Wednesday, November 13, 2024
The Latest @ USIP: Connecting U.S. and African Diplomats
As the U.S.-Africa partnership continues to grow, so too does the importance of close diplomatic cooperation between Washington and African countries. Nyiel Angok from the Embassy of South Sudan and Al Jerome Anastas Chede from the Embassy of Liberia discuss how USIP’s African Diplomats Seminar offers a chance for representatives of African countries to directly connect with U.S. government officials and learn the inner workings of U.S. foreign policy.
Faith Leaders and Community in Nigeria: An Antidote to Violent Extremism
In Nigeria, insurgent groups such as Boko Haram use religious extremism as a pretext for their violence — a justification that is often repeated in reporting and analysis on the situation. But many of the country’s religious leaders see this as a harmful narrative that can conflate religious belief with violent conflict, especially when religion can be such a powerful force for peace. Imam Shefiu Abdulkareem Majemu from the Strength in Diversity Development Centre and Major Olimma Adinwenka Nueka of the Ministry of Defence Provost Company discuss how new training for religious actors can help them prevent violent conflict and de-escalate tensions in Nigeria.
How the World Can Better Support Women Peacebuilders
Whether it’s providing clean drinking water to displaced persons, organizing education for at-risk youth or directly engaging in mediation between warring parties, the 2023 Women Building Peace Award finalists have all shown themselves to be impactful advocates of peace and stability in their communities. USIP spoke to award recipient Pétronille Vaweka of the Democratic Republic of Congo and finalists Dr. Marie-Marcelle Deschamps of Haiti, Abir Haj Ibrahim of Syria and Hamisa Zaja of Kenya about their work and how the international community can help to empower and expand the critical efforts of women peacebuilders around the world.
The Latest @ USIP: Unlocking Africa’s Development Potential
Despite Africa’s immense potential, the pace of development is not keeping up with Africans’ needs. This deficit has helped fuel a troubling rise in poverty, conflict and coups across the continent, all while global issues like climate change and strategic competition begin to take their own toll. USIP spoke with Afrobarometer’s Joe Asunka, Open Society Foundations’ Mooya Nyaundi and the Institute for Security Studies’ Jakkie Cillers at the Africa Futures Summit about the challenges facing the African continent — and how the international community can partner with African leaders to harness Africa’s development potential and promote stable, democratic governance.
The Untapped Potential of Grassroots Peacebuilding in Papua New Guinea
This past January, deadly riots in Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, spilled over into other towns and cities across the nation. As the dust settled, many held the country’s struggling youth population responsible, at least partially, for kindling the widespread unrest. Papua New Guinea’s government responded by announcing ambitious plans to address a broad range of problems facing youth — a promising move.
Where is Gabon Headed After Its Coup?
Despite boasting one of the highest GDPs per capita in Africa, nearly two in five Gabonese live in poverty. That inequality — combined with decades of monolithic rule under the Bongo family — were contributing factors to Gabon’s military coup last August. USIP spoke with Charles M'bah, Gabon’s minister of public accounts, about what the people of Gabon expect from the current political transition and how the international community can help bolster Gabon’s democratic and economic development.
How Indigenous Practices Can Address Today’s Peacebuilding Challenges
Too often, conventional peacebuilding not only overlooks Indigenous peoples — especially women — it dismisses Indigenous methods of building peace as well. But these methods are rooted in deep traditional practices that have a proven history of success. So, while they may differ from current approaches, Indigenous peacebuilding practices offer a chance to expand the peacebuilding field’s understanding and ability to resolve conflict. USIP spoke with several Indigenous leaders at the first Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding about how Indigenous practices can contribute to current peace processes around the world.
The Latest @ USIP: Preventing Conflict Over Critical Minerals
Critical minerals underpin the world economy, powering everything from batteries and computers to the global energy transition. But, as a new USIP senior study group report reveals, competition over securing critical mineral supply lines can also upend stability and security in developing countries. Ambassador Dave Miller, president of the U.S. Diplomatic Studies Foundation, discusses how peace games offer U.S. and international policymakers a chance to practice strategies for preventing conflict — a skillset that will only become more valuable as demand for critical minerals increases.
The Latest @ USIP: Reclaiming Human Rights in Afghanistan
Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed their own interpretation of Islamic law onto the people of Afghanistan and consistently rolled back human rights protections — especially for women and girls — all while the country struggles to recover from decades of conflict and economic crisis. USIP spoke with Fatima Gailani, the former president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, about the various ways Afghans can put pressure on the Taliban to reclaim their rights and demand a better future.
USIP Explains: Community Dialogue in Northern Sinjar
Ten years after ISIS’ genocide against them, the wounds of the Yazidi community in Iraq’s Sinjar district remain fresh as thousands remain displaced and even more await justice for the crimes perpetrated against them. Meanwhile, despite living in peaceful coexistence prior to ISIS’ campaign, the conflict planted seeds of division among Sinjar’s various tribes and communities — resulting in tensions that threatened to tear the district apart even after ISIS’ defeat.