As a national, nonpartisan, independent Institute, the U.S. Institute of Peace draws on our exceptional convening power to create opportunities for diverse audiences to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas necessary for creative solutions to difficult challenges. We serve as an important, neutral platform for bringing together government and nongovernment, diplomacy, security, and development actors, and participants across political views. The Institute’s events help shape public policy and priorities to advance peaceful solutions to conflict and strengthen international security.
This event features four USIP grantees from Afghanistan, Iraq, Colombia and Sudan who are intimately familiar with the on-the-ground realities in their countries. The grantees discuss implementing peacebuilding projects in difficult and dangerous environments. Washington planners will be able to hear first hand what on-the-ground practitioners are doing to stay safe while getting important work done.
This panel discussion addressed the challenges posed by Afghan reintegration and reconciliation, particularly for Afghan women. The panel also discussed how women may contribute to the reintegration and reconciliation process.
Should governments negotiate with terrorist groups? If so, when is the right time? How can policymakers understand various factors, such as group leadership, public support and splintering, that have vital impacts on the outcome of negotiating with terrorist groups? These questions are asked more and more often by policymakers and politicians the world over.
Competition for access to, and control of, abundant natural resources often triggers and sustains violent conflict. In Afghanistan, the award of the lucrative Aynak copper mines to the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) in 2007 has raised a number of eyebrows. How could Afghanistan ensure that mining does not foster or fuel conflict? The panel explored these questions.
In an attempt to end one of the longest wars in U.S. history, the United States and its NATO allies in Afghanistan view counternarcotics initiatives as vital to counterinsurgency efforts by cutting off revenue to insurgents. A new Center for International Cooperation (CIC) report by Jonathan Caulkins, Mark Kleiman, and Jonathan Kulick challenges this assumption.
Mobile phone technologies are the subject of considerable enthusiasm in the peacebuilding sector. Yet little has been done to evaluate systematically the factors of success or failure in the use of mobile phones for peacebuilding. This event focused on the use of mobile phones in one of the most difficult conflict environments today: Afghanistan.
Maritime security adds an extra dimension to security sector reform (SSR). All the aspects of land SSR apply, but there is an additional need for capacity and resources to counter threats of piracy, terrorism, pollution and trafficking.
U.S. attempts in Iraq and Afghanistan have been unsuccessful in training local police to deal with insurgency, terrorism and criminal violence. How are effective, accountable, and legitimate police forces crafted in conflict states?
On May 17, 2010 USIP hosted one of Afghanistan's foremost politicians and diplomats, Abdullah Abdullah. A leading political advisor to Ahmad Shah Masood during the anti-Soviet jihad, and representative of the Northern Alliance during the Taliban era, Dr. Abdullah served as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister from 200-2006. In 2009, Dr. Abdullah ran a highly popular campaign for President of Afghanistan, qualifying for second round run-off election with President Karzai.
USIP hosted a discussion about prospects for peace in Afghanistan with renowned journalist Ahmed Rashid. Having spent the past three decades reporting from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, Ahmed Rashid offered an insiders perspective on the prospects for political negotiations with the Taliban and other insurgent groups, and for sustainable peace in Afghanistan.