In February 2020, the State Department published a public version of the U.S strategy for Central Asia, which placed particular emphasis on supporting Afghanistan and democracy in the region, in addition to economic goals. On January 27, USIP hosted a discussion on what a strategy for Central Asia could look like going forward given the significant change and uncertainty in the region.

Lesslie Viguerie, introductory remarks

Gavin Helf, moderator

Ambassador (Ret.) Richard Hoagland

Jennifer Murtazashvili 

S. Frederick Starr 

Navbahor Imamova

Donald Jensen 

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/does-us-strategy-central-asia-address-regions-current-problems

PeaceCon@10: COVID, Climate, and Conflict: Rising to the Challenges of a Disrupted World, explored how the peacebuilding field can address these pressing short and long-term challenges to achieve a more peaceful and secure world. On January 26, following a series of breakout sessions hosted by the Alliance for Peacebuilding, participants re-joined USIP for a fireside chat with closing keynote speaker Robert Jenkins of USAID.

Robert Jenkins

Lise Grande, 

Liz Hume, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/peacecon10

On January 26, USIP and the Alliance for Peacebuilding hosted a plenary panel discussion to address the relationship among climate change, conflict and fragility, and consider strategies for the international community to address the peace and security implications of these issues as well as the ongoing pandemic.

Ambassador Frederic Gateretse-Ngoga, introductory remarks

Polly Byers

Gillian Caldwell

Patrick Youssef

Andrew Revkin, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/peacecon10

The United States sprayed Agent Orange and related herbicides on 10,160 square miles of South Vietnam from 1961-1971, exposing millions of Vietnamese citizens and U.S. soldiers to dangerous dioxins and seriously affecting at least 150,000 Vietnamese children born after the war. On January 25, USIP hosted a discussion on its Vietnam War Legacies and Reconciliation Initiative -- the first in a series of seminars designed to offer diverse perspectives on U.S.-Vietnam cooperation concerning war legacies.

Andrew Wells-Dang, introductory remarks  

Charles Bailey 

Susan Berresford 

Phan Xuân Dũng 

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/resolving-legacies-agent-orange

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.

Keith Mines, moderator

Leonor Arteaga

Douglass Cassel

Gino Costa

Alvaro de Soto

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/30-years-later-el-salvadors-peace-accords

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.

Lise Grande, opening remarks

Abdul Hakeem Ajijola

Garth le Pere

Heather Ashby, moderator

Joseph Sany, closing remarks

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/peace-and-security-issues-forum-china-africa-cooperation

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.

Harris Khalique 

Fatimah Ihsan

Hasan Zaidi 

Adnan Rafiq, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/defending-pluralism-encouraging-tolerance-and-building-democracy-pakistan

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.

Scott Worden, moderator 

Rahmatullah Amiri

Palwasha Kakar

Asfandyar Mir, PhD

Andrew Watkins

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/governance-talibans-achilles-heel

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.

Palwasha Kakar, opening remarks 

Ibrahim Salama, opening remarks 

Mostafa Betaree

Mounir Elkadery Boudshish

Nosy Ramamonjisoa 

Knox Thames, 

Melissa Nozell, moderator 

Ibrahim Salama, closing remarks

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/faith-rights-approach-promoting-sustainable-peace

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.

Theophilus Ekpon

Bill Flens

Brian Harding

Jenni Kilpi

Vanessa Vianco S. Pallarco

Paula Porras

Saji Prelis

Karla Rodulfo 

Mridul Upadhay, moderator

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