News & Highlights

The High North : Challenges and Opportunities

Private military and security companies (PMSCs): Working towards an international code of conduct
Update: comment is invited on the draft global Code of Conduct for Private Security companies and Private Military companies, following the Wilton Park conference at which agreement was reached to prepare an international code of conduct to regulate the industry in all situations.

The UK's Ministry of Justice convened a group of international constitutional experts
The UK’s Ministry of Justice convened a group of international constitutional experts at Wilton Park from 10-13 February to discuss issues of accountability under democratic constitutions. Discussions between officials, lawyers, judges, parliamentarians, constitutional experts and interested NGOs, from the UK, South Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, Spain, Germany and Ireland provided rich food for thought for the Government in its development of UK policy across the sweep of tricky issues discussed, identifying some powerful ideas on the options and their implications for greater constitutional accountability in the UK.

What are the priority issues for the review of the UN’s Human Rights Council?
Informal discussions at Wilton Park aimed to prepare for the intergovernmental working group on the review of the work and functioning of the Human Rights Council scheduled to meet later in 2010.

How to balance Food security with Sustainability of Agricultural Production

Africa 2010: The Key Challenges
A major conference on Africa, reviewing progress since the Commission for Africa Report, presented at the Gleneagles G8 meeting (2005) and towards the Millennium Development Goals, with many 2015 targets, took place at Wilton Park. A significant study on progress in Africa is available as a background document.

Private military and security companies (PMSCs): Working towards an international code of conduct
Major PMSCs agree at Wilton Park conference to develop an international code of conduct to regulate their industry in all situations.

Haiti earthquake - co-ordinating military and civilian international responses

Working with Russia: next steps in economic and political dialogue
The conference set out to explore the cultural, social and economic policies that Russia is exploring for its future development with particular emphasis on involving younger Russians in the debate

Nuclear Non-Proliferation and the 2010 review
With the crucial 2010 NPT Review Conference only a few months away, policymakers and analysts from 31 countries and institutions gathered at Wilton Park to discuss the challenges to success at the Review and how they might be overcome. Interviews were conducted with 10 key participants, and with the Chief Executive of Wilton Park, Richard Burge.

Interview with Richard Burge, Chief Executive of Wilton Park

Muslims face discrimination in Europe
Europe's treatment of its Muslim residents will be a test of the region's commitment to equal rights. This was one of the conclusions of the recent Wilton Park conference 'At Home in Europe?: Muslims in EU Cities', which brought together policy makers, NGOs and other experts from Europe and North America to discuss the findings of a recent report by the Open Socierty Institute based on reserach in 11 cities in 7 European countries.

Protecting Children without Adequate Parental Care
Children without adequate parental care are among the most vulnerable people in the world. The United Nations has just welcomed guidelines on their proper support – to ensure that this is not a “neglected agenda” in the future. To give impetus to this initiative, an international conference of policymakers and practitioners from Asia to Latin America convened. (more)

Terrorism, security and human rights: Opportunities for policy change
Terrorism is not a new problem and has consistently created challenges and dilemmas for human rights protection. The counterterrorism policies and practices introduced post September 2001, however, has triggered profound reflection on both sides of the Atlantic how governments and societies should respond to terrorist acts while respecting human rights and the rule of law. With political change in the US, and several European Governments re-examining their approach following critical domestic and international court rulings, there are new policy opportunities.

4 Ministers from South Caucasus
Attend Wilton Park conference to discuss conflict resolution and regional cooperation

Wilton Park Conferences 2010

British-German Forum: 20 Years Since the Fall of the Wall
It’s not often that participants at a Wilton Park Conference are encouraged to watch television. Normally we keep them far too busy – and, we hope, interested – attending the conference proceedings themselves.

Programme for Training Peacekeepers Launched at Wilton Park by UNITAR and Open University
Wilton Park was the venue for a pioneering initiative on peacekeeping training. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Open University cooperated with Wilton Park to stage a conference on “Peacekeeping and Civilian Protection”. The conference was preceded by the inaugural meeting of the First Session of the UNITAR Peacekeeping Training Programme’s Advisory Board. UNITAR and the Open University are in the process of preparing e-learning materials for UN Peacekeepers, which will help in the training of peacekeepers on key issues of civilian protection.

The use of military assets in the humanitarian response to natural disasters
If a reminder was needed of the economic and social impact of natural disasters the events during the week of Wilton Park’s conference on The Use of Military Assets in the Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters provided a wake-up call. Three disasters unfolded during the conference: severe flooding in Manila provided a dramatic backdrop at the start; a tsunami hit Samoa and Tonga a few days later followed by a strong earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Gareth Thomas opening Speech at Whither the World Trade?
Gareth Thomas, Minister of State for International Development, Department for International Development, London opens the conference on Whither World Trade? Implications of the global economic crisis and trade policy responses.