Chatham House: Recent Episodes
Chatham House
Chatham House is an independent policy instute, based in London. We have been a source of independent analysis, trusted dialogue and influential ideas for one hundred years. Today, at the beginning of our second century, we continue to offer solutions to global challenges and actively seek to empower the next generation to change their world.
The $2.6 trillion spent on artificial intelligence, data centres and advanced chipmaking dwarfs the cost of previous infrastructure megaprojects. Yet AI has become a money pit for tech giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta, and the tech is failing to hit its stratospheric targets.Could an AI crash take overinvested economies down with it? In the longer term, whose approach will dominate? Will it be the US’s private-led model with tech giants at the top? Or China’s tactic of spreading low-cost AI throughout the Global South, with an eye on dominating the future?Bronwen Maddox is joined by Alex Krasodomski, director of Chatham House’s Digital Society Programme; James Kynge, a senior research fellow for China and the World with the Asia-Pacific Programme; and Creon Butler, director of the Global Economy and Finance Programme.
During the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), clinical breakthroughs with the potential to significantly reduce both the death toll and the duration of the outbreak were made. However, as our guests argued in research conducted for the Congo Research Group in 2020, the international response was organised through parallel health structures rather than the existing Congolese health system. This approach contributed to undermined trust, outbreaks of violence and ultimately prolonged the outbreak. Now, in 2026, similar questions are emerging about the measures being taken at the local, national, regional and international levels to contain what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record two months after it was officially declared. In this episode, Dr Rachel Niehuus and Bienvenu Mukungilwa join the Africa Programme’s Dr Joshua Z. Walker and Lisa Musumba to explore how the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC once again exposes tensions between ad hoc international health responses and local healthcare systems – reinforcing the urgent need to strengthen national healthcare systems in the DRC and across Africa for more effective outbreak preparedness and response.
Ukraine’s drone strikes deep into Russian territory coincided with one of Kyiv’s biggest political and military convulsions of the war: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired the popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov only for his decision to spark protests across the country. Why did Zelenskyy do it? Has the power struggle damaged his authority? Is Ukraine really regaining the initiative in the war? And what will it take to force Russia to the negotiating table?John Lough examines the potential turning point in the war with Vadym Prystaiko, former Ukrainian ambassador to the UK; Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at Kings College London; and Jaroslava Barbieri of Chatham House’s Ukraine Forum.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Sara Seth and Stephen Farrell.
Andy Burnham took over as UK prime minister with a vow to restore hope in British politics – and an early volley of voter-friendly policy promises. But are they quite as significant as billed?How much room to manoeuvre does Burnham really have? Will new chancellor John Healey release enough funds to the Ministry of Defence, which he quit in frustration? Does Ed Miliband have what it takes to succeed as foreign secretary? And how will Britain’s place in the world change?Olivia O’Sullivan, director of Chatham House’s UK in the World Programme, is joined by The Economist’s political correspondent Hugo Gye and Chatham House associate fellow Jamie Gaskarth to discuss the first days of Burnham’s premiership.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Sara Seth.
The 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey may represent the pinnacle of soft power for the USA and a moment of global prestige for President Donald Trump.But at home, concerns are growing over his ever-expanding vision of presidential power. Is America now living with an 'imperial presidency'? Has the Supreme Court given the president powers that future generations might find hard to take back? How might Trump’s autocratic style affect the November midterm elections? And why does he like to associate himself so closely with sports?Bronwen Maddox is joined by Heather Hurlburt and Max Yoeli of Chatham House's US and North America Programme to discuss presidential overreach, football red cards and the unitary executive theory of power.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Sara Seth.
This year's NATO summit brought together the leaders of all 32 member states in Ankara. President Donald Trump's return to the summit brought renewed controversy, with remarks on Greenland and Iran underscoring the geopolitical tensions that continue to test the unity and purpose of the transatlantic alliance. What happened in Ankara and what does it mean for NATO's future? If the Ukraine conflict winds down, will Russia pivot to test Article Five? And is Britain doing enough to prepare for a potential conflict? Bronwen Maddox looks at the summit and NATO's future with special guest General Sir Richard Barrons – former Commander of Joint Forces Command in the UK, now a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House – plus Dr Marion Messmer, director of our International Security Programme, and Galip Dalay who runs Chatham House's Turkey Initiative.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Sara Seth and Stephen Farrell.
The United States marks its 250th birthday at a moment of intense division and international uncertainty. At home, President Donald Trump is aggressively remodelling America's governance around expanded White House power and burning through firewalls intended to prevent presidential overreach and self-enrichment. Internationally, his capricious mix of transactional diplomacy, coercive tariffs and naked hard power has left American allies shell-shocked – and opened the door for China to spread its influence.Former US ambassador to Qatar Tim Davis joins host Bronwen Maddox and Laurel Rapp, director of our US and North America programme, to discuss the future of the United States in the world – and whether, for ordinary citizens, the American dream still exists. Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.
The United States marks its 250th birthday at a moment of intense division and international uncertainty. At home, President Donald Trump is aggressively remodelling America's governance around expanded White House power and burning through firewalls intended to prevent presidential overreach and self-enrichment. Internationally, his capricious mix of transactional diplomacy, coercive tariffs and naked hard power has left American allies shell-shocked – and opened the door for China to spread its influence.Former US ambassador to Qatar Tim Davis joins host Bronwen Maddox and Laurel Rapp, director of our US and North America programme, to discuss the future of the United States in the world – and whether, for ordinary citizens, the American dream still exists. Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves No.10 a decade since the Brexit referendum that began the UK’s cycle of chaos, and Andy Burnham seems set to take over unopposed. Our experts discuss what the new regime will mean for Britain’s future and its role in the world.Will attempts to bring the UK closer to Europe without actually rejoining the EU continue? Will Burnham want to increase Britain’s defence budget, or will his priorities lie elsewhere? And why can't Britain hold on to its prime ministers?Bronwen Maddox reflects on a historic week with Ben Judah, former adviser to David Lammy and visiting fellow at Chatham House, and Olivia O’Sullivan, director of our UK in the World Programme.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.
Can Labour’s prized plans to decarbonize power generation by 2050 withstand growing demands for extra defence spending – an acrimonious argument that has already claimed two senior defence ministers? Or pressure to preserve and extend welfare benefits from the party’s left and the unions, many of whom see net zero as a job killer? Plus: China’s colossal subsidization of green technology has created a surplus of cheap equipment for clean power. Would Britain be wise to take advantage? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Pelin Zorlu and Chris Aylett of Chatham House’s Climate and Energy team, plus special guest Archie Hall, acting economics editor of The Economist.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.
Lawrence Freedman, author and international relations authority, reflects on the ‘utter chaos’ of the Trump administration, America’s ‘catastrophic’ foreign policy, the likelihood of an international shock to Britain’s politics, the impact of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in his time working at Chatham House, his meetings with KGB agents, and much more, in a wide-ranging conversation with Olivia O’Sullivan, director of the UK in the World Programme, Chatham House.
A tumultuous week for Britain’s faltering rearmament plans sees Defence Secretary John Healey resign from Keir Starmer’s cabinet, saying the prime minister and the Treasury lack the will to properly fund the defence of the nation.Al Carns, the armed forces minister, also resigned saying the government’s long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was 'not built for the threat we face'.The departures raise further questions over whether the DIP can address the costs and trade-offs involved in strengthening UK defence.Meanwhile, European leaders struggle to coordinate their own rearmament amid concerns that America will withdraw from the defence of the continent.Bronwen Maddox looks at the defence predicament in the UK and Europe, with UK in the World Programme director Olivia O'Sullivan, and International Security Programme director Dr Marion Messmer.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.
As 15 May 2026 drew closer, there was growing uncertainty surrounding Somalia’s next political transition. This date marked the official end of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term; yet no election date was set.Instead, the President officially signed a final set of constitutional amendments passed by majority vote in the Federal Parliament into law – he contends that this grants an extra year to his term which now expires on 15 May 2027. Opposition to the implementation of the constitutional amendments persists and Somalia now faces a political impasse that threatens to deepen political fragmentation.In this episode, Professor Afyare Abdi Elmi and Aweis Ahmed discuss scenarios to navigate Somalia’s current political stalemate and pathways for a peaceful political transition.
Would the world benefit from a new economic alliance to stop China and the US from undermining the global rules we all depend on – a new ‘third pole’? That’s the conclusion of a new Chatham House report published this week. How would an economic bloc like this work? Who could build it? And how would China and the US – even post-Trump – react to such a challenge to their power?Laurel Rapp, director of our US and North America Programme, talks over an audacious plan for a new world order with the report’s author and director of our Global Economy and Finance Programme, Creon Butler. They are joined by director of our Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes, Grégoire Roos. Read our report: Saving global economic governance from the 'Trump shock'. Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House.
Attention is increasingly turning to artificial intelligence as its capabilities and influence permeate nearly every sector. AI’s growth raises important questions about its environmental footprint; risks associated with future scale, and how such a globalised industry can be effectively governed.This episode of the Climate Briefing explores:Where are we today in terms of AI capability and use?Is AI’s environmental footprint being addressed in product design and the industry more widely?Looking ahead, across national and international levels, what could effective governance look like?To discuss this, co-hosts Anna and Bhargabi are joined by Boris Gamazaychikov (CEO and Co-Founder of the Sustainable AI Group) and Rowan Wilkinson (Research Associate, Digital Society Programme at Chatham House).
The major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s northeast is not just a public health emergency in an already impoverished and violence-beset region. Armed rebellion, fragile government and a collapse in public trust are combining to make outbreaks more frequent – and fostering dangerous disinformation that makes the virus harder to fight.How dangerous is the Ebola virus? Could it spread to the rest of the world? And is America’s withdrawal from global health leadership at least partly to blame for its return?Bronwen Maddox finds out from director of our Africa Programme Tighisti Amare, and director of our Global Health Programme Emma Ross.
Almost exactly ten years since Britain’s seismic vote to leave the EU, the debate reopens thanks to early skirmishes in the fight for leadership of the Labour Party and thus the prime ministership. Could a credible bid to rejoin make its way onto Britain’s political agenda? Are the drastically changed economic and defence environments making the case for re-entry unanswerable? And under what terms would European leaders consider the return of their often-troublesome former partner?Bronwen Maddox talks over a major potential shift for the entire continent with Chatham House visiting fellow Ben Judah, director of our UK in the World programme Olivia O'Sullivan, and associate fellow and Financial Times international trade specialist Alan Beattie. Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House.
All eyes are currently on the Gulf due to the US-Israeli war on Iran and the disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. In this two-part series, the Climate Briefing co-hosts and their guests take a deep dive into the region, which plays a crucial role in the global supply of oil and gas.The first part of the series (released on 21 April) delved into the history of the region, addressing questions such as: How did the Gulf countries become such dominant fossil fuel exporters? What has this dominance meant for their geopolitical influence? And what role have oil and gas played in conflicts and coups in the region?Part 2 focuses on how the countries around the Gulf are approaching – and may be impacted by – the energy transition. It also explores the implications that the US-Israeli war on Iran could have for the region in the medium to long term.To discuss these issues, Anna and Bhargabi are joined by Robin Mills (CEO of Qamar Energy and Non-Resident Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University), Dr Neil Quilliam (Associate Fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme and Partner at Azure Strategy), and Jessica Obeid (Founding Partner at New Energy Consult and Board Advisor to various energy and policy institutions).
President Donald Trump brings a band of senior US business executives seeking trade deals to China for what is possibly the biggest bilateral summit of 2026. But what does the US hope to achieve? More sales of Boeings, beef and soybeans; an off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran; a sense of world pre-eminence; or all three? Our experts discuss whether Taiwan will end up paying the price for Chinese help in ending the Iran war, and whether the success of the summit really boils down to the chemistry between Trump and the world’s other most powerful man, Xi Jinping.Host Bronwen Maddox discusses the visit and what it means with Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow with our Asia-Pacific Programme, and Laurel Rapp, director of our US and North America Programme. Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell.
Is the initiative on the Ukraine war slipping out of Russian president Vladimir Putin's hands? And how has the US-Israel war on Iran affected Moscow?The economic crisis is tightening, and Moscow and St Petersburg are increasingly subject to lengthy internet and mobile blackouts.Fearing Ukrainian drone attacks, Russia has vastly scaled down its traditional celebration of military power – the Victory Day parade – while Putin is reported to be increasingly isolated, micromanaging the war from an assortment of bunkers.Bronwen Maddox talks to Grégoire Roos, director of Chatham House's Europe and Russia and Eurasia programmes, and associate fellow John Lough.Produced by Podmasters for Chatham House, with thanks to Stephen Farrell.
Today’s ‘take–make–dispose’ economy operates in a linear way: resources are extracted, turned into products, used, and then discarded — with severe consequences for the climate and environment. Transitioning to a circular economy means replacing this system with one that keeps materials in circulation through reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling.But what needs to happen — both internationally and within countries — to enable a transition to a circular economy at the global level? To find out, Anna Åberg and guest co-host Elizabeth Adetoye speak with Jocelyn Blériot (Executive Lead for Policy and Institutions at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation) and Dr Patrick Schröder (Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House).
King Charles III’s state visit to the US won acclaim as the monarch charmed President Donald Trump. But can it really rescue US-UK relations from their current dire state? The ‘special relationship’ – a term first voiced by Chatham House before becoming widely popularized by Winston Churchill – now seems not so special.Our experts discuss what Britain and Europe should do now that the US wants to bear less of the burden of European defence, whether Prime Minister Starmer is right to stand up to President Trump on Iran, and where all of this leaves the NATO alliance.On this week's panel, host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme at Chatham House. And by General Sir Richard Barrons, a former Commander Joint Forces Command who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was one of the leaders of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review 2025. He is now a senior consulting fellow with the International Security Programme.
EU expansion, energy shocks, and uneasy alliances: will the conflict in the Gulf – and other crises – force a more unified European strategy? This week’s episode comes from the Delphi Economic Forum in Greece, where host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, director of our Europe, Russia and Eurasia programmes. As the fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran ripples through global markets, Europe finds itself under renewed pressure. Recorded on location amid the activity and discussions of the forum, they explore how Europe is responding to an increasingly unpredictable United States, reconsidering its own economic and security priorities, and navigating its relationship with Russia. Is this a moment of fragmentation – or the beginning of a more coherent European stance?Produced by Stephen Farrell.
All eyes are currently on the Gulf due to the US-Israel war with Iran and the disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. In this two-part series, the Climate Briefing co-hosts and their guests take a deep dive into the region, which plays a crucial role in the global supply of oil and gas.How did the Gulf countries become such dominant fossil fuel exporters? What has this dominance meant for their geopolitical influence? What role have oil and gas played in conflicts and coups in the region? And what might the future hold for the Gulf producers?In the first part of the series, Anna and Bhargabi delve into the history of the region together with Professor Paul Stevens (Associate Fellow at Chatham House; Emeritus Professor at the University of Dundee; Distinguished Fellow at the Al-Attiyah Foundation; and Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Energy Economics), who has published extensively on energy economics, the international petroleum industry, economic development issues, and the political economy of the Gulf.The second part of the series will focus on how the Gulf producers are approaching — and may be affected by — the energy transition, as well as what the long-term implications of the Iran war might be for the region.
From Hormuz to Hungary and the Vatican to the Federal Reserve, it has been an unusually contentious week for the White House, even by the standards of President Trump’s second administration.This week’s podcast comes from the US, where our analysts assess the political and economic state of the US as it begins gearing up for the midterm elections. From New York, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Director of the US and North America Programme, Laurel Rapp, are joined by David Lubin, Senior Research Fellow in the Global Economy and Finance Programme, who is in Washington for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s annual Spring Meetings to discuss the global economy and financial markets. The panel discuss the Iran ceasefire, nuclear negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz blockade, the health of the global economy, a setback for one Trump ally in Budapest and domestic criticism for President Trump over tensions between the White House and Pope Leo.Produced by Stephen Farrell.Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
China prepared in advance for a US attack on Iran. But many of its Asian neighbours have been hit hard because their economies were heavily reliant on energy imports from the Gulf. In the short-term, the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered rationing, and shortages of diesel, gas and fertiliser. Does that set a negative precedent for other choke points across the world? In the longer-term the war may force Asian nations into deeper reckonings: to reassess supply chains, economic strategies and whether the US can be trusted as a stable ally. Why hasn’t China supported Iran more? Will the standoff over Hormuz tempt Beijing to flex its muscles over the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea? How will Pakistan leverage its status as negotiator? Will the countries of southeast Asia follow through on calls for more regional integration of energy supplies? To discuss these issues, and more, Ben Bland, Director of the Asia-Pacific Programme, hosts this week’s Independent Thinking podcast, standing in for Bronwen Maddox. He is joined by two of his Chatham House colleagues: Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow for China; and Chietigj Bajpaee, Senior Research Fellow for South Asia.
Since the war in Sudan began in 2023, grassroots, volunteer-led mutual aid groups – the Emergency Rooms (ERRs) – have delivered vital humanitarian assistance and played a key role in safeguarding civilian life across the country in the face of the devastating conflict. The work of the ERRs is grounded in the Sudanese tradition of ‘nafeer’, an Arabic word meaning collective action. Less documented is the critical role Sudanese women play in responding to humanitarian needs arising from the conflict. They are at the forefront of providing medical assistance and psychosocial support, creating safe spaces for children and responding to gender-based violence.In this episode, we are joined by Alaa Hassan Taris and Khalid Gurashi, representatives of the ERRs who were in London to receive the Chatham House Prize in recognition of their crucial role in delivering humanitarian support during the ongoing war in Sudan. Dr Eva Khair, founder of the Sudan Transnational Consortium, also joins the conversation with Alaa and Khalid to discuss how vital grassroots-led responses are within the wider international humanitarian picture and highlight the imperative for continued advocacy on the global stage.Find more information about the ERRs and how to support their work here: https://www.mutualaidsudan.org/The Chatham House Prize 2025 was generously supported by Dr Mo Ibrahim, Open Society Foundations and Quadrature Climate Foundation.
As the conflict in the Middle East rattles energy markets, this episode explores the connections between climate change, energy, and geopolitics. It addresses questions such as: What does the war in Iran reveal about the links between fossil fuels, vulnerability, and power? What lessons can be drawn?What does the energy transition mean for global geopolitics, and how should governments manage the ‘messiness’ of the process?How are the impacts of climate change reshaping our world, and what can be done to navigate the challenges that arise? To unpack these dynamics, Anna and Bhargabi are joined by Arthur Snell (a former diplomat and author of ‘Elemental: The New Geography of Climate Change and How We Survive It’), Michael Bradshaw (Professor of Global Energy at Warwick Business School, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, and author of ‘The Geopolitics of Energy System Transformation: Managing the Messy Mix’), and Dr Beatrice Mosello (Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House).
An earlier than usual episode of the Independent Thinking podcast, ahead of the Easter break.In a one-on-one conversation, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox discusses energy with Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford, who has been advising governments and writing on energy, water and the environment for decades.They examine how energy policies of different governments over decades led to the UK’s energy costs being so high. And what the government should do if it wants to guarantee security of supply – and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Are those concerned about climate change right to push for net zero? Are current policies driving industry from the UK? Should there be more nuclear power stations, or more drilling in the North Sea?
One month on from the start of the US and Israeli war on Iran, governments worldwide are trying to assess the scale of its long-term impact on the global economy and political system.Much will depend on how long the conflict continues, and how long Iran blocks fuel exports and other cargo vessels from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.The White House and Iran have sent conflicting signals about whether negotiations are under way, even as thousands of US troops head to the Middle East. And even if President Trump secures a ceasefire with Iran, it is unclear if US and Israel are aligned on their visions for an end game.Our panel assesses whether the world is headed for a 1973-style shock to the global economic system, pushing up inflation and cutting growth. And how Europe, Russia, China, and other nations will deal with a crisis that has disrupted energy flows and supply chains.Joining regular host Bronwen Maddox are David Lubin, senior research fellow in Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme, and Grégoire Roos, director of our Europe, Russia, and Eurasia programmes.
As a key mediator in the ongoing conflict in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States has brokered peace agreements backed by security guarantees and by the investment potential of the country’s vast mineral wealth. However, critics warn this “minerals for peace” approach risks overlooking unresolved issues – from the protection of minority rights to the limited role of the African Union, and fragile state-society relations in the DRC. In this episode, Christian-Géraud Neema and Joshua Walker join the Africa Programme’s Romane Dideberg and Lisa Musumba to discuss how the short and long-term implications of the DRC’s pivot to the US is affecting its strategic autonomy, mining sovereignty, and what it means for President Tshisekedi’s political options.
The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump’s alliances, at home and abroad.Three weeks into exactly the kind of war of choice that he spent years decrying, US President Donald Trump is not getting the amount of international support that he seeks for his campaign of air strikes on Iran.There is also reluctance among NATO and other allies to be drawn into the political and economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli campaign, and Tehran's region-wide retaliation.Our experts discuss the state of US-Gulf relations, the muted European response to Trump’s appeals for help in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, and what it could mean elsewhere in the world for ongoing crises in Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela.Joining host Bronwen Maddox this week are Dr Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow in our Middle East and North Africa Programme; Dr Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America; and Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme.Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS early last year – and the subsequent formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – has posed a critical challenge for regional cooperation, particularly on security. According to the Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel is the “epicentre of terrorism” and rising insecurity is compounded by stalled progress on core issues including the right of hot pursuit, joint military operations, intelligence sharing and tackling illicit finance. Following a panel event on West African security with Ghana and Nigeria’s foreign ministers at Chatham House, Paul Ejime and Paul Melly join the podcast to discuss the ministers’ call for local security solutions in the region. The panel event formed part of the Chatham House Africa Programme’s ongoing work on African peace and security. The Programme will shortly launch a new project focused on regional conflict systems in the Horn of Africa, the Sahel and Central Africa.
China is the world’s largest emitter and dominates global production of green technology. A few days ago, the National People’s Congress approved the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, China’s main economic and policy blueprint for the period 2026–2030. What does the new plan say about China’s climate and clean tech ambitions? And what does it reveal about China’s broader geopolitical and foreign policy goals?To discuss this, Anna is joined by James Kynge (Senior Research Fellow for China in the World at Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific Programme) and Lauri Myllyvirta (Lead Analyst at and Co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, CREA).
The US military's AI provider Anthropic is feuding with the Pentagon after the company tried to impose 'red lines' over the use of its artificial intelligence products for lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans. President Trump accused the US firm of being 'radical left' and designated it a 'supply chain risk' – usually reserved for Chinese or Russian firms who could compromise US security. Our panel discusses the dispute, the battle to control artificial intelligence systems already being used in Iran, Venezuela and Ukraine, and how a public battle between tech and government throws a much-needed spotlight on the wider global issues of AI governance and who is – or isn't – writing rules for the new era of warfare. They also look at how China is pushing ahead quickly with its plan to integrate 'AI Plus' into all aspects of its economy and military. This week's guest host of the Independent Thinking podcast is Alex Krasodomski, director of Chatham House's Digital Society Programme. He is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme; and James Kynge, a senior research fellow with the Asia-Pacific Programme who has spent years studying China and its high-technology industrial sector.
What does President Trump hope to achieve in Iran – a quick show of force, or long-term regime change? The US and Israel’s long-threatened air strikes on Iran have materialized, and the Middle East is facing widespread disruption and a mounting death toll as the war spills across borders.In this episode of Chatham House’s international affairs podcast, our expert panel analyses the Trump administration's many stated motivations for the attack, whether there can be a clear-cut end game, and who is likely to take over in Iran after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.They also discuss the effect of the war on President Trump’s popularity at home as mid-term elections loom, and the criticism levelled at UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for doing, his detractors say, too little, too late.Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Sanam Vakil, director of Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme; General Sir Richard Barrons, senior consulting fellow with the International Security Programme; and Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
What are the most important changes the Paris Agreement has brought about? How should the COP process evolve? And why does geoengineering need to be approached with caution?The fourth part of the Future of Climate Diplomacy mini-series features a fascinating conversation between Chatham House’s Chris Aylett (standing in for Anna and Bhargabi) and Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and previously France’s Climate Change Ambassador and Special Representative for COP21.
Africa's digital landscape is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving in the world. African states are not merely adopters of digital norms; they are shaping regulatory approaches in data protection and cybersecurity in addition to innovating mobile money ecosystems and digital health solutions among others. While innovation hubs are dotted across the continent, growth amongst African states and local communities remain uneven due to infrastructure gaps, broadband affordability, energy reliability and regulatory fragmentation. In this episode, Ambassador Philip Thigo and Hon. Neema Lugangira join the Africa Programme’s Professor Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo and Lisa Musumba to discuss how digitalization can be harnessed to drive inclusive growth, strengthen institutions, and ensure that innovation translates into sustainable development outcomes.
On this week’s Independent Thinking podcast, our experts analyse why Trump is wedded to tariffs as an economic and political tool, and what effect they will have on the US and global economies.They also discuss whether tariffs have ended globalization for good even after the Trump era ends.Joining regular host Bronwen Maddox are Creon Butler, director of the Global Economy and Finance programme at Chatham House, and down the line from Washington, Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme.
Negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war do not appear to have made significant progress. In the meantime, the focus of US President Donald Trump's 'lighthouse diplomacy' appears to have switched to Iran.Chatham House analysts discuss the state of the talks, and whether Europe will step up to provide the weapons and military support that Ukraine needs. They also examine how the Russia-Ukraine conflict fits into the wider superpower competition between the US, Russia and China.Joining host Bronwen Maddox are Grégoire Roos, director of Chatham House's Europe, Russia and Eurasia programmes; Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum; and Natalie Sabanadze, Senior Research Fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Programme. This episode comes as we look ahead to two major upcoming Chatham House events: a conversation with General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, marking four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion, and our annual Security and Defence conference.Both events are now fully booked for in-person attendance, but audiences will be able to watch General Zaluzhnyi’s appearance and some of the defence conference events online.Full details are available on our website: https://www.chathamhouse.org/events. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
The race to secure critical raw materials is turning attention towards an unlikely place: the ocean floor. In this episode, Anna speaks with Dr Isaac Kardon (Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) and Meredith Schwartz (Associate Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies) about the geopolitics of deep-sea mining.
In a special edition of Chatham House’s Independent Thinking podcast recorded at the Munich Security Conference 2026 over the weekend, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes, unpack the key issues that emerged from this year’s forum.The main speaker, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adopted a different tone from Vice President JD Vance, who shocked many in the audience last year when he delivered a verbal broadside against Europe at the same conference.But does it signify a shift in the Trump administration’s newly assertive stance, or was it the same message in a different wrapping?In a recording session in a side room amid the hustle and flow of the conference, they also discuss innovations in defence technology and drone development, the resilience of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, what level of support Ukraine can expect from Europe, and whether European companies and policymakers will respond effectively in the face of increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers. Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
As Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer ploughs through crisis after crisis, his Labour Party faces multiple threats in upcoming local elections. Our Chatham House analysts examine whether having six prime ministers in a decade is a sign that Britain, like some of its neighbours, has more fundamental underlying problems that make it increasingly hard to govern.Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Olivia O'Sullivan, Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes.Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi assumed the leadership of the African Union (AU) at last year’s 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly – ushering what many saw a moment of renewed hope and leadership reset. The AU, however, enters 2026 on uncertain ground. Conflicts are intensifying across several regions; while showing signs of resilience economic prospects remain fragile; and political settlements in a number of countries are under strain. All this is unfolding against the backdrop of shifting global priorities and waning international attention on Africa. In this episode, Chatham House Africa Programme associate fellow, Professor Carlos Lopes, reflects on what lies ahead for the AU, the tests facing its leadership, and how Africa can navigate through changes in the global order.
The IMF’s economic outlook for Africa in 2026 points to an average GDP growth rate of 4.3% – making it the fastest-growing region globally. In practice, however, per capita growth is far lower and various factors like persistent debt issues and a decline in official development assistance jeopardise this positive outlook. In this episode, guests Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi (African Center for Economic Transformation) and Admassu Tadesse (Trade and Development Bank) explore strategies to ensure sustained economic growth matching the promising outlook for the continent. They discuss untapped policy actions to spur economic transformation as well as the role of regional financial institutions to meet the needs of African countries shaping their development agendas.
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of Chatham House's US and North America Programme, and Dr Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America. They dissect the so-called 'Donroe Doctrine', Marco Rubio's project to reform Cuba's regime, Haiti, and why oil is central to the MAGA playbook.Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sara Seth and Stephen Farrell.Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.
The EU has introduced a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to prevent carbon leakage – when companies move production to countries with weaker climate rules, or when EU products are replaced by more carbon-intensive imports. But the measure has sparked controversy and concern, especially among countries in the Global South, as seen during COP30 in Belém.This episode of Climate Briefing explores the implications of the EU’s CBAM for countries in the Global South: What are their main concerns, and what could be done to mitigate negative impacts?To discuss these questions and more, Anna is joined by Aparna Sharma (Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water – CEEW), Shimukunku Manchishi (Senior Policy Officer at the African Futures Policy Hub), and Ieva Baršauskaitė (Lead on Trade and Green Transition at the International Institute for Sustainable Development – IISD).
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Ben Bland, head of our Asia-Pacific Programme, and Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China. They discuss the opportunities and risks of closer engagement between the UK and China, and why the opacity of Chinese elite politics makes them an unpredictable security actor.
Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox joins the Independent Thinking podcast from the World Economic Forum in Davos. In London are guest host David Lubin, a Senior Research Fellow in Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme; and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes. They examine the implications of President Trump’s speech for Greenland, NATO, Europe, China and others after Trump pulled back from using force in Greenland, but left allies with a loss of trust in US intentions. Our analysts also discuss the impact of the address by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former President of Chatham House, who laid out his alternative vision for middle powers to cooperate when faced with what he called ‘a rupture’ in the world order.
Exactly one year has passed since President Trump returned to the White House. How has the first year of Trump 2.0 impacted global efforts to address climate change, and what might happen going forward?To discuss this, Anna and Bhargabi are joined by Gina McCarthy (former US National Climate Advisor, former EPA Administrator and Chair of the America Is All In Coalition).
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined in the studio by Laurel Rapp, Director of Chatham House’s US and North America Programme; Marc Weller, Director of the International Law Programme and down the line by Juno Berthelsen, of Greenland's opposition Naleraq party, which favours independence.
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marc Weller, Director of Chatham House's International Law Programme; Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme; and Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America.They discuss the failure of regional diplomacy that preceded the 3 January 2026 attack by the US on Venezuela, the tentative response of the international community in its aftermath, the domestic impact on American politics, historic precedents like the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and how it is likely to influence Russia and China’s actions in their regions.
Reflecting on research conducted as part of a joint Chatham House and UNDP research project on ‘African Peace Processes: Lessons Learned’, this episode examines what makes peace processes ‘stick’. Lisa Musumba is joined by project researchers Dr Abel Abate Demissie and Leonard Onyonyi to discuss the lessons learned from the Pretoria process linked to Ethiopia’s Tigray war and Burundi’s Arusha Accords.The episode closes with reflections from AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, from our conference in Addis Ababa on Africa’s rising influence in foreign policy and global governance, exploring how African-led peace and security initiatives can be strengthened moving forward.
nbsp; For further reading, please see: Tim Lenton’s ‘Positive Tipping Points: How to Fix the Climate Crisis’. Tim Lenton’s ‘Why some tipping points may be positive for the planet’ in Chatham House’s magazine ‘The World Today’.
nbsp;🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
This is a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking international affairs podcast, recorded at the Doha Forum 2025. Many of the official and backroom discussions at Qatar’s annual gathering of more than 5,000 world leaders, policymakers, dialogue, corporate and humanitarian organizations from 162 countries were dominated by discussions of President Donald Trump’s National Security Strategy, which was released on the eve of the forum. At one of the first events in the Doha Forum, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox questioned US Ambassador to NATO Mathew Whitaker about it. The podcast examines the implications for Europe, Asia, the Middle East and US foreign policy generally of the NSS document, which reinforces the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ strategy, and contains stark language about Europe, talking about its ‘economic decline’ and ‘the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure’. It also says: ‘The days in which the Middle East dominated American foreign policy in both long-term planning and day-to-day execution are thankfully over.’ Joining host Bronwen Maddox in Doha were: Leslie Vinjamuri, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Yu Jie, a Senior Research Fellow on China in Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific Programme, and Renad Mansour, a Senior Research Fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme.
nbsp;🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
nbsp;🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
nbsp;Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University; Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance; and former State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action at the German Federal Foreign Office) and David Waskow (Director for the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute).
nbsp;🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Nearly four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian officials and analysts look at the prospects for a ceasefire, and at the military, economic and human cost that President Vladimir Putin’s campaign has inflicted on the country. They discuss the Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, intended to demoralise the civilian population, and what European allies should do to bolster its defence efforts, and to rebuild the country if there is a ceasefire. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a former Minister of Defence of Ukraine; Daryna Marchak, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture; Olha Aivazovska, Chair of the Board of the Opora Civic Network; Simon Smith, Chair of Chatham House’s Ukraine Forum and Dominic Nicholls, Associate Editor of The Telegraph. The discussion came as Chatham House hosted a conference - 'War in Ukraine: The battleground for the future of Europe'. https://www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/research-event/war-ukraine-battleground-future-europeRead our latest analysis here: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/ukraines-best-defence-against-putins-energy-war-more-attacks-russias-oil-refining-sector
Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York’s mayoral race this week – and other electoral successes – energized Democrats in the US and left-wing parties worldwide. The new standard-bearer of the American left is hailed by progressives as a generational shift of leadership – at 34 he will be the first Muslim mayor of New York, and one of its youngest ever. But he faces opposition from many quarters over his plans to raise taxes on the wealthy. Not least from President Donald Trump, who has threatened to hold back federal funds from the city where he was born. This week’s podcast assesses the significance of the first major elections of Trump’s second term, and what it means for the Democratic Party’s chances of winning back the House of Representatives in midterm elections next November. In the US, host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme, and Bruce Stokes, an associate fellow at Chatham House and a former director of global economic attitudes at the Pew Research Center. Joining from London is Stephen Farrell, head of News and Comment, who covered the 2013 New York City mayoral election for The New York Times.
nbsp; For additional analysis, please see: The expert comment ‘What can COP30 achieve, following US withdrawal and underwhelming climate plans’, available . The explainer ‘What is COP30 and why does it matter for the climate?, available . The expert comment ‘The UN climate process remains indispensable’, available .
Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders suffered a setback in Wednesday’s elections, with centrists poised to take back power. Rob Jetten, 38, leader of the centre-progressive Democrats 66 party, is set to become the Netherlands’ youngest leader in modern history after running on the upbeat slogan ‘Yes we can’. But the hard right remains influential. To discuss the outcome, and what it tells us about Europe beyond the Netherlands, guest host Grégoire Roos, Director of Chatham House’s Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes, is joined by Sébastien Maillard, a Chatham House Associate Fellow and special advisor to the Jacques Delors Institute. And, joining down the line, is Karien van Gennip, a former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
The incoming COP30 host, Brazil, has signalled it wants COP30 to mark the moment the UNFCCC transitions to a ‘post-negotiation’ phase, and that efforts should focus on action and implementation going forward. As part of its work to make this a reality, Brazil is reforming the UNFCCC’s ‘Action Agenda’, a process bringing together cities, regions, businesses, investors, civil society and governments to implement the Paris Agreement. To find out more about Brazil’s vision for the Action Agenda, co-hosts Anna and Bhargabi speak to Dan Ioschpe, Brazil’s High-Level Climate Champion for COP30.In the introduction to the episode, Anna and her colleague Chris Aylett (Research Fellow at Chatham House) discuss the EU’s commitment to phase out Russian energy imports by 2028 and US efforts to block a plan for decarbonizing international shipping.
China’s ruling Communist Party leadership met in Beijing to frame the next five-year-plan. Amid a trade war with the United States, they set priorities for economic policy and technology, including how to build artificial intelligence into key sectors of society. New faces appeared and old ones vanished, with a purge of senior military officials and others as President Xi Jinping sacked some officials he had earlier promoted. As Xi prepares to meet with US President Donald Trump in South Korea, Chatham House senior research fellows Yu Jie and James Kynge join host Bronwen Maddox.
Beset by early ceasefire disputes between Israel and Hamas, international backers of President Trump’s Mideast project must move quickly to elevate it from vague wish list to viable framework. Rapid delivery of aid, reconstruction - and security for Palestinians and Israelis – are essential. But without a political end game, it will founder.Sanam Vakil, Marc Weller and Stephen Farrell join host Bronwen Maddox in this week’s podcast from Chatham House.
nbsp; In the introduction to the episode, Anna and Bhargabi speak about growth trends in global renewable energy generation, climate politics in the UK, the US-China trade spat and the ratification of the High Seas Treaty.
At home the US is mired in domestic dysfunction with a government shutdown now in its second week. But abroad, President Trump has brokered a deal that - although it didn’t win a Nobel Peace Prize - could end the two-year Gaza war. Laurel Rapp and Max Yoeli join guest host Christopher Sabatini.They discuss the effects of the government funding crisis and protracted political deadlock on the US economy, international investment, the military and foreign policy.
It's party conference season in Britain. Both ruling Labour and opposition Conservatives are nervous about the rise of Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK, successor to the Brexit Party.Pollster Joe Twyman and Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of Chatham House's UK in the World Programme, join host Bronwen Maddox for this week's podcast.
Forests play a critical role in the fight against climate change. With COP30 taking place in the Amazon, addressing deforestation is likely to be a topic of high priority at the meeting. But what can actually be achieved? To find out, Anna and Bhargabi speak to Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director of WWF-Brazil, and Edward Davey, Head of the UK Office of the World Resources Institute. In their introduction to the episode, Anna and Bhargabi speak about key developments at the opening of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and New York Climate Week.
The United Nations is a guardian of international law, its leader assured member states this week. But President Trump questioned the point of the UN. Marc Weller and Christopher Phillips join Bronwen Maddox to assess challenges to the global order in a world of strongmen and multipolarity.
President Donald Trump brought AI and tech CEOs on his second state visit for a deal pledging £31 billion in investment for the UK. Olivia O’Sullivan and Laurel Rapp join host Bronwen Maddox to discuss the politics and dealmaking behind the pageantry, on Chatham House’s weekly international affairs podcast.
Trump 2.0 poses a huge challenge for the renewable energy industry in the US. Not only has the administration rescinded environmental incentives and regulations with bearing on future projects, it has also in various ways delayed and/or obstructed offshore wind projects already under construction (like the Empire Wind and the Revolution Wind projects). What does all of this mean for the renewable energy industry in the US? What does it mean for US competitiveness and the global energy transition? To find out, Bhargabi speaks to , CEO of the Global Wind Energy Council, a member-based organisation that represents over 1,500 companies, organisations and institutions in over 80 countries.
Are we moving into a post-American world and if so will China try to lead and set the rules for it?In the face of American withdrawal, China senses an opportunity to shape a new world order. This week on Independent Thinking, Samir Puri and James Kynge join Bronwen Maddox to discuss the changing nature of the international order.
In this third instalment of the Future of Climate Diplomacy mini-series, Climate Briefing hosts Anna and Bhargabi explore what lessons that can be drawn from the history of the climate negotiations and how this can inform the future of climate diplomacy. To do this, they are joined by long-time COP researcher Dr Joanna Depledge (Research Fellow at the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance and at Centre for Science and Policy, both at the University of Cambridge). This week’s Climate Briefing also includes a chat with Dr Patrick Schröder (Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House’s Environment and Society Centre), who explains why the negotiations on a global plastics treaty are important and why the recent round of talks, once again, ended with no deal.
On the 23rd of July 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its long-awaited Advisory Opinion on the obligations of states in respect to climate change. The Advisory Opinion makes clear that states have far-reaching obligations under international law to prevent harm to the climate system and that breaching such obligations could result in having to make reparations, among other things. So, what impact might the ICJ’s ruling have on international climate diplomacy and action, including climate-related litigation? To find out, Anna and Bhargabi speak to Dr , who is an Associate Professor of Sustainability Law at the University of Amsterdam and who lead the legal team of Vanuatu and the Melanesian Spearhead Group throughout the ICJ proceedings, and Dr , who is the Director of Global Climate Change Litigation at the Sabin Centre at Columbia University. To learn more about the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion, read and/or listen to with Ralph Regenvanu, who at the time of the interview served as Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Risk Management.
Côte d'Ivoire is widely regarded as a regional powerhouse amid increased political instability and fragmentation in West Africa. However, the country has also been marked by violent conflicts and repeated bouts of political crisis in recent history. With the October 2025 elections fast approaching, Côte d'Ivoire faces another decisive moment – President Alassane Ouattara has confirmed that he will seek a fourth term, while a slew of prominent opposition figures including former president, Laurent Gbagbo, Tidjane Thiam, Charles Blé Goudé, and Guillaume Soro, have been barred from challenging the incumbent at the polls. In this episode, the leader of Côte d'Ivoire’s main opposition party, Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire — Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, Tidjane Thiam discusses his political aspirations, the hurdles faced in the lead-up to the upcoming elections and the state of Ivorian democracy moving forward.
Ahead of the landmark COP30 in Belem, Brazil, this November, calls for reform of the UNFCCC and COPs are growing, as are concerns that the only formal global forum for climate negotiation and cooperation is under threat. In a series of conversations, Anna, Ruth and Bhargabi interview thought leaders in the climate world about what the future of climate diplomacy should look like. The second guest in this mini-series is Kaveh Guilanpour, Vice President for International Strategies at C2ES, former lead of the UK’s UNFCCC negotiations, co-lead negotiator for the EU, co-lead negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States, and head of secretariat for the High Ambition Coalition, and senior advisor to the UNDG’s Climate Action Team.
How much of Donald Trump’s sanctions strategy is substance — and how much is performance? In this episode of Independent Thinking, Chatham House experts unpack whether sanctions work. And at Trump’s shifting use of sanctions, tariffs and personal power plays in global economic policy. With Dr Christopher Sabatini, Timothy Ash, and Christopher Vandome from Chatham House. Read our latest reports: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Executive producer - . Produced by Jonathan Coates and Warren Nettleford. 'Independent Thinking' is an production for Chatham House. 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
What does President Donald Trump’s promise of Patriot missiles for Ukraine — and a 50-day tariff ultimatum to Putin — really mean for Ukraine and Russia? Chatham House experts Jaroslava Barbieri, John Lough and Samir Puri look at whether it is a significant pivot towards Ukraine, how both sides are faring in the war, and how U.S. credibility is affected by Trump’s changing positions. They are joined by guest host Stephen Farrell, standing in for Bronwen Maddox.
The public health systems in Africa are under growing pressure. The sharp 70% drop in official development assistance (ODA) risks weakening critical health programmes, while a rise in public health emergencies continues to stretch already fragile infrastructure. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) – the public health agency of the African Union – recognises that these are not isolated challenges. They present a fundamental threat to Africa’s political, social, and economic resilience, with far-reaching implications to global stability. In this episode, Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General at the Africa CDC, discusses the agency’s mandate to support AU member states in advancing public health priorities and strengthening the capacity of national health institutions to respond to disease threats.
What happened at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) and what does it mean for climate action? What are ‘solidarity levies’ and how might they help close the climate finance gap? What is needed to ensure someone actually reads the ‘Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T’ after COP30? To find answers to these and other burning climate finance-related questions, Anna speaks to Joe Thwaites (Senior Advocate, International Climate Finance, Natural Resources Defense Council) and Tom Evans (Senior Associate, Global Solidarity Levies Task Force). To learn more about climate finance, please see these Chatham House outputs: ‘Closing the climate finance gap: How to raise the money the world needs to support climate action’ (research paper, available ) ‘Taxing high-emitting sectors could help pay for climate-induced loss and damage’ (expert comment, available ).
What does Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House mean for the likelihood of a Gaza ceasefire? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Stephen Farrell, Yossi Mekelberg, Sanam Vakil and Max Yoeli to examine the state of negotiations, U.S.-Israel and regional dynamics, and competing plans for what comes next. Read our latest: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by . 'Independent Thinking' is an production for Chatham House. 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
After a crisis week for Britain’s ruling Labour Party, host Bronwen Maddox and Chatham House’s Olivia Sullivan are joined by economist Professor Stephen Millard and pollster Joe Twyman to look at the foreign and domestic challenges facing the country just one year after Keir Starmer won a landslide election victory. Read our latest: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by . 'Independent Thinking' is an production for Chatham House. 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Climate litigation is both a strategic tool for climate action and an increasingly common part of the litigation landscape. Recent legal rulings have huge potential implications for the accountability and financial liability of big emitters, including both corporations and national governments. Anna and Ruth talk to Joana Setzer, climate litigation and global environmental governance expert at London School of Economics’ Grantham Research Institute. Joana explains the growth in climate litigation, describes landmark cases and tells us what we might expect from climate litigation in the future.
The 2025 edition of the June climate meetings in Bonn (formally ‘the sixty-second sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation of the UNFCCC’, or ‘SB62’) took place 16 to 26 June. These meetings, which take place every year, constitute the only formal space for negotiations ahead of the COP, and are therefore very important. In this episode of the Climate Briefing, Anna and Ruth speak to (Senior Associate at E3G) and (Director of the International Climate Politics Hub) about what the main outcomes of the conference were, what the key sticking points were, and what it all means for COP30.
Did U.S. strikes cripple Iran’s nuclear programme — or just set the stage for the next crisis? Bronwen Maddox hosts from Jordan, joined by international security expert Marion Messmer and Middle East associate fellow Lina Khatib in London, to examine the claims and counter-claims and what it means for the region’s fragile balance of power. Read our latest: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by . 'Independent Thinking' is an production for Chatham House. 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Following Israel’s strikes on Iran on 13 June, and the subsequent sequence of retaliation and counter retaliation, fears are rising that the conflict could escalate. In this special episode of Independent Thinking (an edited version of a live webinar) Galip Dalay joins a panel of experts to discuss strategic goals, the responses of the key regional and international actors, including the Gulf states and the US, and what if any viable diplomatic or military off-ramps exist to prevent a broader regional war. Read the Chatham House research paper, .
Is Britain chasing faded glory or forging a credible future? As the government lays out its latest spending review, Bronwen Maddox is joined by Jeremy Hunt and Samir Puri to ask whether bold talk of growth, defence and science hides a deeper strategic drift – or a real path back to global influence.
From plastic pollution to overfishing and climate change: the ocean is facing many severe threats. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 is focused on conserving and sustainably using the ocean and its resources. But what progress has been made in implementing this goal? Ahead of the 3rd , Anna speaks to Ambassador (the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean) about the state of the ocean, progress made in implementing SDG14, key next steps, and the potential of the UN conference to accelerate action.
Drones, AI, cyber warfare and nuclear weapons are a key part of the UK’s new Strategic Defence Review, along with conventional weapons. Chatham House experts unpack the strategy, spending pledges and how Britain should adapt its military to deal with Putin, China, and Donald Trump.Bronwen Maddox is joined by Chatham House experts Grace Cassy, Marion Messmer and Olivia O’Sullivan to unpack the strategy, spending pledges, and the UK’s place in a rapidly shifting global security landscape.
As Gaza reels from staggering humanitarian devastation, Bronwen Maddox speaks with Yossi Mekelberg, Stephen Farrell, and Julie Norman to unpack the political drivers of Israel’s war, the role of Donald Trump, and the region’s competing visions for Gaza’s future. From internal power struggles to shifting U.S. policy and Arab diplomatic proposals, this episode asks: what future is even possible for Gaza now?
Nine years after the Brexit vote, a new UK–EU deal promises smoother trade and deeper cooperation — but is it the end of the Brexit saga or just another chapter? Bronwen Maddox digs into what the deal really means with Rod Liddle and Nicolai von Ondarza, from political fallout to Britain’s shifting role on the world stage.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House poses serious challenges to climate change action and governance, but even before his second term began not nearly enough was being done to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. In a series of conversations, Anna and Ruth interview thought leaders in the climate world about what the future of climate diplomacy should look like. Their first guest in this new mini-series is (Managing Director of S-Curve Economics and author of ‘, with a previous career working on climate change issues within the UK Government).
As trade tensions, security concerns, and diplomatic crossroads converge, the UK’s bid for economic growth faces hard choices on the global stage. In this episode host Bronwen Maddox explores the UK’s complex balancing act between the EU, US and China with guests Janka Oertel and Sir Martin Donnelly.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have surged following a deadly attack in Kashmir and air strikes by India inside Pakistan. With nuclear risks, regional diplomacy, and rising domestic pressures in play, what could prevent this crisis from spiralling further? In this episode, Bronwen Maddox discusses what this means for South Asia and the world with Marion Messmer, a senior research fellow with our International Security Programme; Chietigj Bajpaee, the senior research fellow for South Asia with our Asia-Pacific Programme; and Stephen Farrell, our head of News and Comment.
Food systems contribute to around a third of global emissions and have a substantial impact on a range of other areas too, including biodiversity and human health. Transforming food systems is critical for meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. But how should this be done in practice? To find out, Anna and Ruth speak to Emma Williams (Head of the Secretariat of the , ACF) and Richard King (Senior Research Fellow in the Environment and Society Centre of Chatham House). To learn more about food systems transformation and related areas, please see the following Chatham House outputs: The research paper ‘Aligning food systems with climate and biodiversity targets’, available . The report ‘The emerging global crisis of land use’, available .
As Donald Trump floats a controversial peace deal that could leave Ukraine facing territorial losses and NATO exclusion, Kyiv is forced to weigh an impossible choice between sovereignty and survival. Bronwen Maddox speaks with Orysia Lutsevych from Chatham House and Matthew Savill from RUSI about battlefield fatigue, shifting alliances, and the future of European security.
The uptick in armed conflicts across Africa in recent years has challenged peacebuilding efforts and upset a trajectory towards continental stability. In this episode, HE Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security the AU’s goal of silencing the guns by 2030, the evolution of peacekeeping, and his vision for a more peaceful and secure Africa. Related content:
As the IMF Spring Meetings unfold in Washington DC, asks whether we are witnessing the twilight of the US dollar’s global dominance. Amid political shocks and shifting financial allegiances, could the world be inching towards a post-dollar era? Bronwen is joined by , chief economist at BNP Paribas, and from Chatham House’s Global Economy and Finance Programme to explore the dollar’s uncertain future, the rise of digital and alternative currencies, and what it all means for global power and stability. Find out more: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by . 'Independent Thinking' is an production for Chatham House. 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Increasingly severe climate change impacts are wreaking destruction across the world, with disastrous implications for human health, wellbeing, livelihoods, culture and security. How to deal with ‘loss and damage’ caused by climate change was for long a controversial topic within the UN climate negotiations, but at COP27 in 2022 governments agreed to establish a dedicated fund to assist developing countries in responding to the challenge. In this episode of the Climate Briefing, Anna Aberg and Nina Jeffs (standing in for Ruth Townend) speak to , the Executive Director of the , about what progress that has been made in operationalizing the fund, what lies ahead, what some of the main challenges are and how the fund interacts with the wider economic architecture. To learn more about how loss and damage finance has featured in the climate negotiations, please see the Chatham House research paper ‘Loss and damage finance in the climate negotiations: key challenges and next steps’ (available ) and the expert comment ‘The historic loss and damage fund’ (available ).
In this episode of Independent Thinking, we explore the root causes of corruption in Nigeria, its impact on everyday life, and potential solutions for change.Bronwen Maddox speaks with Leena Koni Hoffmann about her in-depth report on the issue, as well as insights from speakers at a Chatham House conference focused on Nigeria’s ongoing fight against corruption.
This week on Independent Thinking, we explore the growing battle for influence in Latin America between the U.S. and China. In just two decades, China has gone from a minor player in the region to a dominant force—challenging the US.How is President Trump’s government responding and could his policies actually give Beijing more room to expand? Guest host Chris Sabatini is joined by Yu Jie, Robert Evan Ellis, and Bruno Binetti to discuss the shifting power dynamics and what they could mean for the global balance of power.
Critical raw materials - like rare earths, cobalt and lithium - play a central role in the energy transition and profoundly influence geopolitical dynamics. Their extraction may also amplify conflict and fragility risks in host countries. In this episode of the Climate Briefing, Ruth and Anna speak to (Fellow at Carnegie Europe) and (Global Distinguished Professor, Environmental Studies and Public Policy, NYU Abu Dhabi) about the interlinkages between critical raw materials and geopolitics, the challenges associated with extraction, and what a ‘good’ strategy for securing future access might look like.
President Trump has unveiled sweeping new trade tariffs—but what happens next? Bronwen Maddox explores the global reaction, the economic fallout, and whether this marks the beginning of the end for globalization. She’s joined by Jason Furman, former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, alongside Dame DeAnne Julius and David Lubin from Chatham House’s Global Economy and Finance Programme.
In this week’s episode of Independent Thinking, Bronwen Maddox discusses whether Europe can take up the mantle of the US, and lead the world as an economic and political powerhouse. Can Europe can fill the vacuum caused by America’s shifting foreign policy, and in doing so, become more of an economic force? Bronwen explores this topic with three Chatham House experts: Creon Butler, director of the Global Economy and Finance Programme, Olivia O’Sullivan, director of the UK in the World Programme, and Nicolai von Ondarza, an associate fellow in our Europe Programme.
Brazil is presiding over the next UN climate change conference, COP30. In this episode, Anna and Ruth are joined by the Chief Executive Officer of COP30, Ana Toni, to discuss what the aims of the conference are, what Brazil’s COP30 diplomatic strategy looks like, and what the UNFCCC's post-negotiation phase’ means.
This week on Independent Thinking, three Chatham House experts look at the view from China now that Donald Trump is in charge. Ben Bland speaks to Yu Jie, William Matthews and David Lubin about how China is repositioning itself on the world stage, viewing its own security and preparing for a potential trade war. We will also explore what the Communist Party of China is really thinking, what harm tariffs are doing and what the AI battle could mean for the world.About Independent ThinkingIndependent Thinking is a weekly international affairs podcast hosted by our director Bronwen Maddox, in conversation with leading policymakers, journalists, and Chatham House experts providing insight on the latest international issues.
China is the world’s largest emitter and dominates the production of low-carbon technologies worldwide. It thus plays a key role in global efforts to address the climate crisis. How has China obtained its leading position in the production of green technologies? What role does China play in international climate negotiations? How important has the US-China relationship been in global efforts to reduce emissions, and what will happen now when Donald Trump is back in the White House? To discuss this and more, Ruth and Anna are joined by (Director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute) and (Research Fellow at the Environment and Society Centre at Chatham House). To read Chris Aylett’s report on UK-China cooperation on climate, please click
In this week's episode Haid Haid, Rim Turkmani, and Lina Khatib discuss the recent developments in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. We delve into the country's economic struggles, the rise of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the resurgence of sectarian violence, and the challenges facing Syria's path to democracy. It also explores the roles of regional and international players, including Turkey, Israel, and Iran, in shaping Syria’s future.
With the UK pledging to increase defence spending to levels not seen since the Cold War, what does the future of British defence look like?In this episode, we discuss the evolving nature of warfare, the impact of technology on modern battlefields, and whether Britain is truly prepared for the next conflict. Joining Bronwen Maddox are Sir John Sawers, former head of MI6; James Heappey, former Armed Forces Minister; and Chatham House experts Dr. Samir Puri and Olivia O’Sullivan.
As Donald Trump moves to reshape America’s foreign policy, we discuss what this means for the allies in Europe. Can the the United Kingdom, France and Germany forge a new path or is transatlantic unity fading fast? Bronwen Maddox is joined by the Chair of Chatham House Sir Simon Fraser, former Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Gerard Baker, Marion Messmer, a senior research fellow with our International Security programme and Sebastian Maillard, an associate fellow with our Europe programme.
Ties between the US and Ukraine have soured with Donald Trump calling Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ in a public war of words. Meanwhile US and Russian diplomats met in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine’s future without representatives from Kyiv or Europe. Should the continent be preparing for a future without the US as an ally? Bronwen Maddox is joined by historian and author Timothy Garton Ash, Georgina Wright, visiting fellow at the German Marshall Fund and Orysia Lutsevych, deputy director for Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme.
Sixty countries signed a declaration on 'inclusive' artificial intelligence at a global summit in Paris this week, but the UK and US refused. What was agreed at the summit, why did London and Washington decline to sign and what comes next?Bronwen Maddox is joined by Professor Birgitte Andersen from Birkbeck Business School, Lord Tim Clement-Jones, Co-Chair of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on AI and Alex Krasodomski, Programme Director, for Chatham House’s Digital Society Programme.
In this episode, Tim Eaton and Lubna Yousef discuss their latest research on how transnational human smuggling has fuelled conflict in Libya through a systems analysis of three key transit cities – Kufra, Sebha and Zawiya. Using this approach, their research examines the roles played by conflict and social dynamics in the expansion of human smuggling and trafficking – thus helping uncover critical gaps in policies aimed at addressing the rapid rise of migration. This episode was produced with support from the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy, and Trends (XCEPT) research programme, funded by UK International Development.
President Trump has threatened to put tariffs on Mexico and Canada and imposed them on China, fuelling fears of a looming global trade war. With the European Union likely next in his sights – what is the US president trying to achieve with these tactics? And what are the consequences?Bronwen Maddox is joined by Creon Butler, the director of our Global Economy and Finance programme, economist Linda Yueh and ambassador Julian Ventura, both associate fellows with our US and Americas programme.
President Trump has threatened to put tariffs on Mexico and Canada and imposed them on China, fuelling fears of a looming global trade war. With the European Union likely next in his sights – what is the US president trying to achieve with these tactics? And what are the consequences? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Creon Butler, the director of our Global Economy and Finance programme, economist Linda Yueh and ambassador Julian Ventura, both associate fellows with our US and Americas programme.
President Trump wants a peace deal in Ukraine and has signalled he’s willing to put pressure on Vladimir Putin to achieve it. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also appears more open to a deal – if there is a guarantee for Ukraine’s security.Bronwen Maddox is joined by Mark Landler, London Bureau Chief of the New York Times, The Telegraph’s Francis Dearnley who hosts the award-winning podcast Ukraine: The Latest and Orysia Lutsevych, the deputy director of our Russia and Eurasia programme.
Donald Trump has signed a wave of executive orders in his first days as America’s 47th President. The panel discuss the president’s changes to US foreign policy and their potential impact on America and the world. Guest host , editor of magazine, is joined by , the director of our US and the Americas Programme, , the director of our Centre for Global Governance and Security, and , a staff writer with The New Yorker. Read our latest: Presented by Mike Higgins. Produced by . 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Former US Climate Envoy and Director of Chatham House's Environment and Society Centre join hosts Ruth Townend and Anna Aberg to talk about prospects for climate action in 2025. Following Trump's inauguration, what are the likely consequences for climate diplomacy, and how will Brazil balance domestic demands against international obligations as COP30 and BRICS president this year?
A fragile ceasefire and hostage deal has been agreed between Israel and Hamas to end 15 months of war and suffering. Chatham House experts discuss the timing of the deal, whether it can hold and what comes next. is joined by , the director of our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) programme, , the director of our US and Americas programme, and and , associate fellows with our MENA programme. Read our latest: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by . 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
From the devastating wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza to Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland and the Panama Canal, what are the places to watch this year?Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and America’s programme and Renad Mansour, a senior fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme.
Does Bashar al-Assad’s removal offer a renewed chance for peace in Syria, or is his fall the start of a new phase of conflict in the Middle East? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, former BBC Persia journalist Rana Rahimpour and Haid Haid, a senior consulting fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme.
Chatham House's Environment and Society Centre reassembles to discuss the outcomes of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, what this means for climate finance and multilateralism, and how Ben’s Christmas jumper sums up the interconnected challenges developed countries face in balancing global resilience with domestic obligations. With Chris Aylett, Richard King and Ruth Townend, and special guest host Ben Horton.
Five months in, has Sir Keir Starmer's foreign policy been a success? The UK-EU relationship remains a major challenge for 2025, as does the prospect of a new US president. How will Starmer respond, and will the recent Chagos Islands deal impact the UK's international standing? is joined the BBC’s diplomatic editor , Professor , the director of UK in a Changing Europe at King's College London and and the director of our UK in the World programme. Read our latest: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by . 🎧 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Europe is contending with a stagnating economy, political dysfunction in Germany and France, and Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine, all while it looks to the return of Donald Trump. Will the continent’s democracies hold together in the face of such challenges? Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalist and historian Timothy Garton Ash, Mujtaba Rahman, Europe Managing Director at the Eurasia Group and Armida van Rij, senior research fellow and the Head of our Europe programme.
As the world moves closer to crossing the 1.5 degree threshold, Bronwen Maddox is joined by former BBC journalist Roger Harrabin and Maria Netto, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Society in Brazil. Also with them from COP29 in Baku is Ruth Townend, senior research fellow with our Environment and Society Centre.
In this episode, Professor Carlos Lopes discusses what the African Union’s G20 membership means for Africa’s economic and geopolitical influence on the global stage.
The re-election of Donald Trump has major consequences for America’s relations with China. The panel discuss how the US-China relationship might change under the next president. Guest host Ben Bland is joined by historian and political scientist Professor Rana Mitter, the FT’s US-China correspondent, Demetri Sevastopulo and Dr Yu Jie, a senior research fellow with our Asia-Pacific programme.
As COP29 kicks off in Baku, Chatham House's Environment and Society Centre assembles on the airwaves. The team talk Azerbaijan's climate leadership, World Leader vibes, prospects for the conference, and why working on climate change makes you a terrible dinner party guest. Special guest hosted by Climate Briefing Alumnus, Ben Horton.
Donald Trump has decisively defeated Kamala Harris in the US presidential election. What does his return to the White House mean for America and the world? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Edward Luce, the FT’s North America editor, Gerald Seib, the former Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal and Leslie Vinjamuri, the head of our US and Americas programme.
In this episode, Khalid Omer Yousif discusses how Sudan’s broadest anti-war, pro-democracy coalition, Tagadom, aims to bring civilian voices to the fore in a war dictated by military powers, and their plans to the end of Sudan’s war despite mounting atrocities engulfing the country.
North Korea is sending troops to Russia, but what is Kim Jong Un hoping to get from Vladmir Putin for military assistance against Ukraine? The panel also discuss the role military conscription plays in Israel, South Korea and Ukraine.Bronwen Maddox is joined by Edward Howell, the Korea Foundation fellow at Chatham House, Orysia Lutsevych, the head of our Ukraine Forum and Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow with our Middle East and North Africa Programme.
Ahead of a crucial budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the UK’s national debt is at almost 100 per cent of GDP - and it's not alone. Many G7 economies face massive debt levels, restricting ambitions when it comes to foreign policy and global engagement. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Patrick Wintour, the Guardian’s Diplomatic Editor and Ranil Dissanayake, a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Global Development. With them are Olivia O’Sullivan and David Lubin from Chatham House.
France is facing political turmoil. The survival of Michel Barnier’s new government rests on whether he can pass a controversial budget intended to rescue the country from its huge fiscal deficit. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Sophie Pedder, the Paris Bureau Chief of The Economist, Shahin Vallée, a former advisor to Emmanuel Macron and Armida van Rij, the head of our Europe programme.
Sanctions regimes are intended to be preferable to military force as a tool of foreign policy, but do they work to change behaviour or end up hurting ordinary people? With Bronwen Maddox is Daniel W Drezner, Professor of International Politics at Tufts University, Allie Renison, Associate Director at SEC Newgate, and Chris Sabatini, Senior Research Fellow for Latin America with our US and Americas Programme.
On the first anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks, we discuss the possible pathways for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Daniel Levy, the president of the US/Middle East Project. With them are Sanam Vakil, director of our Middle East and North Africa Programme (MENAP), and Amjad Iraqi, a MENAP associate fellow.
In this episode, Abdihakim Yusuf Ali Ainte and Maram Ahmed discuss ways to turn Somalia’s climate vulnerability to climate resilience – from identifying the environmental and socio-political challenges brought by devastating climate events to exploring innovative climate financing methods for improved climate adaptation.
With the Israeli military launching sustained attacks across Lebanon against Hezbollah, we explore why Israel has decided to ramp up strikes on Hezbollah now, as the war in Gaza rages on and tensions continue to rise in the West Bank. Bronwen Maddox is joined by The Economist’s Middle East correspondent, Gregg Carlstrom. With them are Lina Khatib and Yossi Mekelberg, associate fellows with our Middle East and North Africa Programme.
As Ukraine waits to hear if it can use Western missiles to strike deep into Russia, we explore the current state of the Kursk offensive and the front lines in Donbas, and ask what if any strategy might change the course of the war into 2025. Guest host James Nixey is joined by the FT’s Christopher Miller and military analyst Michael Kofman. With them is Olga Tokariuk, the OSUN academy fellow with our Ukraine Forum.
Tuesday’s debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump brought fierce exchanges over immigration, abortion and foreign policy, and showed that America's global role matters in this election. is joined by from Semafor and from the New Yorker to discuss what we learned and what to watch in the rest of the race. With them is , associate fellow of our US and Americas programme.Audio clip credit: ABC News Presidential Debate: Race for the White House
To kick off the third series of the podcast, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum joins Bronwen Maddox to discuss the network of autocracies that now challenge liberal democracies and the world order they once relied on. They explore how China, Russia, Iran and others cooperate, their attacks on liberal democracies – and what the rest of the world can do about it.
Coming fresh from a discussion of how private finance might close the climate finance gap, is joined by , Director of the Resilient Planet Finance Lab at Oxford University, and , professor of finance and economics at Imperial College London. In the run up to COP29, we explore how public international finance might be deployed to most effectively mobilise private finance, why so much private finance is still going to hydrocarbon-intensive energy investments, and the destiny of the World Bank.
Venezuelans are protesting against Nicolás Maduro’s claim to have won the presidential election. Bronwen Maddox is joined from Caracas by journalist turned opposition politician Paola Bautista de Aleman and the FT’s Latin America editor Michael Stott. With them is Chris Sabatini, our Senior Research Fellow for Latin America.
Democratic big hitters have coalesced around Kamala Harris as the Party’s new nominee, but what do we know about her world view, especially on Gaza, and the place of US leadership in the world? Bronwen Maddox is joined by chief correspondent at the Washington Post, Dan Balz, political scientist Dan Drezner, and the Director of our US and Americas Programme, Leslie Vinjamuri, to discuss what a Trump-Harris race will look like, and how the winner might approach America’s global role.
The Republican National Convention is underway in Wisconsin just days after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalists Edward Luce and David E Sanger to discuss the selection of J. D. Vance as Trump's running mate and what this means for America's future foreign policy. Joining them both is Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and Americas Programme.
NATO’s Washington summit takes place amid growing uncertainty about US leadership, and some of Russia’s heaviest missile attacks on Ukraine since the start of the war. Bronwen Maddox is joined by two former US ambassadors to NATO, Kurt Volker and Ivo Daalder, to discuss the challenges facing the alliance. With them is The Telegraph’s Roland Oliphant and Chatham House’s Armida van Rij.
In this episode, recorded to mark the African Union's African Anti-Corruption Day, Dr Leena Koni Hoffmann, Dr Raj Navanit Patel and Odeh Friday discuss Chatham House’s Social Norms and Accountable Governance (SNAG) research project supported by the MacArthur Foundation. The SNAG project seeks context-specific solutions in Nigeria to address corruption by understanding the drivers sustaining it as a collective action problem.
Migration is top of mind and front of rhetoric in many countries, particularly as elections approach and geopolitical trends of increasing polarisation take hold.Ruth Townend is joined by Professor Ian Goldin, author of ‘The Shortest History of Migration’, and by Shelterbox CEO Sanj Srikanthan to discuss personal histories of migration, global trends, and the future of migration in the face of increasing pressure from climate change.
In this recording of a Chatham House event, Bronwen Maddox is joined by an expert panel on the morning of Labour’s landslide win in the UK general election. Will Hutton, Anne McElvoy, James Heappey and Olivia O’Sullivan discuss the Conservatives’ collapse, the new prime minister and his likely cabinet, and what the result means for the UK and its place in the world.
On 17 June China’s coastguard clashed violently with the Philippines near an isolated coral reef in the South China Sea. Tensions are running high between Beijing and Manila, a key US ally. Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippines Coast Guard, Collin Koh, Olivia Cheung, and Bill Hayton to discuss the dangers posed in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
With a UK a general election rapidly approaching, as announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the pouring rain, it seems that the commitment of both main parties to tackling climate change is looking almost as bedraggled as the prime minister himself.Ruth Townend is joined by Rachel Brisley, Ipsos’s Head of Energy and Environment and Olivia O’Sullivan, the director of Chatham House’s UK in the World Programme to discuss what role the environment will play in elections, what the public really think, and whether the UK can still stake a claim to climate leadership.
Joining Bronwen Maddox this week is Fareed Zakaria, the host of Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN. Recorded at our 2024 London Conference, they discuss the consequences of the US stepping back from its alliances, and the international order that relies on them.
With Bronwen Maddox this week is Shaharzad Akbar, the former chair of Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission and an academy associate at Chatham House. Joining them are Nilofar Sakhi, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Centre and Heather Hurlburt, an associate fellow with our US and the Americas Programme.
is joined by , Deputy Director and , Senior Research Fellow, both of the Chatham House Environment and Society Centre to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition in key under-attended-to sectors, including non-energy-uses of fossil fuels. The podcast builds upon a series of four Chatham House roundtables kindly supported by AIG. The series explored topics including chemicals, fertilizers and plastics, the impact of the energy transition on the financial sector, rising geopolitical and market concerns about critical materials, and the phase-down of fossil fuels.
With Bronwen Maddox this week is Suzanne Lynch, the Global Playbook author and Associate Editor at POLITICO Europe. Joining them are Armida van Rij, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Europe Programme at Chatham House, and journalist Sebastien Maillard, Associate Fellow of the Europe Programme.
Climate finance is vital to tackling climate change and decarbonising economies. Past pledges, however, have often failed to deliver, especially for developing countries. In the lead-up to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, climate finance will be a major topic. Ruth Townend is joined by Jamie Ferguson, global director for Climate Business for International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, and Creon Butler, Director of the Global Economy and Finance program at Chatham House to discuss what action is needed, and from whom.
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Philippe Sands, a barrister specialising in international law and a Professor of the Public Understanding of Law at University College London. Joining them both are Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, an Associate Professor in Law at the University of Bristol and Nomi Bar-Yacoov, an Associate Fellow of the International Security Programme at Chatham House and an international negotiator in the Middle East.
In this episode, Wenjie Chen, Deputy Division Chief of the Regional Studies Division at the International Monetary Fund’s African Department, discusses the IMF Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa titled "A Tepid and Pricey Recovery," released in April 2024.
Rishi Sunak called a 4 July election saying the world is more dangerous than any any time since the end of the Cold War. Bronwen Maddox discusses those threats with Chatham House experts Olivia O’Sullivan, director of our UK in the World; David Lubin, our Michael Klein Senior Research Fellow in our Global Economy and Finance Programme; and Tim Eaton, senior research fellow in our Middle East and North Africa Programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Shashank Joshi, defence editor of The Economist and historian and commentator Helene von Bismarck to discuss what the next government must prioritize in the UK's foreign policy. With them is Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of our UK in the World programme.
In this special episode, His Excellency Timothy Musa Kabba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, shares insights into his country’s key priorities during its current tenure on the Security Council.54 years ago, Sierra Leone was elected to the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member for the first time, serving a two-year mandate from 1970 to 1971. Now, Sierra Leone returns to the Security Council for the 2024-2025 term after enduring a decade of civil war and embarking on a 20-year journey of post-war reconstruction. This period included the deployment of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeeping force, which played a pivotal role in facilitating the end of the conflict.In this special episode, His Excellency Timothy Musa Kabba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, shares insights into his country’s key priorities during its current tenure on the Security Council. He explores how these priorities align with broader objectives for the African continent and reflects on the lessons learned from Sierra Leone’s own post-conflict reconstruction efforts.
In this special episode, Bronwen Maddox interviews a key figure in US foreign policy to the Middle East for over a decade, Ambassador Dennis Ross.Ambassador Ross engaged directly with both Israeli and Palestinian parties in peace negotiations under multiple US presidents, and was instrumental in brokering agreements between them, including the ‘Oslo II’ accord of 1995 and the 1997 Hebron Accord.They discuss topics including the US-Israel relationship, what pressure President Biden can exert on Benjamin Netanyahu over a possible invasion of Rafah, global protests against Israeli action in Gaza and whether any hope remains for a deal to end the conflict.
This week, Bronwen Maddox discusses whether we are seeing a resurgence of the threat posed by nuclear weapons, given recent events in the Middle East and rhetoric from world leaders. On the panel is Robert E Kelly, Professor of Political Science at Pusan National University, Dr Hanna Notte, Director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and Dr Patricia Lewis, Director of the International Security Programme at Chatham House.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by journalist Oz Katerji and Phillips P. O’Brien, a Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews. Joining them both in the studio is Ukrainian journalist Olga Tokariuk, the OSUN Academy Fellow in the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Sanam Vakil, the director of our Middle East programme to discuss Iran's missile attack on Israel and the possible consequences across the region. Joining them both are Professor Yossi Mekelberg and Dr Elham Fakhro, Associate Fellows with our Middle East programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Mohammed al-Ta’ishi, a civilian member of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council - where he served as the chief negotiator and main architect of the Juba Peace Agreement. Joining them both are BBC journalist James Copnall and Rosalind Marsden, an Associate Fellow with our Africa programme and the former UK ambassador to Sudan.
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Soli Özel, a Professor of International Relations at Istanbul Kadir Has University, and Hürcan Aslı Aksoy, the Head of the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. With them is Galip Dalay, a Senior Consulting Fellow with our Middle East and North Africa programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Mujtaba Rahman, the Managing Director Europe of the Eurasia Group and Georgina Wright, a Senior Fellow with Institut Montaigne. Joining them all is journalist John Kampfner, the former head of Chatham House's UK in the World Programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined from Dakar, Senegal by Gilles Yabi, the founder and CEO of WATHI, the West Africa Citizen Think Tank and Idayat Hassan, a Senior Associate with CSIS. Joining them in the Chatham House studio is Paul Melly, a Consulting Fellow with our Africa Programme.
Coming fresh from the Chatham House Energy Transitions Conference, Ruth Townend is joined in the studio by IPCC lead author on demand, Professor Felix Creutzig, Dr Christina Demski, Deputy Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformation, and Toby Park, Principle Advisor and Head of Energy, Environment and Sustainability at the Behavioural Insights Team.Together they discuss why we need to talk about behaviour change, however uncomfortable the conversation, and explore hot topics such as green lash, heat pumps and the future of cities.
Ahmed Soliman discusses his upcoming research on the Sudan conflict and its link to the gold sector – from how gold has evolved as a ‘conflict good,’ its connection to the current war and transnational dynamics. Dr Suliman Baldo (Executive Director, Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker) gives an overview of key political shifts in Sudan’s history that have facilitated links with the country’s gold sector. Denise Sprimont-Vasquez joins the podcast to discuss the economic activities and the illicit networks of conflict actors that are fuelling the ongoing war in Sudan.
Bronwen Maddox is in Japan this week, and is joined from Taipei by journalist Bethany Allen to discuss China's National People's Congress and the political calculations of Beijing's neighbours. Joining them are Robert Ward from The International Institute for Strategic Studies and Dr Yu Jie – a Senior Fellow with our Asia-Pacific programme.
Guest host Leslie Vinjamuri is joined on the podcast this week by Ben Smith, the Editor-in-Chief of Semafor News and Professor Jennifer M Lind – an Associate Fellow with our US and Americas programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined on the podcast this week by Gregg Carlstrom, the Middle East correspondent for The Economist, Siavash Ardalan from BBC Persian, and Dr Sanam Vakil, the director of our Middle East and North Africa Programme.
Tim Eaton and Leah de Haan (Chatham House Middle East and North Africa Programme) discuss their research on the transnational links between the movement of people and armed conflict – from Edo State in Nigeria, through Niger, to Libya.This episode was produced with support from the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy, and Trends (XCEPT) research programme, funded by UK International Development.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Bill Browder – who for years has worked as a human rights and anti-corruption campaigner against the Putin regime. Alongside him is Nikolai Petrov, a Consulting Fellow with our Russia and Eurasia programme and Yulia Mineeva, an Academy Fellow with Chatham House, who was previously Head of News for Novaya Gazeta, the main independent newspaper in Russia.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week from Jakarta by Professor Burhanuddin Muhtadi, executive director of the Indonesian polling organization Indikator Politik Indonesia, and Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a former advisor to Indonesia’s Vice President and chair of Indonesian think tank, The Habibie Center. Joining them all is Ben Bland, the director of our Asia-Pacific program at Chatham House.
Ruth Townend is joined in the studio by Gwynne Dyer, author of Climate Wars, and Chatham House’s own Dr Daniel Quiggin to talk about climate solutions from the magical to the mundane. For his forthcoming book Intervention Earth, Dyer has spoken with more than 50 thinkers, innovators and engineers about how we might cool the planet and avoid catastrophe.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Ciaran Martin, the former Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre; Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo, Vice Chair of the African Union’s Cyber Security Experts Group; Amy Hogan-Burney, General Manager of Cyber Security Policy at Microsoft and Joyce Hakmeh, the Deputy Director of our International Security Programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Madiha Afzal, an author and Research Fellow at Brookings in Washington DC. Joining them are Dr Farzana Shaikh, an Associate Fellow with our Asia-Pacific Programme and Dr Chietigj Bajpaee, our Senior Research Fellow for South Asia.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by journalist Olga Tokariuk, an Academy Fellow in our Ukraine Forum, and Natalie Sabanadze, a Senior Research Fellow in our Russia and Eurasia Programme to discuss Viktor Orbán and Ukraine.
Roxanne Escobales, Editor of The World Today, is joined this week by Tom Sharpe, a former commander in the Royal Navy and defence columnist with The Telegraph. Joining them are Dr Sanam Vakil, the Director of our Middle East and North Africa programme, and Farea Al-Muslimi, a Research Fellow with Chatham House.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by journalist Jojje Olsson and Dr Chun-Yi Lee from the University of Nottingham's Taiwan Research Hub to discuss Taiwan's presidential election. Joining them in the studio is Ben Bland, Director of our Asia-Pacific programme.
In the second of two COP28 takeover episodes, Research Fellow Ruth Townend gathers Chatham House teammates to discuss how the conference went, with a particular focus on the politics and geopolitics that shaped the conference outcome. Ruth reflects on the global stocktake and loss and damage, while Antony Froggatt and Bernice Lee reflect on how different actors shaped the outcomes, as well as the changing shape of the conference over the years. Glada Lahn discusses the crucial text on fossil fuels, while Professor Tim Benton explores how food and agriculture were dealt with at the conference. The team finish by discussing their hopes for climate action in the year ahead.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, to discuss the elections and geopolitical flashpoints of 2024. Joining them in the studio are Leslie Vinjamuri, Ben Bland and Armida van Rij.
At the Doha Conference, Bronwen Maddox speaks with Dr Majed Al Ansari, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by writer and academic Nishtha Gautam to discuss what India's state elections mean ahead of the 2024 general election. Joining them in the studio are Professor Louise Tillin from Kings College London and Senior Research Fellow Chietigj Bajpaee from our Asia-Pacific programme.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Ana Yang, Bernice Lee and Ruth Townend from our Environment and Society Centre to discuss the COP28 summit in the United Arab Emirates.
In the first of two COP28 takeover episodes, Research Fellow Ruth Townend gathers Chatham House Environment and Society Centre teammates to discuss how the conference might go, and what they will be looking out for when they travel to Dubai. This episode is released a week before the start of the conference. Professor Tim Benton discusses agriculture, food, land use and nature. Antony Froggatt talks about energy transition and how major actors might shape action. Glada Lahn discusses climate finance and the likely wrangle around language on fossil fuels, while Ruth Townend discusses the GGA and the global stocktake.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Professor Kerry Brown and journalist Latika Bourke to discuss China's economic slowdown, amid signs of a more assertive foreign policy in Asia.Joining them is economist David Lubin, an Associate Fellow with our Global Economy and Finance program.
is joined this week by journalist , the host of the News Agents podcast, to discuss the 2024 US presidential election. Joining them are , Director of our US and Americas programme and , a journalist formerly with Politico and Foreign Policy magazine. Don't miss our expertise: Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Matthew Docherty.
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Shashank Joshi, the Defence Editor at The Economist, to discuss Iran's role in the Hamas-Israel War. Joining them are our experts, Dr Sanam Vakil, Director of our Middle East and North Africa programme and Dr Renad Mansour, a Senior Research Fellow with the MENA programme.
Antony Froggatt is joined in the studio by Ed Mountfield who is Vice President of the World Bank in charge of Operational Policy and Country Service. Finance remains one of the most important and contentious issues in the international climate change negotiations. As COP28 approaches, Antony discusses with Ed the World Bank's ongoing reform initiatives and delves into the degree to which climate change is given priority within these reforms. They explore the implications of this prioritization for other development objectives.
Roxanne Escobales is joined by Lucy Fisher, the FT’s Whitehall Editor and host of the Political Fix podcast, to discuss Rishi Sunak’s AI summit.Joining them are our experts Olivia O’Sullivan and Alex Krasodomski from our UK in the World Programme and Digital Society Initiative.
Roxanne Escobales speaks with experts from our US and Americas programme, Dr Christopher Sabatini and Vanessa Rubio-Márquez, about Argentina's on-going election.Joining them from Buenos Aires are journalist Natalia Gherardi who is covering Argentina's election up-close.
Bronwen Maddox speaks with New York Times journalist Steven Erlanger about President Biden's trip to Israel and the prospects of an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. Joining them are Sam Rose from UNRWA and Dr Elham Fakhro from our Middle East and North Africa programme.
Bronwen Maddox speaks with Reuters journalist Steve Farrell about the attacks by Hamas on Israel and the Israeli military response now underway in Gaza.
Bronwen Maddox speaks with Rory Stewart about the state of British politics in a world of populist leaders. Journalist Robert Peston meanwhile joins us from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Later in the show, Roxanne Escobales and Olivia O'Sullivan discuss whether Rory Stewart is right about the state of Britain, and whether his time in government was a success or failure.Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Matthew Docherty.
Indigenous peoples make up 5 per cent of the world's population and are responsible for the careful stewardship of land home to much of our planet's biodiversity. International negotiations have recently begun to recognize the important role that indigenous communities have always played for safeguarding the climate and environment. In this episode, we explore how headway has been made on recognizing this role, where there is still work to be done, and importantly, how can this recognition lead to more meaningul engagement and sharing of resources to protect the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples.
Bronwen Maddox speaks with Ambassador , and about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and whether the West should engage with the Taliban. Read our expertise: Presented by . Produced by Sound by Alex Moyler.
World leaders met in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). All the P5 leaders bar America's Joe Biden stayed away however. Is the UN losing its relevance in international affairs? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are Mark Malloch-Brown, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Roger Boyes, Diplomatic Editor for The Times, and Leslie Vinjamuri, the Director of the US and Americas programme.
In the race to create a net-zero, sustainable world, activities like mining and farming can clash with the lives of people in forests and rural areas. As the international community ponders over solutions for responsible resource management, Ghana's experiences offer invaluable lessons. In this first episode of a two-part special of the Climate Briefing, Henry Throp takes us through a journey of discovery through the Ghanaian Gold mining industry, and the illegal artisanal gold mining, known in Ghana as the Galamsey. Using recordings of interviews captured during a May 2023 field trip to Ghana, he explores the intricate juggling act between caring for the land, ensuring sustainable livelihoods, and meeting the rising demand for metals and lucrative cash crops. The episode is published in association with our new article, “Net-zero’s nature knot: A tug of war with rural realities”, which is available on our forest governance website here:
G20 leaders met in New Delhi this week to discuss economic cooperation. Underlying the summit however were wider international tensions and a sense of India on the rise.Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are Samir Puri, a visiting lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London, Chietigj Bajpaee, the new South Asia fellow at Chatham House and Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of the US and Americas programme. Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Alex Moyler.
This week on the show we turn our eyes to Iran and the year long protests by young Iranians against the Islamic regime. September 16 marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman killed in police custody. Since her death Iran has been rocked by a year of protests in which over 500 people, many of them women, have been killed. We look at how Iran has changed, where the protest movement is now and how the regime is cracking down on it. The panel also discuss more broadly Iran’s role in the Middle East, and Tehran's difficult relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United States, as well as the growing role of China in the region. Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio this week are former BBC journalist Rana Rahimpour, Dr Sanam Vakil the Director of our Middle East and North Africa programme and journalist Michael Goldfarb.
Independent Thinking is back after a short summer break for the start of Season 2 of the podcast. This week, for our first episode, we’re returning to the much-discussed topic of Ukraine’s counter-offensive. Since June, the Ukrainian armed forces have been fighting hard to breach the defensive lines established by the Russian army in the east and south, the so-called ‘Surovkin Line’. Two months on the pace has been slow and the fighting intense. We discuss the current state of the offensive, what this means for Western support for Ukraine and what may happen next if the frontlines remain in their current shape. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are the Ukraine correspondent for the FT and the author of the book ‘’ and , a Senior Fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations. Joining them in the studio here in London are and , the director and deputy director respectively of our Russia and Eurasia programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Alex Moyler and Abdul Boudaif.
Partial reforms in Tanzania’s political and socio-economic environment have been widely lauded since President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s sudden rise to office in March 2021, but progress towards the reconciliation and repair of Tanzania’s democratic system remains incomplete. Criticisms over the limits of the current reform process are increasingly coalescing around demands for a new Tanzanian constitution, with the current framework – and the ruling CCM party – in place since independence despite the shift to multipartyism in 1992. On this episode of Africa Aware, the Rt Hon Freeman Mbowe, leader of Tanzania’s largest opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), reflects on his country’s political outlook. Mbowe shares his insights on CHADEMA’s push for a new constitution, the party’s balance of ideology with electability and Tanzania’s position within broader regional blocs in Eastern and Southern Africa.
As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) prepares for its upcoming elections, the nation stands at a critical juncture in its democratic trajectory. Against a backdrop of historical challenges and persistent political complexities, the forthcoming elections are of paramount importance to the future of the country and its democratic aspirations. On this episode of Africa Aware, Martin Fayulu, opposition leader and former DRC presidential candidate, outlines the current obstacles to free and fair elections in the country, the impact of the security crisis facing eastern parts of the nation, and his vision for the role the DRC can play continentally.
Climate change poses increasingly severe security challenges. What does this mean for defence forces? To find out, Anna speaks to Tobias Ellwood (Chair of the House of Common’s Defence Committee) and Anum Farhan (Chatham House). The episode is published on the same day the Defence Committee is releasing its report ‘Defence and Climate Change’, which is available here: The research paper ‘Preparing NATO for climate-related security challenges’, written by Anum Farhan, Signe Kossman and Armida van Rij (all Chatham House), can be accessed here:
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has historically had a strong record of regional norm-setting on governance and democracy. Yet ECOWAS now faces significant challenges in how to reorient its role and credibility amid a rise in military and 'constitutional' coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and most recently in Niger. On this episode of Africa Aware, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS's Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, discusses the regional bloc’s immediate response to the coup in Niger, and outlines the organization's strategic vision for tackling the complex peace and security challenges in the Sahel and West Africa.
In the final episode of our first season, we return to the topic we started Season 1 of the podcast with: China and how Beijing sees the world post-February 2022. Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Western capitals, especially Washington and London, have been watching ties between Russia and China closely, attempting to decipher any signs of disagreement or even disapproval between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. We discuss how China views the invasion of Ukraine, the ties between China and Russia and above all how both countries view the EU, NATO, and the transatlantic alliance. Joining on the show this week is , a Senior Research Fellow with our Asia-Pacific programme; , a tutor of international relations at the University of Oxford and author of the book Putin’s War on Ukraine and , a Lecturer in Security Studies at the University of Glasgow. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Matthew Docherty and Abdul Boudaif.
Countries in the Horn of Africa face several interlinked challenges to their stability, including conflict, resource contestation and cross-border divisions. These complex issues are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change and the competing interests of external actors. On this episode of Africa Aware, the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), H.E. Dr Workneh Gebeyehu highlights efforts by the regional body to improve stability and further integration. Dr Workneh provides his insights into reforms within IGAD, following the adoption of a new treaty by the regional bloc, and IGAD-African Union efforts to bring an end to the war in Sudan.
On the show this week we discuss artificial intelligence, the hopes, and opportunities the technology may bring, as well as the challenges and even the risks it presents to governments and above all democracy. This week the United Nations Security Council, operating under the UK presidency, met for the first time to discuss the issue of AI, with UN officials and diplomats alike urging the world to take the emergence of this new technology seriously. Meanwhile in the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is preparing to host the first global summit on artificial intelligence in the autumn. Joining on the show to help us understand the enormous implications of this subject are , a Senior Research Fellow with our International Law Programme; , a Senior Research Associate with our Digital Society Initiative; , until very recently with the Open Data Institute and writer and journalist . Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Matthew Docherty.
Africa’s maritime domain is an essential, yet often underappreciated component of the continent’s stability, trade, and development. The blue economy offers an ocean of untapped potential, presenting African nations with the means to diversify their economies, create sustainable jobs, and alleviate poverty. On this episode of Africa Aware, Yusuf speaks to Amb. Nancy Karigithu, Special Envoy and Advisor to the President of Kenya, and Kenyan Candidate for Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The Ambassador outlined her thoughts on how regional collaboration can enhance maritime security in the face of transnational threats, and highlighted key policies to enhance maritime infrastructure and connectivity to improve trade.
The geoeconomics of climate change are shifting. The US and the EU are among those launching major packages to gain a competitive advantage as economies transition. In this episode of the Climate Briefing, Antony speaks to Jane Nakano (Center for Strategic and International Studies, CSIS) and Suzana Carp (Cleantech for Europe) about how the US and the EU are positioning themselves in the new era of green industrial policy.
On the podcast this week we discuss the fallout from the NATO Summit in Vilnius. Turkey cleared the way for Sweden to join the alliance this week, and across Vilnius there were signs aplenty calling for F-16s for Ukraine, and of course, NATO membership. We discuss what was agreed at the summit, what was deferred and what the NATO joint communique means for President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people. Also, on the show this week we discuss the European Union and its relations with countries eager to join, such as Ukraine and Turkey and one that’s just left, namely the UK. Faced with the prospect of EU enlargement for the first time in over a decade, will Brussels and EU capitals be able to handle all the newcomers Joining to help answer all these questions are , the Telegraph’s senior foreign correspondent, , the DINAM Fellow at the London School of Economics and , an Associate Fellow with our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Matthew Docherty and Abdul Boudiaf.
On the show this week, we ask how long Russia’s Vladimir Putin can survive. Two weeks on from the mutiny by the Wagner Group and Yevgeny Prigozhin’s challenge to his rule, we’ve seen a flurry of activity by the Russian leader to reassert his authority in Moscow. Russian history however is replete with leaders who appear unassailable, right up until the point they’re not. We discuss whether Putin’s grip is weakening, and how might Western governments react if he falls. Also, on the show this week we look ahead, once more, to the NATO Summit in Vilnius next week. As we discussed at our London Conference special, multilateralism is being challenged everywhere and the NATO alliance is no exception. With Turkey showing no signs of budging on Sweden’s membership, Ukraine not likely to be offered membership anytime soon, and infighting over who the next Secretary General might be, can the alliance rally next week? Joining on the podcast this week is is the chair of the UK Parliament’s Defence Select Committee; , a foreign correspondent for the Financial Times covering Russia, Ukraine, and Central Asia and , a Ukrainian journalist and Associate Fellow with the Atlantic Council. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Robin Gardner and Abdul Boudiaf.
This episode of Africa Aware reflects on Sierra Leone’s peace process as the country concludes its 2023 general elections and marks the 24th anniversary of the Lomé Peace Agreement - which helped to bring an end to its decade-long civil war. Yusuf speaks to Dr Comfort Ero, President and CEO of Crisis Group, who discusses her experience as a researcher in Freetown during the civil war. Dr Ero highlights the challenges and innovations that emerged from the interlinked peace processes in Sierra Leone and Liberia - including the establishment of the landmark Kimberley Process which marks its 20th anniversary this year - and the wider lessons on how durable peace was achieved in the region. This podcast is an output of our project on ‘African peace processes: Lessons learned,’ supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
We are live this week from our London Conference, where we discuss the war in Ukraine, the recent events in Russia with the mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group and the weakening of Vladimir Putin’s grip on power. And then later in the show, we look at the increasing tensions within the international system and discuss how the UK as a ‘middle power’ can manage these tensions with an increasingly fragile economy and Brexit. And finally on the podcast, we announce this year’s Chatham House prize winner. The prize is an annual honor awarded to the person, persons, or organization deemed to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year. The Chatham House Prize is voted for by Chatham House members following nominations from the institute’s staff. The winner this year, is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Joining on the podcast this week is , a world-renowned Russian chess grandmaster, turned ardent critic of Vladimir Putin; the former chief of staff for Tony Blair; the chief economics commentator at the Financial Times and the head of our Ukraine Forum here at Chatham House. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Matthew Docherty.
On the podcast this week we look at the UK’s role in the defence of the Nordic region. Since the annexation of Crimea, the UK has taken a keen interest in the Nordic and Baltic regions, with the formation of the Joint Expeditionary Force. With Kyiv’s counter-offensive now underway, we look at how Europe’s security is being reshaped by events in Ukraine, what London and the JEF states are looking to achieve by operating more closely in the north, and the balance of forces between NATO and Russia in the Baltic now Finland is a NATO member. Also, this week, we look ahead to the NATO summit in Vilnius next month. With Finland now an alliance member, but Sweden still outside, are alliance politics (with Turkey and Hungary) leaving NATO's northern flank vulnerable. What role are key alliance members like France and the UK playing ahead of Vilnius, and in the face of intense fighting in the east, what kind of plan might the alliance offer Ukraine? Joining on the show this week are , Director of our UK in the World program, , a Research Fellow with Chatham House’s Europe program and from Helsinki , a Researcher with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by . Produced by Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
Agriculture accounted for 26 per cent of Mozambique's GDP in 2020 and employs more than 70 per cent of its workforce. The Mozambican government has made agriculture a top priority, and in recent years, the sector has seen significant growth. On this episode, Yusuf speaks to Hon. Celso Ismael Correia, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Mozambique. The Honourable Minister discussed the challenges facing the agricultural sector, and outlined his ambitions on how Mozambique can continue to grow this vital sector and improve the lives of its citizens.
On the podcast this week, we look at the growing tensions between India and China. This week marks three years since Indian and Chinese troops were killed fighting each other in the Himalayas along the contested border. Since then, ties between Beijing and New Delhi have gone from bad to worse. This week, India's last remaining journalist in China was asked to leave. A stark sign of the increasingly cold ties between the two countries. We discuss the current state of India’s relations with China and how concerned the world should be. Also on the show, we take a wider look at India’s foreign policy ambitions and the challenges it faces as it attempts to become a global power, amid a turbulent neighbourhood in South Asia and beyond. We look at India’s relations with its key neighbours in South Asia, the security challenges it faces, notably the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, as well as New Delhi’s growing ties with the Quad nations, Japan, Australia, and the United States. Will the 21st Century be an ‘Indian Century’ after all? Joining Bronwen Maddox this week are from University London SOAS; from New Delhi ,the Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and from Nepal journalist , author of the book All Roads Lead North. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Matthew Docherty.
On the podcast this week, we look at the Wagner Group, the shadowy paramilitary organisation, and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Wagner has been active on the ground and involved in some of the conflict’s fiercest battles, notably around Bakhmut. We discuss the group’s relationship with the Russian armed forces, its ties with the Kremlin and the increasingly tense relationship Prigozhin seems to have with senior Russian leaders. Also on the show we discuss the latest developments from the frontline in Ukraine. With Kyiv’s counter-offensive seemingly imminent, the world woke up to news this week that the Nova Kakhovka dam along the Dnipro River had been destroyed by Russia. We discuss the impact of this ecological disaster on Ukraine, as well as the recent fighting in Belgorod, the drone attacks in Moscow and whether these are all key signs that Kyiv may be about to go on the offensive. Joining guest host on the show this week to discuss all these topics are is the Director of our International Security programme; journalist , an Associated Fellow with our Russia and Eurasia programme and , a Research Fellow for European Security from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
On the podcast this week we look at the outcome of the final round of Turkey’s presidential election. Despite the polls showing him behind, and amid a devastating earthquake and an economy in crisis, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been re-elected as Turkey’s president, winning by 52 per cent of the vote. In the last episode we covered what Erdoğan’s re-election might mean for Turkey’s fragile democracy and economy, this week we discuss what five more years of Erdoğan’s foreign policy means for Ankara and for its relations with critical players like the US, NATO and Russia. Joining on the show to discuss where Turkey may be heading are an Associate Fellow Middle East and North Africa programme, , an Associate Researcher for the German Institute for International and Security Affairs and finally , from the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
On the podcast this week we look at the outcome of the final round of Turkey’s presidential election. Despite the polls showing him behind, and amid a devastating earthquake and an economy in crisis, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been re-elected as Turkey’s president, winning by 52 per cent of the vote.
In the last episode we covered what Erdoğan’s re-election might mean for Turkey’s fragile democracy and economy, this week we discuss what five more years of Erdoğan’s foreign policy means for Ankara and for its relations with critical players like the US, NATO and Russia.
Joining Leslie Vinjamuri on the show to discuss where Turkey may be heading is Galip Dalay and an Associate Fellow Middle East and North Africa programme, Sinem Adar, an Associate Researcher for the German Institute for International and Security Affairs and Dimitar Bechev from the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.
This week on the podcast we discuss Syria and the regime of Bashar al-Assad. For over a decade, the regime in Damascus has been an international pariah, amid a brutal campaign of terror by the Syrian armed forces against its people. The geopolitical sands however are shifting, with signs that regimes across the Middle East are prepared to talk with Assad once more. We look at what this means for the region, the implications for the alliance between Iran and Syria, and whether justice for the Assad regime’s victims is now lost to realpolitik diplomacy. We also look this week at the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia. This week Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a rallying call for Ukraine at the summit, in a part of the world where views of the war differ greatly from those here in Europe. We ask what Zelenskyy was trying to achieve, not least by meeting Mohammed Bin Salman, what influence Russia has in the region and how is the war perceived by the people of the Middle East more widely. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week s , the new Director of our Middle East and North Africa programme. , a Consulting Fellow with our MENA programme, and from Queen Mary University London, and the author of the book The Battle for Syria. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Robin Gardner and Alex Moyler.
On this special episode of Africa Aware, Yusuf speaks to H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). His Excellency explores the future of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), outlines the potential long-term impacts of climate change on peace and security, and discusses the role of the African Union in facilitating greater security, integration and cooperation among its member states.
Ambassador Patricia Espinosa Cantellano served as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) between July 2016 and July 2022. In this role, she headed the UN entity tasked with supporting the global response to climate change. In this episode of the Climate Briefing, Ambassador Cantellano talks about the major developments in international climate politics during her tenure, and discusses the key issues tackled by the role of executive secretary at the UNFCCC.
This week on podcast we look at the fallout from the first round of Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections. President Erdogan is just a hair's breadth away from securing the 50% of the vote needed to become president. With Turkey set to enter a presidential run-off on 28 May we ask what this means for Turkey’s fragile democracy? Has the opposition under Kilicdaroglu lost momentum? And what impact did issues such as identity politics, the economy, foreign policy, and the devastating earthquakes play in the election? We also look more broadly to what the result means for Turkey’s place in the world. With Turkey potentially about to enter a third decade of rule under Erdogan, where will this place Ankara’s ties with Russia, Europe, and the United States? What does this mean for Sweden’s entry into NATO? And what does the election result mean for the future of Turkey’s fragile economy? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week is is an Associate Fellow with our MENA programme; an Associate Fellow with our Russia, and Eurasia programme; , a Professor of International Relations at Özyeğin University and journalist , formerly with the BBC, but now with Cambridge University. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
This week on the podcast we look at the announcement by Vladimir Putin to move Russian nuclear weapons into Belarus and equipping Belarusian forces with dual-use equipment and technology. We discuss what the security implications are of this decision, how it fits into Russia’s wider nuclear doctrine and how concerned we should be. We also dive into the internal dynamics of Belarus. It’s been three years since the 2020 presidential election. An election Aliaksandr Lukashenka was widely seen to have lost, sparking widespread pro-democracy protests. Since then, however, Lukashenka has crushed the opposition in Belarus, kidnapped journalists and been drawn into Russia’s invasion against Ukraine. Our experts discuss the sentiment in Belarus via polling data commissioned by Chatham House and ask how the West should engage with Europe’s last dictatorship? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are colleagues from our Russia and Eurasia Program. is a Senior Consulting Fellow with REP and the author of a recent Chatham House report on Russia’s nuclear doctrine; is the Director of our Belarus Initiative and joining them is journalist and Associate Fellow . Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
This week on the show we look at Japan, and the historic changes underway in its foreign and security policy. In March, prime minister Fumio Kishida visited Kyiv, marking the first time a Japanese leader has visited an active war zone since WWII. This comes amid successive changes to how Japan approaches national security concerns. We ask whether Tokyo is moving away from its pacifist constitution? What role has the rise of China and the invasion of Ukraine played? And is this the culmination of former prime minister Abe Shinzo’s vision of Japan as a ‘normal country’? We look more widely to Tokyo’s tumultuous relations with its neighbours, not just with China but also importantly South Korea. With Fumio Kishida expected to visit Seoul in the next few days, we look at why two democracies, both of which are US allies, find themselves continually at odds. Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio this week is , the Japan Chair and Senior Fellow with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), from Tokyo, a Senior Research Fellow with Foundation for Strategic Research, and finally, from Singapore, Professor , an expert on East Asia and academic with King’s College London’s War Studies department. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Matthew Docherty.
This week on the podcast we look at the crisis overtaking Sudan. Since fighting broke out in Khartoum twelve days ago, the country appears to be descending into outright civil war, with intense fighting between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces. We discuss how Sudan’s military bifurcated into two opposing camps, who leads and supports the two factions, and what if anything can be done to stem the fighting now underway. We also look more widely to the Horn of Africa and what the crisis in Sudan means for a region already wracked by conflicts in Ethiopia, Somalia and beyond. With international forces evacuating Sudan and US-backed ceasefires failing, could Sudan destabilise the Horn, and plunge Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan back into instability? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week is Rosalind Marsden, the former EU Special Representative for Sudan, as well as the former British ambassador and now an Associate Fellow with our Africa programme; , a researcher who has written extensively on Sudan for Foreign Policy magazine, as well as more recently for CNN, and finally, joining them from Khartoum is Professor Mohamed Hassan Al Taishi, previously a member of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Matthew Docherty.
This week on the podcast we focus on France and the domestic and foreign policy travails of the fifth republic and its president, Emmanuel Macron. At home, President Macron faces a wave of popular discontent, amid his plans to raise France’s pension age. We discuss how Macron’s decision to bypass the French parliament has impacted his ability to govern, as well as look at his wider standing within the country. Has this opened the door for the far-right in the next presidential election, and can France be governed? We also look to the Indo-Pacific and discuss the reverberations of Marcon’s recent visit to China with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. We discuss the comments he made around the question of Taiwan, and what he was trying to achieve by saying them. The panel also discuss the widespread criticism Macron received and what they say about France’s wider foreign policy. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the podcast this week are Simon Kuper, a writer and journalist with the Financial Times; Georgina Wright, formerly of Chatham House, but now the Director of the Europe program at the Institute Montaigne, and Antoine Bondaz, the Director of the Korea, and Taiwan programs at the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Matthew Docherty.
This week on the podcast we look at the latest developments relating to Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO. This week the Hungarian parliament finally ratified Finland’s membership to the alliance, two weeks after President Erdogan in Turkey gave his seal of approval following a meeting with the Finnish president. Sweden however remains trapped in limbo, with both Turkey and Hungary delaying Stockholm’s membership and Erdogan in particular asking for more concessions. We discuss why Turkey and Hungary took issue with Sweden and Finland, what the strategic situation in the Baltic looks like now with only Finland in NATO, and the challenges facing Sweden amid fraught ties with President Erdogan? We also look ahead to Turkey’s presidential election in May. Recent opinion polls point to a neck-and-neck race with some polls even showing President Erdogan falling behind the opposition. Turkish voters cast their votes on 14 May, so we discuss what the sentiment is like in Turkey ahead of the election, and how will the world respond to a potential change of power in Ankara for the first time in 20 years? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the podcast his week is Henri Vanhanen, a Research Fellow with Finnish Institute of International Affairs and Galip Dalay, an Associate Fellow with our Middle East and North Africa Programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler
The flow of migrants, from East and West Africa to Libya is on a scale much smaller than before, but is increasingly linked to violence along the conflict supply chain of human smuggling and trafficking. While the conditions for migrants in Libya is better documented, migration flows also play a key role in transit hubs like Agadez, Niger. In this episode of Africa Aware, Peter Tinti outlines the state of human smuggling and trafficking in Niger, international responses to these practices and the violence and harms caused by these now-illicit practices. This podcast was produced with support from the , funded by UK Aid from the UK government.
The war in northern Ethiopia since November 2020 and subsequent conquest of disputed farmlands in Al-Fashaga by the Sudanese army on the Ethiopia-Sudan border, has brought into focus the importance of agricultural commodities such as sesame as a potential driver of land contestation and conflict. In this episode of Africa Aware, Ahmed Soliman and Abel Abate Demissie discuss the interrelation of commodity and conflict supply chains, land contestation, and boundary disputes in the Horn of Africa, with particular focus on the regions of Wolkait/Western Tigray in northwest Ethiopia and Al Fashaga in eastern Sudan. This podcast was produced with support from the , funded by UK Aid from the UK government
This week on the podcast we mark twenty years since the start of the invasion of Iraq led by the US. Launched amid fears that Saddam Hussein was acquiring weapons of mass destruction, the war changed the Middle East and inflicted huge damage on Iraq and many civilian casualties, with effects that persist today. We discuss the invasion with those who were in power here in London when the decision was made to commit UK forces to the invasion, and with those in Iraq who lived with the consequences. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the podcast is Clare Short, the former Secretary of State for International Development, who served in Tony Blair’s cabinet and resigned after the invasion began, becoming one of the best-known critics of Prime Minister Blair’s approach to the war. Joining her is Dr Patricia Lewis, the Director of our International Security programm; Dr Lina Khatib, the Director of our Middle East, and North Africa Programme; Dr Renad Mansour is a Senior Research Fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme and the Project Director of our Iraq Initiative and Hayder Al-Shakeri, a Research Associate with the MENAP programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Matthew Docherty.
This week on the podcast we discuss AUKUS and the UK’s Integrated Review Refresh. The UK and Australia will soon be building nuclear submarines together, but is the UK’s tilt to the Indo-Pacific sustainable? Likewise two years on from the last IR, has the UK finally clarified its foreign policy priorities, on Russia, China and on defence? And importantly does it have the money to do any of it? Also, on the show this week, we discuss Georgia and the recent anti-government protests in Tbilisi. Following the Rose revolution in 2003, Georgia was seen to be on a path towards closer ties with NATO and the EU. In the last few years however, the country’s government has increasingly tilted towards Russia and Vladimir Putin. What is the state of Georgia’s democracy and where is the country going next? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the podcast this week are Natia Seskuria, an Associate Fellow with the Royal United Services Institute; Arthur Snell, a former diplomat and host of the podcast Doomsday Watch; Creon Butler, the Director of our Global Economy, and Finance Programme; Professor Andrew Dorman, the editor of our journal and Alice Billon-Galland, a Research Fellow with our Europe Programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Matthew Docherty.
Examining the reasons why an International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on Climate Change could accelerate effective climate action solutions. Vanuatu is building a coalition within the United Nations (UN) to request an Advisory Opinion on Climate Change from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An advisory opinion could help provide clarity on how existing international laws can be applied to strengthen action on climate change, protect people and the environment, and save the Paris Agreement. To find out more about the ICJ initiative and its potential impact on climate action, Anna speaks to His Excellency Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Risk Management.
This week on the podcast we celebrate the women of Chatham House for International Women’s Day. Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio are some of the many researchers who work at the institute, and they discuss their experiences working in global affairs and their advice for those wanting to work in public policy. We also discuss India this week. On Monday, Chatham House hosted Rahul Gandhi, a leading Indian politician and former president of the Indian National Congress (INC). We discuss what he had to say about India’s internal quandaries and the international perceptions of the country, almost a decade on from the 2014 election that brought Narendra Modi and the BJP to power. In the studio this week with Bronwen is Dr Mukulika Banerjee, until recently the Director of the LSE’s South Asia Centre; Rashmin Sagoo the Director of our International Law programme; Anna Aberg from our Environment and Society programme; Armida van Rij from our International Security programme and Isabella Wilkinson, a Research Associate on Cybersecurity here at Chatham House. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
This week on the show we look at the outcome of Nigeria’s historic presidential election. On the 24 February, millions of Nigerians went to the polls in an election widely seen as crucial for the direction of the country, with the winner, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared the president elect. We look at the state of Nigeria’s democracy and ask what lies ahead? We’ll also be looking at events closer to home this week. On Monday, Rishi Sunak, and Ursula von der Leyen announced a new deal for Northern Ireland, with implications for all the UK. Three years after the UK formally left the EU, we look at whether Rishi Sunak has indeed finally gotten Brexit done. Joining Bronwen Maddox this week are Leena Koni Hoffman, an Associate Fellow with our Africa programme, Aanu Adeoye, the West African correspondent for the Financial Times, and Charles Grant, the Director for the Centre for European Reform. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
African countries face collective climate and job creation-related challenges. Yet policymaking often remains regionally siloed according to differing political, energy sector and ecological realities. This podcast reflects on the key policy messages from the Africa Programme’s series on Towards just transition: Connecting green financing and sustainable job creation in Africa. This output is part of a stream of work supported by the Chatham House Sustainability Accelerator and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This week on the podcast we look at Russia’s war on Ukraine. Friday February 24th marks exactly one year to the day when Vladimir Putin launched his all-out assault on Ukraine. A decision that unleashed the largest war seen in Europe since 1945, and with-it hundreds of thousands of casualties on all sides. Twelve months on we discuss the impact of the invasion, for Ukraine and its people but also the world. We also discuss Vladimir Putin's speech on the anniversary of the war and the ramifications of Russia suspending participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty, as well as reflect on perceptions of the war from the Munich Security Conference. Joining Bronwen on the show this week are Mariya Ionova, a Ukrainian opposition MP, journalist Samantha de Bendern, an Associate Fellow with our Russia and Eurasia programme, Patricia Lewis, the Director of our International Security programme, and James Nixey, the Director of our Russia and Eurasia programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
Listen to the second episode of #NigeriaDecides, a special mini-series focused on upcoming elections in Nigeria. Nigeria’s Electoral Act, enacted in February 2022, has contributed to improved hope around the election process: reflected in the addition of 12.29 million new voters in Nigeria’s voter registration exercise – 9.51 million of which were then validated, bringing the total number of registered voters to more than 93 million. We are joined on the episode by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, who discussed INEC’s preparation ahead of the election, the implementation of technology and how electoral security – both physical and cyber – has been prioritized amidst a challenging period for the country.
Listen to the first episode of #NigeriaDecides, a special mini-series focused on upcoming elections in Nigeria. Nigeria stands at a critical juncture, having suffered from two recessions in the past six years, unprecedented levels of physical and food insecurity, persistent fuel scarcity and high levels of crude oil theft. Civic fatigue also remains a critical challenge. We are joined on the episode by Dr Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo and Dr Leena Koni Hoffmann, who shared key insights on these elections, including the prospects for inclusivity and on how the implementation of technology has changed the process.
This week on the show we look at the aftermath of the tragic earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6 and discuss the far-reaching consequences on the region’s fragile geopolitics. With thousands dead and international aid flooding in, what hopes are there for the many thousands of victims caught between groups and governments at war with each other for over a decade? We also discuss the impact within Turkey, as fears grow that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may postpone the election, amid outcries over corruption and the devastating loss of life. Joining Bronwen this week from Beirut is Lina Sinjab, a Syrian filmmaker and BBC journalist covering the Middle East, from Washington, Charles Lister, a Senior Fellow, and Director of the Syria program at the Middle East Institute and from London, Ziya Meral, a Senior Associate Fellow on Turkey at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
In December 2021, governments agreed on a new Global Biodiversity Framework to halt and reverse the alarming rate of biodiversity loss we are currently witnessing. But will the new framework make a difference? To find out, Antony speaks to Professor Andrew Gonzalez of McGill University.
This week on the show, we look at Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union. This week saw President Biden address an unruly joint session of Congress, during which he discussed, Americas place in the world, China, Ukraine, and the state of the US economy. As we enter the start of a new presidential cycle and the mid-point of Biden’s presidency, we look at how Biden is doing and what are challenges lying. We also look at AUKUS, eighteen months on from the announcement that the UK and US will help Australia develop nuclear hunter killer submarines. What does AUKUS mean for Australia, non-proliferation, and the Indo-Pacific more broadly? Finally, we’ll also discuss the topic everyone on Twitter suddenly became an expert on this week, China’s spy balloon over Montana. Was it a diplomatic signal from Beijing and what was it trying to photograph? Joining guest host John Kampfner this week are Euan Graham, the Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Defence and Strategy at IISS, Leslie Vinjamuri, the Director of our Americas programme and Patricia Lewis, Director of our International Security programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by John Kampfner. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.
This week on the show, we look at the crisis in Myanmar. February 1st marks the two-year anniversary of the coup d'état by the armed forces, the Tatmadaw, who in February 2021 overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, the country has descended into a brutal and complex civil war. Our panel look at the state of the country and its people two years on. Can Myanmar hold together, can democracy ever be restored and is the world ignoring a major humanitarian crisis in the making? Joining Bronwen Maddox are two journalists who have covered Myanmar extensively. Sebastian Strangio is an author and the Southeast Asia editor at The Diplomat and Ali Fowle, a freelance journalist with Al Jazeera and the BBC. Joining them in the studio are Ben Bland, the Director of the Asia-Pacific programme, and Rashmin Sagoo, the Director of Chatham House's International Law Programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
This week on the show, we look at the deployment of western main battle tanks to Ukraine, specifically the importance placed on the Leopard II and the contentious diplomacy seen this week to pressure Germany into allowing its export. What kind of capabilities will these new weapons give to Ukraine, amid fears of Russian offensive looming in the spring? We also discuss Germany and the intense pressure Olaf Scholz’s government has been under since the invasion of Ukraine started. How has Germany’s standing changed over the last twelve months, and what are the challenges facing the country as a long and cold winter sets in for relations with Russia? Joining Bronwen Maddox from Berlin this week is Jeremy Cliffe, Writer-at-Large for The New Statesman Magazine. Alongside them is Orysia Lutsevych, the Head of our Ukraine Forum, Ed Arnold, a Research Fellow for European Security at the Royal United Services Institute, and Marion Messmer, a Senior Research Fellow in the International Security Programme here at Chatham House. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
In the first episode of the season, Anna speaks to Laurence Tubiana about the outcomes of the 2022 UN climate conference in Egypt, COP27, and the issues that will shape the international climate agenda in 2023. Tubiana was a key architect of the Paris Agreement in her previous role as France’s Climate Change Ambassador and Special Representative for COP21, and currently serves as CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a professor at Sciences Po.
This week on the show, we look at the role disinformation plays in the United States and Brazil. The storming in Brasilia of federal government institutions by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro echoed strongly the events seen at the US Capitol Building on January 6th 2021. We discuss the impact on Brazil's democracy, the role played by social media platforms and how conspiracy theories percolate online. This week we also look at the state of American politics going into 2023. How are things shaping up for Joe Biden’s presidency after the mid-terms now that a new Congress has been sworn in? And what are the wider challenges being faced more broadly by the American body politic? Our experts also discuss the legacy of January 6th, two years on from the insurrection at The Capitol. Joining guest host Leslie Vinjamuri this week is Christopher Sabatini, Senior Research Fellow for Latin America, Serusha Govender the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Academy Fellow at Chatham House and Alex Krasodomski, a Senior Research Associate with our Digital Society Initiative. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
In our first episode of 2023, we look at Africa and the complex role China plays on the continent. A recently published Chatham House report highlights twenty-two African countries suffering from debt distress, with Beijing a key creditor to many. This comes as China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang is touring several African this week and next, with visits to Ethiopia, Angola, Gabon, and the headquarters of the African Union. This week we also hosted Dr Comfort Ero, President of the International Crisis Group, where, in conversation with our own Dr Patricia Lewis, Comfort discussed the ten conflicts to watch in 2023. Our panel look at some of the key conflicts mentioned and how the world is responding to them. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the podcast this week are Dr Alex Vines, the Director of our Africa programme; Creon Butler, the Director of our Global Economy and Finance programme; Dr Yu Jie, the Senior Fellow on our Asia-Pacific programme, and Armida van Rij, a Research Fellow with the International Security programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
The last episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, looks at women’s contributions to international thought, and how they have been erased from the discipline of International Relations. Isabel and Krisztina speak to Dr Katharina Rietzler about women’s contributions to the journal and international relations, especially in the UK. Then, Krisztina speaks to Professor Barbara Savage about Black women’s contributions to international relations in the US. To wrap up this episode, Leah de Haan sheds light on Chatham House's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiative and Jo Hills shares their thoughts about putting together the archive collections. Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode, we speak to contributors from a specific collection and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today. Explore the Archive Collection freely until the end of December 2022, including Katharina’s introduction: . International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has transformed into a journal that publishes academically rigorous and policy relevant research. It is published for Chatham House by Oxford University Press. Credits: Speakers: Barbara D. Savage, Katharina Rietzler, Leah de Haan and Jo Hills Hosts: Isabel Muttreja and Krisztina Csortea Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In our final episode of the year, we discuss the UK’s foreign policy ‘tilt’ to the Indo-Pacific where, despite the turnover in British prime ministers, London has eyes on being a strategic player in the region. The last eighteen months have seen the deployment of a Royal Navy carrier strike group, the emergence of the AUKUS alliance, talk of closer diplomatic ties with India and ASEAN and, in the context of Brexit, the UK potentially joining the CPTPP pan-Pacific trade deal. How sustainable is a UK presence in the Indo-Pacific? And what are the UK’s strategic objectives in the region? Joining Bronwen Maddox this week to discuss the UK’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific are Shashank Joshi, the Defence Editor at The Economist and Veerle Nouwens, a Senior Research Fellow at RUSI and co-author of a recent Chatham House report on transatlantic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
South Asia is home to one-quarter of the global population who reside in only 3.5 per cent of the world’s land area, making it the most populous and most densely-populated region in the world. It is also one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change: a recent study found that Chittagong in Bangladesh and Ahmedabad in India are two of the fastest-sinking coastal cities, leaving millions of people vulnerable to rising sea levels. This episode takes place during COP15, the UN’s Biodiversity Conference, and explores how climate change is threatening coastal cities, including megacities like Mumbai, Karachi, and Dhaka, and how community initiatives such as the are responding to adapt and build resilience. The discussion also considers whether there are alternative models to foster regional cooperation and to encourage working together on a common climate agenda. Speakers: Yusuf Jameel, Research Manager, Project Drawdown Ashwin Naidu, Founder, Fishing Cat Conservancy Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Anum Farhan, Programme Coordinator, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House
As 2022 comes to a close, this week on the podcast the staff of Chatham House reflect on a year of war in Ukraine and twelve years of war in Syria. Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio is Oz Katerji, a war correspondent and freelance journalist who in the early stages of the Syrian uprising reported on the brutality of the regime of Bashar al-Assad from neighbouring Lebanon and Turkey and covered closely the role played by Russia's armed forces in the conflict. Having written extensively on the Middle East, in January of this year he journeyed to Ukraine, where he was present in Kyiv on February 24th as Russia began its invasion. He reported extensively on the battle for Ukraine’s capital and later Russia's offensive in the Donbas in Foreign Policy magazine, the New Statesman and Rolling Stone. Joining Bronwen to unpack the wider role played by Vladimir Putin's military in Ukraine and Syria are James Nixey, the Director of our Russia and Eurasia programme and Lina Khatib, the Director of our Middle East, and North Africa programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
Anti-lockdown protests are sweeping the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. What does the unrest tell us about China’s response to COVID-19? How serious a challenge are they for Xi Jinping’s legitimacy so soon after the 20th Party Congress? Meanwhile on the Korean Peninsula, 2022 has been a record year for Pyongyang’s ballistic missile tests. How far has the North’s nuclear programme and its missile systems developed, and what does it mean for the country’s neighbours such as Japan? Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio to answer these questions and more are Ben Bland the Director of Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific programme and Dr Yu Jie a Senior Research Fellow with the Asia programme. Joining the panel this week from Washington DC is special guest Ankit Panda, the Stanton Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Editor-at-Large for The Diplomat magazine. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
This episode of Africa Aware discusses the current state of the Commonwealth and the relevance of language-based intergovernmental organizations to African states as they seek to diversify their international relations. We are joined on the episode by HE Professor Robert Dussey, Foreign Minister of the Togolese Republic, and HE Michael Moussa-Adamo, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Gabon, who outline the reasons why both their countries with colonial ties to France joined the Commonwealth in October 2022, and how they seek to contribute to the development of the organisation.
In Tigray, the world’s largest armed conflict rages between Ethiopian federal government troops and the Tigray Defence Forces. With estimates placing those killed in the fighting at 600,000, how did Ethiopia, one of Africa’s great success stories, descend into civil war, and what hopes are there for recent peace initiatives? Meanwhile in Ukraine, all eyes are on Zaporizhzhia, as Europe’s largest nuclear plant continues to be occupied by Russian forces. With fresh reports of explosions near the dormant reactors, how is the international community responding? Finally, what role does Turkey, a middle power country with great power ambitions, surprisingly play in both conflicts? Joining guest host John Kampfner on the podcast this week are Dr Patricia Lewis, the Director of our International Security programme here at Chatham House, Ahmed Soliman, a Senior Research Fellow, on our Africa programme and Galip Dalay, an Associate Fellow with our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
In Iran, since September the country has been swept by thousands of women-led protests, demanding an end to the morality police and the even the fall of the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile at Chatham House this week, we hosted our long-awaited Iraq conference, which delved heavily into the multiple challenges facing Iraq two decades on from the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the podcast this week are Dr Sanam Vakil, the Deputy Director of our Middle East and North Africa programme, Dr Renad Mansour, a Senior Research Fellow, for the Middle East and North Africa Programme and the Project Director of our Iraq Initiative and Sanya Burgess, a digital investigations journalist with Sky News. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
On this special episode of Africa Aware, Yusuf speaks to H.E. Dr. Joyce Banda, the former President of the Republic of Malawi [2012 – 2014]. Her Excellency explores the current state of democracy in Africa, outlines what must be done to support the development of female leadership on the continent, and the important role African leaders must play on a global level.
In the United States, the midterm elections threw up some surprising results, with the anticipated Republican ‘red wave’ failing to materialise. Meanwhile at COP27 in Egypt, world leaders met in the first week of the summit. What did their presence achieve? To find out, returning to the podcast this week with Bronwen Maddox are Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of our US and Americas Programme who was in Atlanta Georgia for the midterms and Anna Aberg Research Associate, Environment and Society Programme who is on the ground at COP27. Joining them are Peter Trubowitz, a Professor of International Relations, and Director of the Phelan US Centre at the London School of Economics and Antony Froggart, the Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow of our Environment and Society Programme. Read our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
Earlier this year, India and Pakistan witnessed a prolonged heatwave, starting in March months before usual hot weather. This was followed by, and was in part the cause of, major flooding in Pakistan, as well as in parts of India.
The heatwave severely affected agriculture, while the flooding came with immense cost to property and infrastructure. Millions of people were affected.
South Asia has experienced devastating climate extremes – more than half of all South Asians have been affected by at least one climate-related disaster in the last two decades.
In this episode, Gareth speaks to Aisha Khan, Executive Director, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change; Dr Daanish Mustafa, Professor in Critical Geography, King’s College London; and Jakob Steiner, Glacier Hydrologist, ICIMOD.
They discuss how climate risks in South Asia are being felt, and how the region can work to build resilience to these threats.
In Brazil, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva beat incumbent Jair Bolsonaro by the narrowest of margins. Meanwhile in the United States, the Democrats are fighting to retain the House and Senate from a resurgent Republican Party, still enamoured with Donald Trump. Joining Bronwen Maddox this week are Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of our US and Americas Programme, Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow on Latin America and Ana Yang, Executive Director of our Sustainability Accelerator.
Negotiators left COP26 in Glasgow with a relatively ambitious outcome. What progress has been made on the climate agenda since COP26, and what are some of the key issues to watch at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh? Mere days before COP27, Anna is joined by Bernice Lee (Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow at Chatham House) to discuss these important questions. Read the explainer:
This episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, looks at how empire and decolonization have been discussed in the journal. Isabel and Krisztina speak to Meera Sabaratnam about how thinkers and policy-makers from the 1920s to 1970s understood both empire and then decolonization. Meera highlights four tensions present within the discussions, and how these may impact the international order today. Inderjeet Parmar delves deeper into the influence of Chatham House at the time and situates these discussions in the broader thinktank and global context. Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode we speak to editors and contributors to the collection and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today. Explore the Archive Collection, free to access until mid-November 2022, including Meera's introduction: International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has transformed into a journal that publishes academically rigorous and policy relevant research. It is published for Chatham House by Oxford University Press. Credits: Speakers: Meera Sabaratnam and Inderjeet Parmar Hosts: Isabel Muttreja and Krisztina Csortea Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
This episode of Africa Aware discusses the current drought in the Horn of Africa, where the worst drought in 40 years is affecting more than 20 million people across several countries. Abdirahman Abdishakur, Special Presidential Envoy for Drought Response for the Federal Republic of Somalia, outlined the Somali government’s planning to prevent famine. Parvin Ngala, Regional Director at Oxfam International, highlighted international efforts to respond to the drought, the importance of empowering civil society in these circumstances, and what long term mitigation measures are necessary to avoid a return to this situation.
Rishi Sunak enters Downing Street as the youngest prime minister in modern times, whilst also this week Chatham House welcomed the US Special Presidential Envoy on Climate, John Kerry, to discuss what lies ahead for COP27. To discuss all this, Bronwen Maddox is joined by John Kampfner, Executive Director of Chatham House’s UK in the World Initiative, Simon Fraser, formerly of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hans Kundani an Associate Fellow with the Europe Programme and Anna Åberg, a Research Associate with our Environment and Society Programme. Read our expertise here: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
Amid political chaos in the UK, with the resignation of Liz Truss, Bronwen Maddox speaks with Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, and Orysia Lutsevych, Head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, about the latest developments surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Putin's nuclear threats. Joining them is Dr Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow for Chatham House’s Asia Pacific program, to break down Xi Jinping’s speech at the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party Read more of our expertise: Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please, listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Robin Gardner.
On this special episode of Africa Aware, Yusuf speaks to H.E. Joaquim Chissano, the former President of the Republic of Mozambique and the 2006 winner of the Chatham House Prize.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Rome General Peace Accords, signed on 4 October 1992, which brought the Mozambican civil war, President Chissano discussed the lessons from that peace process and the 2019 Maputo Accords that brought an end to intermittent targeted armed violence that resumed in 2013. Based on these experiences, and his time as a special envoy on behalf of the United Nations and African Union, President Chissano offered his insights on Mozambique's global role as the country prepares to sit on the UN Security Council in 2023.
This episode of Africa Aware explores the pathways to peace in Angola and Mozambique in their respective 20th and 30th anniversary years of the cessation of sustained conflict. Dr Alex Vines provides a historic overview of how peace was achieved in these nations and what lessons can be learned for the modern day. Neha Sanghrajka discusses current efforts to sustain peace in Mozambique, the importance of inclusion in peacebuilding, and the unique nature of conflict mediation in Africa.
The crossover between water security and climate change is hugely important especially given that the next two COPs are taking place in Africa and the Middle East, both with a history of being water stressed. What should policymakers and negotiators from these regions working on water security focus on at COP27? What does it mean to achieve water security? What are the main barriers or challenges? How is water security relevant to climate change? Carol Chouchani Cherfane – Director, Arab Centre for Climate Change Policies; Cluster Leader, Climate Change and Natural Resource Sustainability, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia Sareen Malik – Executive Secretary of the African Civil Society Network for Water and Sanitation (ANEW) and Vice Chair of the Steering Committee for the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Partnership Chair: Antony Froggatt – Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House
This podcast was produced in collaboration with the UK Aid-funded Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) programme which facilitates the use of evidence and learning in international development policy and programming.
The Climate Briefing podcast returns! The new season kicks off with an episode focusing on the next UN climate change conference (COP27), which takes place 7-18 November 2022 in Egypt. Anna speaks to Tom Evans from E3G about what the conference aims to achieve, what the main challenges are, and what needs to happen in the run-up to the summit to enable a good outcome.
What dives refugee movements and how should policies manage them? This episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, looks at refugees and migration. Isabel speaks to Emily Venturi about the movement of refugees, development of global humanitarian systems and the change in thinking on refugees over time. Then she interviews Ali Bilgic about the how populism has impacted refugee policy in Britain, and women’s experiences of the detention system. Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode we speak to contributors from the issue and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today. International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has transformed into a journal that publishes academically rigorous and policy relevant research. It is published for Chatham House by Oxford University Press. . Explore the Archive Collection freely until the end of August 2022, including Emily’s introduction: Read Ali Bilgic and Athina Gkouti’s article: Credits: Speakers: Emily Venturi and Ali Bilgic Hosts: Isabel Muttreja Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In this final episode of our special series, we speak to Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko and Professor Georgiy Kassianov. How can Ukraine rebuild while coexisting with Russia? What is needed to rebuild a stronger country efficiently and effectively? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests : (Ukrainian diplomat currently serving as Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK), Professor Georgiy Kassianov (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of on behalf of .
This episode of Africa Aware explores the elections in Kenya on 9 August 2022, in which Kenyans will select a new president and national lawmakers, as well as the governors and assemblies of the country’s 47 counties.
First, Waihiga Mwaura discusses the main political groupings and policy issues that voters will decide on. Then Sylvia Katua examines issues around political inclusivity of marginalized groups, including in the context of Kenya’s devolved system. Finally, Mulle Musau assesses the status of electoral preparedness and public confidence in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
How have western financial institutions created loopholes for the Russian elite? Are sanctions truly enforceable on oligarchs with a strong foothold in cities like London? What is Putin’s role in all of this? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: (Chatham House Visiting Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme), (author of Butler to the World and Moneyland) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of on behalf of .
In this episode we follow up on the food shortage crisis we looked at in the beginning weeks of the war on . What long-term problems can we expect because of the disruption to agriculture in Ukraine? Is there any hope for a solution? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests : (Chatham House Senior Research Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Programme; Project Director, Global Trade Policy Forum), (Chatham House Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of on behalf of .
What can the UN do on the ground to help the people of Ukraine? Does the war bring the EU a greater sense of purpose or does it mask underlying issues? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests : (Head of Communications at The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) (Research Fellow, Europe Progamme) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of on behalf of .
Why are some peace talks more fruitful than others? Why do negotiations break down? What role can mediators play in sensitive discussions? To answer these questions, Mariana is joined by Isabel Bramsen, who discusses her recent article in the International Affairs journal. In it, Isabel draws on her research and first-hand experiences as a neutral observer during the Philippines peace talks in 2017. They explore key learnings for policymakers and diplomats, including the transformative role of in-person interactions. Then, Isabel assesses the prospect of peace talks in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Read the International Affairs article: Credits: Speaker: Isabel Bramsen Host: Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
What has the war revealed about both the Russian and Ukranian military capabilities? Was the Russian military surprisingly unprepared? What impact is the course of the war having on the global military industrial complex.
Host: Ned Sedgwick
Guests :Andrew Dorman (Chatham House Editor of International Affairs, Professor of International Security at Kings College), Bettina Renz (Professor at the School of Politics, University of Nottingham)
This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.
What has the war revealed about both the Russian and Ukranian military capabilities? Was the Russian military surprisingly unprepared? What impact is the course of the war having on the global military industrial complex. Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests : (Chatham House Editor of International Affairs, Professor of International Security at Kings College), (Professor at the School of Politics, University of Nottingham) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of on behalf of .
How has the war impacted Ukranians' sense of identity? How has Ukrainian language, culture, and politics changed after fall of the Soviet Union. Are Putin’s views on Ukrainian identity shared by others in Russia?
Host: Ned Sedgwick
Guests: Orysia Lutsevych (Head and Research Fellow, Ukraine Forum, Russia and Eurasia Programme); Professor Georgiy Kassianov (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland, author of “From 'the Ukraine' to Ukraine. In the search of the future, 1991-2021").
This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.
This episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, looks at China’s role in the world over the past century. Isabel Muttreja and Krisztina Csortea speak to Evelyn Goh, who provides a whistle-stop tour of Chinese history. They also discuss how China has been understood in the journal over time. Then Krisztina interviews Rosemary Foot about the impact of history on current affairs in China, before Isabel gets Xiangfeng Yang’s perspective on US–China relations from Donald Trump to current US president Joe Biden. Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode we speak to contributors from the issue and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today. International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has transformed into a journal that publishes academically rigorous and policy relevant research. It is published for Chatham House by Oxford University Press. . Explore the Archive Collection freely until the end of June 2022, including Evelyn’s introduction: Read Rosemary Foot’s article: Read Xiangfeng Yang’s article: Credits: Speakers: Evelyn Goh, Rosemary Foot, Xiangfeng Yang Hosts: Isabel Muttreja, Krisztina Csortea Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
How has the relationship with the United States and Putin changed from president to president? When did the relationship sour and what, if anything, could have been done to send warning signals to Putin? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: Dr Leslie Vinjamuri (Director, US and the Americas Programme Chatham House), Dr. Kupchan is Professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University, former Senior Advisor to President Obama) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of on behalf of .
How have Brazil and Africa reacted to the war in Ukraine? With impending elections in Brazil, how is President Bolsonaro’s relationship with Putin received by the public? How will food insecurity affect African nations' response to the war? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: Oliver Stuenkel (Associate Professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation), Samuel Ramani (University of Oxford & Assoc Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies) This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of on behalf of .
The war in Ukraine and global cost-of-living crisis are exerting pressure on economies across the world. With ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns and food supply chain issues on top of this, China is facing a particularly severe challenge. In this episode Ben speaks with Dr Yu Jie (Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham House) about the economic 'perfect storm' presenting such an obstacle to President Xi Jinping's 'common prosperity' agenda. They discuss the domestic Chinese debate over the future of its economy, the implications of Russia's invasion and the likely longevity of the government's new 'comprehensive thrift strategy'. Read The World Today article: Credits: Speaker: Yu Jie Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
How has India and Southeast Asia reacted to the war in Ukraine? Are they aligning with western sanctions or strengthening ties to Russia? What do they have to gain or lose in involving themselves in the war. Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: Dr. Shruti Kapila (University of Cambridge), Ben Bland (Chatham House Director, Asia-Pacific Programme), Hunter Marston (Associate 9dashline) This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of on behalf of .
What was NATO’s original purpose and what is its role in the war in Ukraine? Will Finland and Sweden join NATO and what significance does this have? What is Russia’s historical relationship with NATO and how did it sour? Host: Ned Sedgwick Clips used: BBC News Guests: (Former NATO official, Chatham House associate fellow), (The Guardian’s Defense and Security Editor), (Chatham House Deputy Director) This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of on behalf of .
Six years after the EU-Turkey Joint Statement, domestic changes in Turkey and international developments such as the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan have ensured the border between Greece and Turkey remains a hotspot for migration flows. Today, Turkey is one of the world’s biggest refugee-receiving countries and hosts four million refugees. In this episode, Ayşen Üstübici, assistant professor at Koç University in Istanbul, speaks to Mariana about EU-Turkey migration diplomacy and the Turkish role in international migration governance. Looking back, Ayşen outlines the implications of the 2016 statement and the evolving attitudes of Turkish cities towards migrants and asylum-seekers in the intervening years. Then Stefanos Levidis from Forensic Architecture explores the other side of the border with Danai, looking at the Greek case as the external border of the EU. Stefanos explains why the EU-Turkey border is important and how the natural environment can be weaponized to enforce border controls. Read Chatham House’s expert comments on EU migration policies: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/03/ukraine-exposes-europes-double-standards-refugees
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/10/what-externalization-and-why-it-threat-refugees
Credits: Speakers: Ayşen Üstübici, Stefanos Levidis Hosts: Danai Avgeri, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
How does Russia utilise disinformation and who are they targeting? How are social networks shaping the war in Ukraine? What can be done to stop the spread of disinformation? Host: Ned Sedgwick Clips used: BBC News Guests: , , This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of on behalf of .
This episode of Africa Aware examines colonial land reparations, focusing on the Kipsigis and Talai clans of Kericho county in Kenya. Between 1895 and 1963 inhabitants of the county were evicted from their lands to make way for lucrative tea plantations owned by settlers. Governor Paul Chepkwony, Rodney Dixon QC and Maureen Okoth outline their efforts to engage with the UK Government to receive reparations and an apology for human rights violations the victims they represent suffered and continue to be affected by. In 2021, the UN recommended that the UK Government should at a minimum meet with the victims and then discuss compensation, an apology as well as memorialisation.
Power for refugees is a new two-part podcast on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over two episodes Ben explores an often-overlooked aspect of humanitarian assistance: access to energy. From Afghanistan to Ukraine to Sudan - the world is grappling with the consequences that emerge when people are forced to flee from their homes. One factor that does not usually make the headlines is that many people displaced by conflict or natural disasters lack access to the energy services that are necessary for forging dignified lives and livelihoods. This second episode examines efforts to provide alternative fuel for cooking in displaced settings in Kenya, Niger and Rwanda, shedding light on what has worked and what has not. Approximately 81% of refugees rely on basic fuels like wood for cooking. This brings about major difficulties for refugees and the environment, such as illness-inducing fumes from burning wood, the threat of violence to the women and girls who travel often long distances to collect wood, and deforestation. Since 2015, Chatham House has been researching this issue and convening dialogues to spur action by humanitarians, energy companies and others. Our seminal report provided the first ever comprehensive assessment of access to energy in refugee camps and urban areas with high numbers of refugees. This two-part podcast is part of the project. Led by Practical Action, the project provides access to affordable and sustainable sources of renewable energy, and improves the health, wellbeing and security of refugees and neighbouring communities. Credits: Speakers: Suzy Huber (Inyenyeri), Benoit Moreno (UNHCR Niger), Syrus Mutua (Sanivation) Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Power for refugees is a new two-part podcast on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over two episodes Ben explores an often-overlooked aspect of humanitarian assistance: access to energy. From Afghanistan to Ukraine to Sudan - the world is grappling with the consequences that emerge when people are forced to flee from their homes. One factor that does not usually make the headlines is that many people displaced by conflict or natural disasters lack access to the energy services that are necessary for forging dignified lives and livelihoods. Approximately 94% of refugees do not have access to electricity to heat or cool hospitals, schools and dwellings, or to light streets. This first part examines efforts to electrify refugee settlements in Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda, shedding light on what has worked and what has not. Since 2015, Chatham House has been researching this issue and convening dialogues to spur action by humanitarians, energy companies and others. Our seminal report provided the first ever comprehensive assessment of access to energy in refugee camps and urban areas with high numbers of refugees. This two-part podcast is part of the project. Led by Practical Action, the project provides access to affordable and sustainable sources of renewable energy, and improves the health, wellbeing and security of refugees and neighbouring communities. Credits: Speakers: Emmanuel Aziebor (Mercy Corps), Laura Clarke (Practical Action), Kevin Mwangi (GIZ) Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Examining China and its relationship to Russia and Ukraine.
What is China’s role in the war in Ukraine? What is the state of the relationship between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin? Should they serve as mediator or do they have an active interest in a particular outcome? Host: Ned Sedgwick Clips used: South China Morning Post Guests: Professor Rana Mitter, Dr. Yu Jie This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.
The Contentious politics since the ‘Arab Spring’ project seeks to challenge the current prevalent narrative of a failed 2010/2011 series of revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The project does this by interrogating the events in the Arab region since 2010 in a critical light, and by introducing a more nuanced analytical lens to understanding the evolution of change in the region and its contentious politics. The project is supported by the Carnegie Corporation New York. In this four-part mini-series from the Undercurrents podcast, Dr Lina Khatib, the Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham House speaks to leading experts about the great upheaval which occurred in the Arab region during the ‘Arab Spring’, the changes across Arab countries that have happened since and the outlook for the future. In the final episode, Lina and Libyan peace activist Zahra' Langhi discuss the aftermath of the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, the struggle to rebuild Libya's institutions and the critical role played by women in this movement. Find out more: Credits: Speaker: Zahra' Langhi Host: Lina Khatib Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
The Contentious politics since the ‘Arab Spring’ project seeks to challenge the current prevalent narrative of a failed 2010/2011 series of revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The project does this by interrogating the events in the Arab region since 2010 in a critical light, and by introducing a more nuanced analytical lens to understanding the evolution of change in the region and its contentious politics. The project is supported by the Carnegie Corporation New York. In this four-part mini-series from the Undercurrents podcast, Dr Lina Khatib, the Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham House speaks to leading experts about the great upheaval which occurred in the Arab region during the ‘Arab Spring’, the changes across Arab countries that have happened since and the outlook for the future. In this third episode, Lina and Alaa Al Aswani look at the conditions which have allowed authoritarian political systems to emerge across the Arab world. Find out more: Credits: Speaker: Alaa Al Aswani Host: Lina Khatib Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
The Contentious politics since the ‘Arab Spring’ project seeks to challenge the current prevalent narrative of a failed 2010/2011 series of revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The project does this by interrogating the events in the Arab region since 2010 in a critical light, and by introducing a more nuanced analytical lens to understanding the evolution of change in the region and its contentious politics. The project is supported by the Carnegie Corporation New York. In this four-part mini-series from the Undercurrents podcast, Dr Lina Khatib, the Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham House speaks to leading experts about the great upheaval which occurred in the Arab region during the ‘Arab Spring’, the changes across Arab countries that have happened since and the outlook for the future. In the second episode, Lina and examine the political dynamics across the Arab world in the wake of the ‘Arab Spring’ and analyse the transformations which happened in the region over the last decade. Find out more: Credits: Speaker: Laury Haytayan Host: Lina Khatib Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
The Contentious politics since the ‘Arab Spring’ project seeks to challenge the current prevalent narrative of a failed 2010/2011 series of revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The project does this by interrogating the events in the Arab region since 2010 in a critical light, and by introducing a more nuanced analytical lens to understanding the evolution of change in the region and its contentious politics. The project is supported by the Carnegie Corporation New York. In this four-part mini-series from the Undercurrents podcast, Dr Lina Khatib, the Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham House speaks to leading experts about the great upheaval which occurred in the Arab region during the ‘Arab Spring’, the changes across Arab countries that have happened since and the outlook for the future. In the first episode, Lina and James Zogby examine the political dynamics across the Arab world in the wake of the ‘Arab Spring’ and analyse the transformations which happened in the region over the last decade. Find out more: Credits: Speaker: James Zogby Host: Lina Khatib Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
As the Philippines are set to elect a new president and vice president on May 9, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr and Sara Duterte appear to be heading for victory at the polls. To better understand how the son of a past dictator and the daughter of the current president are set to win the presidential ticket, Mariana speaks to Philip Bowring about the role of family dynasties in national politics. Drawing on insights from his new book, , Philip assesses outgoing President Duterte’s policies and some of the most pressing problems for the next president, from the economy, to governance and the national stance on China. Credits: Speaker: Philip Bowring Host: Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
How reliant is the EU on Russian oil? What would an all-out ban on Russian oil look like? Which countries would be most affected? Does this offer an opportunity for renewable energy?
Clips used: Bloomberg News
Host: Ned Sedgwick
Guests: Helene von Bismark, Neil Quilliam, Antony Froggatt
Producer: Anouk Millet from Earshot Strategies
Russia has faced an unprecedented level of sanctions by the West covering the government itself, financial institutions, oligarchs associated with the Kremlin, and much more. But are these sanctions working? Can they really change anything on the ground in Ukraine? Clips used: - - C-Span Credits: Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: , , Producer: Anouk Millet from
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we have seen an exponential increase in food prices around the world. In this second episode of our mini-series War in Ukraine, we’re trying to understand how and why a war in one part of the world risks causing famines in distant parts of the globe, and what can happen when people go hungry. Read Chatham House’s latest on the war’s impact on food and energy supplies. Clips used in this episode: - - - Credits: Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: , , Producer: Anouk Millet from
The war in Ukraine has caused the largest refugee crisis in Europe since WW2. In this first episode of our new War in Ukraine mini-series, we’re looking at what Ukrainians face when crossing the border, whether enough is being done to protect them, and the impact on the real lives behind the numbers. Guest-host Ned Sedgwick speaks to Joung-Ah Ghedini-Williams (UNHCR), Emily Venturi (Chatham House) and Sonya Sceats (Freedom from Torture). Clips used in this episode: - - Credits: Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests: , , Producer: Anouk Millet from
To mark the 100th anniversary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, a new series of six archive collections will explore the past, present and future of current affairs issues. Each collection will be accompanied by an episode in this mini-series, where we explore what the research tells us about policy-making today. This episode is all about war and conflict. Krisztina Csortea chats with the collection’s editors and war experts Andrew Dorman and Tracey German. They reflect on who has been talking about war in the journal, how debates have changed over time and how academics follow fashions in research. Later, Isabel Muttreja speaks to T.V. Paul about India and Pakistan’s nuclear policies and how the Ukraine conflict reminds us why this is such an important topic. International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has transformed into a journal that publishes academically rigorous and policy relevant research. It is published for Chatham House by Oxford University Press. . Explore the archive collection, including Andrew and Tracey’s open access introduction: Read T.V. Paul’s article: Credits: Speakers: Andrew Dorman, Tracey German and T.V. Paul Hosts: Isabel Muttreja, Krisztina Csortea Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This episode of Africa Aware examines the relationship between Sudan and Ethiopia. Ahmed Soliman provides an overview of the Africa Programme’s work on cross-border conflict as part of the First, we speak to Kholood Khair on the steady deterioration in relations between Sudan and Ethiopia. Then Abel Abate Demissie discusses how recent political developments in Ethiopia and Sudan have impacted relations between the two countries.
A year on from the publication of the UK's Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, Chatham House Director Dr Robin Niblett shares his assessment of how Boris Johnson's government has implemented its vision of Global Britain. Read the Chatham House research paper: Credits: Speaker: Robin Niblett Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Protracted conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, Horn of Africa and parts of Asia, although usually arising from intra-state disputes, rarely remain contained within national borders. Through the XCEPT project, supported with UK Aid from the UK government, Chatham House explores the informal supply chains and economies that develop across borders during times of war. In this episode, XCEPT Project Manager Leah de Haan speaks to Chatham House experts Tim Eaton, Lina Khatib and Renad Mansour about cross-border conflicts in North Africa and the Levant. First, Lina and Renad explain how a regional approach to analysing war economies in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq can enable us to better understand the dynamics of the conflict. Then Tim reveals the connections between civil war in Libya and conflict zones elsewhere in north Africa. Find out more: Credits: Speakers: Tim Eaton, Lina Khatib, Renad Mansour Hosts: Leah de Haan, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
What has been going on in UK foreign policy over the last century, and how have leading thinkers approached it? To mark the 100th anniversary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, a new series of six archive collections will explore the past, present and future of current affairs issues. Each collection will be accompanied by an episode in this mini-series, where we consider what the research tells us about policy-making today. In this episode we’re talking about the first archive collection, on UK foreign policy. Krisztina Csortea, Managing Editor of the journal, and Isabel Muttreja, Marketing Manager speak to the collection’s editor (and Undercurrents host) Ben Horton about the four themes that UK foreign policy-makers and analysts have been preoccupied with over the last century. Then, Isabel speaks to The Rt. Honourable Lord William Wallace of Saltaire about how national identity continues to shape UK foreign policy-making, and how his 1990 article relates to Brexit and global Britain. Then Krisztina finds out about the UK’s accountability for acts of torture during the War on Terror, with Ruth Blakeley, Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Sheffield. International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has transformed into a journal that publishes academically rigorous and policy relevant research. It is published for Chatham House by Oxford University Press. . Explore the archive collection, including Ben’s open access introduction: Read William Wallace’s article: Read Ruth Blakeley’s article: Credits: Speakers: Ben Horton, William Wallace, Ruth Blakeley Hosts: Isabel Muttreja, Krisztina Csortea Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
The idea of feminist foreign policy has entered the political mainstream in recent years, but does adoption by governments risk diluting the more radical dimensions of its agenda? To mark International Women's Day, Mariana is joined by Marissa Conway, co-founder of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, to discuss the trajectory of FFP. Then Ben speaks with former UK Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher CMG, about his new book Ten Survival Skills for a World in Flux. As the world contends with numerous overlapping crises from climate change and COVID-19 to the war in Ukraine, the capacity of individuals and societies to deal with geopolitical turbulence has rarely been so critical. In this interview, Tom explains the skills needed to navigate the modern world, and how education systems must adapt to deliver the required change. Read The World Today article: Watch the Chatham House #IWD2022 event: Find the book: Credits: Speakers: Marissa Conway, Tom Fletcher Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
As a site of enormous economic and military potential, space is the latest domain to be drawn into the strategic competition between Earth's great powers. In this episode, Ben is joined by Asia-Pacific Programme Senior Research Fellow Yu Jie, who explains the development of China's space policy, and why we should be worried about US-China relations in orbit. Then Yusuf Hassan and Ani Martirossian interview Professor Lee Major, from Exeter University, about the state of social mobility in the UK. They discuss the politics of class in the 21st century and how to break down barriers to entry within elite institutions and education systems. Read The World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Yu Jie, Lee Major Hosts: Yusuf Hassan, Ben Horton, Ani Martirossian Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
This episode of Africa Aware examines the status of Africa-EU relations in the lead-up to the sixth African Union-European Union summit on 17-18 February 2022. Yusuf is joined by Faten Aggad to investigate the prospects for enhanced collaboration on several key issues for African states, from vaccine production to trade agreements and climate change. Then Geert Laporte analyses the priorities of the EU and its member states: including security challenges, the EU’s new Global Gateway initiative, migration, and cooperation in the global multilateral system.
The murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent global escalation of Black Lives Matter movements highlighted the racial inequalities that exist in the United States and beyond. In the United Kingdom and many other former colonial states these movements have come to reflect upon the ongoing legacies of empire in modern society. Today, colonial history has become a weapon in the culture wars, with some commentators arguing that it is time to 'move on' from feeling ashamed of our imperial past. Often, this focus on race is presented as a new development. However, a new special issue published by the Chatham House journal International Affairs (celebrating its centenary year in 2022) shows that race and imperialism have underpinned western social sciences since the birth of these disciplines in the early 20th century. In this episode, Amrit and Mariana are joined by Dr Jasmine Gani (Senior Lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews), Dr Jenna Marshall (Senior Researcher for Development Policy and Postcolonial Studies at the University of Kassel) and Katrin Antweiler (a PhD candidate at Justus-Liebig-University Giessen), to discuss the key insights from the special issue. They explore how race and imperialism were written out of the study of International Relations for many decades, and what it would take to meaningfully decolonise political science in the future. Read the International Affairs special issue: Read the editorial: Credits: Speakers: Katrin Antweiler, Andrew Dorman, Jasmine Gani, Jenna Marshall Hosts: Mariana Vieira, Amrit Swali Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode of Africa Aware, Tighisti Amare highlights some of the key interventions from our Policy for Recovery in Africa dialogue series in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme. The dialogue series brought key stakeholders together to engage on issues affecting post-COVID-19 recovery in Africa, presenting a diverse range of opinions and insights focused on what policies are needed for accelerating recovery from the pandemic.
This week, Undercurrents is joined by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to explore a new report on the humanitarian crises that require global attention in 2022. A record number of people across the world are in need of humanitarian assistance. 20 countries which are home to 10% of the global population account for 89% of global humanitarian need, driven by a wide range of factors including conflict, natural disasters, economic collapse and health crises. These situations are worsened by systemic failures at the state, diplomatic, legal and operational levels. The IRC's 2022 Emergency Watchlist assesses the severity of the crises in these countries, and provides recommendations for how international humanitarian actors can respond. In this episode, Ben discusses the findings of the Emergency Watchlist with George Readings (lead author of the report), and hears about the specific struggles facing the citizens of Afghanistan from Vicki Aken (IRC's Country Director for Afghanistan). Read the IRC report: Watch the Chatham House event: Credits: Speakers: Vicki Aken, George Readings Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
On 6 January 2021, a large crowd supporting the defeated President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol. The violence which ensued resulted in the deaths of at least seven people, and caused shockwaves around the world. In this episode Ben is joined by Gabriella Cook-Francis, the Leland Foundation Association of Marshall Scholars Transatlantic Academy Fellow in the US & Americas Programme at Chatham House. They discuss the events surrounding 'January 6', the implications of the riot for notable elections this year and in 2024, and what progress the Biden Administration has made in shoring up the United States' democratic institutions. Watch the Chatham House event recording: Credits: Speaker: Gabriella Cook-Francis Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The twin crises of COVID-19 and climate change have exposed weaknesses in the institutions and diplomatic relationships designed to support global governance. In a new series of articles for Chatham House, author and journalist John Kampfner has been exploring how competition between the United States and China has exacerbated these faultlines. In his final piece, John assesses the relative soft power of the two states, and argues that the era of rivalry has tarnished both the American and Chinese brands, with many countries around the world growing wary of choosing allegiances. In this episode, Ben and John discuss the US-China strategic rivalry with Francis Fukuyama, the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and Hongying Wang, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Waterloo and Senior Research Fellow at CIGI. Read the article: Credits: Speakers: Francis Fukuyama, John Kampfner, Hongying Wang Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In this episode of Africa Aware, Professor Tang Xiaoyang examines Beijing’s vision of China-Africa relations and its approach to debt relief in the context of post-pandemic domestic economic adjustments. Fergus Kell outlines a new Chatham House project on infrastructure-linked debt sustainability in Africa and discusses the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Dakar, Senegal.
Piccadilly Circus is one of the best-known landmarks in London, but the site has undergone significant change in the past 100 years. How has this affected the lives and livelihoods of local people? For this bonus episode of Undercurrents, the team explore the history of Piccadilly Circus with help from the Chatham House SNF CoLab. The CoLab is a project which aims to share our ideas in experimental, collaborative ways - and to learn how different audiences think we can design a better future. In 2020, the project launched Futurescape, an ambitious re-imagining of Piccadilly Circus in 100 year's time. Alongside the future-oriented research, CoLab partnered with the Museum of London’s Listening to London project to explore Piccadilly Circus through the museum’s Oral History collection. Through this project, the Museum is inviting teams of volunteer researchers to reinterpret the Museum’s Oral History Collection – over 5,000 hours of recorded life-story interviews of Londoners. Listening to London is supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, delivered by the Museums Association. In this episode you'll hear some fascinating clips from the Listening to London archive, introduced and discussed by some of the volunteers working on the Museum of London project. They include the experiences of Italian and Albanian immigrants, the changing face of business in the area, and how it became a site of struggle for the LGBTQ+ community. Thanks to Lorraine Ebdo-Price, Kristyna Racova and Keith Turpin for their contributions. Find out more: Credits: Speakers: Lorraine Ebdo-Price, Kristyna Racova, Keith Turpin Host: Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House in partnership with the Museum of London
As the new omicron variant spreads across the globe, and vaccine distribution continues to reveal inequities between the global North and South, Mariana catches up with Rob Yates (Director of the Global Health Programme at Chatham House) to find out where things stand going into 2022. Then, Ben is joined by Leonard Schuette (a PhD candidate from the University of Maastricht), whose recent article in International Affairs highlights the role played by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in managing the challenge posed to the organisation by the presidency of Donald Trump. They discuss the history of US grievances with NATO, what the Trump episode reveals about the influence of the Secretary General, and the prospects for the organisation's engagement with the Biden administration. Read The World Today article: Read the International Affairs article: Credits: Speakers: Leonard Schuette, Rob Yates Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Transatlantic Tech Talks is a three part mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed, produced with the support of Microsoft, which explores the state of international cooperation on digital governance between Europe, the UK and USA. As technological innovation accelerates, and new digital tools and business models arise, governments are working to develop a framework of regulations to safeguard the rights and interests of their citizens. Not all stakeholders agree, however, on the best way to achieve this. While some advocate a ‘digital cooperation’ approach based on transparency and data-sharing, others are more concerned with maintaining ‘digital sovereignty’. In this final episode, Ben is joined by three experts to discuss the prospects for transatlantic cooperation in the digital trade sector. His guests include Susan Aaronson (Director of the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub at George Washington University), Euan MacMillan (Head of the Digital Trade Negotiations for the UK government's Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) and Marianne Schneider-Petsinger (Senior Research Fellow, US & Americas Programme at Chatham House). They discuss how international negotiations on digital trade have progressed, the pressure points that need to be resolved (including data flows and consumer privacy) and where the European Union, UK and USA can work together. Credits: Speakers: Susan Aaronson, Euan MacMillan, Marianne Schneider-Petsinger Hosts: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Music: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Transatlantic Tech Talks is a three part mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed, produced with the support of Microsoft, which explores the state of international cooperation on digital governance between the United States, the UK and Europe. As technological innovation accelerates, and new digital tools and business models arise, governments are working to develop a framework of regulations to safeguard the rights and interests of their citizens. Not all stakeholders agree, however, on the best way to achieve this. While some advocate a ‘digital cooperation’ approach based on transparency and data-sharing, others are more concerned with maintaining ‘digital sovereignty’. In the first episode of this series, Ben is joined by Casper Klynge (Vice-President for European Government Affairs, Microsoft), Harriet Moynihan (Acting Director, International Law Programme, Chatham House) and Marianne Schneider-Petsinger (Senior Research Fellow, US & Americas Programme, Chatham House) who set out the broad context for these debates. They assess where the major government, private sector and civil society actors stand on the question of digital governance, and how they are approaching the international negotiations. Credits: Speakers: Casper Klynge, Harriet Moynihan, Marianne Schneider-Petsinger Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Music: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Since its publication in 1944, many Americans have described Gunnar Myrdal’s An American Dilemma as a defining text on US race relations. Funded by the Carnegie Corporation, Myrdal's research explored the socio-economic conditions experienced by much of the black population in the United States, and proposed policies which would encourage assimilation of those communities into white America. But why did Carnegie commission such work? Maribel Morey, founding Executive Director of the Miami Institute for the Social Sciences, explores the origins of An American Dilemma in her new book, White Philanthropy: Carnegie Corporation's An American Dilemma and the Making of a White World Order. Through extensive archive research she reveals the racial politics underpinning Myrdal's work, and the concern of those involved for maintaining white domination of the United States. In this episode, Ben speaks to Maribel about her findings, in conversation with Inderjeet Parmar, Professor of Internaitonal Politics at City, University of London. Find the book: White Philanthropy: Carnegie Corporation's An American Dilemma and the Making of a White World Order - Credits: Speakers: Maribel Morey, Inderjeet Parmar Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Transatlantic Tech Talks is a three part mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed, produced with the support of Microsoft, which explores the state of international cooperation on digital governance between the United States, the UK and Europe. As technological innovation accelerates, and new digital tools and business models arise, governments are working to develop a framework of regulations to safeguard the rights and interests of their citizens. Not all stakeholders agree, however, on the best way to achieve this. While some advocate a ‘digital cooperation’ approach based on transparency and data-sharing, others are more concerned with maintaining ‘digital sovereignty’. In this second episode, we explore the issue of digital technical standards, the rules and parameters which govern the development of technologies and ensure interoperability between countries and businesses. Isabella Wilkinson speaks to Emily Taylor (CEO of Oxford Information Labs), Bilel Jamoussi (Chief of the Study Groups Department at the ITU) and Richard Wingfield (Head of Legal at GPD), who explain why digital technical standards are so vital to the digital economy, and why they are inreasingly coming under threat. Credits: Speakers: Bilel Jamoussi, Emily Taylor, Richard Wingfield Hosts: Ben Horton, Isabella Wilkinson Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Music: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode of Africa Aware, we speak to Executive Director of EG Justice Tutu Alicante. Tutu outlines the current state of kleptocracy in Equatorial Guinea, the western actors that facilitate these corrupt practices, and the role of international partners in supporting efforts to bring about justice.
Quamrul Chowdhury has been involved in the climate negotiations for almost three decades. He currently serves as a lead negotiator for the G77 and the least developed countries group, and is a member of Bangladesh’s negotiating team. In this bonus episode of the Climate Briefing, Anna speaks to Mr. Chowdhury about the outcome of COP26. Find out more: COP26: What happened, what does this mean, and what happens next? >> Undercurrents: COP26 analysis, and the politics of language survival >> How to ensure the COP26 forest declaration is a success >> Credits: Speakers: Quamrul Chowdhury Host: Anna Aberg Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
What was achieved at COP26? And what do different parties make of the outcome? In this episode, Anna speaks to a range of negotiators, advisers and experts about the results of the Glasgow conference. Interviewees include Camilla Born (policy adviser to the COP26 president), Farhana Yamin (deputy-chair of the expert advisory group of the climate vulnerable forum), Jacob Werksman (head of the EU delegation), Isatou Camara (climate finance negotiator for the least developed countries group), and Aglaja Espelage (consultant at Perspectives Climate Group). Find out more: COP26: What happened, what does this mean, and what happens next? >> Undercurrents: COP26 analysis, and the politics of language survival >> How to ensure the COP26 forest declaration is a success >> Credits: Speakers: Camilla Born, Isatou Camara, Aglaja Espelage, Jacob Werksman Farhana Yamin Host: Anna Aberg Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
As the dust settles from COP26, the 2021 UN climate summit, Ben is joined by Anna Aberg to discuss the key outcomes and insights from the conference. They consider the progress made on mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and the so-called 'Paris rulebook', and look ahead to what the agenda could look like in a year's time at COP27. Then Mariana interviews journalist and author James Griffiths about his investigations into the politics of minority language survival. As globalisation continues languages are disappearing faster than ever, leaving our planet's linguistic diversity leaping towards extinction. In Speak Not: Empire, Identity and the Politics of Language, Griffiths explores how communities across the world are fighting to preserve their linguistic heritage. Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: Find the book: Credits: Speakers: Anna Aberg, James Griffiths Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Smart Peace is a new podcast mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over three episodes Ben explores new approaches to peacebuilding and conflict resolution with experts from the Smart Peace project. Smart Peace is a global initiative led by Conciliation Resources, which combines the varied expertise of different consortium partners to address the challenges of building peace – focusing on the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Myanmar. This first episode focuses on conflict in Central African Republic. Ben is joined by Lisa Heinzel and Nyeko Caesar Poblicks from Conciliation Resources to discuss the latest political developments in the country, the drivers of unrest and efforts to build inclusive, locally-led peace processes. Find out more about Smart Peace: Credits: Speaker: Lisa Heinzel, Nyeko Caesar Poblicks Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode of Smart Peace, we explore the recent history of peacebuilding in Myanmar through the experience of the Smart Peace project. Smart Peace is a global initiative led by Conciliation Resources, which combines the varied expertise of different consortium partners to address the challenges of building peace – focusing on the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Myanmar. In this final episode of a three-part series, Ben speaks to Adam Burke from the Asia Foundation about the political and historical context to the ongoing conflicts in Myanmar, and finds out about attempts to develop local mediation and peacebuilding processes throughout the country. Find out more about Smart Peace: Credits: Speaker: Adam Burke Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Smart Peace is a new podcast mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over three episodes Ben Horton explores new approaches to peacebuilding and conflict resolution with experts from the Smart Peace project. Smart Peace is a global initiative led by Conciliation Resources, which combines the varied expertise of different consortium partners to address the challenges of building peace – focusing on the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Myanmar. This second episode focuses on conflict in northern Nigeria. Ben is joined by Vincent Foucher from International Crisis Group, Professor Abubakar Monguno from the University of Maiduguri and Saadgi Rajani from Conciliation Resources to discuss the security context in Borno state, the emergence of Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups, the impact on civilians and efforts to support the reintegration of fighters into local communities. Find out more about Smart Peace: Credits: Speaker: Vincent Foucher, Abubakar Monguno, Saadgi Rajani Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
For the last two weeks the latest UNFCCC climate summit has taken place in Glasgow, UK. Policymakers from all over the world have gathered at COP26 to attempt to agree on increasingly ambitious plans to tackle the climate crisis. In this episode, Ben shares some interviews from the fringes of COP26. Simon Mundy, Moral Money Editor at the Financial Times, shares his reflections on what business want from the COP process. He also explains some of the key lessons from his new book, The Race for Tomorrow, which tells the stories of people on the front lines of the climate crisis, showing how the struggle to respond is already reshaping the modern world. Then Ben is joined by Bela Watler, a youth climate activist and conservationist from the Cayman Islands who is representing the Protect Our Future network at COP26. Protect Our Future is an environmental campaign working to raise awareness of how climate change is affecting habitats in the Cayman Islands. Finally, Ben heard from Chloe Campbell from the 2050 Climate Group, a Scottish youth network campaigning for climate justice and a faster transition to a net zero world. Here more analysis from COP26 in our sister podcast, The Climate Briefing: Find Simon Mundy's book, The Race for Tomorrow: Credits: Speakers: Chloe Campbell, Simon Mundy, Bela Watler Host: Ben Horton Editor: James Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Overlooked for too long, the unequal impacts of climate change are increasingly being recognised by the scientific and policy communities. In particular attention has been drawn towards the gendered implications. For the first time at a COP summit, gender is an official agenda item in Glasgow. In this episode, Nina Jeffs (Schwartzman Academy Fellow in the Environment and Society Programme) explores the relationship between gender and climate change. First she speaks with two young climate justice activists - Renata Koch Alvarenga and Zainab Yunusa - to find out more about how climate change is affecting women and girls in Brazil and Nigeria. Then she is joined by Gotelind Alber (Co-founder of Gender CC) to discover how gender-responsive policies are being embedded within the UNFCCC negotiations. Read more: Glasgow Womens Leadership Statement on gender equality and climate change: Credits: Speakers: Gotelind Alber, Renata Koch Alvarenga, Zainab Yunusa Host: Nina Jeffs Editor: James Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
COP26 is finally upon us, and The Climate Briefing team are on the ground in Glasgow to bring you all of the latest updates and developments from the summit. In this episode, Ben introduces a round-up of the first week of the negotiations. Antony Froggatt (Deputy Director, Environment & Society Programme at Chatham House) provides an overview of the key agenda items at COP26, including the updated NDCs and progress on adaptation, finance and the Paris Rulebook. Then Nina Jeffs (Academy Fellow, Environment & Society Programme at Chatham House) explains some new developments on the interrelationship between gender and climate action, including the newly announced Glasgow Women's Leadership Statement. These interviews are followed by conversations with two youth activists. Calling from Botswana, Pato Kelesitse (Host of the Sustain 267 podcast) shares her perspective on how to amplify African expertise and priorities within the climate negotations. Finally, UN Youth Delegate for Iceland Finnur Ricart Andrason joins Ben on the fringes of the conference to discuss how far youth voices are being meaningfully engaged with at COP26. Read the Chatham House Expert Comments: Explore Chatham House's activities at COP26: Credits: Speakers: Finnur Ricart Andrason, Antony Froggatt, Nina Jeffs, Pato Kelesitse Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House Please note: this episode was recorded on Friday 5 November.
As the first week of the UN climate change summit, COP26, takes place in Glasgow, Ben and Mariana return with two contrasting interviews on the climate crisis. Ben speaks to Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and President of the Asia Society, about the geopolitics of climate action. They discuss China's role in the climate negotiations, how great power competition with the United States is influencing the COP process, and why Australia remains reluctant to increase its ambitions for emissions reduction. Then Mariana is joined by Julia Olson, Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel of Our Children’s Trust, a non-profit public interest law firm at the heart of legal cases on behalf of children which seek compensation from governments for their historic role in causing global warming. Read The World Today article: Follow Chatham House's work on climate change: https://www.chathamhouse.org/topics/climate-policy Credits: Speakers: Julia Olson, Kevin Rudd Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The crises of climate change and biodiversity destruction are closely linked. In this episode, Anna speaks to Sam Geall (CEO of China Dialogue, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, and Associate Faculty at the University of Sussex) about ongoing efforts within the UN to agree a new international biodiversity framework. The interview also zooms in on China’s evolving role in international climate and environmental politics. Kindly note that this interview was recorded on the 26th of October - before China announced its new nationally determined contribution.
It’s been over a year since George Floyd’s murder made the Black Lives Matter movement globally recognised. Since then, the struggle for racial justice and equality has permeated organisations and communities, including Chatham House. In recognition of its advocacy and campaigning, and as part of its centenary celebrations, Chatham House staff awarded the Black Lives Matter movement its Centenary Diversity Champion Award. Melina Abdullah, co-founder of the BLM Los Angeles chapter came to Chatham House to accept it. In this episode we bring you Melina Abdullah’s acceptance speech in full. Then, Chatham House’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group talk about how far we’ve come in our understanding of race and international affairs and the importance of organisations like Chatham House reckoning with its past. Read Ben’s interview with Melina Abdullah here: https://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/the-world-today/2021-10/qa-melina-abdullah Watch the Chatham House Centenary Diversity Award event: https://www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/special-event/chatham-house-centenary-diversity-champion-award Credits: Speakers: Melina Abdullah, Binni Brynolf, Leah de Haan, Yusuf Hassan, Joseph Osayande, Nina van der Mark Host: Amrit Swali Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
A series of recent scientific studies have found that the world is on course for global warming far exceeding the 1.5 degree goal enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile across the globe communities are grappling with extreme weather events and natural disasters related to the climate crisis. But beyond the obvious impacts of climate change, a whole host of further risks are emerging, exacerbated by the interconnectedness of the global economy. To find out more about these 'cascading' climate risks, Ben speaks to Professor Tim Benton, Director of the Environment & Society Programme at Chatham House. Read the Chatham House research papers:
On this special episode of Africa Aware, we speak to Honorable Minister Dr Lee White, The Republic of Gabon’s Minister of Water, Forests, the Sea, and Environment. With COP26 around the corner, we discuss the immediate impacts of climate change in Gabon, how infrastructure development can factor in sustainability, the role of the private sector in conservation and the voice of local populations in the decision-making process around environmental issues.
In Hungary, France and Spain, new political movements from the far-right are attempting to reshape their education systems. Under the supportive eye of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the recently established National University of Public Service seeks to embed nationalist illiberal values in a new generation of Hungarian students. Meanwhile in France and Spain, far-right public figure Marion Maréchal has turned away from the electoral politics of the Front Nationale to set up a new conservative research institute, ISSEP. Both of these developments represent a challenge to the liberal values which underpin the existing international order. To find out more, Ben spoke with Professor Dorit Geva from the Central European University and Dr Felipe Santos from City, University of London, whose recent article in the Chatham House journal International Affairs considers the implications of this illiberal educational turn. Read the International Affairs article: Credits: Speakers: Dorit Geva, Felipe Gonzales Santos Host: Ben Horton Editor: James Reed Sound Services Recorded and produced by Chatham House
September 2021 saw a series of significant diplomatic events which could be key to successful climate negotiations at COP26. Now with mere weeks to go before the main event, attention is increasing on the major actors in Glasgow. To find out the state of play, Anna speaks with Bernice Lee, Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for Sustainability at Chatham House. Read The World Today article: Credits: Speaker: Bernice Lee Host: Anna Aberg Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House
The controversial AUKUS security agreement, perceived by some as a way to counter China's expansionist ambitions, has underlined the geopolitical significance of the Indo-Pacific region. One possible site of future conflict in the region is the Taiwan Straits, which separate the Republic of Taiwan from the Asian mainland. In this episode, Amrit speaks to Dr Yu Jie and Dr Liana Fix about a recent study on how military escalation in the Taiwan Straits could play out, and how Europe might respond. Then, Mariana is joined by Dr Chris Sabatini to discuss the trends and lessons emerging from a series of recent elections in Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile. Read the briefing: Credits: Speakers: Liana Fix, Yu Jie, Chris Sabatini Hosts: Amrit Swali, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
20 years ago the United States suffered the worst terror attacks in its history, sparking a fundamental shift in US foreign policy towards the Middle East. Many citizens in the United States and beyond can still remember where they were on 11 September, 2001. But what do younger generations think about 9/11? To find out, Ben speaks to three colleagues who were all young children at the time of the attacks, and whose political consciousnesses have formed in the post-9/11 world. Anar Bata is a coordinator in the US & Americas Programme. She provides an insight into the experience of Muslim Americans after the attacks, and reflects on how 9/11 is taught and thought about in the US education system. Samantha Potter is a programme manager in the United States Air Force and member of the Chatham House Panel of Young Advisors. She shares how her understanding of 9/11 encouraged her to pursue a career in service, and considers the impact of the War on Terror on US global leadership. Finally, Mondher Tounsi is a member of the Common Futures Conversations community. He remembers how 9/11 was framed within Tunisian society during his childhood, and how America's actions in the wake of the attacks have affected its reputation within the Arab world. Note: The views expressed by Samantha Potter in this podcast are solely her own and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the US Government. Credits: Speakers: Anar Bata, Samantha Potter, Mondher Tounsi Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In this episode of Africa Aware, Christopher Vandome introduces key questions facing decision-makers in response to the challenges facing the mining sector in Africa. While Sheila Khama discusses continent-wide priorities for the mining sector, and the industry’s role in supporting national development ambitions.
Amidst severe governance challenges, Hezbollah has risen to become the dominant political actor in Lebanon. In this episode, Mariana is joined by Dr Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, to discuss the dynamics underlying the Lebanese political system, and how a series of crises have affected the balance of power in the country. Then Ben explores how digital technologies are enabling state repression in both authoritarian and liberal states, in conversation with Dr Steven Feldstein from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Read the Chatham House research paper: Find the book: Credits: Speakers: Steven Feldstein, Lina Khatib Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
The COVID-19 pandemic, new systems of digital repression and the strengthening of authoritarian governments around the world have put significant strain on the international human rights system. To consider the prospects for multilateral human rights protection and the role that civil society activism can play in this, Ben is joined by Dr Agnès Callamard, the Secretary General of Amnesty International. Then Amrit discusses new developments in cybercrime with International Security Programme colleagues Esther Naylor and Isabella Wilkinson. They assess the prevalence and impact of ransomware attacks, and how governments and the private sector can respond. Read the Chatham House expert comment: Credits: Speakers: Agnès Callamard, Esther Naylor, Isabella Wilkinson Hosts: Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered national lockdowns and closed down borders across the world. In this context, the need to protect the rights and welfare of refugees has become even more acute. To discuss the threats facing forcibly displaced populations, and the policy responses required to mitigate them, Ben is joined by Emily Venturi, the Schwartzman Academy Fellow in the Asia-Pacific programme. Together they interview Gillian Triggs, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Assistant High Commissioner for Protection with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speaker: Gillian Triggs Hosts: Ben Horton, Emily Venturi Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In this bonus episode, Chatham House has teamed up with the Asia Matter podcast to co-publish a discussion of the latest developments in Myanmar. The most shocking political development in Asia so far this year is arguably the seizure of power by the military in Myanmar, and the arrest of the country’s former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The military’s crackdown on protests and other resistance against the coup has so far resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. In this episode the Asia Matters podcast discusses the impact of the coup and how the current situation may develop in the months ahead. Joining the conversation is Thant Myint-U, one of the best known historians of the country and the author most recently of The Hidden History of Burma. Undercurrents will return on Friday with a regular episode.
The G20 - an international gathering of leaders from 19 major states and the European Union - has a significant role to play in coordinating global action on climate change. Accounting for around two-thirds of the world's population and by some estimates 84% of global carbon emissions, agreeing on reforms within this forum could be a game-changer ahead of COP26. In July 2021, G20 ministerial meetings are taking place ahead of the leaders summit in October. To assess the prospects for progress on climate change at the G20, Ben is joined by Luca Bergamaschi, co-founder of ECCO, the Italian climate think tank. Read the Chatham House briefing: Credits: Speaker: Luca Bergamaschi Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this week's episode, Mariana is joined by Hameed Hakimi from the Asia-Pacific Programme to discuss the implications of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. They consider, among other things, the strength of Afghan governance structures, the prospects for the Taliban, and the complexity of responding to widespread population movement in the region. Then Amrit speaks to Debashish Roy Chowdhury and John Keane about the state of Indian democracy under PM Narendra Modi. Their latest book, To Kill A Democracy, describes India's daily struggles for democratic survival, and explains how lived social injustices and unfreedoms rob elections of their meaning, while at the same time feeding the decadence and iron-fisted rule of its governing institutions. Read the World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Hameed Hakimi, Debashish Roy Chowdhury, John Keane Hosts: Amrit Swali, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In the wake of the storming of Capitol Hill on 6 January 2021, social media platforms took steps to remove former President Donald Trump from their websites for infringing community standards. This step was welcomed by many, but also raised serious questions about the power of social media companies to limit free speech and censor elected officials. The suspension of President Trump from Facebook was referred to the Oversight Board, an independent body of experts set up to scrutinise the platform's content moderation decisions. In this episode, Ben speaks to Thomas Hughes, Director of the Oversight Board Administration, and Dr Kate Jones from Chatham House's International Law programme. They discuss the outcome of the Oversight Board's inquiry into the Trump suspension, and the wider implications for content moderation on social media. Then Lara is joined by Hans Kundnani from the Europe Programme at Chatham House, to assess the political outlook in Germany and reflect on the legacy of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Read the Chatham House expert comments: Credits: Speakers: Thomas Hughes, Kate Jones, Hans Kundnani Hosts: Lara Hollmann, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
In this episode of Africa Aware, Ahmed Soliman discusses the context in which the Ethiopian elections are taking place, while Lidet Tadesse emphasizes the importance of peacebuilding and intercommunal dialogue during and after the elections.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused governments across the world to re-imagine their systems for engaging with citizens. Many have turned to digital tools to find new ways of tracking the spread of the virus, and to deliver public services during national lockdowns. In this episode of Undercurrents, Ben is joined by Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the Minister of Digital Governance for the Hellenic Republic (Greece). They discuss the e-governance tools Greece is pioneering under the administration of Prime Minister Mitsokakis, and the challenges involved with rolling out digital systems to the public. Then, Mariana is joined by Dr Kate Ferguson, Co-Executive Director of the charity Protection Approaches. They discuss Ferguson's new book, Architectures of Violence, which explores state involvement in violent mass atrocities, from Yugoslavia to Syria. Read the book: Credits: Speakers: Kate Ferguson, Kyriakos Pierrakakis Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Ahead of the G7 Summit in June 2021, the Climate Briefing returns to the question of financing climate action. While the economic challenge of dealing with climate change was already well-established before the pandemic, the costs of responding to COVID-19 threaten to limit the fiscal capacity of governments to fund climate action. In this episode, Anna and Ben speak to two experts about the relationship between economic development, developing country debt and climate action. Ben speaks to Farhana Yamin, a leading environmental lawyer who is also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House. They discuss the economic threat posed by climate change and the need for a paradigm shift away from conventional, carbon-intensive, approaches to economic development. Then Anna is joined by Paul Steele, Chief Economist for Shaping Sustainable Markets at the International Institute for Environment and Development, to find out how developing country debt relates to climate finance, and what can be done to address the so-called triple crisis of debt, climate change and biodiversity loss. Credits: Speakers: Farhana Yamin, Paul Steele Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In 2021 the UK is hosting COP26, but also presiding over the G7. How can it leverage its presidency of the G7 to accelerate climate action in the run-up to COP26? To discuss this, Anna is joined by , Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University. They consider the key opportunities and debates that will emerge at the G7 Leaders Summit. Read the Chatham House briefing: Credits: Speaker: Rachel Kyte Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode, Undercurrents has teamed up with Saferworld's to discuss security forces in Nigeria and the role played by young people in trying to bring about change. The episode is broken into two halves. Abigail Watson and Delina Goxho are first joined by Tarela Ike from Teesside University and Odeh Friday from Accountability Lab. They discuss the problems with responses to Boko Haram in the North East of the country and the recent EndSars movement. Then Amrit Swali speaks to Mariam Haruna, a member of Chatham House’s Common Futures Conversations, and Tolu Oni, a member of Chatham House’s Panel of Young Advisers, about their experiences of the EndSARS movement in 2020, the role of social media in the protests and how to move towards sustainable change in policing structures. The episode can also be listened to on the Saferworld . Please note the views and opinions expressed during this podcast are those of the contributors featured. They are not the views or opinions of Saferworld or Chatham House. Read the Common Futures Conversations article: Read the Chatham House expert comment: Credits Speakers: Odey Friday, Mariam Haruna, Tarela Ike, Tolu Oni Hosts: Delina Goxho, Amrit Swali, Abigail Watson Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House and Saferworld.
This week Lara Hollmann and Mariana Vieira bring you two fascinating interviews with recent contributors to Chatham House's publications, International Affairs and The World Today. First, Lara speaks to Dr Sophie Harman from Queen Mary University of London about her research into the gender dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sophie argues that for too many policymakers, gendered roles are complacently seen as a solution to the social effects of the pandemic, with women expected to shoulder the additional burdens of domestic work and childcare during national lockdowns. Then Mariana is joined by Dr Daniel Strieff to discuss the trajectory of the climate politics in the United States. They cover the early signs from the Biden administration as well as the domestic forces influencing foreign policy in this area. Read the International Affairs article: Read The World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Sophie Harman, Daniel Strieff Hosts: Lara Hollmann, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Over the course of five episodes, all published this week, John Nilsson-Wright, the Korea Foundation Fellow in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House explores the strategic relations of Korea, asking how the country is seeking to protect its interests in an increasingly contested Pacific region. In this, the final episode, John is joined by Eui-Hae Cecilia Chung, Deputy Director-General of the ASEAN & Southeast Asian Affairs Bureau, in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They discuss how the Republic of Korea is positioning itself within the key organizations and alliances of the region, and what the Korean government’s priorities are in an increasingly contested international context. Credits: Speaker: Eui-Hae Cecilia Chung Hosts: John Nilsson-Wright Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Over the course of five episodes, all published this week, John Nilsson-Wright, the Korea Foundation Fellow in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House explores the strategic relations of Korea, asking how the country is seeking to protect its interests in an increasingly contested Pacific region. In this, the fourth episode, John is joined by Nathalie Tocci, Director of Italy’s Istituto Affari Internazionali. They discuss the European perspective on the politics of the Korean peninsula, identifying opportunities for deeper engagement between the Republic of Korea and the European Union. Credits: Speaker: Nathalie Tocci Hosts: John Nilsson-Wright Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Over the course of five episodes, all published this week, John Nilsson-Wright, the Korea Foundation Fellow in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House explores the strategic relations of Korea, asking how the country is seeking to protect its interests in an increasingly contested Pacific region. In this, the third episode, John is joined again by Jennifer Lind to interview Nobukatsu Kanehara, a senior adviser to The Asia Group and board member of The National Bureau of Asian Research. They discuss the Republic of Korea’s complex relations with its neighbour and sometime rival Japan, and how the two countries can develop cooperation on shared challenges such as North Korea. Credits: Speaker: Nobukatsu Kanehara Hosts: John Nilsson-Wright, Jennifer Lind Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Over the course of five episodes, all published this week, John Nilsson-Wright, the Korea Foundation Fellow in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House explores the strategic relations of Korea, asking how the country is seeking to protect its interests in an increasingly contested Pacific region. In this episode, John is joined by Wi Sunglac, a retired career diplomat with several decades experience of Korean foreign affairs, including posts in Washington D.C. and Moscow. They discuss the threats facing South Korean interests in northeast Asia, and how the current administration is projecting its stance through key alliances. Credits: Speaker: Wi Sunglac Hosts: John Nilsson-Wright, Jennifer Lind Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Welcome to Korea at the crossroads, a new mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over the course of five episodes, all published this week, John Nilsson-Wright, the Korea Foundation Fellow in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House will explore the strategic relations of Korea, asking how the country is seeking to protect its interests in an increasingly contested Pacific region. In this opening episode, John is joined by Jennifer Lind from the US & Americas Programme to discuss the strategic outlook on the Korean peninsula and the wider region. They explore the key questions which the rest of the series will attempt to answer. Credits: Host: John Nilsson-Wright Speaker: Jennifer Lind Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode of Africa Aware, Dame Rosalind Marsden discusses the state of Sudan’s transition, while Dr Adam Elhiraika speaks about the country’s economic reform priorities and international support.
Despite a rapidly mounting domestic agenda, President Biden has already set up an ambitious foreign policy programme, from taking the United States back into the Paris Agreement to announcing the withdrawal troops from Afghanistan. To explore what we’ve learnt from the first three months of US foreign policy under President Biden, Ben is joined by Leslie Vinjamuri. Visit the Chatham House microsite: Credits: Speaker: Leslie Vinjamuri Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week the Climate Briefing turns its attention to how societies are can deal with the real-time effects of climate change. While mitigation remains a central focus of the international climate negotiations, vulnerable states and communities are calling for greater cooperation on addressing the fallout from climate-related environmental devastation. To discuss this, Anna is joined by H.E. Saida Muna Tasneem, Bangladesh's High Commissioner to the UK and Ambassador to Ireland and Liberia. They discuss the international politics around climate adaptation, and the contested issue of 'loss and damage'. Then Ben discusses how governments and aid agencies can improve adaptation practices through locally-led approaches, with Marek Soanes from the International Institute for Environment and Development. Read the IIED report: Credits: Speakers: Saida Muna Tasneem, Marek Soanes Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week the Undercurrents team dive into two critical issues for the global economy. Amrit speaks to Chris Sabatini from the US & Americas programme about his latest briefing on how governments and economic institutions can protect informal workers in the post-pandemic gig economy. Then Ben is joined by Yu Jie from the Asia-Pacific Programme, who explains the key developments and implications arising from China's 14th five-year plan, which was published in March 2021. Read the briefing: Read The World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Yu Jie, Chris Sabatini Hosts: Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Editor: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed much about how politicians, media and the wider public understand science. Ben is joined by to explore how science literacy can be improved. They also discuss how faulty science has contributed to the culture of structural racism revealed by the Black Lives Matter movement. Then Mariana speaks to Kiran Nazish from the about the experiences of women journalists on the frontlines of conflicts and upheaval. They discuss what measures are needed to support women in a profession which so often puts their rights and physical safety at risk. Credits: Speakers: Kiran Nazish, Angela Saini Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode Dr Alex Vines from Chatham House provides his insights on what the UK Government's Integrated Review will mean for its engagement with Africa. Then Shuvai Nyoni from the African Leadership Centre in Nairobi discusses how East Africa can leverage burgeoning interest for the benefit of its citizens and why approaches to tackle widespread insecurity in the region must be reframed. Credits: Speakers: Shuvai Nyoni, Alex Vines Host: Yusuf Hassan Editor: Jamie Reed Producers: Yusuf Hassan, Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
A week after the UK government published its , Ben is joined by two Chatham House experts to assess what we have learnt about the future of UK foreign policy. Richard Whitman from the Europe Programme explains the thinking behind the 'tilt' towards to the Indo-Pacific region, the key allies and relationships the UK will need to foster, and the role that development spending will play in realizing this articulation of Global Britain. Then Patricia Lewis from the International Security Programme provides an insight into the defence aspects of review, with particular emphasis on the shift in UK nuclear policy and the role that science and technology policy will play in building strategic resilience at home and abroad. Read the Expert Comments: Credits: Speakers: Patricia Lewis, Richard Whitman Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The Strategic Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific podcast follows a Chatham House research team as it travels to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, the Kingdom of Tonga and Japan to talk to strategic and policy experts about how they see the region evolving over the next few years.
Recorded between September 2019 and March 2020, the series captures trends as they were before COVID-19 and the global lockdown. The research paper, Indo-Pacific strategies, perceptions and partnerships: The view from seven countries, continues the story as it developed over the following year.
In this episode, recorded in October 2019, the team is in Paris, at the home of the project’s French partner, the Institute Francais des relations internationals, where research lead Cleo Paskal speaks with Dr. Francoise Nicolas.
The Strategic Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific podcast follows the Chatham House research team as it travels to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, the Kingdom of Tonga and Japan to talk to strategic and policy experts about how they see the region evolving over the next few years.
Recorded between September 2019 and March 2020, the series captures trends as they were before COVID-19 and the global lockdown. The research paper, Indo-Pacific strategies, perceptions and partnerships: The view from seven countries, continues the story as it developed over the following year.
In this episode, recorded in September 2019, the team is in London, where research lead Cleo Paskal speaks with Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti (Chatham House), Bill Hayton (Chatham House) and Veerle Nouwens (RUSI).
The Strategic Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific podcast follows the Chatham House research team as it travels to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, the Kingdom of Tonga and Japan to talk to strategic and policy experts about how they see the region evolving over the next few years.
Recorded between September 2019 and March 2020, the series captures trends as they were before COVID-19 and the global lockdown. The research paper, Indo-Pacific strategies, perceptions and partnerships: The view from seven countries, continues the story as it developed over the following year.
In this episode, recorded in February 2020, the team is in Nuku’alofa, at the home of the project’s Tongan partner, the Royal Oceania Institute. Research lead Cleo Paskal speaks with Ambassador Siamelie Latu about Sino-Tongan relations and Lord Fakafanua about Tonga's wider strategic positioning.
Interviewees:
Lord Fakafanua, Chairman of the Royal Oceania Institute and Tonga’s Speaker of Parliament.
Ambassador Siamelie Latu, Secretary- General of the Tonga-China Friendship Association.
The Strategic Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific podcast follows the Chatham House research team as it travels to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, the Kingdom of Tonga and Japan to talk to strategic and policy experts about how they see the region evolving over the next few years.
Recorded between September 2019 and March 2020, the series captures trends as they were before COVID-19 and the global lockdown. The research paper, Indo-Pacific strategies, perceptions and partnerships: The view from seven countries, continues the story as it developed over the following year.
In this episode, recorded in September 2019, the team is in Washington DC, at the home of the project’s American partner, the East West Center in Washington. Research lead Cleo Paskal speaks with Dr. Satu Limaye (East-West Center), Ambassador Steven McGann (Stevenson Group) and Richard Fontaine (Center for a New American Security).
The Strategic Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific podcast follows the Chatham House research team as it travels to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, the Kingdom of Tonga and Japan to talk to strategic and policy experts about how they see the region evolving over the next few years.
Recorded between September 2019 and March 2020, the series captures trends as they were before COVID-19 and the global lockdown. The research paper, Indo-Pacific strategies, perceptions and partnerships: The view from seven countries, continues the story as it developed over the following year.
In this episode, recorded in November 2019, the team is in Mumbai, at the home of the project’s Indian partner, Gateway House. Research lead Cleo Paskal speaks with Captain Alok Bansal, Anil Devli, and Arun Kumar Gupta.
The Strategic Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific podcast follows the Chatham House research team as it travels to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, India, the Kingdom of Tonga and Japan to talk to strategic and policy experts about how they see the region evolving over the next few years.
Recorded between September 2019 and March 2020, the series captures trends as they were before COVID-19 and the global lockdown. The research paper, Indo-Pacific strategies, perceptions and partnerships: The view from seven countries, continues the story as it developed over the following year.
In this episode, recorded in February 2020, the team is in Toyko at the home of our Japanese partner, the Indo-Pacific Studies Group. Research lead Cleo Paskal speaks with Yasuo Naito (Japan Forward), Yosuke Naito (writer and researcher) and Vice Admiral Yoji Koda (former commander in chief of Japan Maritime Self Defense Force).
In the week the UK government published its Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, Ben explores the recent history of UK foreign policy with Philip Stephens, the Chief Political Commentator for the Financial Times. Stephens' latest book, Britain Alone, traces the UK's pursuit of a global role after the fall of the British Empire. Imperial legacies are also the subject of this week's second interview. Lara Hollmann is joined by two of her Global Health Programme colleagues, Dr Ngozi Erondu and Dr Mishal Khan, to discuss efforts to decolonise the institutions and practices of global health. Find the book: Read the article:
A new collection of essays explores the role of time in military strategy. War Time: Temporality and the Decline of Western Military Power asks why, in an age of relative military dominance, the United States and its allies have become unable to successfully conclude conflicts. The book is the latest in the Chatham House Insights series, which is published by Brookings Institution Press. In this episode Ben is joined by the editors of War Time, Sten Rynning, Olivier Schmitt and Amelie Theussen, to discuss the influence of time on the political, strategic and normative aspects of military action. Find the book: Credits: Speakers: Sten Rynning, Olivier Schmitt, Amelie Theussen Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week, Undercurrents takes a deep dive into relations between North Korea and its neighbours. Dr John Nilsson-Wright from the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House interviews Mr Thae Yongho, a North Korean-born politician and member of South Korea's National Assembly. After serving as North Korea's Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Mr Thae defected from Kim Jong-Un's regime in 2016. In this discussion he shares his perspective on the domestic situation in North Korea, as well as how South Korea and the United States should be approaching relations with Kim Jong-Un. Then Amrit Swali is joined by Laura Dunkley from the Research Partnerships team to discuss a new toolkit developed by Chatham House, BASIC and the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy which sets out ways to mainstream gender in think tank research and events. Read the publication: Credits: Speakers: Laura Dunkley, John Nilsson-Wright, Thae Yongho Hosts: Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this episode of Africa Aware, Gita Honwana Welch highlights historical development challenges in the Sahel, and Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos discusses how responses to Jihadist groups in the Sahel must be rethought. Credits: Speakers: Gita Honwana Welch, Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos Host: Yusuf Hassan Editor: Jamie Reed Producers: Yusuf Hassan, Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week, Ben is joined by Claudia Sadoff, Managing Director for Research Delivery and Impact, to discuss the relationship between food systems, climate change and security. Claudia was speaking ahead of the launch of a new campaign from CGIAR and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Transforming Agricultural Innovation for Climate, Nature and People calls for half of public investments in agricultural innovation to focus on innovations that provide new solutions across the entire spectrum of our food and agricultural industries to support the UN Global Goals that related to food, climate and the environment. Then Mariana Vieira speaks to David Veveers, a historian at Queen Mary, University of London, about his recent article on the mis-remembering of British imperial history. They discuss how empire has shaped modern British society, and the troubling signs that the UK government may attempt to define the 'right' interpretation of the nation's history. Find out more: Read The World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Claudia Sadoff, David Veveers Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week Undercurrents is collaborating with the Asia Matters podcast to bring you two episodes on recent events in Southeast Asia. In this episode, Dr Champa Patel, Director of the Asia-Pacific programme at Chatham House, and Tin Htar Swe, the BBC’s former Burmese editor, provide their reaction to the ongoing coup in Myanmar. This episode was first published on 8 February 2021, and events on the ground since may have developed beyond those mentioned in this conversation. Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Champa Patel, Tin Htar Swe Host: Andrew Peaple Introduction: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by the Asia Matters podcast.
More than five years have passed since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and there are only nine months to go until COP26. To kick off its second season the Climate Briefing podcast focuses on how climate change politics have shifted since COP21 in Paris, and explores the roles of the three largest emitters – China, the United States and the EU – in global climate action. The episode also provides a timely recap of the main aims of COP26. To discuss these themes, Anna and Ben are joined by Camilla Born (Deputy Director of Strategy for COP26 in the UK Cabinet Office) and Antony Froggatt (Deputy Director of the Energy, Environment and Resources Programme at Chatham House). Credits: Speakers: Camilla Born, Antony Froggatt Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Original Music: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
As countries across the world begin to roll out vaccine programmes to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, questions are emerging over how to ensure that competition for supply does not derail the global response. In this week's Undercurrents, Amrit Swali speaks to about the looming threat of vaccine nationalism and what can be done to realize more equitable distribution. Next, Ben learns about the legal regimes that govern how militaries behave in the 'greyzone' between war and peace, with . They cover how militaries respond to threats such as cyber and economic warfare, and how the national security establishment can adapt to an evolving battlespace. Read the Expert Comment: Read the Expert Comment: Watch the Chatham House Event: Credits: Speakers: Juliet Skingsley, Rob Yates Hosts: Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
As African states find themselves in the midst of severe economic difficulty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Yusuf speaks to on the topic of debt on the continent, African risk perception and how the current system must be transformed to ensure it delivers for Africa. Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Tighisti Amare, Alex Vines, Carlos Lopes Host: Yusuf Hassan Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Undercurrents returns for its first episode of 2021 with an extended interview on the future of UK foreign policy. The United Kingdom is emerging from four long years of intense debate abouts its relationship with the European Union. While the effects of Brexit are still to be felt, questions now confront policymakers about how the UK should position itself in an increasingly complex global landscape. In this episode Ben is joined by Chatham House Director Dr Robin Niblett to discuss his new report, Global Britain, Global Broker, which proposes a new approach to understanding Britain's international role. Read the Chatham House report: Credits: Speaker: Dr Robin Niblett Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In the final episode of Undercurrents in 2020, Ben is joined by Yusuf Hassan from the Africa Programme for a preview of a new podcast series launching in January 2021. 2020 was anticipated to be a year of landmark elections across Africa in numerous countries at critical junctures in their transitions to electoral democracy. of the National Democratic Institute speaks to Yusuf about efforts to democratize Africa, democratic backsliding and the role of the civil society in bolstering democratic institutions. Dr Christopher also discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on democracy in Africa, and how the multifaceted challenges it poses must be addressed over the coming years. After the interview, Africa Programme colleagues Elizabeth Donnelly, Christopher Vandome and Ahmed Soliman consider the key challenges and events affecting Africa in 2021. Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton, Yusuf Hassan Speakers: Christopher Fomunyoh, Elizabeth Donnelly, Ahmed Soliman, Christopher Vandome Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
Undercurrents is back with two new interviews! This week, as President-elect Joe Biden’s transition to the White House gathers pace, Ben speaks to academic and author Claire Yorke about the role that empathy played in the 2020 election campaign. They talk about empathy as a dynamic in campaigns, but also as a tool for governing, and take a look at examples elsewhere in the world of political empathy in action. Then Ben is joined by Pepijn Bergsen from the Europe Programme at Chatham House. They discuss the current trajectory of EU-China relations, particularly in the economic sphere, and consider how COVID-19 and US trade wars have impacted this complex geopolitical situation. Read The World Today article: Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Pepijn Bergsen, Claire Yorke Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In the latest episode of the Climate Briefing, the team explore the concept of carbon pricing, a set of mechanisms which incentivise businesses and consumers to reduce their carbon emissions. Could these tactics play a big role in increasing national climate ambitions at COP26? To find out, Ben speaks to from Vivid Economics before Anna is joined by from the Perspectives Climate Group. They discuss the various policy tools that fall under the umbrella of carbon pricing and how these figure in the UN climate negotiations, particularly within the hotly contested discussions around Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Credits: Speakers: Stuart Evans, Aglaga Espelage Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Undercurrents returns with two new interviews! Since highly contentious elections in 2019, citizens across Thailand have engaged in largescale protests to call for constitutional reform. Ben speaks to about what the mass movement has demanded, and how the Thai government is responding so far. Then Ben is joined by to discuss how Bhutan started a global debate on gross national happiness. They discuss how Bhutan has influenced the sustainable development agenda at the United Nations and beyond, and consider what this means for small states more broadly. Read the International Affairs article:
In the final instalment of Who Rules Cyberspace? Ben and Joyce are joined by two cyber experts to explore future developments in cyber governance. Kerstin Vignard of UNIDIR reflects on the progress achieved so far through the United Nations processes, and the challenges that lie ahead at future negotiations. Then former cyber diplomat Chris Painter explains how technological innovations could change the debate on regulating the internet, and how these conversations can be made more relevant for wider society. Read the Journal of Cyber Policy article: Watch the video: Credits: Speakers: Chris Painter, Kirsten Vignard Hosts: Joyce Hakmeh, Ben Horton Editor: Esther Naylor Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
While international debates on cyber governance can often seem dominated by governments and powerful multi-national corporations, there remains an important role for civil society organisations to play. In this episode of Who Rules Cyberspace? Ben and Joyce speak to cyber experts from the civil society space to find out more. Ben considers the avenues available for civil society to engage with the UN processes on cyber governance with Allison Pytlak from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Then Joyce speaks to Arindrajit Basu from the Centre for Internet and Society about the capacity-building role civil society can play in emerging economies. Credits: Speakers: Arindrajit Basu, Allison Pytlak Hosts: Joyce Hakmeh, Ben Horton Editor: Esther Naylor Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
As the first two episodes of Who Rules Cyberspace? have shown, much of the debate around cyber governance at the state level takes place within highly complex United Nations processes. Beyond the high-level diplomacy, however, a wide range of non-state actors are working to develop international solutions to cyber governance. In this episode Ben and Joyce speak to representatives from the private sector to find out how businesses are responding to the challenge. Casper Klynge (VP for European Government Affairs at Microsoft) outlines the apporach that tech companies are taking to support the diplomatic process, and Ria Thomas (Managing Director at Polynia Advisory) explains why non-tech businesses must make cyberspace a higher priority. Credits: Speakers: Casper Klynge, Ria Thomas Hosts: Joyce Hakmeh, Ben Horton Editor: Esther Naylor Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In Episode 2 of Who Rules Cyberspace? Ben and Joyce find out how states are approaching the debate on cyber governance at the United Nations. Through the GGE and OEWG processes, the UN has attempted to be the forum where countries could come together to find solutions to these issues. However, as was explained in , there remain many obstacles to international cooperation on cyber governance. In this episode Joyce speaks to Moliehi Makumane, Special Advisor to South Africa's GGE representative, about her country's approach to the UN negotiations and how so-called developing countries can wield influence in this arena. Then Ben speaks to Carmen Gonsalves from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs about how states can encourage respect for existing norms around cyber governance, and how the potential of the UN processes can be realised. Credits: Speakers: Carmen Gonsalves, Moliehi Makumane Hosts: Joyce Hakmeh, Ben Horton Editor: Esther Naylor Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
A new Chatham House mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed explores the ongoing international debate on how to govern cyberspace. In the first episode of Who Rules Cyberspace? Ben Horton and Dr Joyce Hakmeh, from the International Security Programme at Chatham House, trace the recent history of cyberspace and outline the major dividing lines that characterise debates at the United Nations and beyond. For the rest of this week Ben and Joyce will be interviewing a wide range of individuals from governments, the private sector and civil society to find out the latest thinking on how cyberspace can be made a safe and prosperous tool for societies throughout the world. Read the Journal of Cyber Policy article: Watch the video:
Note: this episode was recorded at 9am (GMT) on Friday 6 November 2020. Three days after polls closed in the highest turnout presidential election in US history, the result is still yet to be definitively decided. As the dust begins to settle Ben speaks to and to find out: what lessons can be drawn from the election so far; what we can expect from both candidates in the coming days as the results are contested; and how the result might affect US foreign policy. Read the Chatham House Report: Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Michael Cox, Leslie Vinjamuri Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
Throughout the world, journalists and other news workers are facing new and growing threats. From the state-sponsored killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the state-led harassment of Maria Ressa, to the suppression of dissent in Hong Kong and the demonization of journalists by the Trump administration, the excesses of the state are endangering the lives and livelihoods of journalists as they seek to produce public interest media. These risks are exacerbated by the viral disinformation crisis which was discussed in Episode 2 of the series. This episode focuses on the various threats facing media professionals, and consider new initiatives seeking to protect their rights at a multilateral and local level. Guests include Maria Ressa (CEO and Editor in Chief of ), David Kaye ( and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression), Caoilfhionn Gallagher (QC, ) and Joel Simon (Executive Director, ). Credits: Speakers: Caoilfhionn Gallagher, David Kaye, Maria Ressa, Joel Simon Hosts: Ben Horton, Julie Posetti Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House, in collaboration with Luminate and the International Center for Journalists.
The second episode of Future-Proofing Media Freedom looks at how media organisations are responding to the ongoing crisis of disinformation. As landmark elections loom in, among other countries, the US and Myanmar, the role of the media as a source of trusted, accurate information is under renewed scrutiny. Social media-driven disinformation campaigns have been regular features of many recent electoral events, from the UK’s referendum on Europe to the 2016 US presidential election, and countless other local and national elections around the world. How can media organisations counter the spread of fake news, and support informed, transparent elections? Have new strategies emerged since 2016 to address disinformation campaigns? What should governments be doing to support the media sector in these endeavours? To discuss these questions Ben Horton and Dr Julie Posetti are joined by Mevan Babakar (Deputy CEO of Full Fact), Melissa Fleming (United Nations Under-Secretary General for Global Communications), Sonny Swe (Founder of Frontier Myanmar) and Dr Ethan Zuckerman (Founder of the Institute for Digital Public Infrastructure). Read the report: Credits: Speakers: Mevan Babakar, Melissa Fleming, Sonny Swe, Ethan Zuckerman Hosts: Ben Horton, Julie Posetti Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House, in collaboration with Luminate and the International Center for Journalists.
Future-Proofing Media Freedom, the new mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed, is a collaboration between Chatham House, Luminate, and the International Center for Journalists. Presented by Ben Horton, host of the Undercurrents podcast, and Julie Posetti, Global Director of Research at the ICFJ, the series explores the challenges facing public interest media in the 21st century and highlights how a range of actors are seeking to tackle them. The rise of the major social media platforms and the internet-driven proliferation of news and analysis which is free at the point of delivery, has fundamentally undermined traditional media business models. From the controversies over the BBC licence fee model, to the slow death of local news outlets, the economic strain has rarely felt more pressing. Beyond advertising and subscription business models, what solutions exist to ensure the survival of independent media organisations? To answer this question, Ben and Julie are joined by Joyce Barnathan (President of the International Center for Journalists), Nishant Lalwani (Managing Director of Luminate) and Renata Rizzi (founder and strategy lead of Nexo, a Sao Paolo-based news start-up).
Credits: Speakers: Joyce Barnathan, Nishant Lalwani, Renata Rizzi Hosts: Ben Horton, Julie Posetti Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.
Undercurrents returns with two new interviews! As the conflict in Syria raged after 2011, a wide range of state and non-state actors competed for territory, population control and domination of the country's resources. One such resource was water, with access to critical infrastructure like dams acting both as a driver of fierce fighting and brittle compromises. has studied the ways in which water was weaponized during the Syrian conflict, revealing how the Assad regime interacted with actors like ISIS and the Kurdish-led rebel forces in complex struggles to control this scarce resource. Ben spoke to Marwa to find out more. Depression is the predominant mental health problem worldwide - it is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem and major depression is thought to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. In his new book, , explores his personal struggle with depression and its impact on his political and family life. Agnes spoke to Alastair about his experiences, and how mental health is (or is not) addressed more broadly within UK politics. Read the International Affairs article:
The media cycle in the US and across the world is consumed by the final weeks of the 2020 presidential election, with incumbent Donald Trump hoping to win a second term against the challenge of former Vice-President Joe Biden. Much of the debates around the election have focused on the response to COVID-19, and the candidates' positions on issues related to 'law and order'. But what will the election mean for climate policy? And how will the result affect the international negotiations at COP26 and beyond? To find out Anna speaks to , an energy and climate change reporter at Axios, about Trump's first term of climate policy and the campaign pledges of the respective candidates. Then Ben discusses the international implications with , the Executive Director of Greenpeace International. Credits: Speakers: Amy Harder, Jennifer Morgan Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The Climate Briefing returns from its summer break with a deepdive into the history of the international climate agenda. of the Grantham Institute speaks to Ben about the origins of the UN-led climate negotiations, and explains why some conferences have been more successful than others. Then Anna discusses the historic role developing countries have played in the climate agenda with from the London School of Economics. Read the International Affairs article:
Design in an Age of Crisis is a new mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Great design thinking can play a major role in improving our health and wellbeing, by strengthening our resilience to illness, and to major pandemics, like COVID-19. It can also be focused on helping the most marginalized members of the society. In this episode, , and discuss how design can empower marginalised groups within society, and improve health and social care. Design In An Age Of Crisis is a global open call from the and . The open call is looking for radical and rapid responses, in any format, to problems facing humanity across four briefs: Health, Environment, Work and Society. Read the briefs and submit your radical design thinking by 31 August 2020. Submit your radical design idea: Credits: Speakers: Professor Dame Sally Davies, Kelly Doran and Charlene Prempeh Host: Ana Yang Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Design In An Age of Crisis is a new mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed. COVID-19 could provide a moment to recast work as a social as well as economic activity, as business models change and people find new ways of organising work and life. At the same time, the pandemic has demonstrated the urgent need for us to radically rethink environments to be sustainable, just and resilient in the face of shocks to come, including the climate and biodiversity crises. In this episode, and discuss the role design could play in making work more meaningful, and in designing better, more sustainable places. Design In An Age Of Crisis is a global open call from the and . The open call is looking for radical and rapid responses, in any format, to problems facing humanity across four briefs: Health, Environment, Work and Society. Read the briefs and submit your radical design thinking by 31 August 2020. Submit your radical design idea: Credits: Speakers: Bruce Daisley, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg Host: Ana Yang Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Design In An Age of Crisis is a new mini-series on the Undercurrents podcast feed. On 22 July 2020, and launched an inviting radical design solutions from the world’s design community, the public and young people. The open call hopes to harness the creativity that comes from crisis. In this episode, and Rose Abdollahzadeh explain the role design can play in solving the challenges facing our world as a part of the launch of our international call for radical design solutions. Design In An Age Of Crisis is a global open call from Chatham House and London Design Biennale, inviting radical design thinking from the world’s design community, the public and young people. The open call is looking for radical and rapid responses, in any format, to problems facing humanity across four briefs: Health, Environment, Work and Society. Read the briefs and submit your radical design thinking by 31 August 2020. Submit your radical design idea: Credits: Speakers: Rose Abdollahzadeh and Sir John Sorrell Host: Ana Yang Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The Climate Briefing returns with two new interviews on the transition towards a renewable energy sector. It is widely acknowledged that slowing climate change will be impossible without reducing the global reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy. In this episode, Ben and Anna speak to from Chatham House, and from the UK Cabinet Office, to assess the recent progress of the 'energy transition' and consider whether the coronavirus pandemic will accelerate or obstruct efforts to introduce cleaner energy sources. Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Daniel Quiggin, Simon Sharpe Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Policy-makers and researchers are daily confronted by violent images that influence how complex political problems are seen and consequently understood. From bodycam footage revealing acts of police brutality, to media coverage of the catastrophic impact of the refugee crisis, depictions of violence and horror spread at startling speed through social media platforms, drawing out powerful emotional responses from public and policymaker alike. In the last episode of Undercurrents before the summer break, Ben speaks to three academics whose work explores the connections between violent images and politics. explains how images of suffering children are deployed in political debates around interventions. shows how horror movies provide a space for understanding public responses to apocalyptic events such as nuclear war or global pandemics. then discusses how social media platforms accelerate the spread of violent images, and the effects this has on policy responses. Read the International Affairs article: Read the International Affairs article: Read the International Affairs article: Credits: Speakers: Helen Berents, Constance Duncombe, Stefanie Fishel Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The meeting that called into being the British Institute of International Affairs was held on July 5, 1920 at the Royal Society of Arts on the Strand. The institute, as noted by Arthur Balfour, UK foreign secretary until the previous year, would cultivate ‘mutual comprehension between different nations and between the leaders of thought in different communities’. 100 years later, Chatham House remains a centre for debate and exchange on the major issues shaping international affairs. Undercurrents is marking the Chatham House centenary with an episode on the history of the institute. You'll hear from librarian Malcolm Madden about the origins of Chatham House, and then a selection of current Chatham House staff tell us about the events and speakers they have most enjoyed during their time at the institute. Watch the Events: Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Malcolm Madden, Zara Berry, Yusuf Hassan, Kamil Hussain, Glada Lahn, Jo Maher, Esther Naylor, James Nixey, Alan Philps Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The 21st century has been a time of significant change for the global LGBTQ+ movement. While same-sex marriage and gender transition are increasingly celebrated in some parts of the world, laws to criminalise homosexuality and gender non-conformity have been strengthened in others. In this episode, Ben speaks to journalist to find out more. Then Agnes discusses China's global reputation with from the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House. They cover how the coronavirus pandemic may have affected China's soft power, and also how the country is positioning itself in the international debate on climate change. Find the book: Read the article: Credits: Speakers: Sam Geall, Mark Gevisser Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Industry accounts for approximately 24% of global CO2 emissions, and the decarbonisation of the sector is therefore essential to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. To date, however, the emissions from 'heavy' industries - like cement, steel and chemicals - have been considered particularly difficult to abate. This episode focuses on the strategies that can be deployed to enable the industrial sectors in both developed and developing countries to reach net-zero emissions. Ben speaks to from the University of Cambridge about the range of policy solutions available to support decarbonisation. Then Johanna discusses how the UK Government is approaching this issue with Catherine Barber from the UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Credits: Speakers: Catherine Barber, Steve Evans Hosts: Ben Horton, Johanna Tilkanen Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
While in recent times much attention has been paid in the media to the machinations of trade negotiations, from chlorinated chicken imports to fishing quotas, an often-overlooked concern is how such agreements fail to take account of human rights. In this discussion and Rosie Beacock explain why human rights impacts are so difficult to monitor, and what steps governments and international organisations could take to better protect their citizens. Read the Research Paper: Credits: Speakers: Rosie Beacock, Jennifer Zerk Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House
In the first of two episodes this week, Agnes takes a deep dive into the politics of statues with historian and from the Africa Programme at Chatham House. They discuss the recent removal of the statue of slave-trader and philanthropist Edward Colston in Bristol, UK, and more broadly consider the significance of statues as public history. Read the Article: Credits: Speakers: Yusuf Hassan, Charlotte Riley Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The first term of Donald Trump's presidency has coincided with what many see as a fundamental shift in US foreign policy. Rather than viewing Trump as the exception to a past 'norm', argues that his administration is the latest expression of the characteristics that mark out the US from other western states. Ben is joined by Bruno to discuss the political implications of American exceptionalism. Then Agnes speaks to about the life and work of Rosemary Hollis, a former head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, who passed away in June 2020. Rosemary was a highly respected authority on the Middle East, and is remembered with great respect and affection, as a colleague and a friend. Read the memorial: Read the obituary: Find the book: Credits: Speakers: Ian Black, Bruno Maçães Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
The tragic killing of George Floyd in Minnesota at the end of May has sparked a wave of protests in the US and around the world. It has also sparked an important, long-overdue and often difficult, discussion on racism. This week Ben speaks to about the issue of race in UK politics, and the obstacles that face ethnic minority individuals seeking to pursue a career in Westminster. Then Agnes discusses the tensions between expertise and politics in the response to the coronavirus pandemic with . Explore the New York Times reading list: , by Ibram X. Kendi Read The World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Yusuf Hassan, Calum Inverarity Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
In this week's episode Ben speaks to Erin Baines and Camile Oliviera about their research on the social status of children born as the result of ‘forced marriage’ during the Ugandan civil war of the 1990s and early 2000s, and attempts by some of the fathers to assume responsibility for their care and well-being. Children ‘born of war’ are increasingly recognized as a particular victim group in relevant international policy frameworks. Their social status falls somewhere between the victimization of their mother and perpetration of their father. Given the circumstances of their birth, they often experience social rejection and loss of identity with a long-term impact on their well-being. In fieldwork carried out between 2016 and 2019, Baines and Oliviera gathered the experiences of many men who served in the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group with links to widespread human rights abuses including the abduction of children. Warning: sensitive content including references to sexual violence in this episode may upset or offend. Read the International Affairs article: Credits: Speakers: Erin Baines, Camile Oliviera Hosts: Ben Horton, Agnes Frimston Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
Finance plays a key role in enabling climate change mitigation and adaptation. It is also a contested issue in the UN climate negotiations. The UK Government has made climate finance one of its top thematic priorities for COP26 and 2020 constitutes the deadline for developed countries to mobilise USD 100 billion per year to support climate action in developing countries. This week the Climate Briefing team speak to three experts to find out more. , from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explains the key debates surrounding climate financing. Tenzin Wangmo, Lead Negotiator for the outlines how developing countries view these financial concerns. Finally, Rachel Ward from the provides an insight into how investors are approaching the issue. Read the meeting summary: Credits: Speakers: Matias Frumerie, Tenzin Wangmo, Rachel Ward Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton, Johanna Tilkanen Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week the Undercurrents team present a double-bill of interviews exploring the politics of Israel. Agnes discusses the recent political fortunes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with , including the domestic and foreign policy implications of his ongoing corruption trial. Then Ben speaks to and about their investigation into the identity politics behind Israel's hosting of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Read the Expert Comment: Read the International Affairs article: Watch the team's favourite song from Eurovision 2020: Credits: Speakers: Yossi Mekelberg, Galia Press-Barnathan, Naama Lutz Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week the Undercurrents team explore two perspectives on the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ben speaks to from the Asia-Pacific Programme about the Indian government's response to the virus, exploring the impact of a severe lockdown and the limitations of a new contact tracing app. Then Agnes discusses how the media has covered the crisis with of the . What is the media's role during such catastrophes? And how far can it go in terms of critiquing government policy? Read the Expert Comment: Read the World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Urvashi Aneja, James Ball Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week Agnes is joined by Lysa John, the Secretary-General of , to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on worker's rights across the world. Then Ben speaks to Leena Hoffmann from the Africa Programme at Chatham House about the food security crisis in West Africa and the Sahel. They explore the challenges facing governments in the region as they attempt to ensure their citizens have access to food despite the disruption caused by COVID-19. Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Lysa John, Leena Hoffmann Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Edited and produced by Chatham House
In this bonus episode , Director of the Energy, Environment and Resources Programme at Chatham House, speaks to Anna about the environmental implications of COVID-19. How might manmade pressures on the environment have contributed to the emergence of the virus? What are the environmental impacts of the virus-driven economic slowdown? And how can we rebuild society in a more sustainable way in the wake of this crisis? Read the BBC article: Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speaker: Tim Benton Host: Anna Aberg Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House
This week, Ben speaks to from the Global Health Programme about the WHO's communication challenges around the coronavirus. They explore how pandemics are defined, and the implications of when the announcement was made. Then Agnes meets to find out how former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has gained political office in Ukraine. Read the Expert Comments: Credits: Speakers: Charles Clift, Max Fras Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
This week Agnes speaks to about how states can learn the lessons from our coronavirus response, and better prepare for future pandemics. Then Ben meets to find out about a speech given at Chatham House in 1931 by Mahatma Gandhi, as part of his campaign for Indian independence. Read the Expert Comment: Read The World Today article: Read Gandhi's speech: Credits: Speakers: Patricia Lewis, Gitika Bhardwaj Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
Extreme weather, rising sea levels and a melting Arctic - the effects of climate change are posing an increasingly large threat to national security worldwide. In this episode the team explore the implications of climate change for national security, and how the defence establishment is incorporating environmental concerns into its military planning. Anna speaks to about the threats posed by climate change, before Ben asks how militaries and international organisations are adapting to these threats. Follow us on Twitter: Credits: Speakers: Neil Morisetti, Patricia Lewis Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
This week, Agnes speaks to Chatham House Senior Press Officer Jordan Lim about the challenges facing governments and the media as they try to communicate effectively during the coronavirus pandemic. Then Ben discusses the prospect of justice for the Rohingya community, with from the Asia-Pacific Programme. Sandra explains the ongoing international investigations into Myanmar's treatment of their Rohingya minority population, and highlights the lessons that can be drawn from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia. Subscribe to the Newsletter: Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Jordan Lim, Sandra Smits Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
Undercurrents returns from remote corners of lockdown UK to discuss how the EU has responded to the coronavirus pandemic, and to find out how celebrity interacts with politics. This week, Ben speaks to about the economic impact of Europe's lockdown measures, and the challenges facing the Eurozone as the pandemic continues. Then Agnes meets to discuss his new book on the history of celebrity. Read the Expert Comment: Read The World Today article: Find the book: Credits: Speakers: Pepijn Bergsen and Greg Jenner Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
After a short hiatus Undercurrents will return in a few days. In the meantime we are bringing you an excerpt from , a new podcast series from the Energy, Environment and Resources Programme at Chatham House. Ben speaks to Jennifer Austin, Policy Director of the , about the role that business can play in addressing the climate emergency. Listen to the full series:
The Climate Briefing returns with interviews on European approaches to climate action, and the role that business can play in achieving the Paris Agreement goals. Johanna and Ben are joined in the studio by two guests; Imke Lubbeke, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy at the , and Jen Austin, Policy Director of the coalition. Please note: this episode was recorded prior to the postponement of COP26 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Read the Meeting Summary: Follow us on Twitter: Credits: Speakers: Imke Lubbeke, Jen Austin Hosts: Johanna Tilkanen, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
This week the Undercurrents team explores the debate around intelligence accountability, and asks who should be paying to fix climate change. How can democratic governments hold intelligence and security agencies to account when what they do is largely secret? Agnes meets author Jamie Gaskarth to find out how intelligence professionals view accountability in the context of 21st century politics. Next, Ben discusses climate financing with Iseoluwa Akintunde. While all states have a role in addressing the threat of climate change, some argue that developed countries should bear more of the financial burden. Find the book: Read the Chatham House Interview:
In this Chatham House event, consider the current state of Indian politics. 2019 saw a number of political developments in India that brought into question Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) commitment to one of India’s founding principles: secularism. The fallout from Modi and his party’s revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, updates to the National Register of Citizens and the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill have arguably demonstrated that power-sharing arrangements based on group divisions and representations fail to accord adequate protection to minorities in India in line with the country’s constitution. The panel assess the capacity of India’s republican framework to withstand the BJP and Prime Minister Modi’s brand of nationalism. What do recent developments tell us about Modi and the BJP’s vision for India and how do we explain this paradox where, despite a strong political centre, the BJP is faced with regional insecurity? How might India reconcile its behaviour in the domestic sphere with its ambition as an emerging power that supports the rules-based order? And in the year of its 70th anniversary, how compatible has India’s constitution proved with the country’s ongoing religious and cultural divides? Credits: Speakers: , , , Hosts: Ludivine Rebet, Amrit Swali Recorded and produced at Chatham House
A new documentary from Pakistani-American director explores the politics behind Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. The film follows conservative cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi and examines the cases of those accused of disrespecting Islam, including Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who spent almost 10 years on death row. This week Agnes and Ben meet with Mohamed to discuss the making of the film and also consider how documentary films can drive political change. Watch the BBC Storyville documentary: [available in UK only] Credits: Speaker: Mohamed Ali Naqvi Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
In this Chatham House event , CEO of International Crisis Group, discusses the major security flashpoints facing the world in 2020 with . They identify key challenges for international relations, discuss the potential for national and regional political instability and consider how these issues may impact foreign policy, international security and democratic governance. Read the report: Credits: Speakers: Robert Malley, Leslie Vinjamuri Hosts: Ludivine Rebet, Amrit Swali Recorded and produced at Chatham House
The Climate Briefing is a monthly podcast from Chatham House, exploring the major issues shaping international debates around climate change. In this first episode, the team focus on what happened – and what didn’t happen - at the last UN Climate Change Conference, the COP25 in Madrid, and what it will mean for the upcoming COP26 in Glasgow. Anna and Johanna are joined by two guests; Archie Young, the UK’s lead climate negotiator, and Peter Betts, an Associate Fellow at Chatham House with long experience from the UN climate negotiations. Read the Meeting Summary: Outcomes of the Madrid COP25 and what this means for 2020. [Forthcoming] Follow us on Twitter: Credits: Speakers: Peter Betts, Archibald Young Hosts: Anna Aberg, Johanna Tilkanen, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
This week Undercurrents returns with interviews on decolonization and the impact of the coronavirus crisis on China’s economy. Ben is joined by Events team colleague Amrit Swali to interview and about the decolonization process. They explore the role of civic institutions in re-thinking the legacies of the British Empire and breaking down colonial power structures which survive to this day. Next, Agnes discusses the Coronavirus crisis with from the Asia-Pacific Programme. They assess the impact of the health emergency on China's economy and its reputation globally. Watch the Chatham House Event: Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: Listen to the new podcast: Credits: Speakers: Tristram Hunt, Meera Sabaratnam, Yu Jie Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House
In this Chatham House event, Penny Mordaunt MP draws on her extensive government experience to discuss how soft power can protect, promote and project Britain’s international interests and foreign policy agenda. Can the UK develop a long term approach that brings together all of the components of its soft power for a common purpose? What are the key sources of Britain’s soft power? How has Brexit affected perceptions of Britain internationally? And with the UK’s departure from the European Union now confirmed, how should we think about its soft power in the future? Credits: Speakers: Penny Mordaunt MP, Thomas Raines Hosts: Ludivine Rebet, Amrit Swali Recorded and produced at Chatham House.
This week Ben explores the political outlook in Kazakshtan with colleagues from the Russia and Eurasia Programme. Kazakhstan is at a turning point in its history. A partial handover of political power through an orchestrated transition in 2019 has taken the country into uncharted territory. Will it be able to pursue modernization and reform, and break from its authoritarian past? In this episode Ben speaks to and from the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House to find out more. Afterwards Ben is joined by Communications Department colleague Jemma Finnegan to discuss a new youth engagement project, Common Futures Conversations. Read the Chatham House Report: Learn about the project: Credits: Speakers: James Nixey, Kate Mallinson and Jemma Finnegan Host: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House
As the New Year dawned a serious crisis emerged in the Middle East after US President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds special forces. In the aftermath Ben and Agnes speak to two experts about the background to the crisis. , Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme, joins Ben to provide some historical context to the state of domestic politics in Iran and the factors driving its foreign policy. Agnes then speaks to , a Senior Research Fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme, who explains the effects of the crisis on the political situation in Iraq and delves into the history of Iran-Iraq relations. Read the Expert Comments:
In this final episode before Christmas the team discuss the implications of the UK General Election, before Ben meets Ukrainian opposition politician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. As the dust begins to settle after an intense general election campaign in the UK, Ben and Agnes are joined by Tom Raines to reflect on the implications of Boris Johnson's victory for British domestic politics and the UK's policy overseas. Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is a Ukrainian activist and politician, who in 2019 founded a new political party, Golos. In legislative elections this year the party made a statement by winning 20 seats in the Ukrainian parliament. Ben meets Svyatoslav to discuss the challenges facing Ukraine at home and abroad. Read the Chatham House Expert Comments: What Boris Johnson's Big Win Means for Brexit and Scotland UK General Election 2019: The UK's New Foreign Policy Divide Credits: Speakers: Thomas Raines and Svyatoslav Vakarchuk Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House
This week Ben takes a deep dive into the US-China economic competition over technology, and then discusses intelligence agencies in the Global South. Marianne Schneider-Petsinger from the Americas Programme and Yu Jie from the Asia-Pacific Programme explain their recent co-authored report on US-China strategic competition, and Zakia Shiraz from the University of Leicester draws on her recent article in International Affairs to explore the culture and practice of intelligence agencies beyond the 'Five Eyes' alliance. Read the Chatham House Research Paper: US-China Strategic Competition: The Quest for Global Technological Leadership Read the International Affairs article: Secrecy, spies and the global South: intelligence studies beyond the 'Five eyes' alliance
Undercurrents returns with interviews on data-driven advertising in media and politics, and why Chile had to give up the COP25 climate conference. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning have given advertisers the tools to target specific groups of people with personalised messaging. In a new research paper for the International Security Department at Chatham House, Sophia Ignatidou explores how this personalisation is changing the media and political landscapes for the worse. In October this year, the Chilean government were forced to cancel the COP25 climate conference due to mass protests on the streets of Santiago. Patrick Schröder from the Energy, Environment and Resources Department joins Ben to explain how the unrest demosntrates the importance of ensuring a 'just transition' to a sustainable future. Read Chatham House Expert Comments: New Reports on Online Influence Operations Should Jolt Policymakers Chile's Social Unrest: Why It's Time to Get Serious About a 'Just' Transition
Undercurrents is back with two new interviews! This week Ben speaks to Ory Okolloh from Luminate about the flows of dark money permeating the global economy, and how they could endanger democracy. Then Cleo Paskal of the Asia-Pacific programme and Energy, Environment & Resources department at Chatham House joins us to discuss a new project on the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific region. Read the Chatham House Expert Perspective: Drive Global Action on Money-Laundering Read The World Today article: Western allies, divided loyalties
In the second summer special episode of Undercurrents, Ben speaks to Allison Gardner about how to prevent bias in AI. Artificial intelligence is widely heralded as a key component of the 'fourth industrial revolution', a wave of technological innovation which will transform the global economy. The concepts of driver-less cars and facial recognition technology have gained many headlines, but have not been universally welcomed. This week Ben speaks to Allison Gardner, Lecturer in Bioinformatics at Keele University and co-founder of Women Leading in AI, to find out how policy-makers and businesses can work together to ensure AI becomes a force for good. They also discuss the challenge of algorithmic bias, and explore why the tech industry remains so dominated by men. Watch the Chatham House Event: Shaping the Future We Want: Women Driving the Digital Revolution Watch the lecture: Diversity and gender bias in artificial intelligence Credits: Speaker: Allison Gardner Host: Ben Horton Edited and produced at Chatham House, London
In the first of two summer specials, Ben interviews the former Deputy Foreign Minister of Mexico about the state of Mexican politics under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In July 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador - commonly referred to as AMLO - was elected president with 53 per cent of the vote on a platform pledging to rid Mexico of corruption, stifle the country’s drug war and offer support for its most vulnerable. Entering office in December, his approval rating was 83 per cent. However, eight months on and AMLO’s approval ratings are at risk with much of the international discourse focusing on how the country is responding to threats of sanctions and tariffs from its northern neighbour as well as how AMLO's campaign promises have or have not been kept. This week Ben speaks to Ambassador Andrés Rozental, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Mexico and special advisor at Chatham House, about how far AMLO has delivered on his campaign promises, and how Mexico's relations with its western hemisphere neighbours are developing. Read the Expert Comment: Can AMLO Live Up To Mexico's Expectations? Credits: Speaker: Andrés Rozental Host: Ben Horton Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House, London
In the last full episode before Undercurrents' summer break, Ben is joined by Chatham House colleague Leah de Haan for two interviews from the annual Gender and Growth Forum. Ben speaks with Rosamund Ebdon, Head of Policy at Plan International, about a new report looking at girls' perceptions of leadership. They discuss how to improve the gender balance in management, the importance of role models and whether society's understanding of leadership qualities should change. Leah then explores the challenges presented by ageing populations, particularly prevalent in Europe, with leading demography expert Sergei Scherbov. They assess whether existing policy is properly adjusted to meet the needs of older people, and what else can be done. Watch highlights of the 2019 Chatham House Gender and Growth Forum: Shaping the Future We Want Read the report: Taking the Lead: Girls and Young Women on Changing the Face of Leadership Credits: Speakers: Rosamund Ebdon and Sergei Scherbov Hosts: Ben Horton and Leah de Haan Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Record and produced at Chatham House, London
In the latest episode Ben speaks to Hussein Kesvani about the impact of the internet on British Muslim society. What does it mean to be Muslim in Britain today? If the media is anything to go by, it has something to do with mosques, community leaders, whether you wear a veil, and your views on religious extremists. But as all our lives become increasingly entwined with our online presence, British Islam has evolved into a multidimensional cultural identity that goes well beyond the confines of the mosque. Ben discusses this transition with author and journalist Hussein Kesvani, whose latest book Follow Me, Akhi reveals how a new generation of young Muslims who have grown up with the internet are using social media to determine their religious identity on their own terms. Find the book: Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims Credits: Speaker: Hussein Kesvani Host: Ben Horton Editor: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House, London
This week the team explore the changed political landscape in Europe after the European Parliamentary Elections, and discover the obstacles to sustainable development in Colombia. Average voter turnout across the continent in the recent European elections was higher than at any time since the turn of the century. Agnes meets Tom Raines, Head of the Europe Programme at Chatham House, to discuss the implications of the vote for the UK and beyond. In 2016 the Colombian government agreed a peace deal with revolutionary armed group the FARC, ending a civil war that lasted more than 50 years. The aftermath of the deal has seen rapid economic development, but at a cost to the environment. Ben finds out more from Melissa MacEwen from the Energy, Environment and Resources Department at Chatham House. Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: May Leaves, but Brexit Remains Read the article: Colombia's Struggle for Sustainable Development
Every sixth child on earth is now affected by armed conflict. The nature of warfare is changing – with devastating impact on children. At the See Me Safe Centenary Symposium, organised by Save the Children and Chatham House, experts and campaigners gathered to discuss how to protect children living through conflict. In this episode Ben and Agnes speak to three participants at the event to find out more. Kirsty McNeill, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save the Children, provides an overview of the scale of the challenges facing children in war. Abdulkarim Albrem, Youth Ambassador for the UNHCR's Global Youth Advisory Council, explains how the international community can do more to improve the lives of child refugees, drawing on his own experiences of the Syrian civil war. Shaheed Fatima QC, Barrister at Blackstone Chambers, assesses the current state of international law regarding the protection of children in conflict and suggests some improvements. Read the Save the Children report: Stop the War on Children: Protecting Children in 21st Century Conflict Credits: Speakers: Patricia Lewis, Kirsty McNeill, Abdulkarim Albrem, Shaheed Fatima Hosts: Ben Horton, Agnes Frimston Editor: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded at Church House, Westminster Produced at Chatham House
To mark the 2019 European parliamentary elections the Undercurrents team speak to Elisabeth von Hammerstein, Programme Director for International Affairs at the Körber-Stiftung, about the political outlook in Germany. They discuss among other things the rise of the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland, Germany's stance on European integration and the foreign policy legacy of Chancellor Merkel. Read the Chatham House blogpost: What to Expect From the EU Elections Credits: Speakers: Elisabeth von Hammerstein, Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Editor: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House, London
In a bonus episode of Undercurrents, Chatham House Director Robin Niblett travels to California to discuss the linkages between technology and international affairs with Casper Klynge, Denmark's Tech Ambassador. This podcast is a collaboration with Techplomacy Talk. Listen to more from that series here. Credits: Speakers: Casper Klynge and Robin Niblett Editor: Ben Horton Recorded in Silicon Valley, Palo Alto Produced at Chatham House, London
Undercurrents returns with two new interviews this week; on life as a Chinese millennial, and how targeted attacks on infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza affect the lives of civilians. Karoline Kan, author of Under Red Skies, speaks to Agnes Frimston about being a second daughter under China’s one-child policy and what Brexit looks like from the East. Next Ben Horton meets Erika Weinthal, a recent contributor to International Affairs, at the International Studies Association conference in Toronto. They discuss the problem of targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza, and what the international community can do in response. Read the interview in The World Today: Karoline Kan on being a Chinese millennial Read the article in International Affairs: Targeting infrastructure and livelihoods in the West Bank and Gaza Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Editors: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Record and produced at Chatham House, London
This week marks the anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2286, which calls for the protection of healthcare workers in areas of conflict. Three years since its adoption medical professionals are some of the most targeted civilians in warzones across the world. In this episode Ben discusses the Resolution with Rita Dayoub from the Centre on Global Health Security at Chatham House.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will elect a new director-general in June. The FAO is a central plank of the UN system. Its leader frames the thinking on food and agriculture globally and influences policy on almost any issue to do with what food we produce and eat. This week Ben and Agnes meet up with Tim Benton, Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the Energy, Environment and Resources Department at Chatham House, to discuss the future of the global food system. Tim explains the challenges involved in providing sufficient and sustainable food in a globalised world, and why the new director-general of the FAO will have such a pivotal role to play. Read the Expert Comment: A Better UK Food Policy Requires Better Government
Undercurrents is back this week with interviews on India-Pakistan relations and how to regulate cyberspace. Ben speaks to us from the International Studies Association conference in Toronto, where he discussed the recent crisis in Kashmir with Rajesh Basrur from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Then Agnes meets Emily Taylor, from the International Security Department at Chatham House, to discuss how policymakers should approach the regulation of big tech giants such as Facebook and Google. Jacob Parakilas from the US & Americas Programme is our surprise guest host this week - thanks Jacob! Read the article: 'Modi's Foreign Policy Fundamentals: a Trajectory Unchanged' Read the Expert Comment: Even Without Cambridge Analytica, the Trump Campaign Already Had Everyone's Data Read the journal: Journal of Cyber Policy
Undercurrents returns this week with interviews on the ongoing trade dispute between the EU and US, and the underlying factors driving Russian foreign policy. Agnes discusses a new Chatham House report by Marianne Schneider-Petsinger from the US & Americas Programme, assessing the future EU-US trade after the fall of TTIP. Then Ben explores modern Russian foreign policy and how the West should respond with Keir Giles, a Senior Consulting Fellow in the Russia & Eurasia Programme. The discussion draws on Keir's new book for the Chatham House Insights series, Moscow Rules. Read the Chatham House Research Paper: US–EU Trade Relations in the Trump Era: Which Way Forward? Find the book: Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West
This week we're celebrating International Women's Day with a special episode looking at the role of women in the early days of Chatham House. Katharina Rietzler is a historian at the University of Sussex, and co-leads a Leverhulme-funded project titled 'Women and the History of International Thought.' Ben met up with Katharina to find out more about how women experienced work at the institute from its founding to the end of the Second World War. Find out more: 'Women and the History of International Thought' project
This week we're celebrating International Women's Day with a special episode looking at the role of women in the early days of Chatham House. Katharina Rietzler is a historian at the University of Sussex, and co-leads a Leverhulme-funded project titled 'Women and the History of International Thought.' Ben met up with Katharina to find out more about how women experienced work at the institute from its founding to the end of the Second World War. Find out more: 'Women and the History of International Thought' project
This week Agnes and Ben discuss how to the global financial system is experienced by developing countries, and hear about the perilous situation for investigative journalists in Ghana. David Lubin is head of emerging markets economics at Citi, and an associate fellow in the Global Economy & Finance department at Chatham House. His latest book, Dance of the Trillions, tells the story of what makes money flow from high-income countries to lower-income countries. Ben met up with David to find out more. The February/March issue of The World Today features Agnes's interview with Ghanian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Hear the extended conversation, on how media can fight crime and corruption in Africa, as the second segment of this episode. Find the book: Dance of the Trillions: Developing Countries and Global Finance Read the interview: Anas Aremayew Anas Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Editors: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Record and produced at Chatham House, London
This week Agnes and Ben meet with experts on China's economy and the history of UK relations with the gulf states. Yu Jie joins Ben to explain what's happening to the Chinese economy in 2019, and what's really driving the US-China trade war. Then Agnes discusses UK foreign policy in the Middle East with David Wearing, drawing on his new book, Anglo Arabia. Read The World Today article: Marx and spenders Find the book: Anglo Arabia: Why Gulf Wealth Matters to Britain
Undercurrents is back for a second season! This week Agnes and Ben interview two leading academics from the worlds of International Relations and History. John Mearsheimer (University of Chicago) discusses his new book, The Great Delusion, on the rise and fall of liberal foreign policy. With China's rise and Russia's resurgence the world has returned to a zero-sum balance of power political system. John explains why he's glad to see the back of an era of western interventions, and how the US should respond to the new geopolitical reality. Margaret MacMillan (University of Toronto) is a renowned historian of the First World War, who gave the BBC Reith Lectures in 2018. A new special issue of International Affairs, guest-edited by Margaret, looks at the state of world politics today in comparison to the aftermath of the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles. Ben and Agnes met with her to discuss why these comparisons can be useful, and how history is used and abused by politicians in the present. Find the book: The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities Read the International Affairs special issue: World Politics 100 Years After the Paris Peace Conference Listen to the 2018 Reith Lectures: The Mark of Cain: War and Humanity Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Editors: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Record and produced at Chatham House, London
The Undercurrents team are back for a bonus episode! If you are looking for a fiendishly difficult politically-minded quiz of the year to test out your relatives on Christmas Day then give this a listen. Beside much more you will find out: How Rodrigo Duterte offended the faith of millions in the Philippines; How Donald Trump sacked his Secretary of State; Which team England beat in the first match of the 2018 Football World Cup. Happy holidays and happy listening! Undercurrents is presented by Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston, with technical support from Robin Gardner. It is edited and produced at Chatham House. Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and most major podcast apps. Follow Chatham House on Twitter @ChathamHouse.
It's the SEASON FINALE!! Join Ben and Agnes for the final episode of Undercurrents in 2018. This week they speak to Robin Niblett, Director of Chatham House, about his recent work on the future of think tanks in the new uncertain political landscape. Up for discussion: How think tanks should respond to the rise of populist politics Whether think tanks have spent too long defending globalisation How think tanks can re-engage the public in a time of declining trust in experts All this and more - we hope you enjoy the episode. Read the International Affairs article: 'Re-discovering a sense of purpose: the challenge for western think-tanks' Watch the speech: Do think tanks have a future?
In 2013 China launched its flagship economic project, the 'Belt and Road Initiative' (BRI). In the five years since the initiative has rapidly expanded trade and infrastructure relationships between China and 88 countries in Eurasia and Africa, covering over 60% of global GDP. Ben speaks to the Asia-Pacific Programme's Yu Jie to find out more. The rise of populism is a phenomenon affecting political systems across the West. From the 2016 electoral shocks of Brexit and Trump through to the victories of Salvini and Bolsonaro in 2018, conventional ideological divisions between left and right are being dismantled and replaced by a politics of polarization and identity-fuelled tribalism. Agnes speaks to the Europe Programme's Matthew Goodwin about his new book on 'national populism'. Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: Money, Might and Mindset: China's Self-centred Global Ambition Listen to the interview: Yu Jie on China's halloumi craze [from 27:00] Find the book: National Populism: the Revolt Against Liberal Democracy
The day after the US Midterm elections, Agnes and Ben meet Anthony Gardner (former US Ambassador to the EU) to discuss the state of US relations with Europe, the importance of the special relationship and the likelihood of a post-Brexit US-UK trade deal. Will the Midterm results influence the Trump administration's stance on Europe? And likewise will European observers take any comfort from events across the pond? The illegal wildlife trade is a serious organized crime found in most of the countries in southern Africa. In a new report Chris Vandome and Alex Vines from the Africa Programme at Chatham House explore new strategies being trialled to combat this trade in the communities it affects. Ben and Agnes speak with Chris to find out more. Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: US Midterm Elections: What the Results Mean Read the Chatham House Report: Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade in Africa: Economic Incentives and Approaches
Soraya Chemaly is a writer and activist whose work focuses on the role of gender in culture, politics, religion and media. Her latest book, Rage Becomes Her, explores how women can embrace the anger generated by modern gender relations for positive change. Agnes and Ben met with Soraya to discuss among other things the #MeToo campaign, sexual politics and the impact of the scandal over Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. Find the Book: Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger Watch the Chatham House Event Video: #MeToo, A Year On
Across the world more attention is being placed on how to construct environmentally sustainable, carbon neutral buildings as part of the wider fight against climate change. Agnes discusses green building projects in Jordan with Glada Lahn, a Senior Research Fellow in the Energy, Environment and Resources Department at Chatham House. Alongside the Olympics, the football World Cup is possibly the most-watched international event. Hosting the World Cup can be a powerful statement of a nation's intent to gain a global profile, but there are often unintended consequences. Ben speaks to Paul Brannagan from Manchester Metropolitan University about Qatar's soft power experiment in hosting the 2022 World Cup. Read the International Affairs article: 'The soft power-soft disempowerment nexus: the case of Qatar'
US President Donald Trump found much of his electoral success by utilising two central ideas in American political culture - the 'American Dream' and 'America First'. Academic and commentator Sarah Churchwell's new book Behold America explores the historial roots of these ideas, and the significant consequences of their manipulation. Agnes meets with Sarah to find out more. The illegal trade in ivory is a significant element of the informal economies of many African states, not least Uganda. In a new article in International Affairs Kristof Titeca reveals his findings from a series of interviews conducted with Ugandan individuals involved in all stages of the ivory trade. Ben spoke to Kristof to discuss the challenges posed by policy-makers hoping to cease this lucrative trade. Read the book: Behold America: The Entangled History of 'America First' and the 'American Dream' Read the article: 'Understanding the illegal ivory trade and traders: evidence from Uganda'
In the latest volume of his diaries, out this week, Alastair Campbell (former Director of Communications for Tony Blair) looks back on Gordon Brown's time in office between 2007 and 2010. Ben met Alastair to discuss among other things the art of political leadership, Brexit, the state of the Labour Party and policies to combat mental illness. Listen from 5:17. This month marked 10 years since the 2008 financial crisis, an event that still weighs heavily on political systems across the world. Agnes visited London's Guildhall to discuss the aftermath of the crash with Alistair Darling (former Chancellor of the Exchequer), who was speaking at an event organised by Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Department. Listen from 35:47. Read the book: Alastair Campbell Diaries Volume 7: From Crash to Defeat 2007-2010 Find out more about the event: A Decade on from the Financial Crisis: the Legacy and Lessons of 2008 We apologise for the sound quality at the start of this episode, please stick with it - it improves!
Cybercrime is on the rise throughout the world, but the vast wealth of the GCC states (Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait) makes them especially vulnerable. In response increasingly stringent laws governing online activity have been enacted, but do these measures encroach too much on the rights of individuals? Agnes speaks to Joyce Hakmeh to find out. Much is written about the experiences of refugees, but rarely do we hear from them directly. Shatila Stories, a new novel from Peirene Press, is the result of a groundbreaking project to teach creative writing in the Shatila refugee camp in Lebanon. Ben finds out more in conversation with Meike Ziervogel and Suhir Helal. Read the research paper: Cybercrime legislation in the GCC countries: fit for purpose? Read the book: Shatila Stories
Just under 18 months have passed since the UK government triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, formally beginning the UK's exit from the European Union. With only seven months left to sign a withdrawal agreement, Ben discusses the state of the negotiations with Georgina Wright, from Chatham House's Europe Programme. Among other issues they tackle the Irish border question, Michel Barnier's approach to the negotiations and how the EU member states are responding to the challenge of Brexit. Listen from 7:00. The global financial system has long allowed wealthy individuals to escape the confines of their domestic tax systems and hide their money in foreign havens. Oliver Bullough is an investigative journalist whose new book Moneyland explores how the institutions of Europe and the United States have become money-laundering operations, undermining the foundations of Western stability and allowing dictators in the Global South to siphon away their country's resources for personal gain. Agnes meets Oliver to find out more. Listen from 27:37. Read the Expert Comment: An Orderly No-Deal Brexit Would Still Come With Costs Read the book: Moneyland: Why Thieves And Crooks Now Rule the World and How to Take it Back
The average refugee camp has a lifespan of 18 years, but in most cases the infrastructure in place is designed for temporary emergency responses. One area this particularly affects is energy provision, with the majority of refugees reliant on burning wood. On top of this, many humanitarian agencies are dependent upon costly and damaging diesel fuel to power their relief efforts. The Moving Energy Initiative at Chatham House believes that renewable energy solutions can improve the health and quality of life of refugees while also saving money for the aid providers. Agnes speaks to Owen Grafham, who manages the initiative, to find out more. Also in this episode, Ben meets Richard McGregor, a Senior Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Affairs in Sydney, to discuss Australia's foreign policy in the midst of the Sino-US struggle for supremacy in Asia. Read the Expert Comment: Why Access to Energy Can Empower Refugees Read more on Asian geopolitics: Publications by Richard McGregor
India is the world’s largest democracy, with more than one billion people and an economy expanding faster than China’s. But the rewards of this growth have been far from evenly shared, and the country’s top 1% now own nearly 60% of its wealth. James Crabtree's new book The Billionaire Raj explores the dynamics behind the rise of a new class of Indian billionaires. Ben met up with James, and Champa Patel from the Asia-Pacific Programme, to discuss inequality, corruption and capitalism in modern India. A series of scandals involving the sexual exploitation of vulnerable people by individuals working for, or with, the United Nations have shaken the organization in recent years. The issue is beginning to be addressed by an ambitious new strategy from Secretary-General Guterres. Ben and Agnes met Jane Connors, the first Victims’ Rights Advocate for the United Nations, to discuss the difficulties of Find the Book: The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age Watch the Chatham House Event: Preventing Sexual Exploitation in the United Nations
President Trump is visiting the UK this week in between summits with NATO and Russian President Putin. Agnes discusses the UK-US special relationship and European responses to the current President with Leslie Vinjamuri (Head of the US & Americas Programme) and Hans Kundnani (Senior Research Fellow in the Europe Programme). Another country adapting its foreign policy approach in light of an increasingly unpredictable US is Japan. A new special issue of International Affairs explores Japan's relations with its Asian neighbours. Ben speaks to Corey Wallace, one of the issue's guest-editor's, about Japan's response to the Singapore Summit, TPP and China's role in the region. Read the Expert Comment: To Engage America, Theresa May Should Recognize the Real Concerns that Trump Raises Read the International Affairs special issue: Japan's Pivot in Asia
Alistair Burt MP is Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In a recent speech at Chatham House he launched a new report from the government's Stabilisation Unit on new approaches to resolving armed conflicts. Drawing on examples from conflicts as diverse as Libya and Colombia, the report explores how deal making and peace building can reduce conflicts around the world. Agnes spoke with Alistair after the speech to find out more. Despite the success and acclaim garnered by movements such as Time's Up and #MeToo, women's access to the global economy is still a major issue. From gender pay gaps to the lack of affordable childcare, in the majority of countries women are still greatly disadvantaged. The Gender and Growth Initiative at Chatham House seeks to develop policies for combatting these problems. In their first joint interview Agnes and Ben caught up with Stephane Dubois and Roxanne Bildan to discuss how the initiative is working with the G20 to drive change in this area. Read the speech: Deal Making and Peace Building: a New Approach to Reducing Conflict Find out more: Chatham House 2018 International Policy Forum on Gender-Inclusive Growth
In this bonus episode we bring you a recording of a roundtable from the 2018 Chatham House London Conference. This annual event brings together policy-makers, academics and business figures from around the world to London to discuss key global issues. Undercurrents hosted a breakfast roundtable as part of the conference, focusing on how elites can re-engage with their publics. A panel of experts from six different countries joined Ben and Agnes to share their views on questions including: Is political participation in decline? Are traditional forms of politics outdated? What impact has the digital revolution had on the political sphere? How can politicians reconnect with their voters? Listen to more highlights from the London Conference 2018.
Technology driven by artificial intelligence is developing rapidly, but the political spectrum is not responding fast enough. Agnes discusses machine learning, the profusion of cat photos on the internet and public-private partnerships in AI regulation with Jacob Parakilas from the US and Americas Programme. In 2017 the government of Saudi Arabia lifted the ban on women driving, to international acclaim. In the run-up to this policy becoming reality however Saudi women's rights activists have been threatened and imprisoned by the same administration. Ben meets Jane Kinninmont from the Middle East and North Africa Programme, who explains the significance of this and other Saudi social reforms. Read the Chatham House Report: Artificial Intelligence and International Affairs Read the Expert Comment: The Arrests of Saudi Women’s Driving Activists Underline the Limits of Reforms
Since ancient times states have attempted campaigns of subversion against their rivals. Sir David Omand, former Head of GCHQ, argues that cyberspace provides a multitude of new possibilities for interfering abroad. Ben met Sir David to discuss Russian interventions, fake news, foreign policy frenemies and jihadist social media. After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian activists have faced harsh penalties for criticizing Russian actions in the region. Agnes met Nikolay and Tatyana Shchur to discuss the case of Oleg Sentsov, a film-maker and activist currently serving 20 years in a Russian prison for charges which some have claimed are fabricated. Read the Journal of Cyber Policy article: The threats from modern digital subversion and sedition Find out more about the case of Oleg Sentsov: Ukrainian film-maker Oleg Sentsov goes on hunger strike in Russian prison
Ronan Farrow is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who was previously a foreign policy advisor to Hillary Clinton. In his new book, War on Peace, Farrow traces the decline of US diplomacy over the past 30 years, drawing on conversations with every surviving Secretary of State. This week Agnes met up with Farrow to discuss the waning reputation of career diplomats, how foreign leaders should deal with the Trump administration, and how new technology is transforming the art of diplomacy. A longer transcript of the interview will be published in the June/July issue of The World Today.
The United Nations has been going since 1945, and is the basis for most international cooperation. But in this disruptive political environment, is it still relevant? This week, Ben speaks to UN expert Thomas Weiss to find out. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the situation in Libya has disappeared from international headlines. Seven years on, a new report by Tim Eaton explores the chaotic war economy that has developed in the vacuum. He speaks to Agnes about smuggling, tribal factions and what must be done to resolve a growing crisis. Read the virtual issue: 70 years of the United Nations in International Affairs Read the Chatham House research paper: Libya's war economy: predation, profiteering and state weakness
This week Agnes meets Thomas Raines and Matthew Goodwin of the Europe Programme to revisit their research on the political Tribes of Europe in light of recent elections across the continent. Then, recording in San Francisco, Ben speaks to Rebecca Sanders from Cincinatti University about her recent article in International Affairs, which sheds light on conservative efforts to disrupt the women's rights agenda at the United Nations. Read the Chatham House reports: Europe's Political Tribes: Exploring the Diversity of Views Across the EU The Future of Europe: Comparing Public and Elite Attitudes Take the online survey: Tribes of Europe Read the International Affairs article: Norm spoiling: Undermining the International Women's Rights Agenda
In this week's episode Ben speaks to Laura Wellesley, a Research Fellow in the Energy, Environment and Resources Department at Chatham House, about her recent report assessing vulnerabilities in the global food trade. Then Agnes mediates a debate about how the internet is transforming the English language between journalist Marie Le Conte and The World Today editor Alan Philps. Read the Chatham House report: Chokepoints and Vulnerabilities in the Global Food Trade Read The World Today articles: The Joys of Online Syntax In Defence of Good Old Grammar
This week, Ben speaks to Rob Yates, Head of the Universal Heath Coverage Policy Forum in the Centre on Global Health and Security at Chatham House. They discuss the widespread practice of detaining hospital patients in their wards if they cannot afford to pay their medical bills, an illegal policy affecting thousands in Africa and South Asia. Then, Agnes learns about the growth in activism around LGBTQ+ rights in Lebanon from Nicole El Khawaja, a Programme Coordinator with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. They discuss recent developments in Lebanon and the wider region, including Beirut's inaugural Pride week in 2017, and assess whether progress can be maintained. Read the Research Paper: Hospital Detentions for Non-payment of Fees: A Denial of Rights and Dignity Read The World Today Article: Coming soon.
In this week’s episode, Ben speaks to Champa Patel about President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in the Philippines, and the prospects for the preliminary examination launched recently by the International Criminal Court. Agnes then discusses UK defence policy and wider European security with Andrew Dorman, who also gives an insight into publishing with International Affairs. Read the Expert Comment In Examining the Philippines’ Drug War, the ICC Takes a Positive but Challenging Step Read the International Affairs Blogpost UK Defence Policy: Groundhog Day Re-visited
This week, Agnes speaks to Helen Fitzwilliam about a new Italian judge-led project to relocate the wives and children of the Calabrian mafia family, the ‘Ndrangheta. Ben then interviews Xenia Wickett about her recent report on transatlantic relations. Read the article Escape from the Mafia: an Italian Judge’s Radical Plan Read the report Transatlantic Relations: Converging or Diverging? Department/project US and the Americas Programme, Transatlantic Rift: The State of US-Europe Relations
In this new podcast series, Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton interview Chatham House experts about the critical underlying issues which are shaping modern society. The first episode features Patricia Lewis, Head of the International Security Department at Chatham House, on cybersecurity for nuclear weapons systems; and Inderjeet Parmar, Head of Politics and International Relations at City University, on the future of the US-led liberal world order. Read the research paper: Cybersecurity of Nuclear Weapons Systems: Threats, Vulnerabilities and Consequences Read the International Affairs article: The US-led liberal order: imperialism by another name?
In this episode, George Lawson interviews Tarak Barkawi about his book, Soldiers of Empire: Indian and British Armies in World War II.
The interview draws on a review forum published in International Affairs, featuring commentary from Barkawi, Lawson, Simon Ball, Paul Higate, Patricia Owens, Robbie Shilliam and Michael Williams.
Read the forum online here: https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix214
Recent authors Jeffrey Chwieroth and Andrew Walter join Ben Horton to discuss the impact of banking crises on political decision-making.
The interview is based on the article, 'Banking crises and politics: a long-run perspective', which was published in the September 2017 issue of International Affairs.
Read the article here: https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix145
Clip from BBC Radio 4 debate at Chatham House asking if media outlets should change how they cover terrorism. Should terrorist killings be treated differently to other types of murder? And how can a balance be struck between reporting terrorism and preventing propaganda? Full recording at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07wc4np
Speaking at Chatham House, the Shadow Foreign Secretary outlines six reasons why he opposes calls from others in the Labour party to dismantle Britain's nuclear deterrent.
Nobin Niblett argues that Prime Minister's offices and National Security Councils don't have time to think strategically. The Foreign Office is the repository for strategic thinking, but budget cuts have left it 'close to the bone'.
Robin Niblett discusses the difficulty of balancing national interest with human rights concerns, arguing that a Chinese state visit to the UK is arguably not the time for the UK to raise its objections, but that the Chancellor's trip to Xinjiang could have sent a stronger message about British human rights values.
The North Korean Ambassador to the UK tells an audience at Chatham House that it will launch a rocket this weekend, regardless of the threat of further sanctions. "We have nothing to be afraid of. We will go ahead, definitely. This (sanctions threat) is another provocation, which will make things worse."
Italian Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, argues that if Europe does not change the Dublin rules, which demand that asylum seekers be processed in the country of arrival, it will have to change the Schengen rules, which allow free movement between EU states.
Speaking at Chatham House, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni argues that northern European states need to take equal responsibility for refugees arriving from the Mediterranean. "What will Poland do if it faces a refugee crisis from Ukraine? Call Greece for help?"
Sara Khan, Director at Inspire, on risk factors that create a climate that normalizes ISIS' message
Abdel Bari Atwan, Editor-in-Chief of Rai al-Youm and author of Islamic State: The Digital Caliphate, on the physical state held by ISIS and the group's media expertise
Abdel Bari Atwan, Editor-in-Chief of Rai al-Youm and author of Islamic State: The Digital Caliphate, on the three main reasons ISIS is a threat
Sara Bazoobandi argues that the short-term economic impacts of a nuclear deal with Iran would be more psychological than structural.
Sara Bazoobandi describes the problems facing the Iranian economy - from unemployment to oil dependence and corruption.
Listen to speakers from Chatham House's London Conference discuss the critical challenges facing the world today - from international security to climate change, international development and geopolitics.
Hayder al-Khoei notes that while many former Ba'athists are now senior ISIS leaders, no-one knows to what extent they are genuine hardline Salafist converts.
Hayder al-Khoei discusses how Iran's influence in Iraq increased exponentially as a result of America's initial failure to deal with the threat of ISIS.
Hayder al-Khoei discusses how US-Iran relations in Iraq are shifting from open warfare to tacit military co-operation in the fight against ISIS.
Hayder al-Khoei argues that the reductive sectarian narrative of Iraq's security crisis does not reflect the realities on the ground
Hayder al-Khoei of Chatham House discusses the fall of Ramadi - how did it happen and what does it mean for the future of Iraq and the fight against ISIS?
With new leaders in Japan and South Korea, and a new US Secretary of State, John Swenson-Wright of Chatham House looks at the relationships surrounding North Korea, and the domestic reasons for their foreign policies.
Ten years ago, Sir Jeremy Greenstock was UK ambassador to the UN, while Sir David Manning was foreign policy advisor to the British Prime Minister. Now on the Council and Panel of Senior Advisors to Chatham House, both were in New York on 11th September 2001.
In this special audio feature they and other Chatham House experts talk about the events of that day, and the decade since.
Jane Kinninmont of Chatham House introduces reflections on Iraq's decade, from Mohammed Al-Nujaifi (brother and chief adviser to the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdistan Regional Government High Representative to the UK Deputy Foreign Minister Labid Abbawi Omar Sirri, Research Assistant, Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.
More: www.chathamhouse.org/iraq10
When SARS broke out, David Heymann was in charge of infectious diseases, at the World Health Organisation. Now head of Global Health Security at Chatham House, he describes how the outbreak was handled in Geneva, and we look at more personal reception of the outbreak in China.