Achieving stable and mature democracy in sub-Saharan Africa remains a work in progress, as illustrated by the November 28 elections in Côte D’Ivoire. A once comparatively stable west African nation, Côte D’Ivoire has for over a decade existed either in conflict or on the brink of civil war. The latest …
“It’s great to smell the fresh air of London again” announced infamous WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was released on bail this evening in London. While Assange enjoys his limited freedom until his hearing—he’ll be under “mansion arrest” as well as wearing a tracking bracelet—a host of other issues …
The United States no longer considers relations with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) a top priority. This was one of the recurring themes at the Young Leaders Dialogue with America conference last week in Prague. Irena Kalhousova, chief analyst at Prague’s Security Studies Institute, lamented that President Barack Obama ignores …
This week at the U.N. General Assembly President Obama is set to address U.S. efforts to reduce global poverty by reaffirming support for the Millennium Development Goals. After 10 years and trillions of dollars spent, little progress has been achieved. With a ambitious 2015 deadline for the MDG’s completion, the …
As the U.N. General Assembly meets this week, arms control and disarmament are likely to be hot topics on the agenda. It is important for the United States not to pursue any means of multilateralism that would damage U.S. national interests, including any agreement to reduce arms. The Obama Administration …
Nearly two years into his first term, President Obama has sought a foreign policy that has restrained America’s role on the world stage. Emphasizing a greater commitment to international institutions in handling security concerns, the Administration has relied on multilateral means for achieving this aim, primarily through the United Nations. …
These days “accountable” is rarely an adjective used to describe the state of American diplomacy. With government waste running rampant, it’s easy to forget that there is congressional oversight intended to hold U.S. agencies accountable for their spending. Today, the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, a bi-partisan board, created …
This week the House Strategic Communications and Public Diplomacy Caucus got off to a good start in its latest efforts to explore the Obama administration’s new strategy for engaging foreign publics. Room 121 in the Canon House office building was quickly filled as the Caucus held its first briefing on …
When Chilean President Sebástian Piñera was sworn into office last month, he did so with the walls around the National Congress rattling, as an aftershock of one of the five worst earthquakes in recorded history shook the building. Today, however, President Piñera is visiting Washington, DC, where he will attend …
