mfreke Nziba, Project Manager from the Coalition for the Promotion of Gender Justice in Nigeria Buthaina Al-Selwi, Programme Manager from Hodeidah Girls Foundation in Yemen Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not necessarily the views or opinions of Saferworld. #womensrights #feminism #aid #donor

In this Warpod episode, we look at the concept of stabilisation. What does it mean? What challenges does it bring? And how should we tackle these challenges? To answer these questions and discuss ‘doing’ stabilitation strategies in places such as Afghanistan and the Sahel, our hosts Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are joined by two experts: Philipp Rotmann, Director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin Jordan Kane, an analyst specializing in policy and aid effectiveness, governance, conflict, and military assistance Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not necessarily the views or opinions of Saferworld. #stabilisation #Sahel #Afghanistan #militarystrategies

“Peace is not a technical process. Peace is deeply political.” In this episode, we explore new perspectives about what works when trying to stabilise countries troubled by long-lasting violence, crime and terrorism. What happens to societies when they’re affected by extreme violence and proscribed groups? What leads to (relative) success when building pathways to peace and security? What role do people, governments and civil society play? Using examples such as Colombia, Iraq, and Northern Ireland – our guests explore these hard questions and share lessons for what works in complex conflicts with difficult stabilisation dynamics. We are joined by: Larry Attree, independent researcher on peace and conflict issues Andrei Gomez-Suarez, Senior Research Fellow, the Centre for Religion, Reconciliation and Peace Rachel Kleinfeld, Senior Fellow, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; author, 'A Savage Order: How the world’s deadliest countries can forge a path to security' Please note the views and opinions

Many might not have heard a troubling story about 300 civilians massacred in Mali’s Moura village in early April 2022. Human Rights Watch called it "the worst single atrocity reported in Mali's decade-long armed conflict". Who carried out the attack? The answer appears to be Malian forces had help from private foreign soldiers from the Russian private-security firm Wagner. Reports of shadowy groups of mercenaries operating under the rubric of the Russian private military contractor Wagner operating around the world have trickled out for years but we still don't really know who Wagner are. In this episode we discuss Wagner and the rise of private military contractors. We look at how they operate and their impacts on peacebuilding efforts in conflict-affected areas. Our hosts are joined by: Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor at the School of Security Studies at King's College London, Royal College of Defence Studies. Adam Sandor, Post-Doctoral Researcher in Postcolonial Hierarchies in Peace and Conflict at t

Throughout 30 years of the previous regime in Sudan, women faced more oppression than ever before. During the 2018–2019 revolution, women and young people were the driving force of protests demanding freedom, peace and justice. After the military coup in October 2021, women were on the frontlines, protesting military rule. In addition to the current political complexity, Sudanese women are also facing economic and social challenges that make their journey to gender equality more difficult. This needs specific consideration from women's coalitions and organisations that work to make women’s voices heard and advocate for their rights. In this Warpod episode we talk to Reem Amr, a researcher focusing on women, peace and security, cyber bullying and feminism in Sudan, and an MA candidate at SOAS University of London. In this interview she reflects on Saferworld’s research on Sudanese women's coalitions in Eastern Sudan and Darfur. She also shares some practical ideas on how international organisations and donors

At the end of last year, US President Joe Biden hosted the virtual Summit for Democracy. It convened more than 100 countries to draw attention to rising authoritarianism. The summit looked at three themes: defending against authoritarianism, addressing and fighting corruption, and advancing respect for human rights. How well has the summit, and Biden’s democracy strategy more generally, prepared the US and its allies for tackling the most pressing threats to democracy today? And how has the US’ own two-decade fixation on countering-terrorism and violent extremist groups impacted global democracy? To ask these questions, and many more, we are joined by: Jason S. Calder, Head of Saferworld’s Washington office Derek Mitchel, President of the National Democratic Institute Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director, US and the Americas Programme; Dean, Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs at Chatham House Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contri

Over the last seven years, fighting between Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist groups has been responsible for substantial civilian harm in the region. As well as the use of conventional forces, there has been ‘hybrid warfare’. While the risks of conventional military forces on civilian populations are increasingly understood, we know much less about the risks posed by these hybrid tactics. In this episode we are joined by two experts who have been doing extensive research on ‘hybrid warfare’ to help us understand more. They are: Ewan Lawson, an independent researcher on defence and security issues Liza Baran, CIVIC Country Director for Ukraine Together we explore what hybrid threats are, what risks they pose to people in Ukraine and how Ukraine, the US and others can better respond to these threats. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not necessarily the views or opinions of Saferworld. #Ukraine #HybridThreat

Looking ahead to 2022, we think about issues that will define the future of conflict – including space, the arctic, climate change, and cyber – and how policymakers and practitioners need to adapt for them. Three guests join hosts, Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho. They are: James Rogers, Assistant Professor of War Studies at the University of Southern Denmark. Jennifer McArdle, Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. Anuradha Damale, Researcher at VERTIC and UK Director of Women of Colour Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS) Together we explore how future trends are misunderstood, how they will affect the future of conflict and what we should do about them. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not necessarily the views or opinions of Saferworld. #arctic #space #military #conflict #defence #drones #futureofwar #industry

In the eighth and final episode of Warpod's special series ‘Reckoning with 9/11’, our hosts Larry Attree and Delina Goxho ask three experts whether the 9/11 paradigm is here to stay, or the world is now ready to move on. We talk to: Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, law professor at both Queen's University in Belfast and the University of Minnesota, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering extremism. Tom Parker, is a former counter-terror officer at the British Security Service MI5 and the author of ‘Avoiding The Terrorist Trap: Why Respect For Human Rights Is The Key To Defeating Terrorism’ Rosa Brooks, Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Law and Policy at Georgetown University, and author of ‘How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything’ This special Warpod series ‘Reckoning with 9/11’ is created by Saferworld with support from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and produced by the Podcast Company. Please note the views and

In the seventh episode of Warpod's special series ‘Reckoning with 9/11’, our hosts Larry Attree and Delina Goxho ask three experts about how 9/11 “came home” and impacted on the laws, freedoms and ideals of the U.S. and other Western countries. The three experts are: Hina Shamsi, Director of the National Security Project at the ACLU Spencer Ackerman, a Pulitzer Prize and National Magazine Award-winning reporter, and the author of ‘Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump’. Josef Braml, Secretary-General of the German Group of the Trilateral Commission and the author of ‘Anti-Terrorism Laws and Powers: An Inventory of The G20 States 20 Years After 9/11’. This special Warpod series ‘Reckoning with 9/11’ is created by Saferworld with support from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and produced by the Podcast Company. Please note the views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not necessarily the views or opinions of Saferworld.