SOC ACE Newsletter

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SOC ACE Newsletter: November 2023 Last month we shared research on migrant smuggling in Afghanistan and sanctions evasion and information manipulation linked to the Russia-Ukraine war. If you haven't already, read our October newsletter now! This month’s newsletter includes: The impact of Afghanistan’s drug trade on its neighbours The political economy of gold mining in Takhar, Afghanistan Militarised approaches to organised crime Security sector reform (SSR) and organised crime Each month, we’ll be showcasing our latest research, news & events. Click on the subscribe button to receive our newsletter. Subscribe New SOC ACE Research Addressing organised crime and security sector reform (SSR) and governance: Linkages, processes, outcomes and challenges This new SOC ACE research addresses a gap in analysing connections between security sector reform and governance (SSR/G) and SOC, including reviewing the evidence on effective state security responses to organised crime, and how organised crime is influenced by SSR/G politics. The project is led by Huma Haider, an independent researcher and formerly a Senior Research Fellow in the GSDRC, University of Birmingham. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the project demonstrates the importance of a SOC-informed perspective into SSR/G and an understanding of SSR/G in addressing organised crime. The research aims to deepen the evidence base on the connections between SSR/G and organised crime, including how they influence and impact one another, positively and adversely. It seeks to encourage collaboration across academic disciplines and professional silos, integrating SSR/G perspectives and programming into the fight against organised crime and vice versa. Read more. SOC ACE Updates SOC ACE were honoured to be a partner in RUSI’s inaugural Serious and Organised Crime Conference 2023, organised by RUSI’s Organised Crime & Policing Group along with the National Crime Agency. Professor Heather Marquette (University of Birmingham) joined a panel to discuss "Collaborative Approaches in SOC Case Studies and Best Practices". Other panel members included Dr Rajan Basra (Kings College London), Dr Phininder Balaghan (QinetiQ) and Dr Bill Merrill (National Crime Agency). There were also contributions from SOC ACE researchers from RUSI, including Cathy Haenlein, Dr Liam O’Shea and Matthew Redhead. Professor Heather Marquette spoke about local ownership, including SOC ACE’s research on political will, as part of a panel discussion on unpacking locally-led development at the FCDO International Development Leadership Conference at Lancaster House in London. The panel was chaired by David Rinnert (Head of the Political and Governance Team, British High Commission, Kigali), with Jaime Faustino (Strategic Advisor, The Asia Foundation), Dr Ed Laws (Research Fellow, ODI) and Anna Wilson (FCDO Development Director, Rwanda). Shehryar Fazli, (previously GI-TOC and now with Open Society – Asia Pacific), presented his recent research on the regional impact of Afghanistan's drug trade on Pakistan, Iran, and Tajikistan during a panel on "Narconomics: Transnational Drug Trafficking & Corruption" at Disruption Network Lab's conference, "Organised Crime: a Global Business." See full video. Last month, Dr Tena Prelec (University of Rijeka), presented evidence to the UK Parliament's House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee. Joined by Maja Raicevic (Women’s Rights Centre, Montenegro) and Christopher Levick (Westminster Foundation for Democracy), they discussed governance, rule of law, women's rights, civil society, and defence in the context of the Western Balkans. See full video. Dr Tena Prelec (University of Rijeka) shared the conclusions of her recent SOC ACE publication “Information Manipulation and organised crime” as part of a panel on Information Warfare and the Criminalisation of Cyberspace, at an event on ‘Security and Development Dialogue on the State Threats and Illicit Economies’, organised by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC). Dr Tena Prelec (University of Rijeka) and Dr Peter Techet (IDM Vienna) moderated an online panel on ‘Ukraine and Croatia: Navigating (Post)-War Hopes and Challenges’. The event was organised by the University of Rijeka’s Center for Advanced Studies Southeast Europe and IDM Vienna. Speakers included Professor David Lewis (University of Exeter), Dr Iva Vukušić (University of Utrecht), Dr Senada Šelo Šabić (Institute for Development and International Relations – IRMO, Zagreb), Dr Oleksandr Moskalenko (CAS SEE, University of Rijeka / National Scientific Centre, Bokarius Forensic Science Institute, Kharkiv) and Dr Vanni D'Alessio (University of Naples ‘Federico II’). See full video. Gonzalo Saiz, research analyst at CFCS (Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies) RUSI, shared findings from his recent SOC ACE research paper on sanctions evasion and avoidance, which explores the motivations driving third countries to partake in these activities, to students at Esade University in Barcelona. In their latest RUSI commentary “Track and Disrupt: How to Counter Sanctions-Evasion Networks”, Associate fellow Olivia Allison and Research Analyst Gonzalo Saiz explore the complexities of understanding the mechanics of sanctions evasion, a key component in strengthening sanctions against Russia. They discuss elements of this understanding including: third country networks analysis linked, to the Russian military complex; specific data collection and mapping; and the contribution of allied countries to circumvention, marked by unclear responsibilities and scarce resources. Professor David Lewis spoke about his SOC ACE research on “Illicit Finance and Russian Foreign Policy” at a Wilton Park event in early November. Latest SOC ACE Publications Militarised Approaches to Serious and Organised Crime: Approaches and Policy Implications Luke Kelly (University of Manchester) This annotated bibliography includes research and evidence on militarised approaches to combating serious and organised crime (SOC) in various contexts. Militarised approaches involve using military forces or methods to deter and disrupt SOC groups. These approaches have been employed in states facing high levels of violence, fragile and conflict-affected contexts, post-conflict settings, and against threats like piracy and wildlife crime. Read more. Lost in Transition: Gold Mining and the Political Economy of Takhar, Afghanistan Marcena Hunter & Alastair MacBeath (GITOC) This paper examines the emerging dynamics, risks and opportunities within Afghanistan from the perspective of the gold mining industry in the north-eastern province of Takhar. While Afghanistan has relatively small value deposits compared with other resources, insights into the evolution of political economies surrounding the gold sector, its role in the economy and foreign intervention, shed light on broader dynamics of the extractives industry in the country. Read more. The impact of Afghanistan’s drug trade on its neighbours: the case of Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan Shehryar Fazli (formerly GITOC) This research examines the impact of Afghanistan’s drug trade on the country’s neighbours, with a particular focus on the three countries, Pakistan, Iran, and Tajikistan, which account for the highest volumes of narcotics that transit from Afghanistan. It explores policy options in the post-August 2021 context and considers the prospects of and challenges to greater regional cooperation. Read more. Did you enjoy our newsletter? Share it with your network. Share FOLLOW SOC ACE