Hey Benedetta, could you introduce yourself? Tell me where you are from, what your educational background is, and whether you had any prior research experience before your WPS (Water, Peace & Security) internship at HCSS?
Hi, my name is Benedetta Benzoni and I am 22 years old. I am originally from Italy, I partly grew up in Scotland, and I moved to France to pursue my studies at Sciences Po Paris when I was 17. My Bachelor was in History & International Relations (with my third year being at l’Université Saint-Joseph in Beirut, Lebanon), and I am now in the middle of my master’s in International Governance & Diplomacy, specialising in Middle Eastern Studies.
I am particularly interested in the intersection of security and economic cooperation, especially in the Euro-Mediterranean and MENA region, and as it turns out, water scarcity and water-related risks are a key part of that. Before joining the WPS Iraq team at HCSS, I participated in a research trip to the Western Sahara to see how Morocco is using economic development projects to maintain security in border regions, including projects focused on long-term drought management; before that, I had published a paper on the psychological aspect of the Syrian civil conflict in La Revue Diplomatique, with a specific focus on the weaponisation of water in the Mashreq. Water scarcity and drought management have been recurring topics in almost all of my research, in areas as varied as Palestinian statehood, the energy transition in Iran, Egyptian monetary policy, and more… which was all very useful contextual knowledge to bring into the Water, Peace & Security internship!
What initially attracted you to the HCSS internship programme, and why did you apply specifically for the WPS position?
Water security and drought play a pivotal role in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean economics and security, so I was excited to join HCSS/WPS to work on the topic, especially since HCSS is leading the work in Iraq (and we are in the process of expanding to several more Middle Eastern countries, you heard it here first 😉). The WPS internship offered the opportunity to delve deeper into climate security in the MENA, which adds a really relevant layer to my knowledge of the region, since it is linked to all other major policy spheres (even the ones you would least expect).
On top of that, WPS is pretty unique because it sits at the crossroads between research and project management : it combines analysing policy options to address water-related risks with actually organising on-the-ground activities to start addressing those risks. WPS Iraq (and therefore the WPS intern) works in very tight collaboration with Iraqi partner organisations, and learning from them about the context in which they work and their outlook on political instability in Iraq has been eye-opening. The dynamism of WPS work attracted me to the internship in the first place, and after several months here, I can say that it met and then exceeded my expectations!
Sounds like WPS was the perfect fit then! Could you describe your time as a WPS intern? What does your day-to-day look like?
The WPS internship is quite different from the general internship, in that I set my schedule and tasks pretty independently. Within WPS Iraq, we have a variety of research projects and on-the-ground activities all running simultaneously, all of them with different collaborators, whether they are other WPS consortium members, partner organisations in Iraq, or bigger NGOs or development agencies interested in collaborating on a specific project. I contribute in different ways to these various activities, from leading research efforts and drafting policy briefs, to reviewing the minutiae of an activity someone is planning in a small town in Iraq, and recently even writing a speech for an ambassador to deliver at the Baghdad International Water Conference. Of course, this is all done under the guidance of the two strategic analysts I work under, who have provided me with very helpful feedback throughout the internship. All of this means I usually have a lot of meetings and overlapping deadlines, making it important that I stay organised and on top of my work.
How did the team contribute to your internship experience?
While I work with a really wide range of people through the WPS partnership, at HCSS the team I work with is pretty small: we have a Senior Strategic Analyst, a Strategic Analyst, and an Assistant Analyst (that’s me!). It’s a really great set-up to work closely with a small (but super productive!) team, because it gives me the opportunity to learn from two people who master their respective fields, and allows me to take on responsibility while knowing both analysts are right there to help if I needed their support.
HCSS also has a mentorship program, so every month, my wonderful mentor and I go explore the culinary scene in the Hague over lunch. Having a mentor really helps you feel integrated at HCSS, and means you always have someone to turn to if you need a chat, a restaurant recommendation, or existential life advice. There are plenty of other interns too, each with unique research interests, which means even your daily lunches and coffee breaks are fun and full of conversation.
Why did you decide to extend your internship at HCSS?
As part of my normal 6-month contract I have been working on some really interesting projects, and since many of them are leading up to implementation efforts this autumn, I decided to extend my contract by another 4 months (until December 2024) in order to see them through to the end. For example, right now I’m working on some research on interprovincial collaboration in water management, and our recommendations will be presented at a roundtable with policymakers in the coming months. I also contributed to a proposal to do similar WPS work in three other conflict-affected Middle Eastern countries on behalf of a major organisation, which has now been accepted; staying until December will allow me to help set up the project before I leave.
Overall, this position offers a level of autonomy and responsibility that is very rare to find for an internship, while still having a very supportive work environment – and, most importantly, extremely interesting topics.
What are your next steps after completing this internship?
From January to June 2025, I’ll be back in France for the very last semester of my Master’s degree at Sciences Po Paris. After that, it’s the big wide world! This internship has really opened my eyes to how tight the links are between the worlds of research, development, defence, and diplomacy, especially when it comes to security in the MENA region, and I am excited to see where I end up.
This interview was conducted by HCSS Communications & Events Assistant, Stephanie Govaerts
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