On 5 December 2014, the House of Lords is scheduled to debate the following motion: “that this House takes note of the role of soft power and non-military options in conflict prevention”.
The Role of Soft Power and Non-Military Options in Conflict Prevention (300 KB , PDF)
On 5 December 2014, the House of Lords is scheduled to debate the following motion:
“that this House takes note of the role of soft power and non-military options in conflict prevention”
This Library Note provides background reading for the debate in the House of Lords on 5 December 2014 on the role of soft power and non-military options in conflict prevention. It includes information on the different conflicts taking place across the World in the 21st Century and on some of the trends that have emerged over recent years in the types of conflicts being fought. It also provides information on soft power and non-military action, using the definition of soft power developed by the House of Lords Select Committee on Soft Power and the UK’s Influence. The Note goes on to summarise the policies of the United Nations, the European Union, the Commonwealth and the UK Government that are intended to prevent conflict. This includes information on the Government’s attempts to target aid towards fragile states and its use of the Conflict Pool. It also includes a summary of parliament scrutiny of the effectiveness of the Government’s current policies, and recent policy proposals from the Opposition.
The Role of Soft Power and Non-Military Options in Conflict Prevention (300 KB , PDF)
In both 2020 and 2021, the Commonwealth postponed its 26th Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) set to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has since announced the meeting will take place between 20 and 25 June 2022. Some organisations have called on Commonwealth leaders to use CHOGM to press Rwanda to respect and promote human rights.
The UK’s union continues to evolve. Recent developments include the repatriation of powers from the EU post-Brexit and reviews of intergovernmental relations between central government and the devolved administrations, but there are also calls for further constitutional review and reform. The Scottish government’s plans for a second independence referendum and disagreements about the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol are particular issues that highlight current stresses on the union.
Conflict over sovereignty rights to the Falkland Islands has been ongoing for centuries. In the modern era this dispute has been between the United Kingdom and Argentina, which escalated into war 40 years ago, when Argentina invaded the Islands. This article examines the competing sovereignty claims over the Falkland Islands.
