Tag: Climate change

Stevenson’s army, October 22

– At TV town hall, Biden vows to defend Taiwan, then WH tries to walk back statements.

– Reuters says US has had 3 hypersonic missile tests lately.

– Jake Sullivan talked to MBS about Israel.

– Study says Twitter tilts right.

Democrats sometimes gerrymander their own. Here’s an outrageous story about a stealthy redrawing of a district for PG County council to screw a former councilman, term-limited a few years ago, who wants to run now. [I know and like Eric Olson, who used to represent us.]

My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).

Charlie issued as well as Friday catchup:

– FP says Turkey wants to buy Russian fighters.

Turkey threatens ouster of foreign ambassadors.

– FP reports split in Democrats over Taiwan.

– Fred Kaplan has different take on Chinese missile.

– FP says AUKUS worries ASEAN.

-Politico says administration opposes Space National Guard.

– But Senate appropriators added $500 million for Space Force.

Facebook is really upping its lobbying.

– New reports show climate change threats to national security.

– Why are so many senior Democrats retiring?

Some members still want to be bipartisan.


History lesson:WaPo says Congress didn’t do good job investigation the 1812 attack on the Capitol.

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The angel sings, but the devils are in the details

President Biden today gave his first speech to the United Nations outlining his foreign policy priorities and approach more clearly than he has so far. He aimed to restore trust in American leadership, not only in the aftermath of the Trump Administration but also in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and controversy surrounding the deal to sell nuclear submarines to Australia that shocked and annoyed France.

The priorities were strikingly different from Trump’s:

  1. Ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Slowing climate change
  3. Encouraging respect for human rights
  4. Rebalancing geopolitcs
  5. A level playing field for trade
  6. Ensuring benefits, and limiting harm, from technology
  7. Countering terrorism

The first three items would not have appeared on any Trump Administration list. Numbers 4-7 would have, but with a distinctly America First (i.e. alone) spin.

Biden’s means are at least as different from Trump’s as his priorities. He favors diplomacy over war, multilateralism over unilateralism, and the power of America’s example at home over American intervention abroad.

In my book, this is all well and good, but then come the difficulties in applying these methods to actual issues. Encouraging booster shots to Americans is likely not the best way to end the COVID-19 epidemic, but exporting vaccines to poor countries exposes the Administration to criticism, so Biden is trying to split the difference by doing both. Slowing climate change is a grand idea, but can Biden get the legislation through Congress to meet his own goals for limits on American production of greenhouse gases. Encouraging respect for human rights is fine, but what do you do about Saudi Arabia, whose Crown Prince is thought culpable for the murder of a US-based journalist? Rebalancing geopolitics is fine, but what if selling nuclear submarines to Australia requires you to blind-side and offend your longest-standing ally?

And so on: a level playing field for trade is hard to achieve when a major competitor is using prison (or slave) labor to produce manufactured good. Responding to state-sponsored cyber attacks is proving a particularly difficult challenge. Facial-recognition technology, with all its defects, is spreading rapidly around the world even though it is prone to misidentification and other abuses. You may prefer a less military approach to counter-terrorism, but if there is a successful mass casualty attack in the US the military response will be dramatic. Never mind that 20 years of military responses have not been effective and have killed a lot of innocent non-combatants.

As for methods, there too there are problems. The State Department is a notoriously weak diplomatic instrument. Can it carry the weight of additional responsibilities? Diplomacy may be preferable to prevent Iran and North Korea from getting a nuclear weapons, but will Tehran agree? A two-state solution would be best, but how can we get there from here? Multilateralism is often preferable, but not always possible. One of my mentors used to quote President Carter (I think) saying multilaterally where we can, unilaterally when we must. But that judgment is not a simple one. America should be a shining “city on the hill,” as President Reagan hoped, but what then about the January 6 insurrection and the anti-voting legislation in more than two dozen states?

Biden’s angel sang well this morning at the UN. But the devils are in the details. It isn’t going to be easy to get those right in a divided country and a competitive, if not downright chaotic, global environment.

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Peace Picks | August 30-September 3, 2021

Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.

  1. Grim Prospects for Women and Girls in Afghanistan | Aug 31, 2021 | 10:00 AM EST | The Heritage Foundation| Register Here

As the world watched Afghanistan fall to the Taliban in a matter of weeks, one point was clear: the lives of Afghan women and girls would forever be changed. Over the last twenty years, women and girls made tremendous gains by going to school, holding political office, and entering the working world. Hard-won freedoms became a part of everyday life, and Afghan women were actively enjoying them.

With the Taliban back in power, many of these gains will likely be lost. So, what can be done now to safeguard the rights of Afghan women and girls? Join the Heritage Foundation as a distinguished panel of experts tackles the scale of the problem and realistic actions that the United States and the international community can take to mitigate the damage.

Speakers:

Lisa Curtis
Senior Fellow and Director, Indo-Pacific Security Program, Center for a New American Security

Heela Najibullah
Conflict and Peace Researcher
Author of “Reconciliation and Social Healing in Afghanistan”

Amb. Roya Rahmani
Former Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States

Nicole Robinson (moderator)
Research Associate, Allison Center for Foreign Policy, The Heritage Foundation

2. #GermanyVotes – One month to go: The 2021 German elections and their implications | Sep 1, 2021 | 9:00 AM EST | Atlantic Council | Register Here

This event kicks off the Europe Center’s #GermanyVotes: The Superwahljahr Series, a collection of virtual and hybrid events focusing on Germany’s upcoming federal elections. Germans head to the polls on September 26 to pick a new government at a crucial moment in German politics. The elections will mark more than the usual electoral turnover as Chancellor Angela Merkel steps down after sixteen years at the helm of Europe’s largest political and economic power.

The panel will discuss what changes a new government and leadership in Berlin will bring about for Germany, Europe, and the transatlantic alliance. Against the backdrop of a still-new US administration, global crises including the impact of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the COVID-19 pandemic, and new challenges to the country’s economic model, what new vision will a future German government and chancellor forge for Germany and its place in the world?

Speakers:

Tyson Barker
Head, Technology and Global Affairs Program, German Council on Foreign Relations

Constanze Stelzenmüller
Senior Fellow, Center on the United States and Europe; Fritz Stern Chair on Germany and trans-Atlantic Relations, Brookings Institution

Ines Pohl (moderator)
Washington Bureau Chief, Deutsche Welle

  1. The 9/11 Attacks from a Historical Perspective | Sep 2, 2021 | 7:45 AM EST | Royal United Services Institute | Register Here

The attacks by the Al Qaeda terrorist organisation on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon, on 11 September 2001 were cataclysmic in totally changing the global strategic environment. This event will commemorate the 20th anniversary.

Speakers:

Prof. Peter Neumann
Professor of Security Studies, Department of War Studies, King’s College London; Senior Associate Fellow, RUSI

Suzanne Raine
Trustee, RUSI

Sir John Scarlett KCMG OBE
Distinguished Fellow, RUSI; Former Chief, MI6

  1. Tunisia – What Now? | Sep 2, 2021 | 9:00 AM EST | CSIS | Register Here

Tunisia, the lone democracy remaining from the Arab Spring, is at a crossroads. The Covid-19 pandemic devastated an already struggling economy, while the political system has grown increasingly ineffectual. Last month, Tunisia’s president Kais Saied suspended the parliament, sacked the prime minister, and significantly increased his own power for 30 days, and on August 23 he extended those moves indefinitely.

What does the future hold for Tunisia? What can the United States and its allies, who together have invested billions of dollars in the Tunisian democratic experiment, do to support Tunisia in its crisis?

Speakers:

Congressman David Price (D-NC)
Chairman, House Democracy Partnership; Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

Bowman Cutter
Chairman, the Tunisian Enterprise Fund

Mohamed Malouche
Chairman, Tunisian American Young Professionals

Lobna Jeribi
Founder and President, Solidar Tunisia

Shawna Bader-Blau
Executive Director, Solidarity Center

Jon B. Alterman
Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program, CSIS

Marti Flacks
Director and Senior Fellow, Human Rights Initiative, CSIS

5. Climate Change: Entry Point for Regional Peace in the Middle East | Sep 2, 2021 | 10:00 AM EST | Clingendael Institute | Register Here

Climate change is hitting the Middle East region hard with unbearable temperatures, water scarcity, desertification and saltwater intrusion undermining local food production. After the recent eruption of violence the need to address underlying stresses of grievances of people living in the region is mentioned as a factor that deserves extra attention. Whereas conflicts over identity and history are hard to overcome, it may still be possible to enter into renewed dialogues over how to build resilience against climate change and use renewables to enhance the level of energy security that could be used for air conditioning and water desalination. In a region prone to tensions, climate change is a common enemy that people in the region are facing.

By using practical examples, this online event will consider how a focus on climate adaptation and mitigation could be used as an entry point for bringing together people that otherwise might hardly talk to each other. What can they gain from entering into a dialogue over better management and distribution of scarce natural resources, and may this also foster a more general spirit of mutual understanding?

Speakers:

Yana Abu Taleb
Director, EcoPeace Middle East – Jordan

Rene van Nes
Head, Division of Conflict Prevention and Mediation Support, European External Action Service

Prof. Alon Tal
Member, Knesset

Dr. Shaddad Attili
Advisor ranking Minister, Negotiations Support Department, PLO

Louise van Schaik (moderator)
Head, EU & Global Affairs Unit, the Clingendael Institute

Tobias von Lossow (Q&A)
Research Fellow, the Clingendael Institute

6. Syria Today: How Assad “Won” beyond the Military | Sep 2, 2021 | 11:00 AM EST | Middle East Institute | Register Here

The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to announce a panel discussion featuring contributors to The Middle East Journal’s 2021 Spring and Summer Issues. As the civil war in Syria endures after a decade of conflict, Bashar al-Assad continues to pursue his consolidation of authority and regime legitimization. Aside from military tactics, Assad has diversified his approach to this pursuit through a number of tactics, including swaying influential social and religious leaders to support state security measures and depending on foreign aid to support the reconstruction of the country. A panel of journal contributors will join to discuss these broader themes featured in their articles and delve deeper into the internal workings of the Syrian regime.   

Speakers:

Rahaf Aldoughli
Contributor, Middle East Journal; Lecturer, Middle East and North African Studies, Lancaster University

Guy Burton
Contributor, Middle East Journal; Visiting Fellow, LSE Middle East Centre

Eric Lob
Contributor, Middle East Journal; Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University

Emma Beals (moderator)
Non-resident scholar, MEI

7. Prospects for US-Iran Relations under Raisi | Sep 2, 2021 | 11:00 AM EST | Arab Center Washington DC | Register Here

The Iranian Studies Unit of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and Arab Center Washington DC invite you to a lecture by Dr. Vali Nasr on the prospects for US-Iran relations under the Ebrahim Raisi and Joe Biden Administrations. Dr. Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center.  

Speakers:

Vali Nasr (speaker)
Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

Khalil E. Jahshan (moderator)
Executive Director, Arab Center Washington DC

Mehran Kamrava (moderator)
Chair, Iranian Studies Unit, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies

8. Learning the Lessons of Afghanistan | Sep 2, 2021 | 7:00 PM EST | Institute for Policy Studies | Register Here

IPS’ Fellow, Phyllis Bennis will be featured in a webinar series, presented by Massachusetts Peace Action. A forum of three deeply knowledgeable speakers who will give their response to these themes and their suggested lessons.

Speakers:

Kathy Kelly
Nonviolent activist

Phyllis Bennis
Middle East Politics Specialist, Institute for Policy Studies

Chris Velazquez
Afghanistan War veteran; Digital Director, Veterans for Peace

Will Hopkins (moderator)
New Hampshire Peace Action

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Stevenson’s army, July 12

Biggest protests in Cuba in years.

Defense companies keep raking in the dollars.

Russia has a new national security strategy and it includes climate change.

-WOTR reports on the fight over Diego Garcia. [I hope you can open this link, if not just go to Punchbowl]

-Punchbowl lays out the Congressional options for the next several busy weeks.

My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).

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Oil and gas have an important role to play in getting to net zero

The Global Energy Center at the Atlantic Council hosted The Role of Gas and Oil in Net-Zero on June 28 to discuss the role of hydrocarbons and international energy companies in reaching the goal of net-zero by 2050. In his opening remarks, the founding chairman, Richard Morningstar, emphasized the need for a public-private partnership to reach the goal in a timely manner. The speakers of the event were:

Ambassador Richard Morningstar

Founding Chairman, Global Energy Center Atlantic Council

Al Cook

Executive Vice President, Exploration and Production International Equinor

Juliana Garaizar

Vice President of Innovation, Greentown Labs

Greg Sharenow

Portfoli Manager, Real Assets, PIMCO

Helima Croft (moderator)

Managing and Global Head of Commodity Strategy, RBC Capital Markets; Board of Directors member, Global Energy Center Atlantic Council

In his keynote speech, Cook emphasized net-zero as the future of the energy industry. The means of producing energy must become more conscious of the resulting carbon emissions. 80% of the world’s energy is supplied by fossil fuels. This 80% must fall, despite the growing demand for coal – a demand expected to continue to rise through the upcoming decades.

Cook referenced the latest report by the International Energy Agency that suggested no new oil and gas projects globally after 2021. He believes this is essential, though it does not align with current government policies. Cook believes there must be a decrease by 50% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and energy companies must provide the 50% of people who lack access to electricity with renewable and affordable solutions. To accomplish these goals, Cook proposed three objectives for the energy industry:

  1. The amount of carbon dioxide produced with each barrel of oil must be decreased. On average, today the production of 1 barrel of oil produces 17-18 kg of carbon dioxide. Equinor has harnessed developing technology to decrease this to 8 kg of carbon dioxide per barrel. Equinor employs a combination of carbon capture and storage (with burial underground) and electrification of offshore operations to drastically decrease emissions.
  2. Energy production companies should reinvest revenues and capital in renewable energy. Cook suggested investment in offshore windfarms. Equinor is currently constructing the world’s largest offshore wind farm – Dogger Bank – off the UK coastline and partnering to build a windfarm off the shores of New York called Empire Wind, which will produce 15% of the renewable energy target set by the Biden Administration.  
  3. At its current rate, renewable energy cannot immediately solve the world’s need for energy. Due to its combination of low intensity and intermittency, Cook emphasized the need to continue using fossil fuels. We must acknowledge the future demand for oil and gas and take this into account in future.

Reactions to the IEA Report: what do you take from the report? What is doable and what is necessary?

Cook emphasized the need for its severity. He claimed that for too long, too many reports have underestimated the importance of renewable energy. Fatty Burrel, the author of the IEA report, argues the world cannot wait until 2050 to reach these targets, the energy industry and its supporting governments must enact change today.

Garaizar and Sharenow echoed Cook’s response, stating this report is a wake-up call for investors as well as policy makers. While Sharenow argued the proposal is an aspiration, it will provide clarity and foster greater steps in building confidence for investors in renewable energy.

What are the policy changes that need to happen to enact change?

Sharenow argued for implementation of stricter carbon prices, taxes, and complementary policies to address carbon emissions. Carbon policies can be a positive tool for companies to redistribute their investments and provide incentive for future movement towards renewable energy. Sharenow also emphasized the need for collective action, as more opportunities can be offered to the world, especially those in areas without consistent access to electricity, if this pursuit is undertaken as a communal effort.

Garizar agreed with Sharenow and asserted the need for developing innovative business models to make up for the lack of political structure in some countries. Instead of promoting change within political systems, it is the responsibility of international energy companies to create and promote new models that accommodate differing political structures in promoting consistent and affordable access to renewable energy.

To conclude, Cook, reaffirmed his previous arguments, acknowledging the need for consistency and long-term policies to streamline the promotion of decreased carbon regulations around the world.

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Peace Picks | June 21-25, 2021

Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.

  1. World refugee day: Stories of resilient women | June 21, 2021 |  11:00 AM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here

The Atlantic Council hosts a powerful conversation with refugee – and former refugee – women from around the globe as they share their stories of hope and triumph after surviving unforgettable hardship. These are stories of true resilience.

Speakers:

Adrienne Arsht (opening remarks)
Executive Vice Chair, Atlantic Council; Founder, Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center and Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, Atlantic Council

Reena Ninan (moderator)
Journalist and International Correspondent

Suzana Vuk
Account Executive, Zoom Video Communications

Priyali Sur
Founder & Managing Director, The Azadi Project

José Felix Rodriguez
Regional Coordinator of Migration, Social Inclusion and Non-Violence (Americas Region), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Lilia
Interviewed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Sedighe
Interviewed by the Azadi Project

Masouma
Interviewed by the Azadi Project

Rebecca Scheurer (closing remarks)
Director, Humanitarian Initiatives, Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Atlantic Council

2. What Iran’s election results portend | June 21, 2021 |  12:00 PM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here

Following the June 18 presidential elections in Iran, a panel of experts discuss the political landscape and the ballot’s regional and international implications. The Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative invites you to a discussion of the implications of the election results for US-Iran relations, the 2015 nuclear deal, and Iran’s regional and domestic politics, including the succession to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Speakers:

Borzou Daragahi
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Fatemeh Haghighatjoo
Director, Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy

Azadeh Zamirirad
Iran Researcher and Deputy Head of the Africa and Middle East Division, German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Sadegh Zibakalam
Author and Professor, University of Tehran

Barbara Slavin (moderator)
Director, Future of Iran Initiative, Atlantic Council

3. Prioritizing clean energy investments in emerging and developing economies | June 21, 2021 |  12:00 PM ET | Brookings Institution | Register Here

Around the world, developing markets are facing a daunting challenge: how to strengthen their economies to improve the lives and livelihoods of citizens while not relying on high-carbon avenues for growth which have been deployed for generations. In many ways, the future of climate action relies on the decisions made in these emerging markets, and additional fiscal pressure brought about by the pandemic has made investing in necessary energy transformations to create sustainable, long-term growth even more difficult. A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), in collaboration with the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, outlines a plan for mobilizing and prioritizing clean energy investments in these economies.

The Brookings Initiative on Climate Research and Action will convene an event to discuss the new IEA report, “Financing clean energy transitions in emerging and developing economies” and the obstacles to mobilizing and deploying finance for clean energy transitions.

Speakers:

David G. Victor (introduction)
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Energy Security and Climate Initiative, Brookings Institution

Fatih Birol (keynote)
Executive Director, International Energy Agency

Michael Waldron (paper presentation)
Head of the Energy Investment Unit, International Energy Agency

David Dollar
Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, John L. Thornton China Center, Brookings Institution

Samantha Gross
Director, Energy Security and Climate Initiative; Fellow, Foreign Policy, Energy Security and Climate Initiative, Brookings Institution

Rachel Kyte
Dean, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Steven M. Rothstein
Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Market

4. Terrorist Attacks, Cultural Incidents And The Vote For Radical Parties: Analyzing Text From Twitter | June 22, 2021 |  9:00 AM ET | Hoover Institution, Stanford University | Register Here

The Hoover Institution announces a new seminar series on Using Text as Data in Policy Analysis. These seminars will feature applications of natural language processing, structured human readings, and machine learning methods to text as data to examine policy issues in economics, history, national security, political science, and other fields. This third session features a conversation with Francesco Giavazzi speaking on Terrorist Attacks, Cultural Incidents and the Vote for Radical Parties: Analyzing Text from Twitter.

Speakers:

Francesco Giavazzi
Professor of Economics, Bocconi University; Research Fellow, Centre for Economic Policy Research; Research Associate, NBER

5. Views From the Ground: Perceptions of Domestic Conditions in MENA | June 22, 2021 |  10:00 AM ET | Middle East Institute | Register Here

The Middle East Institute (MEI) holds the third event in a four-part series in cooperation with Arab Barometer, on the occasion of the publication of Arab Barometer’s findings from the sixth wave of its surveys. The third panel will bring together experts from the US and Middle East alongside Abdul-Wahab Kayyali, senior research specialist with the Arab Barometer, to discuss the findings relevant to domestic conditions in the region. What have been the views of governments throughout the pandemic and ongoing crises? How are the economic conditions, and in what ways has the change of global work conditions impacted regional populations? What are the perceptions of civil liberty and freedoms?

Speakers:

Abdul-Wahab Kayyali
Senior Research Specialist, Arab Barometer

Sahar Khamis
Non-Resident Scholar, MEI

Saloua Zerhouni
President, Rabat Institute for Social Science

Ibrahim al-Assil (moderator)
Senior Fellow, MEI

6. Iran’s Pivotal Presidential Election | June 22, 2021 |  10:30 AM ET | Wilson Center and United States Institute of Peace | Register Here

The election on June 18 could mark the most important political transition in Iran for more than 30 years since the new president is likely to be in power when the next supreme leader is selected. Most Iranians—and now the majority of voters—were born after the 1979 revolution. One of the looming questions is how many will vote—and what will turnout say about public support for the regime.

The election intersects with critical negotiations between Iran and the world’s six major powers over the future of the JCPOA nuclear deal. Iran’s next president will set policy for years to come on foreign relations, including talks with the outside world on its nuclear and missile programs as well as on domestic affairs and the economy, which have been stifled by economic sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This expert panel will discuss the election results and the implications for Iran, the Middle East, and the United States. How will the new president fare with the Biden administration?

Speakers:

Robin Wright
Distinguished Fellow, USIP-Wilson Center; Author and Columnist, The New York Times

Suzanne Maloney
Interim Vice President and Director, Foreign Policy Program, Brookings Institution; Senior Fellow, Brookings Center for Middle East Policy

Ali Vaez
Iran Project Director, International Crisis Group

James F. Jeffrey (moderator)
Chair of the Middle East Program, Wilson Center; Former Ambassador to Iraq and Turkey, and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, US State Department

7. Re-Seeding Culture: Syrian Artists in Berlin | June 23, 2021 |  10:00 AM ET | Middle East Institute | Register Here

The Middle East Institute’s Arts and Culture Center in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Washington host a conversation about the development and influence of a thriving Syrian creative community in Berlin over the past decade with a panel of members of this community.

How did Berlin emerge as a new hub of Syrian arts and culture in diaspora? What challenges did Syrian artists face? How did they adapt and engage with this new artistic landscape? And what sort of influence has this exchange of cultures had on Berlin’s artistic community and cultural institutions?

Speakers:

Khaled Barakeh
Contemporary Artist

Kinan Hmeidan
Actor

Diana El-Jeiroudi
Filmmaker & Producer

Malu Halasa (moderator)
Writer

8. Advancing the role of women in Sudan’s transition | May 23, 2021 |  10:00 AM ET | Chatham House | Register Here

The contribution of women to Sudan’s transition is crucial to ensuring long-term peace, stability and development. In March 2020, the transitional government adopted its National Action Plan on women, peace and security, in line with UN Resolution 1325 which reaffirms the important role of women in peace and security efforts. Earlier this year, the cabinet also announced its priority to empower women in public affairs yet implementation of these commitments remains slow

At this event, panellists reflect on the role of women in the implementation of peace in Sudan and discuss how to increase the participation of women in political roles and other fields. They also examine outstanding priorities for legal reform, the impact of gender-based discrimination and the need for action to secure the rights and safety of women in the country.

Speakers:

Samia El Hashmi
Co-Founder and Chairwomen, Mutawinat Benevolent Company

Samia Nihar
Head, Gender Unit, Development Studies and Research Center, University of Khartoum

Manara Asad Begira Arbab
International Cooperation and Public Relations Officer, Sudan Youth Organization for Climate Change

Yousra Elbagir (moderator)
Freelance Journalist and Writer

9. A Conversation with Iraq’s Planning and Migration Ministers | June 23, 2021 |  10:30 AM ET | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here

Join USIP for a discussion with Iraq’s Minister of Planning Khalid Najim and Minister of Migration and Displacement Evan Jabro on the current situation and challenges to stabilization, reconstruction and reform efforts in Iraq. The discussion will also shed light on the status of Iraq’s displaced communities and recent returnees — including ethnic and religious minorities and those at al-Hol camp — as well as the Iraqi government’s plans for the future.

Speakers:

Michael Yaffe (opening remarks)
Vice President, Middle East and North Africa, U.S. Institute of Peace

Minister Khalid Batal Najm
Minister of Planning, Republic of Iraq

Minister Evan Faeq Jabro
Minister of Migration and Displacement, Republic of Iraq

Sarhang Hamasaeed (moderator)
Director, Middle East Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace

10. Book Discussion | Transforming Our World: President George H.W. Bush and American Foreign Policy | June 24, 2021 |  11:00 AM ET | Wilson Center | Register Here

From the fall of the Soviet Union to the Gulf War, the presidency of George H. W. Bush dealt with foreign policy challenges that would cement the post-Cold War order for a generation. Transforming Our World: President George H.W. Bush and American Foreign Policy offers readers a unique perspective on international events in the Bush administration — in the words of distinguished U.S. foreign policy insiders who helped shape them. They shed new light on and analyze President Bush’s role in world events during this historic period, his style of diplomacy, the organization and functioning of his foreign policy team, the consequences of his decisions, and his leadership skills.

Speakers:

Andrew H. Card Jr.
Author, Transforming Our World; Former White House Chief of Staff; Former Chair, National Endowment for Democracy

Andrew S. Natsios
Author, Transforming Our World; Director, Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University

Ambassador Mark Green (moderator)
President, Director, & CEO, Wilson Center

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