Events at USIP

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Myanmar Study Group Report Launch Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

Last February, the Burmese army launched a coup and began reversing a decade of democratic and economic progress. In March 2021, USIP organized the Myanmar Study Group in response to the country’s evolving crisis. On the one-year anniversary of the military’s coup, on February 1, the Myanmar Study Group released its final report and USIP hosted a discussion on the study group’s findings and recommendations on topics such as the Burmese army, Myanmar’s economy, ethnic armed organizations, end state scenarios, humanitarian assistance, international actors and U.S. government policy alternatives.

Panelists

Lise Grande, opening remarks President & CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Christina Fink Professor of Practice of International Affairs, Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University

Daniel Twining President, International Republican Institute

Derek Mitchell Former U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar

Jason Tower, Country Director, Myanmar, U.S. Institute of Peace

Priscilla Clapp Senior Advisor, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/myanmar-study-group-report-launch

Does the U.S. Strategy for Central Asia Address the Region’s Current Problems? Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

In February 2020, the State Department published a public version of the U.S strategy for Central Asia, which placed particular emphasis on supporting Afghanistan and democracy in the region, in addition to economic goals. On January 27, USIP hosted a discussion on what a strategy for Central Asia could look like going forward given the significant change and uncertainty in the region.

Speakers

Lesslie Viguerie, introductory remarks Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asian and Pakistan Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Gavin Helf, moderator Senior Expert, Central Asia, U.S. Institute of Peace

Ambassador (Ret.) Richard Hoagland Chair, Security and Politics Program, Caspian Policy Center; Former U.S Ambassador to Kazakhstan

Jennifer Murtazashvili Associate Professor and Director, Center for Governance and Markets, University of Pittsburgh

S. Frederick Starr Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute

Navbahor Imamova Multimedia Journalist, Voice of America’s Uzbek Service

Donald Jensen Director, Russia and Strategic Stability, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/does-us-strategy-central-asia-address-regions-current-problems

PeaceCon@10: Closing Keynote - Hope Springs Eternal Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

PeaceCon@10: COVID, Climate, and Conflict: Rising to the Challenges of a Disrupted World, explored how the peacebuilding field can address these pressing short and long-term challenges to achieve a more peaceful and secure world. On January 26, following a series of breakout sessions hosted by the Alliance for Peacebuilding, participants re-joined USIP for a fireside chat with closing keynote speaker Robert Jenkins of USAID.

Speakers

Robert Jenkins Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, USAID

Lise Grande, President & CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Liz Hume, moderator Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/peacecon10

PeaceCon@10: Rising to the Challenge of Climate Change Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

On January 26, USIP and the Alliance for Peacebuilding hosted a plenary panel discussion to address the relationship among climate change, conflict and fragility, and consider strategies for the international community to address the peace and security implications of these issues as well as the ongoing pandemic.

Speakers

Ambassador Frederic Gateretse-Ngoga, introductory remarks Head of Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Division, African Union Commission

Polly Byers CEO, Karuna Center for Peacebuilding

Gillian Caldwell Agency Climate Change Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID

Patrick Youssef Regional Director, Africa, International Committee of the Red Cross

Andrew Revkin, moderator Director, Initiative on Communication Innovation and Impact, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/peacecon10

Resolving the Legacies of Agent Orange Jan 25, 2022

Show notes

The United States sprayed Agent Orange and related herbicides on 10,160 square miles of South Vietnam from 1961-1971, exposing millions of Vietnamese citizens and U.S. soldiers to dangerous dioxins and seriously affecting at least 150,000 Vietnamese children born after the war. On January 25, USIP hosted a discussion on its Vietnam War Legacies and Reconciliation Initiative -- the first in a series of seminars designed to offer diverse perspectives on U.S.-Vietnam cooperation concerning war legacies.

Speakers

Andrew Wells-Dang, introductory remarks Senior Expert, Vietnam, U.S. Institute of Peace

Charles Bailey Former Director, Agent Orange in Vietnam Program, Aspen Institute

Susan Berresford Former President, Ford Foundation; Convenor of the U.S.-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/Dioxin

Phan Xuân Dũng Research Officer, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/resolving-legacies-agent-orange

30 Years Later: El Salvador’s Peace Accords Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

This January marks the 30th anniversary of El Salvador’s peace accords between the government and left-wing guerrillas, which ended a decade-long civil war that claimed at least 75,000 lives. On January 20, USIP and the Due Process of Law Foundation held a discussion that examined what the 1992 peace agreement achieved, where and why it fell short, and what both domestic and international actors can do to help El Salvador address ongoing struggles with violence, polarization and impunity.

Speakers

Keith Mines, moderator Director, Latin America Program, U.S. Institute of Peace

Leonor Arteaga Program Director, Due Process of Law Foundation

Douglass Cassel Former Legal Advisor, U.N. Commission on the Truth for El Salvador; Professor Emeritus, School of Law, University of Notre Dame

Gino Costa Former Advisor, U.N. Observer Mission in El Salvador; Member of the Peruvian Congress

Alvaro de Soto Former U.N. Representative for the Central American Peace Process; Professor, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/30-years-later-el-salvadors-peace-accords

Peace and Security Issues at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

Chinese and African political leaders met last year in Senegal for the eighth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). On January 19, USIP hosted a discussion on the key takeaways from FOCAC 2021, China's long-term strategy in Africa's peace and security landscape, how China's bilateral relationships in Africa affect conflict dynamics — for example, in Ethiopia, where China has played an outsized economic role — and what it all means for U.S. foreign policy.

Speakers

Lise Grande, opening remarks President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace

Abdul Hakeem Ajijola Chair, African Union Cyber Security Expert Group

Garth le Pere Professor, University of Pretoria; Senior Associate, Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection

Heather Ashby, moderator Senior Program Officer, Strategic Security and Stability, U.S. Institute of Peace

Joseph Sany, closing remarks Vice President, Africa Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/peace-and-security-issues-forum-china-africa-cooperation

Defending Pluralism, Encouraging Tolerance and Building Democracy in Pakistan Jan 18, 2022

Show notes

Rivets Learning, with support from USIP, has recently published a book of seven essays, “Pakistan Here and Now: Insights into Society, Culture, Identity and Diaspora”, that attempts to decipher the interplay of external discourse and local narratives of diversity and inclusion to help reshape the discussion around combating violent extremism in Pakistan. On January 18, USIP as hosted the book’s editor and several contributors for a discussion on the context and development of extremist narratives in Pakistan, as well as how they can be countered by a focus on inclusion and tolerance.

Speakers

Harris Khalique Poet and Editor of “Pakistan Here and Now”

Fatimah Ihsan Head of Gender Studies Department, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad; Contributor, “Pakistan Here and Now”

Hasan Zaidi Editor for Magazines, DAWN Group; Contributor, “Pakistan Here and Now”

Adnan Rafiq, moderator Country Director, Pakistan, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/defending-pluralism-encouraging-tolerance-and-building-democracy-pakistan

Is Governance the Taliban’s Achilles Heel? Jan 14, 2022

Show notes

On January 12, USIP hosted a discussion with leading experts on the Taliban’s approach to governing Afghanistan so far — as well as how the United States and international community can assist the Afghan people despite the challenges the Taliban pose as the country’s sole authority.

Speakers

Scott Worden, moderator Director, Afghanistan & Central Asia, U.S Institute of Peace

Rahmatullah Amiri Independent Researcher and Author

Palwasha Kakar Interim Director, Religion and Inclusive Societies, U.S. Institute of Peace

Asfandyar Mir, PhD Senior Expert, Asia, U.S. Institute of Peace

Andrew Watkins Senior Expert, Afghanistan, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/governance-talibans-achilles-heel

A ‘Faith for Rights‘ Approach to Promoting Sustainable Peace Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

The #Faith4Rights Toolkit from the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) offers a way for religious actors, policymakers and practitioners to explore the links between human rights and peacebuilding, serving as a practical guide for engaging in human rights promotion in a variety of environments. On December 16, USIP and OHCHR hosted a conversation about religious actors’ support for human rights promotion, the #Faith4Rights Toolkit, and how the intersection of religion and human rights can help inform sustainable peace.

Speakers

Palwasha Kakar, opening remarks Acting Director, Religion and Inclusive Societies, U.S. Institute of Peace

Ibrahim Salama, opening remarks Chief, Human Rights Treaties Branch, OHCHR

Mostafa Betaree Director of Spotlight Team International Art and former OHCHR Minority Fellow

Mounir Elkadery Boudshish President of the Foundation Al-Moultaqa and director of the international Sufi forum

Nosy Ramamonjisoa Human Rights Treaties Branch, OHCHR

Knox Thames, Senior Visiting Expert, U.S. Institute of Peace

Melissa Nozell, moderator Program Officer, Religion and Inclusive Societies, U.S. Institute Peace Michael Wiener, moderator Rule of Law, Equality and Non-discrimination Branch, OHCHR

Ibrahim Salama, closing remarks Chief, Human Rights Treaties Branch, OHCHR

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/faith-rights-approach-promoting-sustainable-peace

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