The U.S. Institute of Peace held an online conversation via Twitter to discuss past and upcoming elections at risk of violence. Participants included the contributing authors of Electing Peace, a recent research volume that examines the effectiveness of common practices to prevent election violence.

Justice, Security & Rule of Law;  Global Elections & Conflict

Ambassador Donald Booth is completing almost two and half years as the U.S. special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan. He discussed the lessons learned from recent international initiatives to end violent conflict in both countries, and the road ahead for that effort and for the U.S. role.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Environment;  Justice, Security & Rule of Law;  Economics

As the United States prepared to inaugurate its 45th president, the U.S. Institute of Peace again held its Passing the Baton conference—a review, during the transition between administrations, of global challenges confronting our nation. USIP convened Cabinet-level and other senior foreign policy and national security figures from the outgoing and incoming administrations as part of two days of meetings January 9 and 10. They were joined by top officials from previous administrations, thought leaders and other foreign policy experts.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Violent Extremism;  Environment;  Gender;  Justice, Security & Rule of Law;  Economics

On December 19, USIP hosted a discussion with a diverse group of South Asia experts on the crisis and the potential U.S. diplomatic role under the next U.S. administration.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Mediation, Negotiation & Dialogue;  Justice, Security & Rule of Law

Thomas Perriello, at the completion of nearly 18 months as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Africa Great Lakes region after previously leading the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), discussed lessons for U.S. foreign policy drawn from his tenure on December 15, 2016.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Global Policy

Cambodia’s 1991 peace accord launched a process of cease-fire, peacekeeping and rebuilding that stabilized the country, but left deep wounds still unhealed from the 1970s genocide and decades of war. The Cambodian peace process was one of the first of its scale undertaken by the international community after the Cold War—and a quarter-century of work to implement it offers lessons for current and future peacebuilding work, both in Cambodia and worldwide. On December 15 at USIP, two panels discussed how the accords were achieved, political tensions since then, lessons that might be drawn from Cambodia's experience for other peace processes, and what role the international community might play going forward to preserve the peace and the intent of the accords.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Mediation, Negotiation & Dialogue;  Peace Processes

Communities expect U.N. peacekeepers to protect them. Currently, 97 percent of uniformed personnel in U.N. peacekeeping operations serve under mandates to protect civilians. The “Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians” are a non-binding set of pledges to implement certain best practices in peacekeeping. This event aimed to familiarize the Washington, D.C. community with the Kigali Principles, and highlight how they might be used to improve the implementation of protection of civilians’ mandates in U.N. peacekeeping operations.

Human Rights;  Global Policy

The West failed to predict the emergence of al Qaeda in new forms across the Middle East and North Africa. It was blindsided by ISIS's sweep across Syria and Iraq, a blow that changed the map of the Middle East, at least temporarily. Both movements skillfully continue to evolve—and surprise. They have produced dozens of franchises, expanding the threat globally. A new U.S. administration faces daunting tests in navigating violent extremism and the related policy problems. On December 12 the U.S. Institute of Peace held a discussion with two panels of experts who will explore future trends in extremism and outline comprehensive policy responses.

Violent Extremism;  Global Policy