Research & Analysis
U.S. Institute of Peace’s articles, reports, tools and other features provide policy analysis, research findings, and practitioner guides. These publications examine critical conflict issues at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and resolve violent conflict.
The views expressed in these publications are those of the author(s).
Conflict Management Training for Peacekeepers (CMTP)
USIP’s Conflict Management Training for Peacekeepers (CMTP) program trains uniform members of national militaries who serve in international and regional peacekeeping missions. The training aims to improve mission effectiveness and bolster trust in the mission by focusing on skills and knowledge that enhance professional conduct among troops. The program, which began in 2008, is implemented in partnership with the Department of State’s Global Peace Operations Initiative in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
The Current Situation in Yemen
Yemen’s regionalized civil war has divided the country, destroyed its meager infrastructure and created one the worst humanitarian crises in the world. From the start, it has been connected to a regional competition between Saudi Arabia (which has supported the internationally backed Yemeni government) and Iran (which has supported the Houthis). A U.N.-backed truce in 2022 brought relative calm to internal frontlines and, with help from the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia, the U.N. made progress toward a roadmap agreement to end the war. This progress was upended by the Gaza war in 2023, as the Houthis attacked Israel and international shipping through the Red Sea corridor. Houthi attacks, including on commercial shipping and U.S. naval assets, frayed international support for a peace deal that would see resources flow to the group and have set the country on different trajectory.
Border Security Training Program (BSTP)
USIP’s Border Security Training Program (BSTP) trains police officers from Kenya’s Border Police Unit (BPU) and General Service Unit (GSU) who are serving on al-Shabaab’s major transit corridor along the Kenya-Somalia border. The program, which began in 2017, is implemented in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and equips Kenyan police with the skills to better understand the civilian environment and cultivate relationships in order to more effectively achieve their mission and counter terrorist activity.
The Current Situation in the Philippines
Once a U.S. colony and now a U.S. treaty ally, the Philippines sits at the heart of geopolitical contestation in East Asia. It is also home to a half-century old internal conflict that has long spawned transnational threats to global security.
The Current Situation in Papua New Guinea
As the United States reengages in the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea is emerging as an increasingly important U.S. partner. It is the region’s largest country, with a landmass about the size of California and a population estimated to be somewhere between 10 and 17 million. In April 2022, Papua New Guinea was designated as one of the focus countries under the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability (SPCPS). In May 2023, the United States and Papua New Guinea signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement.
The Current Situation in North Korea
In 2018, reinvigorated diplomacy and reduced tensions generated hope for a more secure and peaceful Korean Peninsula. At a historic summit in Singapore in June, the United States and North Korea committed to establish “new U.S.-DPRK relations” while North Korea also committed to work toward the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” However, the two countries disagreed about what each side should concede and when, leading to a diplomatic failure at a subsequent summit in Hanoi in February 2019. Today, the United States and North Korea coexist in an antagonistic, high-risk stalemate.
The Current Situation in Libya
Libyan oil makes up approximately 3 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 41 percent of the proven reserves in Africa. Its geographic position on the Mediterranean Sea makes it a crossroads between Europe and Africa, and its proximity to NATO’s southern flank makes Libya a frontline state in the global competition between great powers.
The Current Situation in Iran
For decades, Iran has vexed the international community. It introduced Islam as a form of governance in 1979 and has supported militants abroad and defied international norms. The Islamic Republic has long opposed Israel and sought to expel U.S. forces from the Middle East. It has also deepened ties with other U.S. adversaries, including China, Russia and North Korea.
The Current Situation in Tunisia
Tunisia remains a key regional partner of the United States and NATO and plays an important role in the Mediterranean and the African continent, particularly in its immediate neighborhood where instability and security threats in Libya and the Sahel continue to proliferate. Domestically, it continues to navigate economic, political, environmental and security challenges. These challenges have caused widespread discontent with the state and led to changes in the political system, centralizing power in the executive branch and restructuring subnational governance. USIP works in close partnerships with the government and civil society to support tangible reforms that advance security, human dignity, responsive governance, economic opportunity and regional diplomacy.
The Current Situation in Syria
The collapse of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, is a watershed moment for Syria, marked by significant opportunities as well as several potential challenges. The end of more than 50 years of Assad family rule could open the way for a new, more inclusive Syria. Yet, the country must contend with the aftermath of nearly 14 years of brutal conflict where it is estimated that least 500,000 people were killed and more than 13 million forcibly displaced.