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Peace Picks | December 7 – December 11, 2020

Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.

1. Insecurity in Northeast Nigeria and Beyond | December 7, 2020 | 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET | Brookings Institute | Register Here

Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies, is also the lynchpin of security in western Africa. Yet for over a decade, it has struggled to address devastating jihadi insurgencies and terrorism by Boko Haram and the Islamic State. Victory against both groups remains elusive and security in northeastern Nigeria has significantly deteriorated since 2017. Insecurity has also spread to northwestern Nigeria with the farmers-herders’ conflict, which is compounded by the intensifying effects of global warming and remains dormant at best. Proliferating across the country, militia groups add another complex security challenge. Amidst these widespread challenges, Nigerians are demanding meaningful human security and accountability from the often-brutal military and law enforcement forces, such as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Layered over these issues, the coronavirus pandemic has devastated local economies, exacerbating already high levels of poverty and inequality and fractious political processes.

On December 7, the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors and the Africa Security Initiative at Brookings will hold a panel discussion to explore these complex and overlapping issues. After their remarks, panelists will take questions from the audience.

Speakers:

Ambassador John Campbell: Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies, and former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria – The Council on Foreign Relations

Takwa Z. Suifon: Peace and Development Advisor to the United Nations Resident Coordinator – United Nations Country Team in Nigeria

Sophia Comfort Michael: Manager – Norwegian Refugee Council in Nigeria

Siobhan O’Neil: Project Director of the Managing Exits from Armed Conflict Project – Centre for Policy Research, United Nations University

Vanda Felbab-Brown, moderator: Director – Initiative on Nonstate Armed ActorsCo-Director – Africa Security InitiativeSenior Fellow – Foreign Policy, Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology

2. Pandemics, Peace, and Justice: Shaping What Comes Next | December 7, 2020 | 9:00 – 10:30 AM; 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here

For the last eight years, the annual PeaceCon conference has offered a dynamic platform for frontline peacebuilders, policymakers, philanthropists, and private sector and civil society leaders working at the nexus of peacebuilding, security, and development to engage in meaningful dialogue and develop substantive plans for action. This year’s conference—with the theme “Pandemics, Peace, and Justice: Shaping What Comes Next”—will explore the relationship between justice and peacebuilding in the context of COVID-19 and the worldwide reckoning over systemic injustice and racism.

With the move to an entirely virtual format, PeaceCon 2020 aims to attract an even more diverse set of voices, expertise, and ideas from across the world. Sessions will go beyond exploring the problems and will challenge participants to put forward differing points of view and distill learning outcomes into pragmatic solutions.

Join USIP, in partnership with the Alliance for Peacebuilding, as we kickstart PeaceCon 2020 with a high-level keynote and panel discussion on December 7, 2020. The discussion will address the relationship between COVID-19, conflict, and fragility, and consider strategies for the international community to address the peace and security implications of the pandemic. Following a series of breakout sessions hosted by the Alliance for Peacebuilding, participants will re-join USIP for a fireside chat with Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation.

Agenda 

9:00am – 10:30am: AfP-USIP Plenary Session

Welcome Remarks

Lise Grande: President & CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Uzra Zeya: President, Alliance for Peacebuilding

Julia Roig: Chair, Board of Directors, Alliance for Peacebuilding

Keynote Address

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE): U.S. Senator from Delaware 

High Level Panel: COVID and Fragility: Risks and Recovery

Paige Alexander: CEO, The Carter Center

David Beasley: Executive Director, World Food Programme

Tjada D’Oyen McKenna: CEO, Mercy Corps

Ambassador Mark Green: Executive Director, McCain Institute

Dr. Joseph Hewitt, moderator: Vice President for Policy, Learning & Strategy, U.S. Institute of Peace

4:00pm – 5:00pm: Afternoon Keynote: Fireside Chat with Darren Walker

Darren Walker: President, Ford Foundation

Uzra Zeya, moderator: President, Alliance for Peacebuilding

3. A Conversation with Belarusian Opposition Leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya | December 7, 2020 | 10:00 AM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here

Belarus has been rocked by mass protests since its longtime authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, claimed victory in the country’s rigged August 9 presidential election. After being forced to flee the country due to threats to her family, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya—widely recognized by the international community as the real winner of the election—has led the Belarusian opposition movement while conducting an international campaign to rally support for the Belarusian people in their peaceful protests to remove Lukashenka from power. With firm backing from Russian President Vladimir Putin and an inability to keep protesters from filling the streets each week, Lukashenka and his security forces have illegally detained, beaten, and tortured Belarusians for demonstrating against his government. Tsikhanouskaya has fought for the advancement of self-determination, human rights, and freedom in Belarus, and is the recipient of the European Union’s Sakharov Prize, the bloc’s top human rights award. Today, Tsikhanouskaya continues to lead the Coordination Council for the Transfer of Power, recognized by EU lawmakers as the legitimate representative of the Belarusian people.

Speakers:

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: Belarusian Opposition Leader

4. Responding to Venezuela’s Parliamentary Elections | December 7, 2020 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM ET | CSIS | Register Here

On December 6th, the Maduro regime will hold National Assembly elections despite lacking adequate electoral conditions. Though many countries will not recognize the results of these elections, the regime is nevertheless expected to replace the current opposition-led National Assembly with the newly elected legislators on January 5th.

In the wake of these elections, the international community will have two important decisions to make. States will decide whether and how to uphold the legitimacy of the Venezuelan interim government, which derives its legitimacy from the current National Assembly. States will also decide whether and how to continue recognizing the 2015-2020 National Assembly, which could have its mandate extended if there is no legitimately elected legislature to take its place. These decisions will impact the Interim Government’s representation abroad, determining the extent to which the Venezuelan opposition can continue to safeguard external assets, protect Venezuela’s resources, oversee humanitarian assistance, denounce human rights violations, and facilitate a peaceful democratic transition.

Speakers

Carrie Filipetti: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cuba and Venezuela, U.S. Department of State

José Ignacio Hernández: Former Special Prosecutor of the Venezuela Interim Government

Michael Grant: Assistant Deputy Minister for the Americas, Global Affairs Canada

5. Understanding a Year of Political Turmoil in and Around Russia | December 8, 2020 | 9:00 – 10:00 AM ET | CSIS | Register Here

A constitutional overhaul. Protests in Khabarovsk and a flawed election in Belarus. An anemic economy and a raging pandemic. A poisoned opposition leader. Turkish forces deployed in Azerbaijan, Russia’s ‘near abroad.’ For the Kremlin, 2020 was supposed to be a triumphant year but it rapidly transformed into one of deep uncertainty and malaise. How should we interpret all of these events? As rumors circulate in Moscow questioning President Putin’s longevity as Russia’s leader, is the regime stable? Where is public opinion trending ahead of the consequential 2021 Duma elections? How do a younger generation view Russia’s future? And, what does all of this mean for Europe and the incoming Biden administration? 

Speakers

Denis Volkov: Deputy Director, Levada Center

Andrei Kolesnikov: Senior Fellow, Carnegie Moscow Center

Ernest Wyciszkiewicz: Director, Centre for Polish-Russian Dialogue and Understanding

6. Five Years Later: UNSCR 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security | December 8, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:00 AM ET | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here

December 9 will mark five years since the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS). UNSCR 2250 was a milestone in the international community’s affirmation that youth play a significant role in realizing global peace and security. While youth have previously been depicted as victims, targets, or perpetrators of violent conflict, UNSCR 2250 represented a shift in discourse toward youth as peacebuilders and agents of change capable of preventing, mitigating, and resolving conflict in their communities.

Studies have demonstrated that including and partnering with young people helps foster a more sustainable peace. However, despite continued support from the U.N., and grassroots efforts to encourage inclusive representation of youth in decision making, there remain structural barriers that prevent youth from contributing to YPS on national, regional, and local levels. 

Join USIP for a discussion with the co-chair of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security and two youth peacebuilders as they reflect on the tangible progress that has been made on the YPS agenda since the passage of Resolution 2250, as well as the challenges to effective implementation of the agenda around the world. 

Speakers:

David Yang, welcoming remarks: Vice President, Applied Conflict Transformation Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

Lorena Gómez Ramírez: USIP Generation Change Fellow; USIP Youth Advisory Council Member 

Cécile Mazzacurati: Head, Secretariat on Youth, Peace and Security, United Nations Population Fund; Co-chair, Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security

Mridul Upadhyay: USIP Generation Change Fellow; USIP Youth Advisory Council Member 

Rebecca Ebenezer-Abiola, moderator: Program Officer, Curriculum and Training Design, U.S. Institute of Peace

7. Belarus: Is the Tide Turning? | December 8, 2020 | 12:30 PM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here

The democratic revolution in Belarus has outlasted expectations despite mass detentions, torture of democratic activists, and crackdowns on independent media perpetrated by dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime. Since demonstrations began in August, the United States and European Union have each condemned the state’s violent treatment of protestors while expanding sanctions against Lukashenka and his cronies. But with financial and security assistance from the Kremlin propping up the authoritarian regime, Congress and the incoming Biden administration must do more to support the Belarusian people in their struggle for freedom and democracy.

Speakers

Ambassador John Herbst: director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center

Franak Viačorka: nonresident fellow at the Eurasia Center; adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Dr. Michael Carpenter: nonresident senior fellow at the Eurasia Center; senior director of the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement

Melinda Haring, moderator: deputy director of the Eurasia Center

8. Lessons from Afar: Anti-Apartheid, the Arab Spring, and the Path Forward | December 9, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:00 AM ET | Carnegie Endowment of Peace | Register Here

The anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa captured the world’s attention during the latter half of the 20th century, just as the Arab Spring did in the early 21st. Precisely three decades after Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and a decade from the start of the Arab Spring, what lessons can we draw from South Africa as the Middle East continues to seek stability? And as people across the world confront rising authoritarianism, how can these important moments in history be guiding lights for lasting change?

Speakers

H. A. Hellyer: senior associate fellow and scholar at the Royal United Services Institute in London; nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Shafiq Morton: an award-winning Cape Town-based journalist

Ebrahim Rasool: former Ambassador of South Africa to the United States

Zaha Hassan: human rights lawyer, visiting fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

9. How Movements Fight Corruption | December 9, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:15 AM ET | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here

In the fight against corruption, civil society is often at the forefront of advancing innovative plans and solutions to increase government transparency and accountability and ultimately root out graft across different sectors. The urgent global response to the COVID-19 pandemic makes this function of civil society all the more crucial, as the same measures meant to stem the pandemic’s devastating health and economic effects also heighten the risk of corruption. As the world celebrates International Anti-Corruption Day, it’s important to elevate the voices of civil society leaders and movements working diligently to stifle and prevent corruption—as well as address the challenges they face. 

Join USIP for a discussion on these citizen and movement efforts, including those in Guatemala, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. This event will feature activists, scholars of nonviolent action, and international donors to explore the various ways bottom-up pressure can be used to make governments more open, hold leaders accountable, and prevent and curb corruption. This conversation will also draw insights from a series of USIP Special Reports, products of a multi-year research project in six different countries, to provide lessons on how policymakers and international actors can best support movements working to advance transparency and accountability.

Speakers:

Gladys Kudzaishe Hlatywayo: Secretary for International Relations, MDC Alliance 

Olena Tregub: Secretary General, Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee, Transparency International 

Walter Flores: Principal Advisor, Center for Studies for Equity and Governance in Health Systems

Bryan Sims: Senior Manager of Peacebuilding, Humanity United

Shaazka Beyerle, moderator: Senior Fellow, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, George Mason University 

10. What does Aung San Suu Kyi’s Electoral Success Mean for Myanmar? | December 9, 2020 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET | Stimson Center | Register Here

The governing National League for Democracy won a stunning victory in Myanmar’s recent election. Supporters claim the NLD’s strong showing represents an endorsement of Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership. Critics point to flaws in the electoral process, including censorship of NLD opponents and disenfranchisement of Rohingyas and other ethnic minorities. How will the NLD’s mandate affect democratic development and progress in the peace process? How should the incoming Biden administration respond to Myanmar?

Speakers

Scot Marciel: Former US Ambassador to Myanmar (2016-20); Visiting Practitioner Fellow on Southeast Asia, Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University

Mary Callahan: Associate Professor of International Studies from the University of Washington.

William Wise, moderator: Non-Resident Fellow and Chair, Southeast Asia Forum, Stimson Center

11. Lessons Learned for Afghanistan from El Salvador’s Peace Process | December 10, 2020 | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM ET | CSIS | Register Here

Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban began in Doha, Qatar in September 2020, providing an unprecedented opportunity for peace after forty years of conflict and war. As these critical negotiations unfold, it is important to consider historical examples of countries who have successfully overcome seemingly intractable conflicts to forge peace.

This event will highlight important lessons from El Salvador’s peace process in order to provide insight into the ongoing Afghan peace talks. While the conditions are significantly different than those in Afghanistan, the peace process to end the civil war in El Salvador can provide key lessons for Afghanistan on complex peace negotiations by highlighting both the successes and challenges of their peace process.

Speakers

Ambassador Anne Patterson: Former Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs (2013-2017) and Ambassador to El Salvador (1997-2000)

Ambassador Álvaro de Soto: Former UN Secretary-General’s Representative for El Salvador peace negotiations

General Mauricio “Chato” Vargas: Congressman, San Salvador, El Salvador

Ambassador Ruben Zamora: Former Salvadoran Ambassador to the United Nations (2014-2017) and Salvadoran Ambassador to the United States (2013-2014)

12. 50 Years of the Assad Dynasty | December 10, 2020 | 2:00 PM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here

On November 13, 1970, Syria witnessed its last of many coups following its 1946 independence from the French. Fifty years later, the country remains led by a dynasty that has outlasted not only nine American presidents, but has also managed to maintain its iron grip over Syria while surrounding regimes have successively succumbed to regional upheaval.

This panel will reflect on the Assad family’s impact on Syria and the region, its relationship with the United States, and what the future might hold for the family and the regime. 

Agenda:

Opening remarks

William Wechsler: Director, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and Middle East Programs, Atlantic Council

Ibrahim Al-Assil: Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute

Rahaf Aldoughli: Lecturer in Middle East and North African Studies, Lancaster University

Steven Heydemann: Janet Wright Ketcham 1953 Chair in Middle East Studies, Smith College

Joseph Bahout: Director, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, American University of Beirut

Rima Maktabi, moderator: UK Bureau Chief, Al Arabiya News Channel