University for Peace,United Nations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming economic and political systems at a pace that outstrips existing governance capacities. While AI offers significant potential for innovation, its rapid and uneven diffusion is amplifying structural inequalities within and between states. This paper develops an integrated conceptual framework to explain how AI-driven technological disruption interacts with political economy dynamics to deepen inequality, erode fiscal capacity, and weaken the foundations of sustainable peace. It argues that AI reshapes labor markets, concentrates wealth and data governance power, and reinforces global asymmetries, producing a systemic pattern of vertical and horizontal inequality. These inequalities narrow domestic tax bases, heighten debt dependency, and redirect scarce fiscal resources away from peacebuilding priorities toward technological adaptation and crisis management. As a result, in fragile contexts, institutions face diminishing ability to provide essential services, address grievances, and maintain legitimacy.By linking AI-induced inequality with fiscal fragility, the paper frames technological transformation as a potential economic, political and security threat. The analysis advances policy pathways for mitigating these risks through inclusive AI governance, equitable global cooperation, progressive fiscal reforms, and investment in local technological capacity. Ensuring that AI becomes a driver of resilience rather than a catalyst for exclusion is essential for building durable and just peace in the digital age.

Background: Population ageing is accelerating in Albania, yet hospital care remains largely oriented toward acute, disease-specific models. Evidence on hospital-based geriatric care capacity and workforce experience in Albania is limited. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods descriptive cross-sectional study at the University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa” in Tirana. Healthcare professionals involved in the care of older adults completed a structured questionnaire assessing geriatric infrastructure, training, workload, stress, family involvement, and perceived treatment inefficiency. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with perceived inefficiency. Semi-structured interviews explored institutional and experiential barriers. Results: A total of 103 healthcare professionals participated (response rate 85.1%). All respondents reported the absence of a dedicated geriatric ward and geriatrics specialist coverage. Infrastructure and equipment for geriatric care were predominantly rated as low to moderate, while perceived need for specialized geriatric services and staff training was high. Family members were frequently relied upon for medical history collection, and this reliance varied significantly by how problematic family presence was perceived (p = 0.03). In multivariable analysis, higher stress related to geriatric care was independently associated with higher perceived treatment inefficiency (OR ≈ 2.0 per unit increase, p < 0.001), while specialty-related variation remained significant. Conclusions: Hospital geriatric care in Albania is characterized by structural gaps, limited training, and high reliance on informal adaptations, with staff stress strongly associated with perceived inefficiency. These findings highlight the need for structured, age-friendly inpatient models and workforce support to improve care delivery for older adults.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) plays a critical role in addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges, particularly in post-conflict regions such as Somalia. This study evaluates the integration of ESD within Somali universities, aiming to assess educators’ knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers. A quantitative methodology was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires administered to 247 university lecturers across five universities. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, complemented by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and regression analysis to identify relationships between variables. The results revealed a strong consensus on the importance of ESD, with a mean score of 4.25 for the statement “ESD is crucial for Somalia’s development.” However, systemic barriers such as the mean score for time constraints was 3.79 and insufficient institutional support 48.6% were significant obstacles. Teaching practices emerged as the most critical factor for ESD integration, with the inclusion of sustainability topics achieving the highest factor loading of 0.79. Correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship between confidence in teaching sustainability and the inclusion of ESD topics r = 0.238. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions, such as curriculum reform and professional development programs, to overcome barriers and foster sustainable development in Somali universities.

Introduction: Recreational fisheries are expanding globally, generating both economic opportunities and ecological challenges. Understanding how anglers value environmental attributes is therefore essential for sustainable tourism development and effective fisheries governance. Objectives: This study assessed how U.S. and Canadian anglers in Costa Rica value biodiversity, ocean cleanliness, and conservation, and examined the relationship between these valuations, overall satisfaction, and intention to return. Methods: A structured survey was conducted between December 2024 and April 2025 at three Pacific marinas and a fishing lodge (n = 407). Respondents evaluated environmental and cultural attributes, fishing outcomes, and perceptions of fisheries regulations. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Cramér’s V to compare angler experience groups. Results: More than 85 % of respondents rated biodiversity, ocean cleanliness, and conservation as “very important.” Expert fishers assigned significantly higher importance than tournament fishers to ocean cleanliness, biodiversity protection, and scenic beauty (χ², p < 0.05; Cramér’s V = 0.18–0.22), while no significant differences were observed for conservation efforts. Intention to return was strongly associated with higher environmental valuation: more than 90 % of anglers in the top tercile reported plans to revisit Costa Rica, compared with fewer than 70 % in the lowest tercile. Conclusions: Environmental attributes are central to the satisfaction of U.S. and Canadian anglers in Costa Rica, contrasting with findings of North American studies where catch outcomes tend to dominate. Protecting billfish populations and consolidating best practices, including inclusive initiatives to attract women anglers, are critical for maintaining Costa Rica’s ecological integrity and tourism competitiveness.