Weak governance perceived as a threat by many participating States, OSCE think tank network study reveals

The results of the first joint study conducted by the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions, “Threat perceptions in the OSCE area”, was presented to participating States in Vienna on Tuesday, 29 April 2014.

Wolfgang Zellner, Co-ordinator of the network and head of the Centre for OSCE Research (CORE), Sonja Stojanovic Gajic, Director of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, Philip Remler of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Barend ter Haar, Senior Research Fellow at the Clingendael Institute of International Relations presented the written report of the study’s conclusions, based on 18 country studies from throughout the OSCE region.

“The real surprise of this study is the salient prominence of perceived domestic threats, combined with questions of the efficiency and legitimacy of governance. The common denominator is concern about weak, insufficient and/or worsening governance capacities and this concern is shared by all kinds of countries,” said ter Haar, citing the report.

The study also notes the close connection between domestic and transnational threats in today’s interconnected world, and the positive correlation between strong governance and the perception of resilience against organized crime.

While the core research underlying the report was completed before the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, an additional section explores changes in threat perceptions as a result of the recent events.

The report concludes with recommendations for the OSCE’s response to perceived threats, including a call for a structured approach to addressing good governance issues that takes account of differences among countries and realities on the ground.

The OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions was founded in 2013. More information about the network can be found on its website http://osce-network.net/