The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) aims to prevent so-called conflict diamonds -- diamonds that come from conflict zones -- from entering world markets. The scheme works by tracking diamonds and by limiting trade among KPCS members to certified diamonds. This paper studies the scheme's impact on armed conflict in Africa. We exploit grid-cell level variation in the propensity to...
We provide quasi-experimental evidence of how an innovative market-based solution using remote-sensing technology can mitigate drought-induced conflict. Droughts are a major driver of conflict in Africa, particularly between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers. The Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) piloted in Kenya provides automated, preemptive payouts to pastoralists affected by...
Political trust in Armenia underwent a remarkable transformation, rising from 22 percent in 2017 to 71 percent in 2019 and then sharply dropping to 14 percent in 2021. This swift shift can be attributed to two pivotal events: the successful Velvet Revolution in 2018 and the military loss in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) War in 2020. This study explores the precise impact of these events, as...
