Religion and Peacemaking

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has resigned on Feb. 11 after weeks of peaceful protests. USIP takes a comprehensive look at the situation and its implications.

Ahead of the country's critical 2011 referendum on whether the South should secede from Sudan, USIP is dedicated to help resolve internal conflicts and help ensure the country's future stability and security. In "Notes from Sudan," USIP's Jon Temin writes about his recent tour of the country to get an update on the status of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended decades of civil war in Sudan and learn about preparations for the 2011 referendum and the 2010 national elections. 

Understand the causes of conflict and violent extremism in tribal Muslim societies and learn how to develop policies and programs in conflict resolution, governance, justice, security, and development that contribute to sustainable peace.

As South Sudan deals with challenges posed by a massive influx of returnees, threats from rebel militia and the north, and the strengthening of state institutions, its people are working towards a more peaceful future. USIP engages on many of these issues - explore our featured analysis and highlights from work in the field.

On July 9th, 2011 the Republic of South Sudan declared independence, resulting in the most significant redrawing of the map of Africa since decolonization. Both new Sudans face a series of internal and external challenges to peace. The U.S. Institute of Peace is engaging on many of these key issues in an effort to help build a more peaceful, stable and secure Sudan.

In a period of tremendous change in parts of the world, we are asking USIP leaders, from board members to senior staff and experts, to explain the effects that events abroad and here at home will have on the United States, and the contributions the Institute can and does make. Steven Heydemann is USIP’s senior adviser for Middle East Initiatives.

The U.S. Institute of Peace, in collaboration with the Institute for Inclusive Security, will host a panel of experts to examine the ways in which diverse civil society actors, including youth and women, as well as the media, religious and business communities, confront real conflicts with collaborative problem-solving approaches.

The United States Institute of Peace and the Middle East Institute cosponsored a Current Issues Briefing to explore the regional and security ramifications of the Taliban movement's consolidation of power in Afghanistan. After twenty years of war that has ravaged Afghanistan, peace remains elusive, and leaders in adjacent countries and the international community face a dearth of options. In addition to persistent and credible reports of abysmal human rights violations in Afghanistan, the country bears watching because it may well provide the catalyst for wider regional instability throughout parts of South and Central Asia

In a period of tremendous change in parts of the world, we are asking USIP leaders, from board members to senior staff and experts, to explain the effects that events abroad and here at home will have on the United States, and the contributions the Institute can and does make. David Smock is currently the senior vice president for USIP’s Centers of Innovation.

In May, President Obama defined the Arab Spring as a “historic opportunity” to redefine and strengthen America’s relationships in the Middle East, demonstrating that “America values the dignity of the street vendor . . . more than the raw power of the dictator.” One year after the “Jasmine Revolution” in Tunisia, has the promise of the Arab Awakening been realized? Please join former national security adviser Stephen Hadley and former Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher on Wednesday, January 18, as they lead an analysis and discussion of what the Arab Awakening means for 2012.