30 Years Later: El Salvador’s Peace Accords

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

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

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?

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

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

Youth, Peace and Security in Southeast Asia

On December 15, USIP held a discussion with leading experts that explored the current efforts to develop national action plans on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) in Southeast Asia and identified key lessons for implementing the YPS agenda in the region.

Speakers

Theophilus Ekpon
Executive Director, Centre for Sustainable Development and Education in Africa 

Bill Flens
Director of Multilateral Affairs, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State 

Brian Harding
Senior Expert, U.S. Institute of Peace

Jenni Kilpi
Junior Advisor, Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN

Vanessa Vianco S. Pallarco
Director for Social Healing and Peacebuilding, Department of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Philippines

Paula Porras
Program Officer, U.S. Institute of Peace

Saji Prelis
Co-Chair of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security

Karla Rodulfo 
Project Officer and Deputy Director, Youth, Peace and Security Division, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

Mridul Upadhay, moderator
U.S. Institute of Peace Generation Change Fellow

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/youth-peace-and-security-southeast-asia

Does Community Policing Build Trust in Police and Reduce Crime?

The Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) network has released the findings from its latest Metaketa research study, which examines the question: Does community policing build trust in police and reduce crime? It combines the results of field studies on locally-appropriate community policing practices in Brazil, Colombia, Liberia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Uganda. On December 14, USIP hosted security sector experts and practitioners for an in-depth look at EGAP’s Metaketa results — as well as a discussion on how we can use these important findings to help shape the future of community policing.

Speakers

Presenters

Graeme Blair
Assistant Professor, University of California Los Angeles

Dorothy Kronick
Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania 

Nico Ravanilla
Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of California San Diego

Zulfiqar Hameed
Additional Inspector General of Police Operations, Punjab Police 

Panelists

Ena Dion
Senior Program Officer, Justice and Security Dialogues, U.S. Institute of Peace 

Sandra Pabon
Senior Program Director, Citizen Security Dialogues, U.S. Institute of Peace 

‘Kemi Okenyodo
Executive Director, Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative

Joseph Hewitt, moderator
Vice President of Policy, Learning, and Strategy, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/does-community-policing-build-trust-police-and-reduce-crime

Bolivia’s Search for Justice and Reconciliation

Bolivia’s October 2019 national elections convulsed the country as fraud allegations triggered widespread protests and social conflict. On December 13, USIP and WOLA held an in-depth discussion of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts’ findings and an examination of how the GIEI’s recommendations can promote the kind of accountability, healing and common understanding across Bolivia’s political and identity divides that could ultimately prevent the repetition of the conflict, violence and human rights violations that marked the country’s 2019 electoral crisis.

Speakers

Steve Hege, introductory remarks
Deputy Regional Director for Latin America, U.S. Institute of Peace

Juan Mendez
Former Member, GIEI; Professor of Human Rights Law in Residence, Washington College of Law, American University

Patricia Tappatá Valdez
Former Member, GIEI
Member, Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Jaime Vidal
Former Executive Secretary, GIEI; Coordinator, Follow-Up and Impact Section, IACHR

Senator Patricia Arce
First Secretary, Justice Commission, Senate of Bolivia

Eduardo Rodriguez Velzté
Former Interim President of Bolivia 

Alejandro Bilbao La Vieja
Chargé d’Affaires, of the Embassy of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the US 

Kathryn Ledebur, moderator 
Director, Andean Information Network 

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/bolivias-search-justice-and-reconciliation

From Stabilization to Prevention: Changing the U.S. Strategy on Violent Conflict

On December 10, USIP hosted Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), both members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, for a conversation on how they are elevating the role of conflict prevention in U.S. foreign policy and ensuring that lessons from past U.S. stabilization missions are incorporated into future planning. They also discussed how their past international experiences and current work in Congress are advancing U.S. interests in peace and security.

Speakers

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA)
U.S. Representative from California
@RepSaraJacobs

Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI)
U.S. Representative from Michigan 
@RepMeijer

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

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/stabilization-prevention-changing-us-strategy-violent-conflict

Libyan General Elections 2021: Discussion Series with Libyan Leaders - A Conversation with Abdul Majeed Saif Al-Nasr

On December 9, USIP held the fourth in a series of public discussions with Libyan leaders connected to the elections scheduled in the coming months. This fourth event featured Abdul Majeed Saif Al-Nasr. Born in Sebha in 1957, he is former member of the National Transitional Council and former Libyan ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco (2014-2018). He was recently endorsed by the House of Representatives as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Morocco and the Maghreb region.

Speakers

Mr. Abdul Majeed Saif Al-Nasr  
Former diplomat and Libyan politician

Dr. Mike Yaffe, moderator
Vice President, Middle East and North Africa Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/libyan-general-elections-2021-discussion-series-libyan-leaders-2