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Peace Picks | November 18 – November 22

Responding to Armed Groups in Venezuela | November 18, 2019 | 9:30 AM – 11:15 AM | CSIS Headquarters, 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 | Register Here

Please join CSIS’ Future of Venezuela Initiative for a discussion on how the presence of illegal armed groups affects the transition process in Venezuela, and what the United States, the international community, and other pertinent actors within Latin America can do to mitigate the effect of these groups.

The presence of armed groups in Venezuela significantly affects how policymakers consider addressing the Venezuelan political and humanitarian crisis. The Maduro regime seeks to benefit from Venezuela’s status as a hub for transnational crime and illicit activities, causing policymakers to doubt what the best approach to address the crisis would be. Illegal armed groups finding haven in Venezuela not only adds new threats to Venezuela’s internal security, but also threatens Colombia’s security and the region writ-large. Illegal armed groups in Venezuela include the National Liberation Army (ELN), remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), colectivos, garimpeiros, and other residual organized armed groups (GAO) and criminal gangs.

The event will feature keynote remarks from Colombia’s High Commissioner for Peace, Miguel Ceballos, and from Paul Ahern, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department. The remarks will be followed by a panel with former National Security Advisers to the White House and the former Vice President of Panama, and will be moderated by CSIS’ Moises Rendon.

FEATURING

Fernando Cutz

Senior Associate, The Cohen Group; Former National Security Council

Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado

Former Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Panama

Dan Fisk

Chief Operations Officer, International Republican Institute; Former National Security Council

Juan Cruz

Senior Adviser, CSIS Americas Program; Former National Security Council

Miguel Ceballos

High Commissioner for Peace, Government of Colombia

Paul Ahern

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Treasury Department

CSIS Debate Series: Does the U.S. Need a Foreign Policy for sub-Saharan Africa? | November 20, 2019 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM | CSIS Headquarters, Floor 2, 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 | Register Here

Does democracy foster economic growth? Does great power competition hurt or empower the continent? Does the U.S. even need a foreign policy for sub-Saharan Africa? Since the 1990s, there has been a consensus about U.S. priorities and policies toward the region. While continuity has its merits, it also acts as a brake on creativity, innovation, and new thinking about U.S. interests in sub-Saharan Africa. The CSIS Africa Debate Series offers an opportunity to question and refine policy objectives to meet a changing political landscape.
 
The CSIS Africa Program with the support of the Open Society Foundations is hosting a series of debates in Washington, D.C. and other U.S. cities to challenge old paradigms and identify new approaches to tackle pressing U.S.-Africa policy issues. For its inaugural debate on November 20, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., CSIS will pose the question, “Does the United States need a foreign policy in sub-Saharan Africa?” to former U.S. government officials and African scholars. Experts will face off to identify the advantages and disadvantages of U.S. engagement in Africa and to open a dialogue on a new framework for U.S. foreign policy toward the region. Audience members will vote key debate points as well as participate in a Question & Answer session. Save the date, register, and subscribe to the CSIS Africa Program distribution list to receive updates on the Debate Series.

FEATURING

Monde Muyangwa

Africa Program Director, Wilson Center

Chidi Odinkalu

Senior Managing Legal Officer, Open Society Justice Initiative

Ambassador (ret.) John Simon

Founding Partner, Total Impact Capital (TOTAL)

The State of Human Rights in Africa | November 20, 2019 | 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Brookings Institution, Saul/Zilkha Room 1775, Massachusetts Avenue N.W. Washington, DC 20036 | Register Here

On a continent as vast and diverse as Africa, there are no simple narratives on freedom and human rights. Like many places in the world, there are hopeful trends and success stories, but also worrisome trends and signs of backsliding. While sincere efforts to enshrine human rights in law are found in most of Africa’s 54 countries, the actual protection of those rights often falls victim to corruption or to violent non-state actors with other designs in mind. But there are reasons for optimism as well as caution — and ample data to show observers where the trends are going. For instance, according to Freedom House, sub-Saharan Africa has about 10 “free” countries (most of them small), about 20 “partly free,” and about 20 more “not free” nations. Recent trends in The Gambia and Angola give rise to optimism, while repressive actions in Tanzania and Uganda suggest they have a ways to go.

On November 20, the Africa Security Initiative at the Brookings Institution will host a panel of experts on human rights trends in Africa. Questions will follow from the audience.

Speakers:

Moderator

Michael E. O’Hanlon

Senior Fellow – Foreign Policy

Director of Research – Foreign Policy

The Sydney Stein, Jr. Chair

Panelists

Mausi Segun

Executive Director, Africa – Human Rights Watch

Tiseke Kasambala

Chief of Party, Advancing Rights in Southern Africa Program – Freedom House

Jon Temin

Director, Africa Program – Freedom House

Repairing the Damage: The future of U.S. relations with our Syrian Kurdish and the fight against ISIS | November 20, 2019 | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Russell Senate Office, 2 Constitution Ave NE, Room 385, Washington, DC 20002 | Register Here

Turkey’s recent invasion of the predominantly Kurdish region (Rojava) in northeast Syria has upended the successful four year joint operation between the United States and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS in Syria and left the Syrian Kurds and their partners at the mercy of Putin and Assad to seek protection against advancing Turkish forces.  

Nearly 300,000 Kurds, Christians, and Arabs have been displaced and more than 700 people have been killed in the conflict which has also placed the anti-ISIS campaign at risk, including the potential escape of 1000s of ISIS prisoners in SDF-managed camps in eastern Syria.  Alongside the Turkish military, radical jihadist fighters backed by Turkey have committed documented war crimes including the brutal murder of female Syrian Kurdish politician, Hevrin Khalaf.

Despite the U.S.-Turkish ceasefire agreement, Turkey and its proxies continue to bombard and invade areas outside the zone and Turkish President Erdogan has continued to reiterate his intention to ‘cleanse’ the area of local inhabitants. Confusion exists over the implications of the recent US decision to redeploy a small number of US forces back into eastern Syria to protect oil resources there.

The panel discussion will address the future relationship between the US and its Syrian Kurdish allies and the way forward to stop Turkey’s military operation, remove Turkish-backed jihadi proxies from the area and prevent the re-emergence of ISIS.

Opening Remarks — Honorable Senator Chris Van Hollen

Panel Discussion

Moderator:  Dr. Najmaldin Karim, President of the Washington Kurdish Institute

Ms. Ilham Ahmed, President of the Syrian Democratic Council

Dr. Amy Austin Holmes, Woodrow Wilson International Center &Visiting Professor at Harvard University

Dr. Aykan Erdemir, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Future Geopolitical Realities and Expectations in Syria | November 21, 2019 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | National Press Club, 529 14^th St NW, Washington, DC 20045 | Register Here

On November 21st, the Turkish Heritage Organization will host President of the Independent Syrian Kurdish Association Abdulaziz Tammo, Council of United Syrians and Americans Executive Director Hamdi Rifai, and TRT World Middle East Correspondent Sarah Firth for a discussion on “Future Geopolitical Realities and Expectations in Syria”.

The Role of Women in Syria’s Future | November 21, 2019 | 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Middle East Institute, 1763 N Street NW Washington, DC 20036 | Register Here

The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to host a public event featuring a panel of influential Syrian women, which will focus on the important role of women within Syrian civil society and in local and international initiatives aimed at shaping a better future for Syria. The panel will focus particularly on the contributions made by women in Syria’s ongoing political processes, including the nascent Geneva negotiation track, as well as in the recently UN-convened Constitutional Committee.

Please join us for this timely discussion on the role of women at home and abroad, amid conflict and a continuing search for peace and justice in Syria.

Speakers 

Sarah Hunaidi

Writer and human rights activist; member of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement

Rafif Jouejati

Co-founder and Director, FREE-Syria

Jomana Qaddour

Lawyer and analyst; co-founder, Syria Relief & Development

Vivian Salama

Journalist, The Wall Street Journal

Energizing India: Conversations on Energy Access and Security | November 22, 2019 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 1030 15^th St NW, 12^th Floor, Washington, DC | Register Here

India faces various accessibility challenges in rural and urban regions. Smart grid and off-grid solutions subsidized by the Indian government have made the country one of the fastest electrifying in the world. While the Indian government claims 100 percent electrification, and thus significant transmission and distribution infrastructure, energy experts raise questions about the impact of these government-led efforts. As electrification grows among households, new solutions from both public and private sector entities must ensure long-term energy access and security.

Please join the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center and South Asia Center on Friday, November 22, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for a conversation with Shreerupa Mitra, Executive Director of The Energy Forum, about her new book, “Energizing India: Fuelling a Billion Lives.” followed by two expert panels on energy access and security in India.

Book Discussion: Energizing India: Fuelling a Billion Lives

Shreerupa Mitra
Executive Director
The Energy Forum

Moderated by

Randolph Bell
Director, Global Energy CenterAtlantic Council

Panel I: Ensuring Energy Access

Dr. Johannes Urpelainen
Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Professor of Energy, Resources and Environment; Director, Energy, Resources and Environment Program, School of Advanced International Studies
Johns Hopkins University

Moderated by

Bina Hussein
Associate Director, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Panel II: Ensuring Energy Security

Amos Hochstein
Former Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs
US Department of State

Shreerupa Mitra
Executive Director
The Energy Forum

Moderated by

Dr. Irfan Noorruddin
Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

*More speakers to be announced soon*