BICC - Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies

BICC - Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies Dedicated to research and policy advice on the conditions, dynamics and consequences of violent conflicts. 🌍 Worldwide. The Center is headed by a Director.

As an independent, non-profit organization, BICC (Internationales Konversionszentrum Bonn – Bonn International Center for Conversion) deals with a wide range of global topics in the field of peace and conflict research. Program Areas
The six following areas form the framework for BICC’s work
• Security—Stakeholders, systems, threats
• Arms—Global trends, exports, control
• Resources and conflict
• Migration, conflicts and security
• Base conversion
• Data and GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
These areas are mutually complementary and enable diverse thematic and methodological synergies. BICC’s Work
BICC’s portfolio includes applied research, advisory services and capacity development. Partners, donors and Clients
BICC receives institutional funding from the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). This funding enables the Center to perform research projects and research-based policy advice with funding from a variety of donors. Other partners, donors and clients are
International and German research institutes; international and German foundations; the United Nations and other international organizations; Federal Ministries such as the German Foreign Office (AA) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and institutions such as the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb); international and German NGOs; international and bilateral organizations in the field of development cooperation. BICC
BICC makes use of its research work to operate as a think tank, offer (policy) advisory services, and help develop capacity. BICC collects and publishes information, brings out expert reports and other publications, and thus offers its services to NGOs, governments, private organizations, research institutes and universities as well as to the interested public. BICC is co-editor of the annual “Friedensgutachten” (Peace Report) and of a series of international research publications (Sustainable Peace and Global Security Governance). BICC organizes regular exhibitions, conferences, workshops, and discussions with experts. The Center sets out to make more people aware of its central topics through its public relations work. BICC was founded as a non-profit limited company in 1994 with the support of the Land of NRW. Shareholders are the State of NRW and Brandenburg. The Center’s governing bodies are the Supervisory Board, the Board of Trustees and the International Board.

What does Syria’s transition look and feel like beyond the headlines? Drawing on a recent research journey through Damas...
12/09/2026

What does Syria’s transition look and feel like beyond the headlines? Drawing on a recent research journey through Damascus, Aleppo, Raqqa and Hama, BICC - Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies Senior Researchers Osman Bahadır Dinçer and Zeynep Şahin-Mencütek and their colleague Bahar Baser at Durham University share their story of visiting a country where hope and hardship, recovery and destruction coexist. Through encounters with returnees, local residents, civil society representatives and others trying to rebuild their communities, it captures both the cautious optimism generated by political change and the immense economic and social challenges that remain. Above all, it shows why returning home is only the first step towards rebuilding a life after years of war and displacement.

Read the full article in The Conversation Australia + NZ
https://shorturl.at/Bkkqb

Millions of displaced Syrians are returning in the wake of Syria’s political transition. But their experiences reveal th...
11/09/2026

Millions of displaced Syrians are returning in the wake of Syria’s political transition. But their experiences reveal the limits of equating return with recovery. Economic hardship, fragmented security, weak institutions and conditional trust continue to make reintegration uncertain—and return potentially reversible.

Drawing on fieldwork across Syria, this bicc report by Osman Bahadır Dinçer, Zeynep Şahin-Mencütek, Abdullah Al-Jabassini and Joseph Daher examines how returnees navigate a rapidly changing political, security and economic landscape.

Read the full report.
➡️ https://shorturl.at/NsoRr

How can the African Union (AU) curb the proliferation of drones to non-state armed groups (NSAGs)?Non-state armed groups...
10/09/2026

How can the African Union (AU) curb the proliferation of drones to non-state armed groups (NSAGs)?

Non-state armed groups across the African continent are increasingly using drones to carry out attacks against state forces and civilians. Due to the simplicity of drone technology, their proliferation cannot be stopped completely. However, targeted measures can significantly curb the flow of these weapons to NSAGs.

This BICC - Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies policy brief, authored by Senior Researchers Marius Bales and Max Mutschler, is an outcome of the project "Drones as Weapons in Armed Conflicts", generously funded by the Deutsche Stiftung Friedensforschung (DSF). It outlines key elements of a potential AU strategy to reduce drone proliferation to non-state armed groups.

We recommend:

1️⃣Improve border and market controls for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components

2️⃣Establish a continental Code of Conduct

3️⃣Use international institutions to raise awareness of NSAG drone use

🔗 The policy brief is available here https://shorturl.at/L4QWe

In Kilosa, central Tanzania, local peace committees have helped rebuild peaceful relations between pastoralist and farmi...
03/09/2026

In Kilosa, central Tanzania, local peace committees have helped rebuild peaceful relations between pastoralist and farming communities after decades of violent conflict. Their experience shows how inclusive, community-based committees can prevent everyday disputes over land, water, and livestock from escalating. It also raises a difficult question: Can these mechanisms remain effective if the economic conditions supporting them disappear?

Read the full article on Peace News.
➡️ https://shorturl.at/vbbor

Co-written by Conrad Schetter, Director of bicc.

Stay in the loop with bicc’s newsletter! 📢Whether you're a journalist, policymaker, researcher, practitioner or simply c...
02/09/2026

Stay in the loop with bicc’s newsletter! 📢
Whether you're a journalist, policymaker, researcher, practitioner or simply curious about our work, this is your go-to source for the latest research-based insights into the conditions, dynamics and consequences of violent conflicts. Subscribe now and never miss an update. 📩
Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (bicc): Research. Policy advice. Capacity development.
Sign up now ➡️ https://bicc.de/Newsletter

Niger's political crisis continues to unfold. In an interview with various international media bicc Senior Researcher Yv...
01/09/2026

Niger's political crisis continues to unfold. In an interview with various international media bicc Senior Researcher Yvan Guichaoua explains what we know about the coup attempt that occurred in Niger last Saturday and discusses the consequences for the incumbent military regime, which, even if victorious thanks to the Russian intervention, now faces more internal challenges.
Find the articles here:
📌 Rival factions stand off in Niger capital after mutineers attack airport, presidency — https://shorturl.at/lv8Fi (Reuters)
📌 Niger says mutinying soldiers launched coup attempt — https://shorturl.at/contH (Financial Times)
📌 Niger regains control of military base after coup attempt: https://shorturl.at/B8Im1 (Financial Times)
More interviews on the topic you can find here:
📌 Niger: «les Russes ont sauvé la mise, ou en tout cas permis de circonscrire cette tentative de putsch» — https://shorturl.at/n4kqa (rfi, in French)
📌 Niger: Retour sur la tentative de coup d’État— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdUHOHtqCWc (TV5 Monde, in French)

Wir suchen Verstärkung!Du willst dazu beitragen, dass geflüchtete Jugendliche in Deutschland Zugehörigkeit und demokrati...
01/09/2026

Wir suchen Verstärkung!
Du willst dazu beitragen, dass geflüchtete Jugendliche in Deutschland Zugehörigkeit und demokratische Teilhabe erfahren? Für unser Projekt „Jugend am Scheideweg: Marginalisierung und Mainstream in der politischen Sozialisation von geflüchteten Jugendlichen in Deutschland" (MAPS) suchen wir einen Wissenschaftlichen Mitarbeiter (m/w/d) in Vollzeit.
Du führst qualitative Feldforschung in fünf deutschen Städten durch, analysierst die Daten mit MAXQDA und entwickelst gemeinsam mit uns Handlungsempfehlungen für Politik, Kommunen und Präventionsarbeit. Start ist der 1. Oktober 2026, die Stelle ist bis September 2029 befristet (EG 13 TV-L, Bonn).

Interesse an Migration, politischer Partizipation und Radikalisierungsprävention? Dann bewirb Dich jetzt!

Mehr Infos hier ➡️ https://shorturl.at/N8Ken
Bewerbungsschluss ist der 20. September 2026.

Registration deadline extended: Sign up by September 8.The Annual Conference of the North Rhine-Westphalia Network for P...
31/08/2026

Registration deadline extended: Sign up by September 8.

The Annual Conference of the North Rhine-Westphalia Network for Peace and Conflict Research will take place at the University of Bonn on September 14.

Under the theme "NRW: Between Rearmament and Internal Peace", the conference will bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss current challenges in peace and conflict research and explore perspectives for peace, security, and social cohesion. The event also gives an opportunity to peace and conflict scholars across NRW to connect and exchange thoughts on current research and emerging challenges.
bicc is looking forward to participating in this year's conference and engaging in discussions with colleagues from academia, policy, and practice.

Register here ➡️ https://shorturl.at/ddRl8

Working in sustainable partnerships based on trust, diversity and respect is key to our work at BICC - Bonn Internationa...
28/08/2026

Working in sustainable partnerships based on trust, diversity and respect is key to our work at BICC - Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies!

This is why we are immensely happy to welcome our partners for a two-day partners’ meeting at bicc in Bonn, Germany:
- Dr Georges Djohy from the University of Parakou in Benin
- Prof Adama Ousmanou from Université de Maroua in Cameroon
- Prof Abubakar Abdullahi from Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Nigeria
- Mr Mustapha Alhassan, independent researcher consultant from Nigeria

The project, ‘Breaking Patterns of Armed Violence—Preventing Recruitment and Supporting Exit from Armed Groups in Africa’, funded by the Auswärtiges Amt (Federal Foreign Office Germany), is implemented in close partnership with the African Union and the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office.

The meeting on 27th and 28th of August allows our institutions to exchange research insights, create new connections between researchers and projects at bicc, discuss joint publications, deepen discussions on findings within our current project and discuss opportunities for future projects and joint research proposal development.

We highly value these exchanges and have benefited greatly from them—through deepening our understanding that long-term cooperation is a recipe for success, strengthening our collaborative insights and enhancing the impact of our engagements.

In this new peacebit, bicc researcher Clara Schmitz-Pranghe, together with Dilek Üstünalan and Albina Ujkanović, examine...
23/08/2026

In this new peacebit, bicc researcher Clara Schmitz-Pranghe, together with Dilek Üstünalan and Albina Ujkanović, examines various dimensions of return and belonging among people from the Sandžak, a historical border region between Serbia and Montenegro.

Read the full peacebit ➡️ https://shorturl.at/mvInU

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