PRIO's Peace in a Pod

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious honors. Each year, the Director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) presents his own independent list of individuals and organizations he believes are deserving of the Prize.This list, separate from the official selection by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, highlights those who have worked tirelessly for peace and merit special recognition.In this episode, PRIO Director Henrik Urdal discusses the people and organizations who made it onto his list this year. He is joined by Berit Reiss-Andersen, Special Adviser to the Norwegian Red Cross and former member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, where she served for over a decade. Also featured is Maria Ressa, the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, honored for her courageous work alongside Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in defending freedom of expression.PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad.Photo credit: © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Geir Anders Rybakken Ørslien Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On April 29th at the World Economic Forum, Norway’s Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, delivered a striking critique of the so-called “West,” accusing his allies of a double standard in their handling of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. His remarks echoed growing criticism from the Global South, and highlighted the risk of eroding multilateral institutions and international law. But is there truly a double standard? And what new global alliances could emerge as the United Nations struggles with paralysis? In this episode, Stein Tønnesson, Research Professor Emeritus and former Director of PRIO, and Gérard Araud, former French Ambassador to the UN and the United States, explore what “the West” means today and how global governance might evolve in the future.This episode is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More armed conflicts took place in 2023 than in any other year since the end of World War II. That is the shocking finding in this year’s Conflict Trends Report – a yearly paper by the Peace Research Institute Oslo, using data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program and examining global conflict trends since 1946. In total, 59 armed conflicts raged around the world last year. So is our world becoming more violent? What were the most violent conflicts in 2023? And are these figures a coincidence of overlapping conflicts, some extraordinarily lethal, from artillery warfare in Ukraine to the razing of Gaza? Siri Aas Rustad is a Research Director at PRIO and the author of the Conflict Trends Report. In this episode, she is joined by Richard Gowan, the United Nations Director for the International Crisis Group, and an Associate Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, Norway has played a major role as a peacemaker. From the Nobel Peace Prize to the Oslo Accords, promoting peace has been a central aspect of Norwegian foreign policy.But this is only part of the story. Few outside the country are aware of the thriving, lucrative, and government-owned weapons industry in this Scandinavian nation.This creates a dilemma for Norway, as it walks a tightrope between economic interests and its commitments to international law.In this episode, Nic Marsh, a Senior Researcher at PRIO and a specialist in arms trade, discusses the scope and significance of Norway's weapons industry and arms trade. He is joined by General Kristin Lund, a retired senior officer of the Norwegian Army and the first woman to command a UN peacekeeping operation.The episode is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.