Articles | Lowy Institute

15 Nov 2022
Malaysia

Myanmar

Human rights

Migration

United Nations
Refugees may become victims of Malaysia’s electoral politics

Max Walden

The plight of Myanmar Rohingyas exposes Southeast Asia’s disjointed policies and fragile human rights protections.
9 Nov 2022
Climate change

United Nations
Climate change: governance on the highway to hell

Mark Beeson

If wealthy states can’t agree on compensating the world’s most environmentally ravaged, things are looking grim.
25 Sep 2022
Russia

Digital Disruption

Technology

United Nations
A neck-and-neck election for the future of the internet

Mercedes Page

As the war in Ukraine goes from bad to worse, Russia may still win a vote to reshape the net as we know it.
21 Sep 2022
Defence & Security

Climate change

United Nations
Guterres whistles in the wind

Mark Beeson

Yes, “our planet is burning”, yet those leaders with the power to act are stubbornly guarding their own little patch.
9 Sep 2022
China

Human rights

United Nations
Beijing three-step: China denies, deflects and dissembles on Xinjiang

Michael Clarke

The UN human rights report has exposed China’s hollow propaganda claims – but won’t stop them.
2 Sep 2022
China

Human rights

United Nations
A tragedy in Xinjiang, a tragedy for the UN

Mercedes Page

A long-delayed report finding human rights abuses – though damning – is a sign of China’s level of influence at the United Nations.
2 Aug 2022
Myanmar

War Crimes

United Nations

Human rights
ASEAN governments need to act on Myanmar

Elaine Pearson

The execution of four opposition activists by the junta needs urgent action from governments of all stripes.
1 Aug 2022
Aid & Development

China

Chinese Foreign Aid

United Nations
Unpacking China’s Global Development Initiative

Mercedes Page

Red flags should be flying about Beijing’s latest challenge to the international development agenda.
25 Jul 2022
India

United Nations

Migration

International law
Why India needs a refugee law

Shivangi Seth

Adopting international standards will not only benefit people seeking asylum but India’s relations in the neighbourhood.
31 May 2022
Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

Australia
Multilateralism matters again

Mercedes Page

The world’s big challenges – and main priorities for Australia – are best tackled by cooperation.
22 Apr 2022
Russia

Ukraine

International law

United Nations

War Crimes
Even Putin is not beyond the law

Donald R Rothwell

International and domestic justice systems are working in the background to bring accountability in the war on Ukraine.
6 Apr 2022
United Nations

China

Human rights
The mysterious missing UN report on human rights abuses in Xinjiang

Mercedes Page

Months of stalling over the release of a long-completed investigation raises suspicions about China’s pressure tactics.
14 Mar 2022
Sustainability

United Nations
Sustainable catch: navigating global fisheries crime

Adam Graycar

For a problem as wide as the ocean, many factors compound the challenge of protecting fish stocks.
8 Mar 2022
United Nations

Human rights

Sex and Gender
Young feminist leadership is the future of peacebuilding

Helen Berents , Erika Yague , Shadi Rouhshahbaz

Feminist leadership coupled with the UN’s Youth, Peace and Security agenda envisions a more just and inclusive peace.
8 Mar 2022
United Nations

Human rights

Sex and Gender
Sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping: Connecting the dots

Jasmine Westendorf

The abuse of women and children must be urgently addressed as a key issue in the hierarchy of harm.
7 Mar 2022
Global Issues

United Nations

Russia

Technology

International law
The hypocrisy of Russia’s push for a new global cybercrime treaty

Mercedes Page

The same Russia in the middle of invading a neighbour is preaching respect for state sovereignty online.
4 Mar 2022
Global Issues

United Nations

Russia

International law

Ukraine
Ukraine: Don’t write off the international order – read and rewrite it

Fleur Johns , Anastasiya Kotova

Resistance to Russia’s aggression is being shaped by how decentralised and data-centric global rules have become.
25 Feb 2022
Diplomacy

United Nations

Russia

Africa

Ukraine
Why was it left to Kenya to speak up for multilateralism?

Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo

Kenya’s UN envoy Martin Kimani was a sensation at an emergency Security Council session—with a message for all nations.
23 Feb 2022
War Crimes

United Nations

Myanmar

Human rights

International law
It’s a mistake to allow Myanmar’s junta to appear in Rohingya case

Adam Simpson , Juliette McIntyre

Accepting military representatives in the genocide defence serves to lend the coup an undeserved legitimacy.
1 Feb 2022
United Nations

Afghanistan

Human rights
Oslo talks expose the West’s Taliban dilemma

Syed Fazl-e-Haider

Trusting the fundamentalists to deliver aid would mean ignoring a record of past promises to respect rights.
13 Jan 2022
United Nations
Peace and security are not the same thing

Shannon Zimmerman

Adding counter-terrorism tasks to UN peacekeeping mandates will likely make an already difficult job much harder.
2 Dec 2021
Defence & Security

United States

United Nations

North Korea

South Korea
Honouring the dead on the path to Korean peace

Khang Vu

Recovering troop remains and negotiating denuclearisation are vital to end-of-war declarations on the Korean peninsula.
23 Nov 2021
United Nations

Climate change

Environment
Glasgow delivered, but what, exactly?

Stephen Minas

Not a miracle, certainly. But hard and messy negotiations secured a commitment to bring the temperature down.
13 Oct 2021
Diplomacy

Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

Coronavirus
Zooming out of digital diplomacy

Jeffrey Robertson

It’s time to think beyond the videoconference to allow countries to trust again.
10 Aug 2021
United Nations

Myanmar
The battle for Myanmar’s seat in the UN General Assembly

Catherine Renshaw

An empty chair in New York would be a potent reflection of the situation on the ground in post-coup Myanmar.
2 Jun 2021
War Crimes

United Nations

Human rights
R2P: An idea whose time never comes

Catherine Renshaw

The doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect was meant to stop atrocities. Instead, it has become another empty mantra.
2 Jun 2021
United Nations

Australia

Indonesia
Troubled waters? Australia-Indonesia maritime boundary in the news

Bec Strating

It would not be a good example for the region should Canberra and Jakarta be unable to resolve “technical amendments”.
29 Apr 2021
United Nations

Myanmar

Human rights
Response to Myanmar coup shows need for UN reform

Rebecca Barber

Veto power on the Security Council too often obstructs action in the face of atrocities. Here are some ways around it.
15 Apr 2021
United Nations

Thailand

Human rights
Thailand’s sweeping associations law courts disaster

Michael Altman-Lupu , Matthew Bugher

Draft legislation to strictly control all kinds of groups could crush civil society and drive out foreign organisations.
15 Feb 2021
Defence & Security

United States

US Navy

United Nations

United Kingdom

Africa

Human rights
The power of example: America’s presence in Diego Garcia

Blake Herzinger

US claims to upholding the rules-based order don’t square with its silence on Mauritian sovereignty in the Chagos.
3 Feb 2021
Asia

Europe

Trade

Coronavirus

Human rights

United Nations
A “beggar-thy-neighbour” approach keeps seafarers stranded

Sandra Tsui

Some countries have banned crew rotations. Some have tight limits. A few are open. So a crisis continues.
28 Jan 2021
Australia in the World

Human rights

International law

United Nations
Australia in focus at the UN Human Rights Council

Shannon Maree Torrens

Despite Australia’s history of support for human rights, a formal review offers a serious reality check.
15 Dec 2020
United Nations

Space exploration
Bringing space law into the 21st century

Donald R Rothwell

The international agreements around outer space, which date to the Cold War, are being tested by new space activity.
7 Dec 2020
Global Issues

Diplomacy

United Nations
Solve generational problems by listening to the youth who’ll live them

Caitlin Mollica , Helen Berents

Developing the Youth, Peace and Security agenda in the Asia-Pacific is a chance to ensure lasting change.
10 Nov 2020
United States

Afghanistan War

War Crimes

United Nations
A chance for the US to change its tune on justice

Shannon Maree Torrens

Will American hostility to the International Criminal Court, and exception from it, shift under a Biden administration?
5 Nov 2020
Diplomacy

United Nations

Indonesia

Russia

Human rights

Sex and Gender
A backlash against the Women, Peace and Security agenda?

Jacqui True , Irine Hiraswari Gayatri , Nuri Widiastuti Veronika , Patricia Salas Sanchez

Power politics overshadow progress at the UN Security Council as Resolution 1325 celebrates its 20th anniversary.
3 Nov 2020
Multilateral Institutions

United Nations
Peace Prize to WFP: A win for international cooperation

Peter McCawley

The success of the World Food Program shows the global system can work with good leadership and strong support.
2 Nov 2020
Australia in the World

Diplomacy

United Nations
But what does “rules-based order” mean?

Ben Scott

For Australia to shape the future order, it will have to get more specific about what it wants.
2 Nov 2020
Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament

United Nations
Nuclear Ban Treaty: Wishful thinking over realism

Andrew O'Neil

Lacking enforcement mechanisms or a practical path to elimination, the treaty has little chance of being effective.
21 Oct 2020
Diplomacy

Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

Coronavirus
Diplomacy after Covid: No looking back

Jeffrey Robertson

This will not be the last year the world gathers in a virtual meeting – just think beyond Zoom as the platform.
9 Oct 2020
Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

China

Climate change
China’s vision of sovereignty for the next world order

Bill Hayton

Beijing’s attitude is clearly one that says big countries matter more than small or middle-size ones.
2 Sep 2020
Global Issues

United Nations
Indonesia’s UN Security Council drive for inclusive peace and security

Jacqui True , Irine Hiraswari Gayatri , Nuri Widiastuti Veronika

Jakarta is seeking to boost its regional leadership taking up the issue of women’s roles in peacebuilding.
28 Aug 2020
Europe

Diplomacy

United States

Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

Iran
A diplomatic breakdown over “snapback” tests the UN

Richard Gowan

Dispute over a US call for pre-2015 Iran sanctions has pushed the Security Council to its limit. It’s been there before.
14 Aug 2020
Defence & Security

United States

United Nations

Africa
Diego Garcia: The US has a clear choice

Jagdish Koonjul

The Mauritian ambassador to the UN on recognising the country’s sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago.
12 Aug 2020
South China Sea

Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

China
China is overturning the rules-based order from within

Malcolm Jorgensen

By contesting basic principles of international law, China is doing far more damage than is often recognised.
28 Jul 2020
Human rights

United Nations

War Crimes

Iran

Iraq

United States
UN report on US killing of Iranian commander misses the mark

Alison Pert

The drone strike on Qasem Soleimani was unlawful, the report finds, but weak analysis undercuts its conclusion.
17 Jul 2020
Syria

United Nations

China

Russia
The obstacles to Syrian aid

Rebecca Barber

Russia and China have used the Security Council to squelch cross-border humanitarian assistance. It’s time for options.
30 Jun 2020
Pacific Islands

United Nations
Chequebook diplomacy in the Pacific: Not just the big fish

Alexandre Dayant , Euan Moyle

Small donors seeking UN Security Council seats are providing more aid to Pacific nations.
30 Jun 2020
Asia

Multilateral Institutions

United Nations
International law takes a step towards Asia

Aristyo Rizka Darmawan

With Singapore a venue for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, will more Asian countries use it?
26 Jun 2020
United States

United Nations

United Kingdom

Africa
Finding compromise in the Chagos Islands saga

David Snoxell

The US base on Diego Garcia needn’t be an obstacle to a negotiated settlement of a longstanding sovereignty dispute.