Tuesday, January 31, 2023
The Latest @ USIP: Iraq’s Immense Climate Challenges
Iraq is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change. Amid a protracted political crisis, sweltering temperatures, water scarcity and other climate-related challenges threaten the country’s stability and add to Iraqis’ grievances. Zena Ali Ahmad, the United Nations Development Program’s resident representative in Iraq, analyzes how climate change impacts Iraq and its stability and discusses solutions to address these impacts.
Kenya: As Drought Deepens Land Conflicts, Peacebuilders Respond
Amid lengthening droughts in a changing climate, millions of herders in northern Kenya are watching their traditional grazing lands dry and harden. As in pastoralist regions from Mongolia to the Sahel, Kenyan herders are now guiding their cattle, camels, sheep or goats longer distances in search of pasturage. The competition for scarcer grassland and water has triggered conflicts and bloodshed among herding communities. But at the grass roots of northern Kenyan society, activists are combining local knowledge and peacebuilding skills to create new ways for rival groups to cooperatively adapt to the changes from a degrading climate.
To Support Youth, Tunisia Needs a New Approach to Development
A decade after the Arab Spring, there are still high hopes for a long-promised “Tomorrowland” of opportunities in Tunisia. However, such a reality remains an enigma for so many of the country’s youth. As a young peacebuilder in Tunisia, I understand that the state has very limited resources. But even so, our leaders have not delivered the desired (or expected) developments that could support so many citizens — including youth, women and vulnerable communities.
The Latest @USIP: A Look at Global Conflict Trends
The global conflict landscape is becoming increasingly complex — and deadly, with violent deaths on the rise. Meanwhile, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exposed longstanding weaknesses in the multilateral system and its ability to prevent and mitigate conflict. Gary Milante, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, discusses what worries him most about current conflict trends, how great power competition factors into these trends and how donors can take a different approach to mitigating conflict.
The Latest on Pakistan’s Floods: 3 Things You Need to Know
After experiencing its hottest months in decades this spring, Pakistan has been beset by torrential rains and deadly floods, leaving one-third of the country under water. While no country can be fully prepared for an environmental disaster of this magnitude, corruption and mismanagement have exacerbated the fallout. USIP’s Jumaina Siddiqui explains what makes Pakistan so vulnerable to climate change, how it can better prepare for extreme weather events and what the international community can do to help.
Youth Should Participate in a Shared Vision for Venezuela
Venezuela is stuck in political, economic, social and humanitarian crises as the country awaits the 2024 elections — elections that many hope will be an inflection point in this stalemate. And with roughly 41 percent of the population under the age of 25, young Venezuelans can — and must — participate in decision-making spaces in the lead up to 2024 and beyond. We’re the ones who will inherit the country’s future, so we should have a say in articulating a new vision for Venezuela.
Barriers for Young Women in Northern Nigeria
We are constantly reminded that the youth are “leaders of tomorrow.” But when it comes to their involvement in governance and development, tomorrow never comes. In Nigeria, this has created an unsustainable system. Currently, about 70 percent of Nigeria is under the age of 30, with girls under 30 alone comprising nearly one-third of the total population. Based on their sizable role in the country’s demographics, you would think youth and young women specifically in Nigeria should have more of a voice in decision-making processes. Yet, both are often underrepresented and excluded as collaborators in all sectors of society.
The Taliban Are Stuck in the Past — But Afghan Youth Can Create a Better Future
When pressed on the future of girls’ education in Afghanistan, Taliban Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai stated that their government law requires education for “both men and women” and signaled the former insurgent group would reopen girls’ schools once the Taliban government developed “some sort of solution.”
The Latest @ USIP: How to Stymie Guatemala’s Democratic Slide
In recent years, Guatemala’s democracy has faced a series of setbacks, following a troubling regional trend. Endemic corruption is a major challenge that has exacerbated inequality and driven mass migration to the United States. The Biden administration is prioritizing addressing insecurity in Central America. Arresting Guatemala’s democratic erosion will be vital to that effort. In this edition of "The Latest @ USIP,” Ana María Méndez Dardón, director for Central America at the Washington Office on Latin America, discusses the challenges facing civil society and independent journalists in Guatemala today, and explains how the United States can help protect democracy and promote human rights.
The Latest on al-Qaida after al-Zawahiri: 3 Things You Need to Know
It's been about 10 years since the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden. In July, his successor Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan. In this episode of The Latest, Asfandyar Mir, a senior expert in USIP's Asia Center, describes where this leaves al-Qaida, what it means for U.S. counterterrorism policy, and who the next leader of al-Qaida might be.