Governance and Rule of Law - Audio: Recent Episodes
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Democracy, democratic reform, and inclusive societies are central pillars of the United States' national security strategy. Governments play an essential role in providing the public goods that underpin freedom and prosperity. CSIS's work on governance and rule of law is lead by the Project on Prosperity and Development, the Project on U.S. Leadership in Development, the Human Rights Initiative, the project on Defending Democratic Institutions, and other programs.
Find the latest research from our scholars and CSIS events on this topic below.
Please join us for a conversation on Sustainable Development Goal #9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, which seeks to increase connectivity and productivity of developing countries’ industries and build resilient infrastructure systems to bolster economic growth.
Of the 4 billion people who lack access to the internet globally, more than 90% of them are in developing countries. Industrialization in lower- and lower-middle-income countries trails behind developed countries, while critical infrastructure and access to mobile connectivity, electricity, and sanitation remain limited. Developing countries’ industries often lack the necessary infrastructure and innovation opportunities to achieve sustainable economic growth. The result is an increasing disconnect between rural and urban areas, lack of innovation, and stagnating productivity levels.
Closing the infrastructure gap and building government capacity in developing countries would create a favorable environment for innovation and entrepreneurship and improve economic growth. Resilient and quality infrastructure systems will catalyze rapid economic development and increase the standard of living of a country’s population. Increasing official and private investment in infrastructure in developing countries, while also providing technical assistance, can help boost industrial and labor productivity.
To that end, this event will seek to answer questions about how developed countries can help lower- and lower-middle-income countries build their industries and workforce better? Furthermore, the event will also look at forms of sustainable infrastructure investments that are necessary for regions like Sub-Saharan Africa to further its efforts to industrialize and modernize its economy.
This event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series focused on SDGs and made possible with general support from Chevron. So far, we have hosted events focused on SDG #7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG #16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, SDG #17: Partnerships for the Goals, SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG #4: Quality Education. Our most recent event was SDG #1: No Poverty.
Please join the CSIS China Power Project, Freeman Chair in China Studies, and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics on February 11 for a special discussion on the methods and impact of PRC interference in Taiwan’s recent presidential and legislative elections. The event will feature a keynote and Q&A with Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Digital Minister, and a panel discussion featuring Puma Shen of National Taipei University and Nick Monaco of the Institute for the Future. China Power Project director Bonnie Glaser and Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette will serve in commentator and moderator roles.
AGENDA
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies, CSIS
9:15 a.m. Keynote Address and Q&A
, Audrey TangDigital Minister, Taiwan
Q&A Moderator:
Bonnie S. Glaser, Director, China Power Project and Senior Adviser for Asia, CSIS
10:00 a.m. Panel Discussion: Methods and Impact of PRC Interference in Taiwan’s Elections
Panelist 1: Puma Shen, Associate Professor of Criminology, National Taipei University
Panelist 2: Nick Monaco, Research Director, Digital Intelligence Lab, Institute for the Future
Commentator: Bonnie S. Glaser
10:45 a.m. Panelists Q&A
Moderator: Jude Blanchette
11:30 a.m. Event End
This event is funded with support from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States.
In the United States, there is a sense of "Afghanistan fatigue." While there are certainly valid criticisms that can be levied against U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, a significant amount of social, economic, political, and public health progress has resulted from our engagement and Afghans' own hard work and commitment.
The under-five mortality and maternal mortality rates have nearly halved since 2000. Virtually no one in Afghanistan had electricity in 2000, but by 2016, nearly 85 percent of the population did. Women's education was practically non-existent under Taliban rule, but 3.5 million Afghan women are now enrolled in school. 170 radio stations, hundreds of print media outlets, and dozens of TV stations have opened since 2001 as free media, cell phones, television, and the internet have transformed Afghan society. GDP per capita has tripled since 2001, and official development assistance (ODA) as a percentage of central government expenditure decreased from 206 percent in 2006 to 59 percent in 2015. The Afghan National Army is now the primary group fighting the Taliban, and U.S. troop presence has dropped from 110,000 in 2011 to the current plan of 8,600. But Afghanistan's political progress and social gains are at risk of collapse if the United States chooses to completely disengage from the country. Given the mix of gains and disappointments, how do we establish the correct framework for U.S. engagement with a transitioning Afghanistan in 2020 and beyond?
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
As the world becomes increasingly urban and digital, smart cities are emerging as ground-zero for new approaches to development and governance. On Thursday, January 23rd, CSIS will convene a diverse panel of experts to distinguish between leading smart city models and discuss how their technologies, including in the areas of public safety and surveillance, are impacting the power of citizens, governments, and corporations, both within and between countries.
Featuring keynote remarks by:
Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, Associate Director for Cyber-Physical Systems Innovation, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
A presentation by:
Jonathan E. Hillman, Director of the Reconnecting Asia Project and Senior Fellow of the Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS
And a panel discussion with:
Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri
Michelle Holland, Director of Consulting & Deals, PwC Canada and former Chief Advocate for the Innovation Economy, City of Toronto
AbhaJoshi-Ghani, Senior Adviser, World Bank
Michael Sherwood, Director of Technology and Innovation, City of Las Vegas
Moderated by:
Peter Raymond, Senior Associate, CSIS
By: Bonnie S. Glaser
This episode explores the key challenges and opportunities in the China-Czech bilateral relationship. Our guest, Dr. Richard Turcsányi, describes the impact of the recent cancellation of the sister city agreement between Prague and Beijing as well as divergent views on China within the Czech government. He also addresses the economic and cultural factors that impact public opinion on China in the Czech Republic, and assesses the drivers of Chinese investment in the country.
Dr. Richard Turcsányi is a Key Researcher at Palacky University and Assistant Professor at Mendel University, both in the Czech Republic. Dr. Turcsányi is also a Program Director at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, an independent think tank with branches in Bratislava, Olomouc, and Vienna. In his academic research, he focuses on Chinese foreign policy and China’s relations with Central and Eastern Europe.
Against the backdrop of recent allegations leveled against Huawei and other Chinese entities, the nature and scope of the Communist Party of China’s (CCP) secret operations overseas, including traditional espionage, influence operations, industrial espionage, and intellectual property theft have never been more important, yet this topic remains widely misunderstood and understudied. In their new book, Chinese Communist Espionage: An Intelligence Primer, co-authors Peter Mattis and Matt Brazil focus on the world of Chinese espionage both past and present, enabling a better understanding of how important its influence is, both in China and abroad.
Please join us at CSIS for a discussion of Chinese espionage with the two authors, as well as Aruna Viswanatha of The Wall Street Journal, in a discussion moderated by Jude Blanchette, CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies.
This event is made possible through CSIS general support funds.
Please join us on Tuesday, December 3 for a public event focused on Sustainable Development Goal #1, which aims to decrease poverty and ensure social protections for the poor and vulnerable, increase access to basic needs and services, and support people harmed by natural disasters and other extreme events.
Predictions suggest that 6 percent of the world population will still live in extreme poverty in 2030. People who live in extreme poverty face deprivation from social goods and services, and often live in areas where poverty is exacerbated by conflict or natural disasters. Through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #1, the United Nations seeks to end extreme poverty, measured as people living under $1.25 a day, by ensuring all people have access to economic resources, reducing the poor’s vulnerability to climate disasters and other shocks, and implementing national social protection systems and measures for all. Despite many countries including social protections within their government spending, these programs need to be brought to scale. Although the number of people living in poverty has decreased since 2015, the rate of poverty reduction is slowing and ultimately means the world will miss the United Nations target of less than 3 percent.
This event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series focused on the SDGs and made possible with general support from Chevron. So far, we have hosted events focused onSDG#7: Affordable and Clean Energy,SDG#16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions,SDG#17: Partnerships for the Goals, and SDG#11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Our most recent event was focused on SDG#4: Quality Education.
By: Bonnie S. Glaser
This episode explores China's retaliatory actions against the NBA after a recent incident, as well as the larger questions surrounding the Chinese government’s treatment of foreign private companies. Our guest, Dr. Victor Cha, discusses how both US and Chinese audiences have reacted to the NBA controversy and weighs in on whether Chinese public opinion might sway Beijing’s handling of the incident. Dr. Cha also addresses the struggles that other foreign companies have faced in China and how Beijing uses “predatory liberalism” to serve its political interests.
Dr. Victor Cha is a senior adviser and holds the Korea Chair at CSIS. He is also a Professor of Government and the holder of the D.S. Song-KF Chair in the Department of Government and the School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown University. In July 2019, he was appointed Vice Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs in the SFS. His article, “Flagrant Foul: China’s Predatory Liberalism and the NBA,” will appear in the December issue of the Washington Quarterly.
Please join CSIS for an armchair discussion with the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani. The conversation will focus on the progress of women and their role in the peace process in Afghanistan.
Women have made great economic and social strides in the past 15 years. More than 3.6 million girls are in school and women are now allowed to work, both of which are essential to peace and stability in Afghanistan. However, the work is not over. It is vital that the progress continues and that women are not forgotten in the search for peace.
We are pleased to host the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani, who has been a champion on these issues. Mrs. Ghani plays an active role as first lady, supporting efforts to fully integrate women and girls into Afghan society and into the workforce. In May 2016, she brought together prominent Afghan women from Kabul and gave them a platform to discuss women’s roles in contributing to peace. She held another symposium in 2017 to discuss the role of Afghan women as messengers of peace.
This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Anthony Bowyer, Programmatic and Research Advisor, Europe and Eurasia at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). They discuss President Mirziyoyev’s reform program in Uzbekistan and how the country has changed, including its parties and elections, and what has remained constant.
You can find Anthony Bowyer’s bio here: https://www.ifes.org/people/anthony-bowyer. You can read his paper “Political Reform in Mirziyoyev's Uzbekistan: Elections, Political Parties and Civil Society” here: https://www.silkroadstudies.org/publications/silkroad-papers-and-monographs/item/13284-political-reform-in-mirziyoyevs-uzbekistan-elections-political-parties-and-civil-society.html
We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.
In this episode, Bob and Andrew invite back Seth Jones, CSIS's Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project. Seth discusses the U.S. raid on Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and what it means for the future of the Islamic State as well as its implications on future relations between the U.S. and the Middle East.
Download the full transcript here.
By: Bonnie S. Glaser
This episode of the ChinaPower Podcast is a crossover episode with “Hong Kong on the Brink,” hosted by Jude Blanchette. Mr. Blanchette interviews Bonnie Glaser about the protests in Hong Kong and their impact on Taiwan’s own relations with mainland China. Ms. Glaser explains how the continued unrest might affect Taiwan’s upcoming January 2020 presidential election. She also expands on how views in Taiwan have evolved since the November 2018 local elections and the start of the Hong Kong protests in summer 2019. Ms. Glaser then evaluates the potential for rethinking cross-Strait policy if “one country, two systems” appears to have failed in Hong Kong.
Jude Blanchette holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, and is also a senior advisor at Crumpton Group, a geopolitical risk advisory based in Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Blanchette serves on the board of the American Mandarin Society and is a public intellectual fellow at the National Committee on United States-China relations.
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Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, in charge of the Fight against Tax Fraud, and Minister of Development Cooperation, Belgium
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Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, in charge of the Fight against Tax Fraud, and Minister of Development Cooperation, Belgium
- Katarína Mathernová, Deputy Director General, European Commission
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Moderator: Daniel F. Runde, Senior Vice President, CSIS
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Liz Lloyd, Chief Impact Officer, CDC Group (UK)
- Chantal Korteweg, Director, Stakeholders, Strategy & Knowledge Management, FMO (Netherlands)
- Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Director for Financial Services, Africa Finance Corporation
- Paul Lamontagne, Chief Executive Officer, FinDev Canada
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Moderator: Romina Bandura, Senior Fellow, CSIS
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Bruno Wenn, Chairman, EDFI
On October 8, 2019, the Council of the European Union published a report by a High-level Wise Persons Group on the European financial architecture for development. The report made bold suggestions for setting a stronger policy direction for European development finance and called for consolidating responsibilities between the European Commission, European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). It also called for a greater emphasis on Africa and climate change in investments by all of European development finance institutions (DFIs) and aid agencies. These proposals make it worth reviewing DFIs' role in mobilizing private investment is and in job creation.
DFIs are instrumental in bridging investment gaps and steering private capital into developing countries. Many groups reference the transformative power and scale of the private sector as the answer for filling global development investment gaps, but questions remain from these private institutions around risk and other issues. Private sector development funding now outpaces official development assistance (ODA), underlining the important role DFIs can play in the global development community. DFIs are essential to catalyzing private investment and building the relationship between private sector industries and public sector institutions. There are many channels, including financing for policy reforms, that enable investment within the private sector and improve infrastructure. This will ultimately create jobs, boost growth, and set an example for other private businesses and investors. Maximizing private investment in target markets, therefore, will expand job impact and contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
CSIS is hosting this event in partnership with EDFI-the Association of European Development Finance Institutions.
By: Richard Miles
Argentines go to the polls on October 27th, and the results may spell the end of Mauricio Macri’s presidency. What went wrong? Michael Matera, Argentine expert and Director of the Americas Program at CSIS, explains how inflation never went away and growth never returned. He also makes predictions on the polices of a likely Alberto Fernández - Cristina Fernández de Kirchner government, and whether the two can even govern together.
In this episode, Jude invites Ben Bland, director of the Southeast Asia Project at the Lowy Institute in Australia and author of Generation HK: Seeking Identity in China's Shadow. They discuss the on-going protests and increasing violence in Hong Kong, as well as the controversy with the National Basketball Association and what it means for U.S.-China international business relations.
In this episode, Bob and Andrew speak with Jude Blanchette, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. Jude brings us up to date on the demonstrations in Hong Kong that escalated on October 1st, the same day of the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. Jude explains what the future might hold for Hong Kong protesters, as well as how everything could affect the U.S. and China relationship.
Download the full transcript here.
In this episode, Dan sits down with Dean Piedmont, Senior Advisor for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) at Creative Associates, where Mr. Piedmont leads the charge in implementing DDR programs in various countries. Dan and Mr. Piedmont discuss the trends, challenges, and successes of past DDR programs, and how they can be redesigned for integration into Afghanistan. Their conversation touches on the critical role of stakeholders and builds a potential strategy for an Afghanistan program.
By: Richard Miles
National elections take place in Canada on October 2, and Justin Trudeau could be out of a job. Will the election turn on foreign policy? Canada expert Christopher Sands of Johns Hopkins University is back to explain why this might be the case, how Canada is tied to the U.S., like it or not, and how Canada views itself in the world.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) is celebrating 60 years of existence. The IADB is the largest source of development financing for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. 19 of the 26 borrowing countries in the region are defined as “small states.” These small states rely on the IADB’s deep expertise and long-term partnership in ways that larger borrowing countries do not. Since the IADB’s Ninth General Capital Increase, the IADB has aimed to dedicate at least 35 percent of its annual lending approval volume to the small states of Latin America and the Caribbean. In conjunction with the 60 anniversary celebration of the IADB, CSIS is hosting this public event to explore the contributions, challenges, and opportunities of the IADB in small states.
Agenda:
3:30 PM-3:45 PM: Opening Remarks
3:45 PM-4:45 PM: Panel Discussion
4:45 PM-5:00 PM: Audience Q&A
5:00 PM-6:00 PM: Event Reception
Please join us for this timely discussion on Wednesday, September 25. Upon conclusion of the event, a reception from 5:00-6:00 PM will take place on the first floor.
This event was made possible through general support to CSIS.
Bob and Andrew bring in nonpartisan legal expert Bradley P. Moss, Esq., to explain the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989. Mr. Moss tells us how it works, the unique situation regarding the President with respect to the Act, and how the process may move forward.
Download the full transcript here.
In this episode, Jude is joined by five special guests. Nathan Law, Denise Ho, Joshua Wong, Jeffrey Ngo, and Brian Leung all sit in to discuss their recent visit to Capitol Hill, where they advocated for the passing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019. They also raise questions about the future of the protests as they lead up to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st.
Nathan Law is a founding chair of Demosistō, a Hong Kong-based pro-democracy organization. Denise Ho is a renowned Cantopop singer and advocate for democracy and LGBTQ rights in Hong Kong. Joshua Wong is the secretary general of Demosistō. Jeffrey Ngo is the chief researcher and a standing committee member of Demosistō; he is currently pursuing a PhD at Georgetown University. Brian Leung is a democracy activist of Hong Kong and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Washington.
We also invited People's Republic of China-U.S. Ambassador Cui Tiankai to take part in an additional episode of Hong Kong on the Brink, to which the embassy declined.
Peace talks with the Taliban have dominated recent headlines. If a peace agreement is ever reached, it is worth looking to the future to see how that peace can be maintained and strengthened.
What would come next from economic development and governance perspectives? How do we move beyond foreign aid and security cooperation driven paradigms to one that focuses on private sector growth and new investments in promising sectors? Robust policies accepted at the national and local levels, good governance, women’s empowerment, tangible demonstrations of continued security, and other changes would be critical to building upon any eventual peace agreement. And that peace agreement, if it ever comes, will only be worth the paper on which it was written should Afghanistan be unable to move into a new, more sustainable chapter in its history.
This event was made possible through general support to CSIS.
On September 18, CSIS will be hosting a public launch event in partnership with the CrossBoundary Group for a new report, Investment Facilitation Revisited. Drawing on the experience of CrossBoundary's efforts to test and further develop ideas originally presented in the 2013 CSIS report on Investment Facilitation in Transitional and Fragile States, a team of experts at CSIS and CrossBoundary have revisited the issues and strategies identified in the original report and offer new learnings. The report will be released the day of the event.
The report updates the understanding of country and firm-level barriers to investment (macro-level constraints, lack of capital for risk/return profile, transaction costs, and information asymmetries), and nuances the suggested interventions to address them. With a particular focus on neglected firm-level barriers, the report describes how supporting pioneer investors and companies with expertise, surge bandwidth, geographic presence, and neutral intermediation can unlock stalled investment opportunities. Buttressing their findings with recent development literature, the report highlights that transaction costs in frontier markets remain high and typically put first movers at a disadvantage in new sectors or geographies. It also emphasizes how information gaps, which can be solved through diligence and analysis, and information asymmetries, which stem from underlying trust and incentive problems, are distinct investment challenges and should be approached as such.
Using case studies from CrossBoundary's work in Africa and Asia, the authors stress the need for investment facilitation led by highly skilled intermediaries with deep local knowledge. They also suggest potential improvements in the model to ensure further integration of local advisory actors into the investment process, and the development of intelligent metrics to evaluate progress and align incentives.
Please join us on Wednesday, September 18th for this timely event.
This event is made possible by the generous support of the CrossBoundary Group.
In January 2020 Taiwan will hold elections for the president and the legislature. Campaigning for the presidency has long since commenced, and the two main political parties, the KMT and DPP, have selected their candidates. Please join the Freeman Chair in China Studies on September 12th for a discussion on the election dynamics on the island. The event will feature an in-depth analysis of polling data and campaign strategies by Nathan Batto, Associate Research Fellow in the Institute of Political Science of the Academia Sinica, Taiwan’s premier research institution. Following Batto’s presentation, initial commentary will be given by Susan Lawrence, Specialist in Asian Affairs at the Congressional Research Service. The event, which will conclude with audience Q&A, will be moderated by Scott Kennedy, Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics.
This event is funded with support from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States.
By: Richard Miles
Brazil is a world leader in crime, particularly violent crime. Part of the dynamic is the prison system, which serves as an incubator for even more violence. David Van Patten, Chief Operating Officer of Prison Fellowship International, explains the PFI model and why the overwhelmed Brazilian government has entrusted Prison Fellowship Brazil with the rehabilitation of about 4,000 prisoners convicted of violent crimes. The PF-run prisons, which operate in 117 countries (including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay), cost less and show lower recidivism rates.
In this episode, Professor Ho-Fung Hung describes his experience on the ground in Hong Kong from when he visited in August. Professor Hung also highlights the differences between old and new generations of protesters and looks ahead at what Hong Kong could look like in year 2047, when the “one country, two systems” arrangement is set to expire.
Professor Ho-Fung Hung is the Henry M. and Elizabeth P. Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of the Johns Hopkins University.
Kurt Tong, former U.S. Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau, has returned to the United States following a three-year tour and has retired from the Foreign Service. He will join us at CSIS to discuss Hong Kong’s relationship with China and comment on the future direction of American economic policy in the region.
Introduction:
Matthew P. Goodman
Senior Vice President and Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS
Keynote Address:
Amb. Kurt Tong
Former U.S. Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau
Armchair Discussion:
Amb. Kurt Tong
Former U.S. Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau
Scott Kennedy
Senior Adviser, Freeman Chair in China Studies and Director, Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy, CSIS
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
Please join us on July 24th for a public event focused on Sustainable Development Goal #5 which aims to achieve global gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Inequalities stemming from discrimination towards women have declined in recent decades; however, a significant social, economic, and political divide still exists. Women are consistently paid less than their male counterparts around the world even in many developed countries. Societal and culture norms prevent women from entering the labor force and contributing to the economy. Environmental concerns like access to water impact women the most because they are the traditional collectors. Lack of educational opportunities prevent many women from escaping cycles of generational poverty.
This event will look at the challenges to inclusion that women face in developing countries and also the progress made toward achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Closing the gender gap could add an estimated $28 trillion to global GDP by 2025, but the inequalities to be targeted exist in many different sectors. A wide digital gender gap exists, women in the bottom of the income pyramid earn 30-50 percent less than their male counterparts, making technology, communication, and internet access prices prohibitive, hindering economic inclusion. Women are still underrepresented in managerial positions, with fewer than a third of senior and middle-management positions being held by women from 2009-2015. And based on data from 90 countries, women spend around three times as many hours as men in unpaid domestic and care work. How can women become more employed? Why are there so few women employed in the technology sector? And how can we further improve women's access to finance?
This event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series focused on the SDGs and made possible with general support from Chevron. So far, we have hosted events on the role of the private sector, SDG#7 on affordable and clean energy, SDG#16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG#17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Download the Brief
For many developing countries, the absence of quality infrastructure is a significant bottleneck to sustainable economic growth. A large number of studies have demonstrated that quality infrastructure yields large scale and long-term economic dividends. Political leadership in host countries is required to ensure that quality infrastructure investments are made. With support from donor countries and multilateral development banks, such efforts to pursue sustainable quality infrastructure can be supplemented with planning and procurement practices that look at long-term economic efficiency and life-cycle costs.
CSIS, with generous support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, undertook a comprehensive research study to examine the importance of transparency and sustainability in achieving quality infrastructure, the findings from which have been captured in a short policy brief. Through this public event, CSIS and its panel will share insights that build on the emerging consensus among G20 member states ahead of the Osaka summit. The inputs and recommendations of the policy brief will enable more quality infrastructure.
Please join us at CSIS for this timely discussion on quality infrastructure in the context of the upcoming Osaka G20 Summit.
This event is made possible through generous support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Please join us on June 18th for a public event focused on Sustainable Development Goal #16 which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
In recent years, there has been a “democratic recession,” presenting new challenges going forward. According to Freedom House, a total of 50 countries were deemed “Not Free” in 2018, representing 37 percent of the global population or 2.8 billion people. In 2018, the Freedom in the World report recorded the 13th consecutive year of decline in global freedom, which means that efforts to strengthen the rule of law in developing countries have been insufficient. Democracy is in retreat, and more should be done reduce homicide rates, increase anti-human trafficking efforts, and promote the fairness of elections.
There does, however, seem to be a window of opportunity to reexamine good governance and by extension the rule of law. Since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, there have been several shifts that have created such an opening. First, the SDGs included Goal 16 Peace and Security that explicitly endorsed the need for good governance, rule of law, and strong institutions. SDG 16 represents a strong commitment on the part of the international community to supporting the creation of transparent and accountable governing institutions. Second, the 2015 Financing for Development conference held in Addis Ababa elevated the importance of domestic resource mobilization and private sector investment to creating sustainable sources of development finance. While strong rule of law is not sufficient on its own to mobilize these two pools of capital, it is necessary to ensure that countries can fully mobilize their own resources and investors can commit private capital safely. Third, USAID has launched a new policy framework called the Journey to Self-Reliance which seeks to move developing countries along a path toward sustainability and off foreign assistance.
Please join us on June 18th for this important event.
This event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series focused on the SDGs and made possible with general support from Chevron. So far, we have hosted events on the role of the private sector, SDG#7 on affordable and clean energy, and ...
A group of sovereign countries came together out of the ashes of World War II and created the United Nations – the formal name given by the allied countries who won World War II – to solve collective global problems. The United Nations built upon hard lessons learned from the failure of the League of Nations. Senator Arthur Vandenberg was one of the key architects of the United Nations as we know it.
In 1945, seeking bipartisan support for rebuilding the world, President Truman called upon Senator Vandenberg to join him as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Conference in San Francisco. Senator Vandenberg worked across party lines with President Truman and played a pivotal role in standing up the United Nations Charter, which assured that the U.S. held veto power in the Security Council. Senator Vandenberg returned to the Senate and ensured that the United Nations Charter received overwhelming support. Thanks in part to his efforts, the United Nations remains the preeminent international problem-solving body in the world today.
Although there are existing criticisms surrounding the United Nations, a functioning United Nations remains in the U.S. interest. One of the most critical roles the United Nations plays is addressing global problems and burden sharing the costs of security, development, and other public goods. CSIS would like to use this opportunity to identify areas of bipartisan agreement over the U.S. role in the United Nations.
Please join us for a public armchair discussion with Governor Bill Richardson and Catherine Bertini which will reflect on the progress made at the United Nations since its formation and will examine how the United States can partner with the United Nations for its economic and national security interests.
This is the second event in a CSIS series focused on “Building Bipartisan Solutions for Foreign Policy Issues: The Arthur Vandenberg Legacy Initiative.” The first event was held in March 2019 focused on “The Case for U.S. Foreign Assistance” where CSIS convened Senator Tom Daschle and Senator Norm Coleman. CSIS has also released a video on the legacy of Arthur Vandenberg.
This event is made possible through generous support from the Meijer Foundation.
Rapid changes in warfare pose stark, complex challenges for international humanitarian law (IHL). Indeed, they raise fundamental questions about the relevance, normative power, and impact of IHL in today’s dangerous world.
Proliferating conflicts are increasingly intractable, lasting for years or decades, causing protracted human suffering on a mass scale. Battles waged in densely populated cities suddenly put huge numbers of vulnerable civilians at-risk. Non-state armed groups – ISIS, Al Qaeda, and others – wage asymmetric war. Security partnerships and proxy wars, often embedded in a new Cold War of intensified Great Power confrontation, magnify the scale of wars and have obscure chains of command. New technologies – “killer robots,” A.I., cyber weapons – are no less opaque and problematic. Meanwhile, the surge of deliberate, targeted violence against aid workers, health facilities and schools, often with utter impunity, disrupts humanitarian access, destroys critical infrastructure, and propels mass migration.
As the 70 anniversary of the Geneva Conventions approaches in August, how does this vitally important body of law relate to today’s – and tomorrow’s – realities, a world in which the liberal international order of the past seven decades seems to be fading?
Please join us for a keynote address and armchair conversation with Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Formerly serving as the Swiss Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs for the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Mr. Maurer has a wealth of diplomatic experience with humanitarian crises. He will speak to the continued relevance of IHL, including the centrality of humanitarian principles to gain access to vulnerable populations. He will also address a question of considerable import and timeliness: how are we to achieve a global reaffirmation of the Geneva Conventions, including the enlistment of powerful new advocates, in the face of populist nationalism, historic migration flows, and increasing state fragility?
Join CSIS's Burke Chair in Strategy for a discussion with Dr. Munqith Dagher, who will present findings from a major series of public opinion surveys and analyses of Iraqi public opinion on the country's political and social landscape 16 years after the invasion. His presentation covers critical issues like the level of national unity versus polarization and divisions by region, party, ethnicity, and sect. He address level of support for the new government, reactions to the fighting, and goals for the future.
These are critical inputs to U.S. policy in addressing its future relations with a key strategic partner, and in understanding the level of U.S., Iranian,and other outside competition for influence and support in Iraq.
Dr. Dagher is the Chairman of the Al Mustakilla Research Groups (IIACSS), and a leading Iraqi expert on polling and public opinion analysis.
Hosted by Anthony Cordesman, Dr. Cagher's presentation will explore the current Iraqi landscape, what it means for Iraq's immediate future, and the prospects of progress towards near-term stability.
This event was made possible by general support to CSIS.
Please join the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Transnational Threats Project for a conversation on the war against ISIS with New York Times correspondent Rukmini Callimachi. Seth Jones, Harold Brown Chair and Director of the Transnational Threats Project, will join Rukmini to discuss her experience reporting on the fight against ISIS and her views from on the ground in Syria.
Rukmini Callimachi joined The New York Times in March 2014 as a foreign correspondent, covering Al-Qaeda and ISIS. She is a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, including in 2014 for her series of stories based on a cache of internal Al-Qaeda documents she discovered in Mali. She is also the winner of the George Polk Award for International Reporting, multiple Overseas Press Club Awards and the Michael Kelly prize. Before joining The Times, Ms. Callimachi spent seven years covering a 20-country beat in Africa, first as a correspondent and later as West Africa bureau chief for The Associated Press. She began her career as a freelancer in India in 2001, where she was lucky enough to get one of the last seats on a plane to the state of Gujarat on the day of a catastrophic earthquake, filing her first story for Time magazine. She is also an NBC contributor and host of the hit podcast "Caliphate".
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
The Trump administration released its first National Security Strategy (NSS) in 2017 which recognizes the importance of confronting challenges related to conflict and fragility to protect U.S. national security interests. This strategy was complemented by the release of the Stabilization Assistance Review (SAR) in 2018 which serves as a framework to improve interagency coordination and effectiveness in fragile states. The SAR delineates the roles and responsibilities of the Department of State, USAID, and the Department of Defense in stabilization operations. The Department of State has a critical leadership role in the implementation of the SAR, and as such will need to plan and coordinate how to translate it into an operational strategy across the departments and agencies. Furthermore, the recently passed “Global Fragility and Violence Reduction Act” is an essential policy response that places reducing global violence at the forefront of U.S. stability operations. These strategic documents represent a growing consensus among interagency actors for the need to improve the U.S. approach to fragile states.
Please join us for a conversation with Dr. Kiron Skinner, Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. Department of State, to discuss the Trump Administration and State Department’s approach to fragile states and why it matters for diplomacy in the 21 century.
This event was made possible through general support for CSIS.
In partnership with RTI International, the CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development will publish a report titled Rebooting the Innovation Agenda: The Need for Resilient Institutions.
The fourth industrial revolution is underway, and technological changes will disrupt economic systems, displace workers, concentrate power and wealth, and erode trust in public institutions and the democratic political process. A lot of studies and conversations have focused on how technology itself will impact society, but little attention has been paid to the role that institutions will have to play in the new environment. The relationship between societies and their institutions is changing, and countries will have to strengthen their capacities to avoid heightened social divisions. Public institutions will have to enable the private sector and innovation-led economic growth to make way for technological disruptions, but also mitigate the potential negative impacts of change. They must build resilience through gradual and intentional interventions designed for long-term, sustainable development. It is also essential that institutions work hard to build credibility and use available development tools, such as development finance institutions and foreign aid, to mitigate the risks of disruption.
Countries and other stakeholders must pioneer these initiatives to successfully navigate the disruptions stemming from the fourth industrial revolution. The revision of existing models of education, skill development and investment and the integration of different stakeholders into the conversation will be critical in helping institutions play a productive role in rebooting the innovation agenda. In this context, the Project on Prosperity and Development launches a new report analyzing the role that institutions will play in the fourth industrial revolution and identifying concrete, sustainable development models and policies that institutions must implement to build trust, credibility, and prosperity.
Please join us at CSIS on March 12 to discuss this timely and important topic on the next steps that countries must take to adopt innovation without disrupting political and economic stability.
This event is made possible thanks to the generous support from RTI International.
Gulf states are making moves on the continent, adding another layer to Africa's increasingly crowded and complex political landscape. Zach Vertin (Brookings Doha Center), Raechel Haecker (former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Africa), and Godfrey Musila (expert on international law and security) join Judd Devermont (CSIS) to unpack emerging Gulf-Africa dynamics. The podcast kicks off with close-ups on South Sudan's peace prospects and Gabon's ailing president.
CSIS invites you to a conversation with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on the importance of defending rule-of-law norms and the contrast between the U.S. Department of Justice's efforts and the Chinese government's efforts on these issues. In a world where public faith in institutions is eroding at alarming rates, it is vital that we not only defend independent and impartial justice here at home but that we also promote these values globally.
Please join us on Monday, February 25th for this timely conversation with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
There will be a light reception before the event starting at 11am.
The Defending Democratic Institutions project is made possible through the generous donations of Democracy Fund and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
In a recently released report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) about 344 million additional jobs globally are needed by 2030 to sustain a rapidly changing workforce. Another 190 million jobs need to be created to address unemployment, as nearly 34 percent of those unemployed are youth. As part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, creating decent and sustainable work opportunities is a precedent and integrating the nearly 2 billion people that are in informal employment globally will be an essential part of that challenge. Added challenges such as social, economic, and political shifts that are influencing greater instability and uncertainty will require a globally coordinated, collective response. As part of the Global Commission on the Future of Work, the ILO has released its report "Work for a brighter future" which aims to address some of the key concerns related to the future of work. This report discusses the challenges that are driving global changes in the labor market, investments in lifelong learning, social protection systems, and how institutions can forge pathways to formality and reduce poverty. This event will bring together major players who have produced "future of work" reports to have an in-depth discussion on the different views on the issues and recommendations put forth by the ILO.
This event is made possible through the support of ILO and general support to CSIS.
Afghanistan has made major social, economic, and political gains over the past 17 years. Unfortunately, conversations regarding Afghanistan in Washington and elsewhere often focus solely on the challenges and problems. It is true that problems lie ahead, but what is almost never discussed are the many gains that have been achieved since the turn of the century. During Taliban rule, girls were prohibited from attending school. Today, there are roughly 4 million girls in school in Afghanistan. Moreover, millions of cellphones have empowered people by connecting them to the world, GDP per capita has increased by over three-fold, and the government's capacity to collect tax revenue for its own security and development has improved significantly from almost nothing in 2002.
As the Afghans stand up, we can responsibly stand down. A precipitous withdrawal of our security forces, our financial support for the Afghan army, and/or our foreign aid would be a moral disaster and strategic setback for the United States. The United States should be seeking a "Finish Strong" strategy that keeps the faith to our commitments through 2024; we can negotiate a gradual, sensible burden shift towards the Afghans if we stay the course, partner with our Afghan friends, and work with our allies.
Please join us on Thursday, February 7, for this timely conversation with H.E. Ambassador Rahmani. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
By: Richard Miles
Juan Guaidó, the 35-year old legitimate head of the Venezuelan National Assembly, is facing off against Nicolas Maduro, who clings to his illegitimate power. Venezuela experts Moises Rendon of CSIS and Eric Farnsworth of the Council of the Americas are back to describe the role of the United States, the international community, and the Cubans. Guaidó himself, according to Moises, has a promising political future and may be the rarest of creatures in the Bolivarian Republic; someone who can unite factions against the government. If he can convince the military that it won’t be unfairly prosecuted by a successor government, we may be in the final throes of the Maduro regime.
Religion, The Missing Dimension of Statecraft, now in its 12th printing, was a major breakthrough when it was produced in 1994. Co-edited by Douglas Johnston and Cynthia Sampson, it drew favorable reviews in more than 60 prestigious journals and periodicals including Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Financial Times. The foreword was written by former President Jimmy Carter, and the book received praise across the political spectrum from Zbigniew Brzezinski, to Senator Sam Nunn (then Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee), to former Secretary General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
One of the book’s key insights was that religion plays a crucial role in many international conflicts, yet for the most part, policymakers and diplomats in the West have typically misunderstood or ignored its positive potential. The book brought together a collection of case studies and theoretical pieces which collectively sought to restore this missing dimension to its rightful place. It does this by offering the first systematic account of modern situations in which religious and spiritual factors had been instrumental in preventing or resolving conflict, while achieving nonviolent social change. This book in many ways was ahead of its time, given the challenges we have faced since 1994.
Douglas M. Johnston is president emeritus and founder of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, a Washington, D.C.-based NGO that bridges religion and politics in support of peacemaking. Before that, he was executive vice president and COO of CSIS. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University.
Please join us at CSIS on February 5th to celebrate the 25 anniversary of this seminal work and to engage in a conversation with its principal author and co-editor, Dr. Douglas Johnston.
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
Big data is unlocking Africa’s complex problems. Olúseun Onígbińdé (BudgIT), Ariel Ben Yishay (AidData), and Hilary Matfess (Yale) share how data helps hold leaders to account, track foreign spending, and assess security threats. With Judd Devermont (CSIS) moderating, the panel also checks in on Nigeria ahead of its presidential election and on the rising insurgent threat in Mozambique.
Please join CSIS Americas for an armchair discussion about the international community’s policy options in responding to Venezuela's mafia state. Despite nearly 50 countries challenging the results of the Venezuelan presidential elections held in 2018, given that the elections were widely considered to be unfree and unfair, Nicolas Maduro is set to be sworn in. This leaves open the possibility to challenge Maduro’s right to represent the Venezuelan government and its people by these countries beginning on January 10, 2019 -- the date the new presidential period begins.
During this event, our speakers will discuss the political, diplomatic and legal implications post-January 10th and how the international community should respond. Presentations made by the experts will be followed by a moderated discussion with CSIS Americas Associate Director and Venezuela expert Moises Rendon.
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
This is a raw video feed. Event begins at 23:00. Edited video will be posted shortly.
Developed by the 173rd Airborne Brigade in 2010, the “soft approach” in Afghanistan’s Lowgar and Wardak Provinces was one of America’s most effective counterinsurgency efforts in the War on Terror. The program used local governments to rebuild trust between the people and the government of Afghanistan —a fundamental element of modern counterinsurgency policy. In his latest book, Why Counterinsurgency Fails: The U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dr. de Tray highlights how this 2010 program affirmed that Afghanistan’s district sub-governors have both the will and capacity to serve their people. He suggests that perhaps the poor outcomes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam before them are the result of a poor implementation of the U.S.’s counterinsurgency strategy.
Dr. de Tray holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and is a former World Bank Country Director for Indonesia and the five Central Asian Republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). He has contributed to the work of several think tanks including the Center for Global Development, Results for Development Institute, and is currently a non-resident senior associate at CSIS. Erol Yayboke, deputy director and senior fellow of the Project on Prosperity Development who himself served in Iraq and Afghanistan, will moderate the discussion.
A free PDF or e-book version of Why Counterinsurgency Fails: The U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan will be made available to event attendees.
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
What happens when peacekeepers deploy to an active conflict zone? Judd Devermont (CSIS), Dr. Paul Williams (George Washington University), Alice Friend (CSIS) and SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga (MINUSCA) examine the challenge of peacekeeping where there is no peace to keep. Guests also consider Ethiopia’s future under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and whether the alleged death of leader, Amadou Koufa, will impair—or energize— the extremist group JNIM.
Please watch us for a public Chevron Forum focused on how the international development community, governments, and the private sector can work together to help developing countries provide affordable and clean energy (Sustainable Development Goal#7).
In September 2015, the 193-member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Development Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), built off of the Millennium Development Goals. The SDGs are not an official treaty, but a form of soft law aimed at eliminating extreme poverty, building partnerships, and spurring economic growth around the world. SDG#7 aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Progress is being made, but in 2017, 1.1 billion people still lacked access to electricity. In 2016, 3 billion people (41 percent of the world’s population) were still cooking with polluting fuel and stove combinations. What are the biggest challenges to achieving SDG#7 and how can different actors collaborate more effectively?
Please join us at CSIS (1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20036) for this important discussion.
This event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series and made possible with general support from Chevron.
Authoritarian regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela have led to sociopolitical turmoil, economic disruptions, and human rights abuses. From March 2017 to June 2018, over 800,000 Venezuelans fled to Colombia amid political and economic chaos in Caracas. In Costa Rica, nearly 8,000 asylum claims from Nicaraguans were registered between April and July 2018. As many as 23 percent of all Cubans in the U.S. arrived within the last 8 years. These countries are considered three of the four least "free" countries in Latin America and the Caribbean according to Freedom House's "Freedom in the World 2018."
This event will bring together U.S. development agencies and policymakers with democratic leaders from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to share diverse and bipartisan views on how we can move closer towards a hemisphere of freedom. This event will also be an opportunity to recognize Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's many years of tireless and effective service to advance freedom in the Western Hemisphere.
Please join us on Friday, November 30th for an armchair conversation from 9:00-10:00 a.m. and a public panel discussion from 10:00-11:30 a.m.
This event was made possible through support from CSIS.
8:30 AM —Registration Opens
Opening Remarks
9 — :00 AMSenator Bob Menendez
— 9:15 AMAdministrator Mark Green
— 9:20 AMCongresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
First Public Armchair Discussion 9:00 AM — 10:00 AM
Featuring
Administrator Mark Green
U.S. Agency for International Development
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
U.S. House Representative for Florida's 27th District
Carl Gershman
President of the National Endowment for Democracy
Dan Runde
Senior Vice President; William A. Schreyer Chair and Director, Project on Prosperity and Development
Honoring Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen 10:00 AM — 10:15 AM
Second Public Armchair Discussion 10:15 AM — 11:15 AM
Featuring
David Smolansky
Former Mayor of El Hatillo in Caracas, Venezuela
Rosa Maria Payá
Cuban Dissident and Freedom Fighter
Miriam Kornblith
Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the National Endowment for Democracy
Moises Rendon
Associate Director and Associate Fellow, Americas Program
Audience Q&A 11:15 AM — 11:30 AM
With elections heating up across the continent, Michelle Gavin (Council on Foreign Relations), John Tomaszewski (International Republican Institute), and Idayat Hassan (Centre for Democracy and Development) join Judd Devermont to talk election monitoring and the roles of international and domestic observers. Guests also weigh in on Congo’s fragmented political opposition and the growing threat of Tanzanian authoritarianism. Hosted by Judd Devermont and produced by Yumi Araki and Catherine Chiang at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
David Kang, director of the Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California, joins CSIS’s Victor Cha again by phone to discuss the latest Inter-Korean summit, what this means for denuclearization, and what to expect from a potential 2nd Trump-Kim summit.
Download full transcript here.