Category: Josephine Koury
Peace Picks | August 3 – 9, 2020
Notice: Due to recent public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.
- Coronavirus and the Conflict in Syria | August 4, 2020 | 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM | US Institute of Peace | Register Here
Countries in conflict have been especially hard hit by COVID-19, with the pandemic compounding numerous pre-existing challenges. In Syria, limited humanitarian access, a devastated health care system, and unreliable data have hampered the response—particularly in areas outside of regime control, where autonomous authorities struggle with minimal testing capabilities and access to aid. As the virus begins to make significant inroads into the conflict-affected country, there are also worries about how the virus will impact the millions of Syrians currently displaced.
Speakers:
The Honorable Nancy Lindborg: introductory remarks
President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace
David Lillie: Executive Director, Syrian American Medical Society
Dr. Mohammad Al-Haj Hamdo: Health Coordinator in Northeast Syria, Syria Relief
Dr. Hamza Alsaied Hasan: Quality and Development Manager for Northwest Syria, Syrian American Medical Society
Dr. Amjad Rass: Chairman of the Northern Syria Medical Relief Committee, Syrian American Medical Society
Dr. Bachir Tajaldin: Senior Program Manager for Turkey, Syrian American Medical Society
Mona Yacoubian (moderator): Senior Advisor to the Vice President, Middle East and Africa, U.S. Institute of Peace
- Gender and Displacement in the Middle East during COVID-19 | August 4, 2020 | 10:00 AM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
As the global refugee crisis continues amid the spread of Covid-19 and economic collapse, displaced women face growing dangers in the Middle East. Women refugees and IDPs are at greater risk of domestic and gender-based violence, and many struggle with new roles as both primary income earners and sole caregivers of their children in unfamiliar environments. Additionally, sexist legal systems have become a push factor for women refugees, and insufficient legal protections exist for women refugees in many host countries.
How does the lens of gender help to understand the female migrant experience? How do changing social and economic roles impact the livelihoods and safety of displaced women? What policies and practices can be implemented to provide greater protection from violence and insecurity for women refugees?
Speakers:
Shaza Al Rihawi: Researcher, Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories; co-founder, Network for Refugee Voices
Miriam Azar: In-Country Representative for Lebanon and Turkey, The Malala Fund
Devon Cone: Senior advocate for women and girls, Refugees International
Dalal Yassine: Executive director, Middle East Voices
Hafsa Halawa (moderator): Nonresident scholar, MEI
- Jordan in 2020: Protests and Pandemic | August 5, 2020 | 10:00 AM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
The start of the new decade in Jordan has been marred by unrest. In January, thousands of Jordanians took to the streets to protest both President Trump’s Middle East peace plan and the gas deal signed between Israel and Jordan. This wave of dissent came on the heels of the 2019 protests against increased austerity measures, a follow up to the 2018 movement that saw the resignation of Hani Mulki’s government. Though Jordan quickly adopted stringent measures to combat the virus, the economy will suffer a huge blow, exacerbating Jordan’s existing development challenges and popular discontent. Furthermore, the pandemic prompted troubling restrictions on freedom of speech, with an April decree stating that sharing anything that may “cause panic” about the pandemic is punishable with up to three years in prison.
How have protest movements in Jordan been impacted by Covid-19, and what do recent protests over honor killings and gender based violence portend for progress in this area? How do these long standing grievances meet the current moment of the impending Israeli annexation? What will be the long term impact of the pandemic on Jordan’s economy and human rights, especially for the country’s millions of refugees?
Speakers:
Laith Al Ajlouni: Political economist
Rana Husseini: Journalist, author, and human rights activist
Sara Kayyali: Syria researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
Oraib Al-Rantawi (moderator): Founder and director general, Al Quds Center for Political Studies
- Why Did the United States Invade Iraq? A Conversation with Robert Draper | August 5, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Watch Here
The 2003 invasion of Iraq is one of the most debated, misunderstood, and consequential foreign policy episodes in modern U.S. history. In To Start a War, New York Times bestselling author Robert Draper offers the definitive account of the march to war in Iraq.
Join us for a conversation between Robert Draper and Ambassador William J. Burns, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, about the war, its consequences, and its lessons.
Speakers:
Robert Draper: contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and National Geographic and a correspondent to GQ
William J. Burns: President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He previously served as U.S. deputy secretary of state.
- Pakistan’s National Security Outlook | August 5, 2020 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | United States Institute of Peace| Register Here
Join USIP for a conversation with Dr. Moeed Yusuf, Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on national security and strategic policy planning and a member of Pakistan’s coronavirus response team. The discussion will look at what these developments mean for Pakistan’s national security outlook towards its neighbors and its relationship with the U.S., as well as how the pandemic impacts Pakistan’s security and economic policy.
Speakers:
The Honorable Nancy Lindborg, opening remarks: President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace
Dr. Moeed Yusuf: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security and Strategic Policy Planning, Pakistan
Former Associate Vice President, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace
Amb. Richard Olson (moderator): Senior Advisor, U.S. Institute of Peace and former Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan
- After Qassem Suleimani: The Islamic Republic’s Strategy for the Arab World | August 6, 2020 | 10:00 AM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
The January assassination of Qassem Soleimani shocked the leadership in Tehran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had not expected the United States to escalate tensions between the two countries in such a manner. The assassination of Soleimani was an effort to change Tehran’s strategic calculations and policies for the Middle East. With continued sanctions imposed by the United States, regional tension, and the loss of a key decision maker, Iran is facing intensified challenges to achieve its goals at home and in the region. The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to welcome a group of experts to assess Iranian policy towards the Arab world following the death of Soleimani and to discuss how Arab states are reacting to Iran’s actions.
How has Iran’s strategy in the Arab world performed following Soleimani’s death? In what ways have proxy forces in the Middle East that operate under Tehran’s command been affected? Who is left to make key decisions about the Islamic Republic’s involvement in the Arab states, and are we faced with a weaker IRGC Quds force after Soleimani? Finally, what do Arabs think of Iranian policies aimed at them?
Speakers:
Tarek Osman: Author and broadcaster
Ariane Tabatabai: Middle East fellow, Alliance for Securing Democracy, German Marshall Fund of the United States
Morad Vaisibiame: Journalist and editor, Radio Farda, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Alex Vatanka (Moderator): Director, Iran program and senior fellow, Frontier Europe Initiative, MEI
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Covid-19 sparks authoritarianism
“The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the political climate in several African countries. From restrictive media laws to prohibitions on political activities, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the opposition to contribute to policy debates or even assist their supporters in a time of need. Evidently, these continuous attacks on political leaders and civil society activists are most acute in countries experiencing democratic backsliding.” On July 17, the Center for Strategic & International Studies hosted an online event titled “The Fight for Democracy and Public Health”. The event was moderated by Judd Devermont, director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and featured four guest speakers:
Tendai Biti: Member of Parliament, Harare East Constituency; Vice President, Movement for Democratic Change (Zimbabwe)
Zitto Kabwe: Party Leader, Alliance for Change and Transparency (Tanzania)
Hakainde Hichilema: President, United Party for National Development (Zambia)
Salem Solomon: Multimedia Digital Journalist, Voice of America – Africa Division
Current Context
Salem underscores that around the world, states have placed unprecedented restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic upon freedom of movement and various other basic liberties. As public gatherings have increasingly been restricted in the name of public health and safety, mandated state lockdowns have also simultaneously been enforced. In many places, leaders use these restrictions to consolidate political power and repress opposition parties. Significantly, these restrictions will remain in place beyond the end of the pandemic.
Zimbabwe
Biti highlights that various African states like Zimbabwe have already been plagued by a “political pandemic” –authoritarianism. The coronavirus pandemic aids and abets proponents of authoritarian regimes across the African continent. In Zimbabwe and Zambia, it has been used to justify the imposition of de facto states of emergency, further restricting democracy. The pandemic has also massively increased looting, corruption, and abuses of power across Zimbabwe. The people of Zimbabwe face an “economic pandemic:” 95% of all people in Zimbabwe remain unemployed, Zimbabwe ranks second highest globally in terms of hyperinflation, and shortages of power and food remain rampant.
Tanzania
Zitto states that although the government of Tanzania has remained persistent in their skepticism of the pandemic, it has simultaneously maintained rigorous control over the release of information. It has cracked down on social media and has arrested citizens for posting about the coronavirus pandemic. The government has blocked access to statistical data concerning the number of cases, deaths, and recoveries from the virus. One-third of the Tanzanian economy derives from tourism. Thus, the imposition of travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic has devastated the economy.
Zambia
Hichilema highlights that Zambia has yet again found itself in a debt crisis. The government blames the coronavirus pandemic for the continued rise of state debt and economic failure. To Hichilema, Zambia’s economic state can be attributed not to the pandemic alone, but to years of government mismanagement.
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Peace Picks | July 20-26, 2020
Notice: Due to recent public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.
- Russian Influence Activities in Europe | July 20, 2020 | 12:00 PM- 12:45 PM | CSIS | Register Here
Please join CSIS for a conversation on Russia’s influence activities in the UK, Europe, and Europe’s southern neighborhood featuring Dame Karen Pierce DCMG, British Ambassador to the United States, and Luke Harding, foreign correspondent and investigative journalist for The Guardian, on the occasion of a newly released CSIS report on Russian and Chinese influence activities in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Introduced by Heather A. Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic, and moderated by Rachel Ellehuus, CSIS Europe Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, this conversation will examine the objectives and tactics behind Russia’s influence activities in the UK, Europe, and beyond; discuss the activities which were and were not considered successful; and discuss steps that the United Kingdom has taken to be more resilient and less susceptible to Russian efforts at home and abroad.
Speakers:
Dame Karen Pierce DCMG: British Ambassador to the United States
Luke Harding: Foreign Correspondent, The Guardian
Rachel Ellehuus: Deputy Director, Europe Program
Heather A. Conley: Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; and Director, Europe Program
- Sino-Indian Escalation: Blip or Lasting Strategic Shift? | July 21, 2020 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | United States Institute of Peace |Register Here
Last month, Chinese and Indian troops came to blows in their deadliest border incident since 1967, culminating on June 15 with the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops. The Indian and Chinese governments have remained largely silent on exactly what happened along the disputed boundary. The two countries appear to have stabilized the situation by starting a disengagement process, but unlike prior dustups, this unexpected and deadly turn could portend a lasting and significant strategic shift.
Join USIP for an expert panel on the Sino-Indian border clash and its implications for regional and global security. The discussion will examine whether this conflict signals an emboldened shift in China’s posture toward disputed borders elsewhere, how this rivalry affects existing India-Pakistan tensions and other border disputes, and what the implications are for the United States and its allies as they push back on perceived Chinese aggression.
Speakers:
Tanvi Madan: Senior Fellow, Project on International Order and Strategy and Director of the India Project, Brookings Institution
M. Taylor Fravel: Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science and Director of the Security Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Vikram J. Singh: Senior Advisor, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace
Jacob Stokes (Moderator): Senior Policy Analyst, China Program, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace
- One State, Two States, or None At All: Where Do Israelis and Palestinians Go From Here? | July 21, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Register Here
As Israelis and Palestinians confront the future, prospects for serious negotiations, or even a conflict-ending solution, look particularly grim. The prospects of a negotiated two-state solution are dwindling or already dead; the possibility of a bi-national state shimmers out in the distance like a desert mirage; and both the Trump peace plan and possible Israeli annexation offer either continued impasse or escalation.
Where do Israelis and Palestinians go from here? Join us as three veteran observers and practitioners of Israeli-Palestinian affairs assess the prospects for peace and the road ahead.
Speakers:
Shlomo Ben Ami: former foreign minister of Israel.
Nadeel Shaath: foreign minister of Palestine from 2003 to 2005, the former minister of Planning and International Cooperation, and a former member of Fateh Central Committee.
Tamara Cofman Wittes: senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings, where she focuses on U.S. policy in the Middle East.
Aaron David Miller: senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focusing on U.S. foreign policy.
- The Next Era of US-Pacific Islands Engagement | July 22, 2020 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here
In this Pacific Century, the United States is a Pacific nation that for three generations has anchored peace in this region of the world. The Pacific Islands include 24 jurisdictions ranging from independent states, to states linked to the United States and others through free association compacts, to territories and dependencies stretching throughout Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia—from Rapa Nui to Palau, from Hawai’i to New Caledonia. As the world turns its attention to the Pacific Islands, these countries are coalescing around a shared regional identity and bringing their economic, political, and security concerns to the global stage.
How do the United States and our allies and partners continue longstanding mutual interests and values with the Pacific Islands in the face of accelerating development needs and challenges to regional peace and security, sovereignty, trade and freedom of navigation, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law?
Join USIP as we host two co-founders of the bipartisan Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus for a discussion that outlines these challenges and opportunities, as well as their proposals to coordinate the next era of the United States’ engagement in the Pacific.
Speakers:
Rep. Ed Case: U.S. Representative from Hawaii
Rep. Ted Yoho: U.S. Representative from Florida
The Honorable Nancy Lindborg: (Moderator): President, U.S. Institute of Peace
- US Policy Towards Syria after the Caesar Act | July 22, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Arab Center DC | Register Here
This webinar focuses on the substance and ramifications of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which was passed by both chambers of the US Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2019. It went into effect on June 17, 2020. The discussion will provide details on the sanctions mandated by the act, an update on the implementation and targets of these sanctions, and the ensuing political and regional dynamics, including Russia’s reaction. The speakers will also address the next steps for the United States following the July 9, 2020 condemnation of Syria’s air force by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Speakers:
Joel D. Rayburn: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Levant Affairs and Special Envoy for Syria, US Department of State
Radwan Ziadeh: Senior Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC
Reema Abuhamdieh (Moderator): Presenter and Reporter, Al Araby Television Network
- Toward a Green Recovery in the Gulf States | July 23, 2020 | 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM | Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington| Register Here
As the Gulf Arab countries look to recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, climate-related challenges loom large over their economic revival plans. While urgent in their own right, climate-related challenges are a slower moving threat compared to the immediacy of a global pandemic; nevertheless, the economic consequences of, and solutions to, both problems present many parallels. As with climate change, the coronavirus crisis further emphasizes the importance of regional economic diversification programs aimed at reducing oil dependence and highlights lower carbon, technology, and human capital-intensive businesses as the sectors that are most sustainable and resilient to economic shocks.
Is this a window of opportunity for Gulf leaders to drive diversification policies further and faster? Will shifts in consumer and industrial behaviors reorient economic policy toward sustainable development goals? Couldaccelerating investment in renewable energy underpin economic recovery, or will rising public debt, combined with significant capital outflows and reduced exports, make financing green investments a challenge?
Speakers:
Samantha Gross: Fellow, Foreign Policy, Energy Security and Climate Initiative, Brookings Institution
Aisha Al-Sarihi: Non-Resident Fellow, AGSIW
Rabia Ferroukhi: Director, Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre, International Renewable Energy Agency
Mari Luomi: Independent Expert, Sustainable Energy and Climate Policy
Grzegorz Peszko: Economist, World Bank
- Online Event: A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci | July 24, 2020 | 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | CSIS | Watch Event Here
Please join the CSIS Global Health Policy Center on Friday, July 24 from 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT for a conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force on Covid-19 in the United States. The United States is in the midst of a worsening crisis, with Covid-19 cases and deaths increasing in the Sun Belt, the West, and many other parts of the United States. This begs the question: what is the strategy for ensuring that the outbreak does not spiral out of control in the United States? How can the United States strengthen the basic public health capacities – test, trace, and isolate – needed to slow the spread? What federal, state, and local actions may be necessary to protect the American people and safely reopen businesses, schools, and sporting events?
In this CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security event, J. Stephen Morrison, Senior Vice President and Director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, will discuss these difficult questions with Dr. Anthony Fauci. They will also discuss the development of a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, including the status and promise of Operation Warp Speed.`
Speakers:
Anthony Fauci: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health and a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force
J. Stephen Morrison: Senior Vice President and Director, Global Health Policy Center
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What Lebanon needs
“Lebanon is going through one of the most acute crises in its modern history. A complex economic collapse is driving hundreds of thousands into poverty and the risk of hunger, and shuttering an already wounded economy. A large cross section of the population revolted in October of last year and has created a standoff with a corrupt and sectarian oligarchy. The government is unable to chart and implement a way out of the crisis, and state institutions stand on the brink of failure. The multiple crises have threatened all sectors, including the critical education sector, previously one of the success stories of the country; universities, like other institutions, have been hard hit.” On July 10, 2020, the Middle East Institute hosted an online discussion on possibilities for a way forward in Lebanon. The event was moderated by Paul Salem and featured three speakers:
Ishac Diwan: Chairperson, Socio-économie du Monde Arabe, Paris Sciences et Lettres
Fadlo Khuri: President, the American University of Beirut
Maya Yahya: Director, the Carnegie Middle East Center, Beirut
Paul Salem (Moderator): President, Middle East Institute
Economics
The beginnings of the Lebanese economic collapse can be traced back to 2016. Diwan believes that although the Lebanese political elite knew the needed economic reforms, they did not implement them. Now nine months into the current Hassan Diab-led government, Lebanon remains plagued by inaction on the part of its leaders. To stabilize the economic situation, Diwan recommends:
1. Reduction of the source of the problem—less government deficit and less corruption
2. Devaluation of the Lebanese pound
3. Reduction of debt to make the state credit worthy
4. Restructuring of the banking sector
5. Dissolution of losses in a socially acceptable manner
To Diwan, the only way to stop this economic collapse right now, without deep structural reform, would be to starve the economy of cash until credible reforms bring back confidence.
Politics
Yahya highlights that the October 17 revolution movement remains at an impasse. Today, different groups have begun to organize themselves as nascent political parties. More recently, increasing initiatives for the formation of a coherent government able to pass real economic reform have occurred. Going forward, Yahya believes it remains crucial that these coalitions present a unified front capable of challenging the current political elite. Yahya also recommends the continuation of street protests to further voice popular dismay.
Education
Khuri warns that higher education in Lebanon continues to endure an acute crisis. As the president of the American University of Beirut, Khuri includes his institution in this determination. Since the opening of the airport in Beirut, many of those who are regarded as the “pillars” of Lebanon– doctors, lawyers, engineers, and artists– have fled the country. Khuri predicts many universities in Beirut will be forced to close due to the current economic climate. Going forward, the government must invest in the higher education of its citizens. Hope for the end of the current crisis lays in the hands of Lebanon’s educated youth.
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Protest rises across the Middle East
“Today we are witnessing not only Lebanon and Iraq’s powerful protest movements calling for greater rights and an end to corruption, but also solidarity movements in Palestine and Syria supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. What common goals are shared by protest movements across the Middle East? What lessons can the civil resistance currently surging in the United States learn from social movements and activism in the Middle East, and vice versa? What impact has COVID-19 had on ongoing protests in Lebanon and Iraq?” On June 24, the Middle East Institute held an online discussion on protests and solidarity movements in states throughout the Middle East. The event was moderated by Zahra Hakir and featured four guest speakers:
Zahra Hankir (Moderator): Freelance journalist and author, Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World
Zahra Ali: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Rutgers University-Newark
Ahmed Abu Artema: Palestinian journalist and peace activist
Razan Ghazzawi: Doctoral candidate, University of Sussex
Lokman Slim: Director, Hayya Bina and UMAM
Iraq
Ali believes that the protests that have occurred across Iraq since October 2019 symbolize an unprecedented attempt by ordinary Iraqis to change the course of their nation’s contemporary history. In Tahrir Square in Baghdad, activists occupy the streets and have begun to provide free educational and cultural services to Iraqi citizens. Through their work, these activists have developed new codes of conduct that question traditional conceptions of gender norms. Ali believes that the US invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003 engendered divisions along sectarian lines. To protesters in Iraq, resentment against these divisions lay at the heart of their dismay.
Syria
Ghazzawi highlights that recent protests in Daraa, Idlib, Afrin, Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and Suwayda arose following the imposition of new political and socio-economic realities by the Syrian state, Russia, Iran, and Turkey. The demand to release detained protesters has uniformly resonated throughout protests across Syria. Ghazzawi believes that these protests challenge previous analysis of essentialist notions of sectarianism in Syria. In addition, Ghazzawi finds these protests to be significant in the way in which they challenge authoritiarian, colonial, and partition geography. The protests require one to think beyond the model of the Syrian state vis-à-vis the opposition.
Solidarity with BLM in Palestinian Territories
There is a history of solidarity between the cause of Palestinian liberation and Black social justice movements. Abu Artema highlights the recent development of solidarity movements in the Palestinian Territories with the Black Lives Matter movement and protests against the death of George Floyd. Abu Artema stresses that in expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, Palestinians have simultaneously protested against instances of aggression by Israeli soldiers.
Lebanon
Slim underscores that the rise of anti-establishment protests in Lebanon has surpassed sectarian lines. Similar to Iraq, Lebanon remains plagued by the ramifications of sectarian divisions. Because of the economic collapse and the failure of the Lebanese healthcare system amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, protests in Lebanon have increased in intensity. To Slim, these protests have exposed growing dislike for Hezbollah among Lebanese citizens, who associate the group with Lebanon’s corrupt government. Furthermore, the enactment of the United States Caesar Civilian Protection Act may have deleterious consequences for Hezbollah, which has backed the Assad-regime throughout the Syrian Civil War.
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Peace Picks | June 29 – July 5
Notice: Due to recent public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live-streaming.
- WEBCAST | Natural Resources, Sustainable Development, and Peace in Africa | June 30, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Wilson Center | Register Here
In many parts of Africa, conflict, natural resources, governance, development, and peace are inextricably linked. The continent’s rich and diverse natural resources have long been objects of conflict as well as sources of potential and actual development. Most countries depend on their natural resources for local livelihoods, national revenues and export earnings, and foreign exchange. However, exploitation, management (or lack thereof), and competition over these same natural resources has, at times, sparked or sustained devastating conflict. In many resource-endowed, but impoverished local communities the exploitation of natural resources results in the degradation of the environment, and fuels conflict.
This event will examine the intersection of civil society and peacebuilding in natural resource-rich African countries. It will interrogate their roles in community engagement, the promotion of accountability, and development based on inclusive, transparent, and sustainable resource management. In this regard, it will address the following related questions, including: what roles have African civil society groups played in natural resource development and management on the continent? What are some of the major challenges they face, and what lessons can be shared from across Africa in engaging and empowering civil society on this issue? How can governments, private businesses, local communities, and civil society work together to build peace and secure just, inclusive, and sustainable development? Finally, the event will offer policy options for boosting the meaningful inclusion of civil society groups and local communities in transforming natural resource development and management.
Speakers:
Dauda Garuba: Technical Advisor, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Inititave (NEITI)
Resty Naiga: Lecturer, Department of Development Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University
Cosmas Milton Obote Ochieng: Director, African Natural Resources Center, African Development Bank
Seydina Ousmame Sene: Senior Economist, Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale (IPAR)
Monde Muyangwa: Africa Program Director , Wilson Center
Cyril Obi: Program Director, African Peacebuilding Network, Social Science Research Council
- Can Cooperation on Missile Defense Avoid a US-China Nuclear Arms Race? | June 30, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Watch Event Here
Despite the U.S. threat to spend China “into oblivion,” Beijing has refused to participate in arms control talks with Washington and Moscow. China categorically rejects the notion that it is arms racing and believes that growing military threats—U.S. missile defenses in particular—demand comprehensive efforts to modernize and enhance its nuclear deterrent capability. A new Carnegie report by Tong Zhao, to be launched at this event, examines the widening perception gap on missile defense and asks what the two countries can do to prevent a nuclear arms race that could undermine global security.
Speakers:
Oriana Mastro: assistant professor at Georgetown University and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
- The World Order after COVID-19 Forum | Two Day Event: June 30, 2020 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM & July 1, 2020 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Johns Hopkins SAIS | Register Here
The two-day conference will feature a keynote address from former Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt and “A Conversation with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers.” Conference panelists from Johns Hopkins’ ten schools and departments as well as its key programs including the SNF Agora Institute and Applied Physics Laboratory will offer expertise and global insights on preparing for the post-COVID-19 world.
- Where Do Iraq’s Religious and Ethnic Minorities Stand Post-ISIS? | June 30, 2020 | 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here
Six years after the Islamic State’s genocidal rampage across northern Iraq, circumstances for traumatized religious and ethnic minorities remain dire. Thousands remain displaced, unable or unwilling to return to their homes in Nineveh province amid ongoing security challenges and other barriers to their safe return. Meanwhile, new sources of instability in Iraq—including the coronavirus pandemic, a financial crisis, and renewed threats of an ISIS resurgence—have highlighted the fragility of any improved stability in minority-rich areas, as well as the need for ongoing and intensive efforts to facilitate the sustainable return of all displaced communities.
Join USIP as it hosts Assistant Secretary Robert A. Destro from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), as well as a panel of experts, for a discussion on the current reality for Iraqi religious and ethnic minorities, the international response in the aftermath of ISIS’s military defeat, and the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the new Iraqi government, and potential early elections.
Speakers:
Nancy Lindborg: President & CEO, United States Institute of Peace
Robert A. Destro: Assistant Secretary for the U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
William Warda: Member of the General Assembly and External Relations Committee, Alliance of Iraqi Minorities; and
Director of Public Relations, Hammurabi Human Rights Organization
Susan Aref: Director and Founder, Women Empowerment Organization
Osama Gharizi: Iraq Senior Program Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Lee Tucker (moderator): Senior Program Officer, Middle East, United States Institute of Peace
- The Rule of Law in Afghanistan | July 1, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here
As governments face the devastating economic and social effects of the coronavirus pandemic, identifying and addressing rule of law issues related to transparency, corruption, human rights, and the delivery of justice will be paramount to the recovery process. The World Justice Project’s (WJP) new report on the rule of law in Afghanistan presents a unique portrait of the country’s rule of law strengths and weaknesses by using extensive survey data collected from the general public, in-country legal practitioners, and ground-breaking interviews with individuals incarcerated in the Afghan prison system.
The latest edition of this report, which reflects the experiences and perceptions of more than 17,500 Afghans interviewed over five years, presents a comprehensive summary of the rule of law situation in Afghanistan and contains new, in-depth findings on the performance of the criminal justice system.
Join USIP and WJP for an in-depth conversation on the report’s findings, as well as crucial factors for the rule of law in Afghanistan. Panelists will also discuss how the report can encourage data-driven policy choices and guide program development to strengthen the rule of law.
Speakers:
Alejandro Ponce: Chief Research Officer, World Justice Project
Amy Gryskiewicz: Director, Criminal Justice Research, World Justice Project
Abdullah Ahmadzai: Country Representative, Afghanistan, The Asia Foundation
Ghizaal Haress: Ombudsperson, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Scott Worden (moderator): Director, Afghanistan and Central Asia Programs, USIP
- Government Accountability in the Age of COVID-19 | July 1, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Center for Strategic and International Studies | Register Here
The Covid-19 health crisis has been matched by deep challenges related to misinformation, governance and trust. In the absence of effective responses, citizens, civil society groups and public sector reformers are finding creative ways to rebuild the social contract between states and their people. Please join CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development for a unique opportunity to hear stories from the ground in South Africa, Mali, and Nepal about how Covid-19 is affecting government accountability in these countries, what collective efforts to debunk rumors and fight fake news around the pandemic have been taken, and what steps have been taken to tackle corruption.
Speakers:
Romina Bandura: Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development, Project on US Leadership in Development, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Cheri- Leigh Erasmus: Global Director of Learning, Accountability Lab
Narayan Adhikari: Country Director Nepal, Accountability Lab
Doussouba Konaté: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer for Mali, Accountability Lab
- Turkish-Israeli Relations: Prospects for Improved Development | July 1, 2020 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
Over the past decade Israel-Turkey relations have been strained. There have been recent positive signs, however. Israel’s decision not to sign a statement by France, Greece, Cyprus, the UAE, and Egypt condemning Turkey’s actions in the eastern Mediterranean and a tweet posted by Israel’s official Twitter account praising its diplomatic relations with Turkey raised hopes. Turkish analysts saw the moves as a sign of both countries’ willingness to cooperate when it comes to eastern Mediterranean energy but tensions remain.
How does Israel and Turkey’s involvement in Syria and increasing opportunities for economic cooperation affect the prospect of improved bilateral relations? How will Israel’s plans for annexation and Turkey’s public support for the Palestinians affect diplomatic relations? Are there enough incentives to normalize Israel-Turkey relations or will the barriers be insurmountable?
Speakers:
Nimrod Goren: Founder and head of Mitvim, The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
Soli Ozel: Senior lecturer, Kadir Has University
Gönül Tol (Moderator): Director of Turkey Program and Senior Fellow, Frontier Europe Initiative, MEI
- US Strategic Partnerships in the Black Sea | July 2, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
The United States is present in the Black Sea region with three strategic partnerships focused on security with Georgia, Ukraine, and Romania. The strategic partnerships are tailored on the three countries with differing security challenges. While Romania is a NATO member state and a host of US military, Georgia and Ukraine are challenged in their sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, the three countries are brought together by their respective strategic partnerships with the United States, and shared threat perceptions and common security interests for the Black Sea region. The Middle East Institute (MEI) Frontier Europe Initiative is pleased to host a discussion with the Ambassadors of Georgia, Romania and Ukraine to the United States on the importance of US-Black Sea strategic partnerships.
What do the three strategic partnerships entail for national security? How do strategic partnerships and the United States presence impact Black Sea regional security? What are the priorities of US strategic partnerships for future regional security?
Speakers
David Bakradze: Georgian Ambassador to the United States
George Maior: Romanian Ambassador to the United States
Yelchenko Volodymyr: Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States
Iulia Joja (moderator): Senior fellow, Middle East Institute, Frontier Europe Initiative
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