Thursday, March 23, 2023
The Latest @ USIP: How Peace Games Can Help Congress
In an often volatile and complex geopolitical environment, U.S. leaders need to understand the full range of tools available to them when it comes to managing conflict. Former Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), who now leads Cornell University’s Institute of Politics and Global Affairs, discusses how the partnership with USIP on congressional peace games gives members of Congress and their staff a chance to work through a simulated scenario in a way that doesn’t necessarily involve going to war and explains why bipartisanship is so important for promoting democracy, peace and stability abroad.
The Latest @ USIP: Libya’s Institutional Legitimacy Crisis
As Libya’s cease-fire continues to hold, the country can take the next step toward long-term stability by addressing its institutional legitimacy crisis. Without public trust in decision-making bodies, the country will struggle with crucial issues at the heart of the conflict, such as Libya’s vast oil wealth and how to distribute it. Democratically elected leadership is the best way forward — but elections remain elusive amid a political and military stalemate.
The Latest @ USIP: Where Does NATO Go From Here?
Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s rise as a strategic competitor, NATO is faced with a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment. Moving forward, the alliance’s greatest challenge might come from within, as democratic backsliding continues to plague some member states. Ambassador Douglas Lute, a former U.S. permanent representative to NATO, discusses NATO’s efforts to deter further Russian aggression, how China’s differing view of world order makes it a competitor to NATO’s mission and why shared democratic values are the glue that holds the consensus-based NATO structure together.
The Latest @ USIP: The Role of Poetry in Conflict Resolution
So often, language can seem flimsy in the face of violence and conflict — but poetry as an art form reminds us that language can help people heal from conflict and build lasting peace. Pádraig Ó Tuama, poet-in-residence at Columbia University's International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution, discusses how poetry can help unlock ways to reframe and reimagine peace, how he’s used poetry in his own conflict resolution work in Ireland, and where he sees signs of hope in today’s conflict environment.
The Latest @ USIP: Venezuela’s Road to Free and Fair Elections
As the Venezuelan regime and opposition cautiously return to the negotiating table, the focus is on creating an environment for free, fair and democratic elections in 2024. Mark Wells, deputy assistant secretary for the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, discusses the on-the-ground role of Venezuelan civil society, pairing U.S. sanctions relief with progress in negotiations, and what regional allies are doing to help guide Venezuela toward a democratic solution.
The Latest @ USIP: What’s at Stake in Nigeria’s Elections? (Part 2)
Nigeria’s national elections later this month will have major implications not only for Nigeria, but for West Africa and the continent more broadly. Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to the term-limited President Muhammadu Buhari, says the outgoing president has made organizing a peaceful, free and fair election process a cornerstone of the legacy he hopes to hand to his successor — and that he hopes civil society, political leaders and international partners like the United States can rally behind Nigerians as they exercise their right to vote.
The Latest @ USIP: The Future of Ukraine’s Democracy
At the moment, the priority for Ukrainians is to win the war against Russia. But to ensure victory in what comes next, Ukraine must strengthen its democratic practices so that it emerges from this conflict prepared for critical elections. Peter Erben, principal advisor and senior country director for Ukraine at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, discusses how an improved democracy is the key for Ukraine’s possible ascension to the EU, the importance of ensuring Ukrainians forced to leave their homes are able to vote in the next elections, and what the international community can do to help.
The Latest @ USIP: Religious Inclusion in Afghanistan
The Taliban often use religious arguments to justify their claim to authority. But the Taliban are just one aspect of Afghanistan, and the caretaker government has failed to justify many of its more draconian policies — especially those against women and girls. Charles Ramsey, a resident scholar at Baylor University's Institute for the Studies of Religion and a senior fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute, discusses the role that other religious actors in Afghanistan can play in shaping the country’s future and how positively engaging with these religious leaders can contribute to building peace.
How Do Israeli and Palestinian Youth View the Prospects for Peace?
Amid this year’s rising tide of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, a new poll released last week by Khalil Shikaki and Dahlia Scheindlin brings more sobering news. In the study, pollsters found that in Israel, for the first time, support for a nondemocratic regime (unequal rights between Israelis and Palestinians) is stronger than a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trends among young people are especially striking — only 20 percent Israeli Jews aged 18-34 are in favor a two-state solution to the conflict.
The Latest @ USIP: Threats to Peace and Security in the Sahel
From coups and climate change to food insecurity and a rise in violent extremism, the Sahel region of Africa is facing a number of complex and interconnected threats to regional security. Emanuela Del Re, the EU special representative for the Sahel, discusses how Africa’s partners can help address these issues, the importance of international collaboration that’s rooted in equality, and the roles of the EU-Africa Summit and U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in developing a path toward peace and stability in the Sahel.