Operational framework: where to develop interactions

Operational framework: where to develop interactions

Protocol

Where two nations are at high risk of conflict, create connections between the allies and trading partners of each one, as well as between the countries themselves and their most likely migration destinations.

Where a nation with much higher GDP and a nation with much lower GDP are adjacent and the small power contains valuable resources, create connections between the two, as well as between the smaller power and its regional peers.

Needed information

  • Geographic national border data
  • GDP
  • natural resource value
  • geopolitical risk index
  • bilateral tension indicator
  • trading partners and allies
  • most likely migration destination

Data Source Recommendations:

GDP:

  • World Bank Open Data (free, comprehensive, annually updated)
  • IMF World Economic Outlook Database (alternative/verification)

Natural Resource Value:

  • World Bank: The Changing Wealth of Nations (comprehensive natural capital accounting)
  • Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) resource data
  • USGS Mineral Resources Data for specific minerals/energy

Geopolitical Risk Index:

  • Fund for Peace: Fragile States Index (free, annually updated)
  • Political Risk Services (PRS) (commercial but comprehensive)
  • Institute for Economics and Peace: Global Peace Index (free)

Trading Partners:

  • UN Comtrade Database (free, comprehensive trade data)
  • World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) (World Bank, user-friendly interface)

Allies/Security Partners:

  • Correlates of War: Alliance Dataset (formal military alliances)
  • Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) arms trade data
  • Manual compilation from foreign ministry websites (informal partnerships)

Migration Destinations:

  • UN Migration Database (UNDESA international migrant stock data)
  • OECD Migration Database (for developed destination countries)
  • Pew Research Center migration studies (well-analyzed trends)

International Institution Memberships:

  • Yearbook of International Organizations (comprehensive but expensive)
  • Individual organization websites (UN, ASEAN, AU, EU, etc.)
  • CIA World Factbook (basic membership info, free)

Most accessible combination: World Bank + UN databases + Fund for Peace + CIA Factbook covers most needs for free.

Comments are closed.