The existing architecture to ensure sustainable development in the high seas in the Indian Ocean exhibits numerous shortcomings. This policy brief addresses the most pressing gaps and proposes a... Show moreThe existing architecture to ensure sustainable development in the high seas in the Indian Ocean exhibits numerous shortcomings. This policy brief addresses the most pressing gaps and proposes a set of policy recommendations, including specific first steps that ought to be taken in the near future. These include Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as part of spatial management of fisheries, the possibilities of creating new or expanding existing governance instruments, and enhancing enforcement measures that are required to make a multilateral, comprehensive governance instrument for the Indian Ocean effective. The policy brief argues that more advanced forms of governance of regional seas need to be established that will support better cooperation and communication between governments and wider stakeholder communities. Furthermore, sustainable development in the Indian Ocean requires a well-functioning framework that is geographically inclusive and covers a wide range of species. Developing countries should be given assistance in this process and the private sector, the scientific community as well as local communities should be fully involved. Monitoring, control, and surveillance of any areas covered in existing and future treaties (including MPAs) will also depend on countries and the private sector working together. Uniform standards for fisheries are dependent on effective data collection and reporting, requiring a commitment from all parties involved to gather and share this information. Together, these recommendations aim to create an inclusive and cooperative governance structure for the Indian Ocean in the service of blue growth. Show less
Cyberspace permeates global social and economic relations in the 21st Century. It is an integral part of the critical infrastructure on which modern societies depend and has revolutionized how we... Show moreCyberspace permeates global social and economic relations in the 21st Century. It is an integral part of the critical infrastructure on which modern societies depend and has revolutionized how we communicate and socialize. The governance of cyberspace is, therefore, an indispensable component of global governance, and a testing ground for new models of cooperation that could be adapted for effective governance in other areas. The purpose of this policy brief is to provide policymakers with insights on how to improve the effectiveness of cyber governance institutions and processes. These insights could also inform efforts to improve global governance institutions and processes more broadly. The brief considers two principal questions: Who should govern cyberspace, and how? In response to the former question, the authors review multistakeholder models of governance and provide recommendations for their improvement. These include: greater transparency of decision-making processes, with a prohibition on vetoes; dedicating financial resources to the empowerment of disadvantaged stakeholders; and allocating leadership positions in an equitable manner. In response to the latter question, the authors assess formal and informal approaches to governance in cyberspace, concluding that cyberspace should be governed through a combination of both. That is, a flexible, incremental and sectoral approach to strengthening the rule of law in cyberspace through international treaty-making should be complemented by efforts to build trust and consensus through the development, diffusion and institutionalization of norms for responsible behavior in cyberspace, as well as related confidence- and capacity-building measures. Taken together, these recommendations aim to foster common understanding and enhance security and the rule of law in cyberspace. This policy brief draws on The Hague Institute’s work on the Global Governance Reform Initiative (GGRI) project and the Global Conference on Cyberspace (GCCS), hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in April 2015. The GGRI project is a collaborative effort between The Hague Institute, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and the Observer Research Foundation (New Delhi). Show less
