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Peace Picks | March 15 – March 19, 2021

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

1. Free to Leave? Independent Media in Russia | March 15, 2021 |  9:30 AM ET | Atlantic Council| Register Here

Independent media in Russia have long faced harassment and intimidation from the Kremlin. Indeed, when Vladimir Putin first rose to the Russian presidency in 2000, he quickly stifled the country’s large national broadcasters, shuttered commercial media outlets, and began a campaign to force domestic affiliates to break ties with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Russian Service. Even with the advent and now ubiquity of the internet, the Kremlin has moved to block online sites that it deems “undesirable,” or detrimental to its grip on power. Putin and his cronies have even resorted to the murder of prominent journalists.

International outlets have sometimes been spared the harsh treatment that Russian news sources have received. But Putin is now dialing the pressure up on foreign media companies, too. Russian authorities have recently used the country’s “foreign agent” law to fine and effectively ban Western news outlets that don’t support the Kremlin propaganda line. Since January 2021, Russia’s media regulator has issued hundreds of violations that will result in nearly $1 million in fines for RFE/RL for “non-compliance” with the law—more fines are on the way.

Investigative journalism in Russia has been more successful of late, led by Alexei Navalny’s YouTube videos exposing Kremlin corruption and uncovering the operations of the FSB’s brazen death squads. But the triumphs of these investigations speak more to the skill of Navalny and his team than an open media environment. Navalny now sits in prison, Russian propaganda continues to surge, and independent news outlets are more threatened than ever.

The Kremlin’s multi-faceted pressure campaign deprives Russian society of quality news and information, making it more difficult for Russians to pursue the fundamental freedoms they deserve.

Can independent media survive under such intense pressure from the Kremlin? What can the West do to support a vibrant free press in Russia?

Speakers:

Jamie Fly

President and CEO of RFE/RL

Kiryl Sukhotski

Regional director for Europe and TV production at RFE/RL, 

Maria Lipman

Senior Associate at the PONARS Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University

Dylan Myles-Primakoff

Nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, join to discuss the Russian media landscape and the challenges ahead. 

Melinda Haring (Moderator)

Deputy Director of the Eurasia Center

2. Minsk II and the Donbas Conflict: Six Years Later | March 15, 2021 |  10:00 AM ET | Wilson Center| Register Here

This February marks six years since the Minsk 2 Protocol was agreed upon by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany in order to work toward ending the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Since then, the implementation of Minsk 2 by the OSCE-led Trilateral Contact Group has been difficult, with some moments of stabilization but an overall failure to move toward the conflict resolution phase. Additionally, recent ceasefire violations are evidence that the situation is worsening. In this panel, experts will discuss what is happening on the Donbas frontline today, assess the implementation of Minsk 2, and share major achievements and shortcomings on the development of the situation in the region.

Speakers:

Hannah Shelest

Director of Security, Programmes, Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”; Editor-in-Chief, UA: Ukraine Analytica

Brian Milakovsky

Independent Analyst

Mykhailo Minakov

Senior Advisor; Editor-in-Chief, Focus Ukraine Blog

William E Pomeranz (Moderator)

Deputy Director, Kennan Institute

3. MEI: Syria Annual Conference: The Geopolitics of Syria’s Crisis | March 16, 2021 | 9:00 AM ET | Wilson Center| Register Here

The Middle East Institute’s Syria Program is pleased to host its annual Syria Policy Conference, featuring three panels of Syrian figures and leading experts. Marking the ten year anniversary of the 2011 uprising, this inaugural conference is especially poignant, with a path towards stability and justice still some way away. What are the lessons learned from the past decade and what does the future hold? What avenues remain open for progress on the diplomatic front; what options are available to ameliorate the worsening humanitarian situation; what role will Syrians from all backgrounds play in determining what comes next? These are many more questions will be the subject of the conference agenda below.

Aleksandr Aksenenok
Vice President, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC); Former Ambassador to Syria

Karim Sadjadpour
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace & Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University

Andrew Tabler 
Martin J. Gross Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy; former Senior Advisor, U.S. State Department

Gonul Tol 
Director, Turkey Program, Middle East Institute

Liz Sly (Moderator)
Beirut Bureau Chief, Washington Post

4. The State of Peacebuilding in Africa: Lessons Learned for Policy Makers and Practitioners | March 16, 2021 | 9:00 AM ET | Wilson Center| Register Here

Please join the Wilson Center Africa Program for the launch of The State of Peacebuilding in Africa: Lessons Learned for Policymakers and Practitioners, edited by Dr. Terence McNamee and Dr. Monde Muyangwa, on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, from 9:00-10:45 AM Eastern Time US (EDT). Key topics for discussion include peacebuilding frameworks, strategies and tools, as well as the role of international actors.

Speakers:

Dr. Paul D. Williams

Professor of International Affairs and Associate Director M.A Security Policy Studies Program, The George Washington University

Dr. Fritz Nganje

Former Public Policy Scholar; Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Johannesburg

Dr. Chukwuemeka B. Eze

Executive Director, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)

Ms. Lisa Sharland

Deputy Director of Defence, Strategy and National Security, and Head of International Program, Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Dr. Franklin Oduro

Resident Program Director for Elections, Ethiopia Office, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

Dr. Phil Clark

Professor of International Politics, SOAS University of London

Andrea Johnson (Moderator)

Program Officer, Higher Education and Research in Africa and Peacebuilding in Africa, Carnegie Cooperation of New York

5.     The “Minneapolis Effect”: Hostility Toward Law Enforcement, Police Officer Passivity, and the Rise of Violent Crime | March 16, 2021 | 3:00 PM ET | The Heritage Foundation | Register Here

The phenomenon of cities with disengaged officers and higher levels of serious violent crimes has come to be called the “Minneapolis Effect.” Join us for a discussion with two scholars who have recently illuminated this criminological trend.

Speakers:

Honorable Paul Cassell

Professor of Criminal Law, University of Utah

Lawrence Rosenthal

Professor of Law, Chapman University

Paul J Larkin Jr. (Moderator)

Rumpel Senior Legal Research Fellow

6.     Asset, Liability, or Both—The Future of U.S.-Saudi Relations | March 17, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace| Register Here

With the release of the incriminating U.S. intelligence report on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Biden—in a sharp break with the Trump administration—has clearly outlined his intention to recalibrate the U.S.-Saudi relationship to ensure it advances U.S. interests and values. 

Are the administration’s initial steps sufficient to rebalance the relationship? Or does more need to be done? What impact has this shift had on Saudi internal politics, specifically on the standing of the crown prince? And even more fundamentally, with the fracturing of the decades-long oil-for-security trade-off, what are the U.S. interests in its relationship with the kingdom in 2021? 

Speakers:

Yasmine Farouk

Visiting Fellow, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Bernard Haykel

Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University

Robin Wright

Columnist, New Yorker; Fellow at US Institute of Peace and Wilson Center

Aaron David Miller (Moderator)

Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

7. Black Sea Connectivity and the South Caucasus | March 17, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Middle East Institute| Register Here

The Black Sea historically served as a major trading route connecting Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia to the Mediterranean world. There is a growing interest in this region from major regional and non-regional actors. In addition to the security dimension, the Black Sea is attracting growing commercial interests. In order to maximize trade opportunities for all parties involved, there is a need for renewed effort to facilitate Black Sea connectivity, in order to manage post-Covid recovery, and achieve significant synergy of resources and markets for years to come. More investment is needed for infrastructure development and harmonization of tariffs and border crossing procedures, with the common aim of increasing competitiveness of the entire transit and transportation system. 
 
The Middle East Institute’s (MEI) Frontier Europe Initiative is pleased to host a panel of experts who will discuss Black Sea Connectivity and its South Caucasus Extension for greater commercial benefits to the wider Black Sea region. 

Speakers:

Ivo Konstantinov
Commercial counselor and trade attache, Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria

Mamuka Tsereteli
Non-resident fellow, Frontier Europe Initiative, MEI

Andrii Tsokol
Associate Director, Infrastructure Europe, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Iulia Joja (Moderator)
Senior fellow, Frontier Europe Initiative, MEI

8. Pursuing War Crimes: The Meaning of Justice in the Syria Context | March 18, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Atlantic Council| Register Here

Ten years into the tragic Syrian conflict, the cost of the violence and violations stretch beyond imagination. More than half a million Syrian lives have been lost, 12 million have been displaced, and millions maimed and injured. More than 100,000 Syrians have been forcibly disappeared, while tens of thousands languish in official and makeshift detention centers. Those who should be held to account have evaded justice and, in some cases have seen their power grow. 

Over the past few years, leading international criminal lawyers, prosecutors, and civil society groups committed to accountability have filed cases against perpetrators in European courts. Where do these cases stand today and what are the prospects for holding criminals accountable? What role, if any, can US and European policy makers play in supporting the quest to seek justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria?

Speakers:

Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp
Senior Fellow, US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide

Dr. Yasmine Nahlawi
Legal Consultant

Sareta Ashraph
Senior Adviser, US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide

Jomana Qaddour
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East
Atlantic Council

9. Can Diversity,  Equity and Inclusion Deliver Peace? | March 18, 2021 | 1:00 PM ET | US Institute of Peace| Register Here

The Global Fragility Act and U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace and Security offer tools for realizing these goals and build upon decades of lessons learned from research and programming in the field. But important questions remain if a new approach consistent with principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is to be operationalized. What should the role of local stakeholders and beneficiaries be in establishing DEI principles and evaluating program impact? And what are the hurdles to bringing these more inclusive approaches to scale?  

Join USIP and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University for a timely discussion on how applying the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion can contribute to more effective U.S. peace and development programs around the world. Panelists will consider efforts to meaningfully engage marginalized or underrepresented groups such as women, youth, and social movement actors to support locally driven peacebuilding.

Speakers:

Corinne Graff, (Introductory Remarks)
Senior Advisor, Conflict Prevention and Fragility, U.S. Institute of Peace

Susanna Campbell
Assistant Professor, School of International Service, American University

Rosa Emilia Salamanca 
Executive Director, Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica (CIASE) in Colombia

Joseph Sany
Vice President, Africa Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

Pamina Firchow (Moderator)
Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, Brandeis University 

10. Maritime Security Dialogue: Congressional Perspective on the Future of the US Navy |March 18, 2021 | 1:00 PM ET | US Institute of Peace| Register Here

The Maritime Security Dialogue series brings together CSIS and the U.S. Naval Institute, two of the nation’s most respected non-partisan institutions. The series highlights the particular challenges facing the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, from national level maritime policy to naval concept development and program design. Given budgetary challenges, technological opportunities, and ongoing strategic adjustments, the nature and employment of U.S. maritime forces are likely to undergo significant change over the next ten to fifteen years. The Maritime Security Dialogue provides an unmatched forum for discussion of these issues with the nation’s maritime leaders.

Speakers:

Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) 

Co-Chair, House National Security Caucus and Member, House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and

Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA) 

Vice Chair, House Armed Services Committee & Member, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee

Dr. Seth Jones (Moderator)

Senior Vice President; Harold Brown Chair; and Director, International Security Program.