Global Security and Development

This project, which ran from 2003 to 2005, looked at how trends in security policy affect international development policy and developing countries.

The project focused on:

gathering, analysing and disseminating information on the impact of the 'war on terror' on development and developing countries
strategic advocacy, including working with NGOs in other countries to engage in dialogue, lobbying and awareness-raising activities.

This web page remains as an archive of the work of the GSD project, including the monthly GSD updates.

Monthly GSD Update Archive

GSD Project Statements and Responses

Joint Civil Society Statement (December 2004)
On proposals to include military/peacekeeping expenditure in OECD DAC official development assistance criteria.

Joint NGO response (October 2003)
To the Development Assistance Committee/OECD paper: 'A Development Co-operation Lens on Terrorism Prevention: Key Entry Points for Action'.

GSD Articles and Discussion Papers

BOND Discussion Paper on Global Security and Development January 2005

A Marriage of Ds and Rs
Article by Graham Wood of Ockenden International on the challenges that Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration poses for development and security actors in terms of policy coherence.

UN panel on 'Threats, Challenges, Change': Implications for Development Policy
Article by Alex Ramsbotham of UNA.

Should ODA finance Southern Peacekeeping?
Article published in BOND 'Networker' magazine reflecting on the financing of Southern PSO operations and capacity-building.

Peace & Development in Palestine
Carl Arrindell introduces 'Partners for Peace & Development in Palestine', an initiative designed to address the difficulties NGOs face working in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

UN Panel on 'Threats, Challenges, Change'
Alex Ramsbotham, UN Association, outlines the implications for development.

The Development Challenge in Weak States
DFID consults civil society on reducing poverty in weak or unstable states.

Can There Be a New Compact Between Diplomats and Aid Agencies
Development is inevitably political, so there should be a fuller dialogue between the development and foreign policy communities, argues Richard Gowan, Foreign Policy Centre.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Roland Huguenin-Benjamin, ICRC, traces the history of international humanitarian work, and asks is it time to speak out in the name of diversity?

Tourism, Security and Development
Patricia Barnett, Tourism Concern, looks at why FCO travel advice is often more about politics than security.

Commerce - The Fuel of War
Kathy Vandergrift, World Vision Canada, outlines the current approaches attempting to make commerce an incentive for peace, not the fuel for war.

Other Information

Useful Web Links

Advocacy on behalf of Interpal

The 'war on terror': key development concerns

Politicisation of aid: The aid relationship between donor and developing countries is being manipulated to secure political support for the 'war on terror'.
New goals for development aid: The goals for development aid are being redefined to include combating terrorism. Not only does this dilute the poverty focus of development, aid budgets are rarely increased to take account of the new objectives.
Undermining human rights: Human rights are being undermined by anti-terrorism legislation and the tacit acceptance of human rights abuses in pursuit of the 'war on terror'.
Forgotten crises and broken promises: Despite rhetoric on the need to address the 'root causes' of terrorism, including poverty and injustice, little concrete action has been taken, and commitments made to some countries directly affected by the 'war on terror' have not been kept.