"The support of the USIP staff made what would have been an onerous chore much less so."

--Roy Williams, of the Center for Humanitarian Cooperation, on USIP's role as facilitator of the Guide for Participants

There is now a greater demand for skilled military and civilian personnel to serve in peace, stability and relief operations than ever before. Over 100,000 UN personnel are serving in 18 peace operations. More will be needed for Darfur. The State Department needs civilian experts for provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the Civilian Reserve Corps called for by President Bush. The U.S. military will need new skills to implement DOD Directive 3000.05. The demand for non-governmental organizations in natural and man-made disasters has never been greater. How will these institutions meet the challenge? A distinguished panel of experts addressed the issue.

Cover of book.
 

This conference also marked the official launch of the USIP Press book Guide for Participants in Peace, Stability and Relief Operations. This new book was developed in a collaborative effort by a steering committee composed of: Col. John F Agoglia, U.S. Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute; Christopher J. Hoh, U.S. Department of State; Dawn Calabia, UN Information Center; Roy Williams, The Center for Humanitarian Cooperation; Karen Guttieri, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

Speakers

  • David Harland
    Director for Europe and Latin America Division, UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations
  • Ambassador John Herbst
    Coordinator for the Office of Reconstruction and Stabilization
  • Sam Worthington
    President and CEO, InterAction
  • MG David Fastabend
    Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, United States Army
  • Daniel Serwer, Moderator
    U.S. Institute of Peace

Archived Audio

To listen to audio or to view video, please click on the links provided below. You also can right click on the links and choose "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File." This will save the file to your computer and then allow you to play it in your media player directly. More Audio Help.

Latest Publications

China and Ukraine: Pulling Its Weight with Russia or Potemkin Peacemaker?

China and Ukraine: Pulling Its Weight with Russia or Potemkin Peacemaker?

Friday, November 22, 2024

On Thursday, China’s ambassador, Ma Shengkun, presented his credentials at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. Ma, a career diplomat with a background in arms control, replaces Fan Xianrong who had held the post for the past four and a half years. While a diplomatic reshuffle was due, the timing of the turnover and the selection of Ma, in tandem with other recent developments, suggest that China discerns a gradual gathering of momentum for a peace process or truce talks in coming months. In short, Beijing may be seeking to posture itself in anticipation of a new initiative to end — or at least pause — the war in Ukraine.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

U.S. Concerns Over ‘Axis of Authoritarianism’ Cloud Final Biden-Xi Meeting

U.S. Concerns Over ‘Axis of Authoritarianism’ Cloud Final Biden-Xi Meeting

Thursday, November 21, 2024

With President Joe Biden’s presidential term ending in a few weeks, expectations for his final meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping were modest, especially considering the broader frictions in U.S.-China relations. Biden and Xi met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru on November 16. The meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining open communications channels to manage the two powers’ many differences.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

China’s Global Security Initiative Takes Shape in Southeast and Central Asia

China’s Global Security Initiative Takes Shape in Southeast and Central Asia

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched the Global Security Initiative (GSI) in April 2022, it has been used in China’s efforts to expand its international security role and reshape global order. Drawing on field research and discussions with regional policymakers and experts, this report looks at Beijing’s progress in implementing and operationalizing the GSI in the priority regions of mainland Southeast Asia and Central Asia, and it examines key policy implications, explaining why the initiative warrants greater attention on the part of the US policy community.

Type: Special Report

Global Policy

A Delicate Balance: Promoting Nuclear Energy While Preventing Proliferation

A Delicate Balance: Promoting Nuclear Energy While Preventing Proliferation

Thursday, November 21, 2024

As global energy demands intensify and the urgency of addressing climate shocks mounts, the role of nuclear energy has come to the forefront of discussions for governments, businesses and those concerned about sustainable development. Just last week, the Biden administration released a plan to triple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050. While nuclear energy promises efficiency gains and significant emissions reductions, public opinion remains divided about the tradeoffs of increased investment, the safety risks and the implications for international security. This puts the U.S. at a crossroads as it tries to navigate its role in a world with new demands for nuclear energy and heightened risks of conflict between nuclear-armed states. Such risks were highlighted this week when Russia lowered its nuclear threshold in response to new U.S. authorizations for Ukraine to use long-range weapons.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentGlobal Policy

Iraq’s Lingering ISIS Challenge and the Role of Dialogue in Return and Reintegration

Iraq’s Lingering ISIS Challenge and the Role of Dialogue in Return and Reintegration

Thursday, November 21, 2024

With conflicts raging in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan, concerns related to the extremist group ISIS may seem overtaken by these other conflicts. After all, Iraq declared the group’s military defeat in 2017 after the territory held by the extremists was retaken by Iraqi government forces in partnership with the United States. Yet just over a month ago, U.S. and Iraqi forces conducted a joint military raid against the group, killing nine senior ISIS leaders who were hiding in the rugged Hamrin Mountains in northern Iraq. This raid comes off the heels of the UK’s domestic intelligence chief stating that the group is positioning itself as a resurgent threat. Indeed, ISIS has conducted over 150 attacks so far this year in Iraq and Syria, more than those claimed by the group in 2023.

Type: Analysis

ReconciliationViolent Extremism

View All Publications