Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters

For only the second time in its, the governing body of the World Health Organization met in a special session. WHO, the World Health Assembly, gathered for a special session. The question at hand: Should member states of the WHO seek to create a new treaty, convention, accord or some sort of international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response? The meetings occurred just as the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, was popping up in countries around the world, prompting travel bans focused on Southern Africa. On the line to help us understand what happened at this special session of the World Health Assembly and what it means for progress towards an international agreement of some sort on pandemic preparedness and response is Kate Dodson, Vice President for Global Health at the United Nations Foundation.

Russian military forces are massing on the border of Ukraine. This has prompted widespread concern that Russia may once again seek to invade Ukraine. On the line with me to discuss this unfolding crisis is John Herbst, Senior Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council and Former US Ambassador to Ukraine. We kick off with a conversation about what this military buildup may signal - or not - about Vladimir Putin's intensions on Ukraine before having a discussion about what diplomatic and military options exist to deter Russian aggression. Links: John Herbst's article on the Atlantic Council's website. Access to a premium subscription and the crypto and global development podcast series. https://www.patreon.com/GlobalDispatches

The most innovative cryptocurrency projects today are being built in the developing world (Sub-Saharan Africa in particular) to address real-world obstacles to economic development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Cryptocurrency and the blockchain technologies they power carry big implications for global development, but are generally off the radar of the global development and foreign policy community. That may soon change as these technologies become more widely adopted. Guest Garry Golden demystifies the world of crypto and explains the implications of this emerging technology for emerging economies and the business of global development. This is a free episode of the new Cryptocurrency and Global Development podcast series and newsletter from Global Dispatches, which profiles crypto projects built to address common global development challenges. Future episodes in this series will be exclusively available to paying subscribers to the Cryptocurrency and Global Development podcast series and newsletter. Subscribe --> https://www.patreon.com/GlobalDispatches

U.S. Senator Chris Coons is one of Congress's leading voices shaping U.S. policy on Africa. For many years he was the top Democrat in the Senate Sub-committee on Africa and earlier this year, President Biden tapped Senator Coons to be his special envoy to Ethiopia. (There is now a full time envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman) I caught up with Senator Coons in person at the Halifax International Security Forum, not long after governments around the world advised their citizens to leave Addis Ababa, ahead of a possible battle for control of Ethiopia's capital. Along with fellow journalist Robbie Gramer of Foreign Policy, we asked Senator Coons to explain U.S. policy towards the Ethiopian conflict, including whether or not the time was right to impose sanctions on government and rebel leaders.

When Joe Biden came to office the Iran Nuclear Dead was on life support. Known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, the Obama-era deal lifted US and UN sanctions on Iran in return for Iran placing verifiable limits on its nuclear program. The deal was rejected by the Trump administration which re-imposed sanctions; and Iran has responded in kind by re-starting certain aspects of its nuclear program. Here to explain where things stand with nuclear diplomacy between the United States and Iran is Kelsey Davenport, director for non-proliferation policy policy at the Arms Control Association. We spoke ahead of planned talks in Vienna between the United States and Iran, scheduled for the end of November and early December.

The Halifax International Security Forum is a major annual meeting dedicated to fostering closer ties among the world's democracies. The Forum is organized by HFX, an independent public policy organization based in Washington DC dedicated to strengthening strategic cooperation among democratic nations. And on the line today, is Peter van Praig Founding President of Halifax International Security Forum, HFX to preview this year's forum, which runs from November 19 through 21st in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We kick off discussing this history of the Halifax International Security Forum and why it was created 13 years ago before having a longer discussion about the issues, topics and provocations expected at this year's meeting.

The major United Nations climate conference, known as COP26, went into overtime in Glasgow, Scotland. But on Saturday, November 13th agreement was reached on the text of an outcome document. Pete Ogden, Vice President for Energy, Climate and the Environment at the United Nations Foundation explains the key outcomes from COP26, what was accomplished -- and what was left on the table -- at this major UN climate conference.

Today's episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience and produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network. It is part of a series of episodes that examine the relationship between climate and security. I moderate a panel discussion in which experts discuss how climate science can encourage and support peace in the Middle east and north Africa. The episode kicks off with some introductory remarks by Aly Abousabaa Regional Director for Central and West Asia and North Africa CGIAR, and the Director- General of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas. I then introduce the panel and moderate a lively discussion about climate security and peace in the Middle East and North Africa. To view other episodes in this series, please visit climatesecurity.cgiar.org

The UN Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus is one of the world's oldest peacekeeping missions. Yet to this day, it is still serving a valuable role in preventing conflict between Greece and Turkey -- two NATO allies. On the line to explain why this peacekeeping force is still needed after all these years is Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign and Senior Vice President of the United Nations Foundation. We kick off discussing the history of the mission before having a broader conversation of its still relevant work after all these years.

In Madagascar thousands of people in the southern part of the country are experiencing famine-like conditions. Over a million more are considered to be on the brink of famine. The crisis in Southern Madagascar is a direct consequence of climate change. This region has experienced successive droughts -- the rainy season is shorter, the lean season is longer and farmers are unable to plant their crops. This is widely considered to be the world's first climate-change induced famine. On the line with me to explain the link between climate change and the famine like conditions in Southern Madagascar is Mandipa Manchacha, human rights researcher at Amnesty international's souther Africa regional office. We kick off with a discussion about Madagascar more broadly and the impact of climate change on the island before having a broader conversation about the brutal intersection of climate change and famine in Southern Madagascar.

COP 26 is the most important international climate conference since the Paris Agreement of 2015. On the line with me to offer a preview of what to expect from this major UN climate meeting is Pete Odgen, Vice President for Energy, Climate, and the Environment at the United Nations Foundation. He is a veteran of many previous COPs and in our conversation he discusses the key issues up for negotiation in Glasgow and the broader geopolitics of climate change diplomacy. This includes a deep dive into how both China and the United States are approaching COP26 and thorny questions around climate finance.

Today's episode was recorded live in partnership with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) ahead of COP26 in Glasgow. I moderate a panel discussion that takes a deep dive into the Nationally Determined Contributions as they relate to food and agriculture. The Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, are the backbone of the Paris Climate Agreement. They are what each country brings to the table in terms of their own contribution to climate action. Collectively, it was the goal of the Paris Agreement that the NDCs would add up to put the world on track to limit global warming to under 2 degrees celsius. We are not there -- yet. But in today's panel discussion a diverse group of experts helps to explain what more can be done in agriculture, land use and food systems to drive ambition in climate change and give a needed boost to the NDCs so they can achieve the Paris goals.

Since the overthrow of the genocidal dictator Omar al Bashir in 2019, Sudan has been lead by a transitional governing council made up of civilians and the military. On Monday October 25th 2021 the Sudanese military purged the civilians from their leadership positions, including arresting the prime minister. On the line with me to discuss this coup and what comes next is Cameron Hudson. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and former chief of staff in the office of the special advisor to Sudan at the US State Department. We taped our conversation live using Twitter Spaces. This is a new platform that Twitter has rolled out allowing audio conversations to take place on its platform. Follow me on Twitter to join the next live taping

In early October, a group lead by the investment arm of the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia purchased Newcastle United, the English Premier League soccer team. The purchase caused a great deal of speculation that it was motivated by a desire to burnish the image of the Saudi ruler. What is not speculation is that overnight Newcastle United became the richest soccer team in the world. On the line with me to explain the significance of Saudi Arabia's purchase of Newscastle United is Alex Ward, national security reporter at Politico and anchor of the National Security Daily newsletter.

Today's episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience and produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network. It is part of a series of episodes that examine the relationship between climate and security. I moderate a panel discussion in which experts discuss and explain the need for a coherent approach to climate security across multiple policy sectors. Introductory remarks are given by Rob Vos Director of Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, CGIAR who frames the conversation before I moderate the panel. To view other episodes in this series and to participate in a future live taping of the podcast please visit climatesecurity.cgiar.org.

On October 6, the World Health Organization endorsed a malaria vaccine for the first time ever. After years of testing, the vaccine was shown to be safe and effective at preventing the deaths of thousands of children in Sub-Saharan Africa. The WHO's backing of this Malaria vaccine is both a breakthrough in scientific research and an important moment in human history. Margaret McDonnell, executive director of Nothing But Nets at the UN Foundation, explains why this new malaria vaccine is so promising

The government of Ethiopia has expelled seven top UN officials from the country. This move comes as the federal government launches a new military offensive against the TPLF -- the Tigray People's Liberation Front. William Davison of the International Crisis Group explains how the civil war in Ethiopia has evolved in recent weeks and describes the ongoing calamitous humanitarian impact of the conflict in Ethiopia.

The process by which China makes its foreign policy is often considered to be something of a black box, or at least very difficult for outsiders to discern. Suiseng Zhao is a professor of International Studies and director of the Center for China-US Cooperation at the University of Denver. He has written extensively about the tapestry of Chinese institutions that inform foreign policy decision making, and in this conversation explains the key players that shape how Chinese foreign policy is made.

Today's episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience and produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network. It is part of a series of episodes examining the relationship between climate variability and security. In today's episode, I moderate a panel discussion in which experts discuss the relationship between climate variability, migration and security in Latin America. To participate in future live tapings of the podcast as part of this series, please visit ClimateSecurity.cgiar.org

The massive Chinese real estate company Evergrande is unable to pay its debts. This has sparked some rare protests in China and is spooking international financial markets. A key question now is whether or not the government of China will let Evergrande collapse -- and whether or not the collapse of this real estate giant will have knock on effects throughout the region and the world? Richard Vague is Secretary of Banking and Securities for Pennsylvania and an author who has written extensively about global financial crises. He explains how debt has fueled economic growth in China and discusses the potential international implications of Evergrande's insolvency. We kick off discussing how Evergrande got buried in such deep debt and what that says about the role of debt in fueling China's massive economic growth over the past decade. He then explains some policy options available to the Chinese government and some of the potential international implications of Evergrande's insolvency. Richard Vague's article in Democracy

On September 5th, a special forces unit of the Guinean military attacked the presidential palace in the capital Conakry, and deposed President Alpha Conde. This was the third coup in West Africa in the last 12 months. David Zounmenou, senior research consultant at the Institute for Security Studies, explains the circumstances that lead to this coup. He also explains how events in Guinea fit into a broader regional trends in which once duly elected presidents become authoritarian and are deposed in a coup.

Today's episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience and produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network. The podcast has partnered with CGIAR for a special series that examines the relationship between climate and security and in today's episode we explore how Africa is experiencing and approaching the climate security nexus -- in particular how institutions in Africa and beyond are responding to climate security crises. The episode kicks off with some introductory remarks from Harold Roy Mcauley, Regional Director, East and Southern Africa, One CGIAR, and Director General of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice). I then moderate a panel discussion. To participate in a future live taping as part of this series, please visit climatesecurity.cgiar.org

The United Nations General Assembly is always one of the most important weeks of the diplomatic calendar. Each day this week we are bringing you live coverage featuring the latest news and analysis from UNGA, in partnership with the UN Foundation. Today's episode was recorded Friday afternoon, September 24. Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, discusses ongoing diplomacy on the crisis in Afghanistan. Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation, discusses her key takeaways from this week in diplomacy. Kanika Chawla, Programme Manager with UN Energy, Sustainable Energy For All explains the significant outcomes from a major meeting on Energy and Energy transitions called the High Level Dialogue on Energy. Link mentioned: https://ourfutureagenda.org/report/

The United Nations General Assembly is always one of the most important weeks of the diplomatic calendar. Each day this week we are bringing you live coverage featuring the latest news and analysis from UNGA, in partnership with the UN Foundation. Today's episode was recorded Thursday afternoon, September 23. Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Director for Africa at the International Food Policy Research Institute, discusses the significant outcomes from a much-anticipated Food Systems Summit. Ireland's Ambassador to the United Nations Geraldine Byrne Geraldine Byrne Nason explains why Ireland chaired a unique meeting on climate security at the Security Council and Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group discusses the key outcomes from this meeting.

The United Nations General Assembly is always one of the most important weeks of the diplomatic calendar. Each day this week we are bringing you live coverage featuring the latest news and analysis from of UNGA, in partnership with the UN Foundation. Today's episode was recorded Wednesday afternoon, September 22. Kate Dodson, vice president for global health at the United Nations Foundation explains the big outcomes from a major COVID Summit convened by the White House. Also, Panama Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the work of a senior diplomat during UNGA.

The United Nations General Assembly is always one of the most important weeks of the diplomatic calendar. Each day this week we are bringing you live coverage featuring the latest news and analysis from of UNGA, in partnership with the UN Foundation. Today's episode was recorded Tuesday afternoon, September 21. Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group and Anjali Dayal of Fordham University discuss the key takeaways from speeches by world leaders, including Joe Biden and Antonio Guterres. We also discuss some important stories to follow from the United Nations during the week ahead.

The annual opening of the UN General Assembly is always one the most important weeks on the diplomatic calendar. The podcast has partnered with the United Nations Foundation to provide listeners with daily news and expert analysis about what is driving the diplomatic agenda at the United Nations during this key week. Today, we speak with UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed who articulates her priorities for #UNGA76. We then turn to climate diplomacy expert Yamide Dagnet of the World Resources Institute who explains the significant moments in climate diplomacy this week.

This episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience in advance of a key meeting at the United Nations known as the Food Systems Summit. This episode is produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network and features a panel discussion examining the links between food systems and action needed to confront climate change.

Angela Merkel steps down this month after having served as chancellor of Germany since 2005. Her time in office coincided with a number of major world events, including the global financial crisis; the 2015 refugee and migrant crisis; Brexit, Crimea, Trump, COVID, and much more. Throughout it all, Angela Merkel has been the de-facto leader of the European Union. On the line with me to discuss some of the significant moments in Angela Merkel's 16 years as Chancellor of Germany is Constanze Stelzenmüller, the Fritz Stern Chair on Germany and Transatlantic Relations at the Brookings Institution.

As Afghanistan enters a perilous and uncertain future, the United Nations has promised to "stay and deliver." The country's humanitarian emergency is getting more acute by the day, taxing UN agencies like the World Food Program. Meanwhile, the Security Council's role in managing the political transition in Afghanistan is unclear, and many of the Taliban's senior leadership are still under UN sanction On the line with me to discuss the UN's role in the new Afghanistan is Mark Malloch Brown. He is the President of the Open Society Foundations and had long career at the United Nations, including as administrator of the UN Development Program and as the Deputy UN Secretary General.

Zuhra Bahman was out of the country on a business meeting when the Taliban took control of Kabul. She is the Afghanistan country director for Search for Common Ground, an NGO that engages in community based peace-building work. I was eager to speak with her because it is very unclear to me and to the entire international community the extent to which NGOs will be able to operate under Taliban rule. As Zurha Bahman explains, she is eager to get back to her work and life in Afghanistan -- but only if certain conditions are met. To that end, she is urging engagement with the Taliban to enable development and humanitarian NGOs to work in the country on behalf of the Afghan people.

Today's episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network, as part of a series of episodes examining the links between climate variability and security. The episode features a discussion amongst a panel of experts who explore the relationship between security and land use, including forestry. Visit https://climatesecurity.cgiar.org/ to register for the next live event in this series.

Zubaida Akbar is an Afghan human rights activist living in Washington, D.C. She is desperately trying to get vulnerable people out of the country, including a group of female journalists who are almost certainly marked for execution by the Taliban. We kick off discussing what she is hearing from her friends in Kabul as people attempt to flee the Taliban's retribution. We then have a very heavy conversation about the tragedy unfolding in Afghanistan.

Back in 2008, in the midst of both a global economic catastrophe and stalled progress on climate diplomacy, a unique multilateral platform called the Climate Investment Funds was born. The G-8 created the Climate Investment Funds to support developing economies as they shifted to a less carbon intensive future. The Climate Investment Funds supports the development of clean energy markets and invests in projects and programs the enable clean energy transitions and adaptation to climate change. The CEO of the Climate Investment Funds, Mafalda Duarte is on the podcast today to explain the significance of this multilateral platform to the common global effort to confront climate change.

The Global Peace Index is an ambitious effort to measure peacefulness around the world using quantitative data. Now in its 15th year, the Index has offered policymakers and analysts a useful way to measure key trends in peace and conflict. Steve Killilea, founder and executive director of the Institute for Economics and Peace, is on the podcast to discuss the report's findings and what it suggests about trends in peace and conflict around the world.

This episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience and produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network, as part of a series of episodes examining the relationship between climate and security. In today's conversation we discuss the key question of how one measures the relationship between climate variability and peacefulness or insecurity. Sign up for the next live taping! https://bre.is/e5REazzj

Yemen has two rival central banks. These banks have their own priorities and fiscal policies -- and were set up, in part, to help defeat the other and control the Yemeni Rial. The result has been runaway inflation and food prices that are increasingly out of reach for ordinary Yemenis. Annelle Sheline of The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft explains how Yemen came to have rival central banks and how this situation fits into the broader conflict in Yemen.

On July 25th, Tunisian President Kais Saied fired the prime minister, dismissed parliament, and assumed dictatorial powers . This was a self-coup in which the president invoked an emergency clause in the constitution allowing him to rule by decree. Tarek Megirisi, Senior Policy fellow at European Council on Foreign Relations, explains what happened in Tunisia and the broader domestic and international implications of this power grab.

United States Senator Chris Murphy wants to radically reign in the President's ability to use military force abroad. Chris Murphy is a Democrat from Connecticut and along with Independent Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont and Republican Senator Mike Lee from Utah is a co-sponsor of the new National Security Powers Act. This legislation would give Congress far more say in matters of war and peace than it currently enjoys. This includes placing strict limits on the ability of the executive branch to conduct military operations abroad without congressional approval; increased Congressional oversight on international arms sales; and reforming how the President is able to declare a national emergency. Senator Chris Murphy is on the podcast today to describe the problem he sees this legislation as helping to solve; and why he thinks increased congressional oversight over war powers is important for renewing and sustaining American democracy.

In March 2020, when countries around the world started imposing COVID-19 lockdowns Kashmir was just emerging from a lockdown of its own. Several months prior, in August 2019 the government of India revoked the special status that Kashmir had enjoyed since the partition of India in 1947. This sparked mass protests, violence and a heavy handed government response -- including curfews and an internet shutdown. But just as restrictions were slowly being lifted in the early part of 2020, COVID emerged and the Indian government opted to invoke COVID to impose new restrictions on the people of Kashmir. This includes new citizenship laws and restrictions on press freedom. My guest today, Adnan Bhat is a journalist in Kashmir who has documented how COVID-19 has served as a pretext to advance policies that abrogate the rights of people in Kashmir. His article on this was published as part of the Stanley Center's "Red Flags or Resilience Series?" that uses journalism to explore the connections between the coronavirus pandemic and the factors for risk and resilience to mass violence and atrocities around the world. This episode is produced in partnership with the Stanley Center. To view Adnan Bhat's article and other stories in this series please visit https://resilience.stanleycenter.org/

Unique among countries in the world, Mexico considers Femicide as a crime distinct from homicide. Sometimes known as "Feminicide," this is the crime of murdering a woman or girl on account of her gender. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, the documented numbers of Femicide in parts of Mexico have skyrocketed. This includes a part of the State of Mexico, near Mexico City, known as The Periphery. It is here that my guest today, Caroline Tracey, has reported on the increased frequency of femicide and actions that local groups are taking to fight back against this trend. Caroline Tracey is a writer and doctoral candidate in Geography at the University of California-Berkeley. Her article was published as part of the Stanley Center's "Red Flags or Resilience Series?" that uses journalism to explore the connections between the coronavirus pandemic and the factors for risk and resilience to mass violence and atrocities around the world. This episode is produced in partnership with the Stanley Center. To view Caroline Tracey's article and other stories in this series please visit https://resilience.stanleycenter.org/

Protest, looting, and riots have plunged South Africa into a deep crisis. Scores of people have been killed in this unrest which was sparked by the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma on July 7th. At time of recording, the government was dispatching 25,000 troops to bring order--and unprecedented military mobilization in the post-apartheid era. On the line with me from Johannesburg is journalist Geoffrey York, the Africa Bureau Chief for the Globe and Mail.

Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) is a small country in Southern Africa nestled on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. It is notably Africa's only absolute monarchy -- the king rules by decree, with no meaningful checks or balances. Today, the country in in the midst of its most intense and significant protests against that monarch in recent history. The protests began in May and accelerated in June. The monarchy's response was violent, with many protesters killed and disappeared. Journalist Mako Muzenda explains these unprecedented protests and the broader significance of the ongoing crisis in Eswatini.

Colombia has been rocked by the most significant protests in recent memory. In late April and May Colombians took to the streets across the country initially to protest a proposed new tax law. But what began as a a protest against this new tax bill swiftly morphed into a broad based protest movement against systemic inequality. Colombia is one of the most unequal countries in the world and these protests are seeking to upend the political system that has entrenched this inequality in Colombian society. From Bogota. Elizabeth Dickinson of the International Crisis Group explains where this protest movement is headed.

In the early morning hours of July 7th, unknown assailants assassinated the President of Haiti Jovenal Moise. Haiti was already facing an uncertain political future. And now, the line of succession is not at all clear. Journalist Jonathan Myerson Katz explains the tumultuous political context in which this audacious assassination occurred and what the assassination of the president means for the future of Haiti.

The Okavango River is a major river system in Southwest Africa. It begins in Angola, passes through Namibia and ends in a vast delta in Botswana. This river system, its ecological and social impact is the subject of a breathtaking new podcast called Guardians of The River. Guardians of the River won the best narrative non-fiction podcast award at the Tribeca Film Festival -- and after listening to the pilot episode you will understand why. It is produced by the House of Pod, Wild Bird Trust and National Geographic, and available wherever you find podcasts.

The crisis in Syria is at a crossroads. Millions of displaced people trapped in northern Syria may soon face a near complete cutoff of the humanitarian aid upon which they rely. This is because Security Council must vote to keep this aid flowing, but Russia is threatening a veto. On the line to explain how we got to this point and the implications of restricting aid access is Vanessa Jackson, UN Representative and Head of Office for CARE International at the United Nations.

On June 18th, Antonio Guterres was re-appointed United Nations Secretary General for a second and final five year term. Richard Gowan, the UN Director of the International Crisis Group, looks back at the highlights and lowlights of Guterres' first term and discusses some of the key challenges and opportunities that will present themselves over the next five years. Global Dispatches debut book: For The Love of Hong Kong

Climate variability can cause the mass movement of people -- but does the mass movement of people fleeing climate shocks undermine political and human security? A diverse panel of experts who explores the relationship between security challenges and climate induced migration -- both across and within borders. This episode was recorded live in front of a virtual audience and produced in partnership with CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural innovation network.

The government of Sri Lanka is using COVID-19 as a pre-text to assert control over ethnic minority populations. This is particularly troubling because the government has a history of atrocity crime. The leaders of the country today are they very same people responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against ethnic tamils 11 years ago. Journalist JS Tissainaygam explains how Sri Lanka's history of atrocity crimes is plaguing its response to COVID-19 and puts it at risk for a return to atrocity. Red Flags or Resilience?