Author Archive for: Stephanie Govaerts

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New Paper | Uncovering the Climate–Conflict Link: Mapping the Causal Pathways in Iraq

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Environmental conditions like drought, heat, and soil stress are increasingly linked to armed conflict, but the exact pathways remain unclear. In a new study, Ninoslav Malekovic, Maarten Vonk, Laura Birkman, and Tim Sweijs use advanced causal analysis on Iraqi subdistricts to reveal how these conditions—especially when paired with high energy demand and dense populations—can drive violence through complex chains of resource and demographic pressure. Their findings highlight where and why conflict is more likely, offering a foundation for targeted interventions to prevent violence before it unfolds.

Two internship positions are about to close for applications!

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HCSS is looking for new interns for two different internship positions! We’re looking for general interns and a Water, Peace and Security (WPS) intern (both deadlines 20 July). Read to find out more!

New HCSS Position Paper: Connecting Continents, Securing Futures: The ROK-NL Partnership Amid Global Shifts

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This position paper outlines how the Republic of Korea and the Netherlands can deepen their strategic partnership amid global geopolitical and technological shifts. Highlighting key areas such as security, AI governance, and high-tech industry cooperation, the paper calls for joint action on cyber defence, education, clean tech, and innovation. Building on the 2025 ROK-NL Forum, held on April 23rd, it presents a roadmap for agile, values-driven cooperation between Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Interviews by Dr. Davis Ellison with Dr. Victoria Vdovychenko, Dr. Christian Fjäder and Dr. Simona R. Soare on shaping the future of digital defence

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On the 18th of July 2025, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) hosted its symposium “From Cloud to Community: Shaping the Future of Digital Defence” in The Hague. HCSS invited experts to exchange views on shaping the future of digital defence, creating a platform for lively debate and cross-sector collaboration. Just before HCSS hosted this event, HCSS Strategic Analyst Dr. Davis Ellison briefly spoke three of the speakers. Watch the interviews here.

Event Recap | From Cloud to Community: Shaping the future of digital defence

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HCSS is proud to have hosted its symposium “From Cloud to Community: Shaping the Future of Digital Defence” on 18 June in The Hague. This second edition built on the success of our first event in Brussels on March 10, but pushed the conversation further — moving beyond NATO’s digital capabilities to tackle the big question: How do we build a future of digital defence that works for both soldiers on the battlefield and citizens at home? Read the recap to get some insights and takeaways from the event.

Fifth GC REAIM Meeting The Hague during the 2025 NATO Summit

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Last week, the fifth and final GC REAIM Commission Meeting took place, from 24-25 June in the margins of the 2025 NATO Summit in the Hague. Over the past two years, GC REAIM has hosted four successful Commission Meetings and Symposiums around the world (Washington D.C., Seoul, Stellenbosch, Abu Dhabi). The Secretariat is extremely proud to host the concluding Meeting and Symposium at its home base, The Hague Centre For Strategic Studies (HCSS), Lange Voorhout 1.

GC REAIM Symposium: Next Steps for Responsible Practice

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HCSS is pleased to invite you to join us for the GC REAIM Symposium: Next Steps for Responsible Practice, on 26 June, 2025 from 10.00 – 16.30 at HCSS (Lange Voorhout 1, The Hague). This is the fifth and final Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (GC REAIM) Symposium and the Secretariat is extremely proud to be hosting around the NATO Summit. Register via the Eventbrite link!

Guest Paper Series | NATO’s Digital Capabilities

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This new HCSS Guest Paper Series explores key aspects of NATO’s digital capabilities and how the Alliance can prepare for the demands of a rapidly evolving digital battlespace. The four expert contributions address cloud computing, lessons from Ukraine’s battlefield innovations, gaps in NATO’s current C4ISR infrastructure, and China’s AI-enabled command capabilities. Building on these expert insights, a new HCSS Capstone paper by Hans Horan, Sofia Romansky, and Davis Ellison outlines a strategic blueprint to modernise NATO’s collective digital capabilities and C4ISR systems across Europe, ahead of the 2025 NATO Summit.

Three different internships are open for applications!

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HCSS is looking for new interns for three different internship positions! We’re looking for two datalab interns (deadline 15 June), general interns (deadline 20 July) and a Water, Peace and Security (WPS) intern (deadline 20 July). Read to find out more!

Julie Ebrard on how she found HCSS and the three words she would use to describe her internship experience

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Hi! My name is Julie and I come from France. I first arrived in the Netherlands four years ago to study International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University. I first found out about HCSS at a career event organised by Leiden University, where I had the opportunity to speak with the internship coordinators. What intrigued me was the broad and dynamic nature of the internship, the projects HCSS was involved in and wanting to bridge the theoretical dimension of my studies with the research and policy-making world.

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