In the three months since the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan’s numerous economic and humanitarian challenges have reached a catastrophic tipping point. On December 3, USIP hosted a discussion with leading international experts and aid workers on the current economic and humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan, as well as how the U.S and international community can better assist Afghans at this time of significant need.

Scott Worden, welcoming remarks

Vicki Aken

William Byrd

Abdallah Al Dardari

Khalid Payenda

Kate Bateman, moderator 

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/averting-fiscal-and-humanitarian-disaster-afghanistan

USIP is hosting a series of public discussions with Libyan leaders connected to the elections scheduled in the coming months. The third discussion, on November 18, featured Dr. Aref Ali Nayed, who is the chairman of Ihya Libya (Reviving Libya) — a registered political party — and has served as the former ambassador of Libya to the United Arab Emirates and is also the chairman of both Kalam Research & Media and the Libya Institute for Advanced Studies.

Dr. Aref Ali Nayed

Mike Yaffe, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/libyan-general-elections-2021-discussion-series-libyan-leaders-1

Accounting for missing personnel is an essential component of postwar reconciliation and building a secure peace. With support from Congress, USIP launched the Vietnam War Legacies and Reconciliation Initiative in August 2021. The initiative supports reconciliation between the U.S. and Vietnamese governments and peoples, as well as among Vietnamese inside and outside the country, and aims to document and promote the ongoing cooperation to address legacies of war as the basis for a comprehensive partnership build on trust and shared interests. On December 2, USIP hosted a discussion that looks at U.S.-Vietnam cooperation in the search for, and identification of, wartime Vietnamese remains along with personal stories of Vietnamese families who lost relatives in the war.

Ambassador George Moose, welcoming remarks

Kelly K. McKeague

Sr. Col. Đoàn Quang Hòa

Hải Nguyễn

Tim Rieser

Thảo Griffiths

Hoàng Thanh Nga

Andrew Wells-Dang, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/learning-us-vietnam-cooperation-wartime-remains-recovery

Since 2018, the RESOLVE Network has been researching the complex interactions between armed groups, civilians, state actors and international security — with particular attention to discerning women’s roles, agency and choices in conflict. On December 1, USIP and the RESOLVE Network held a virtual conversation that examined how community-based armed groups impact the wider conflict ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Alastair Reed, welcoming remarks

Nicoletta Barbera, introductory remarks

Dr. Lauren Van Metre, moderator 

Dr. Jakana Thomas

Rida Lyammouri

Bogi Bozsogi, concluding remarks

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/security-dilemmas-sub-saharan-africa-role-community-based-armed-groups

The Biden administration has focused considerable attention on the Indo-Pacific region, declaring it central to advancing a range of U.S. economic, political and security interests. The Quad grouping held its first ever in-person Leaders’ Summit in September. And that same month, the Australia-United Kingdom-United States agreement opened the door to sharing sensitive defense technologies with Australia. On November 19, USIP held a special event with U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, Dr. Kurt Campbell, about the AUKUS partnership, the Quad’s development, and next steps for U.S. Indo-Pacific policy in the aftermath of the Biden-Xi virtual summit.

Lise Grande, opening remarks

Dr. Kurt Campbell, keynote remarks

Stephen J. Hadley, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/beyond-aukus-and-quad-whats-next-us-indo-pacific-strategy

Attention to racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism (REMVE) and far-right extremism around the globe has increased significantly over the past few years as white supremacist and REMVE-motivated attacks and rhetoric have proliferated. As a part of RESOLVE’s sixth annual Global Forum Series, the RESOLVE Network held a virtual conversation on November 16 about REMVE trends and activities in lesser discussed contexts. This discussion explored manifestations of REMVE movements and ideologies in Australia and India, focusing on their similarities and differences, transnational links, narratives, and overall implications for efforts to address threats posed by their activities.

Alastair Reed, opening remarks

Amarnath Amarasingam

Julian Droogan 

Lise Waldek

Cynthia Miller-Idriss, moderator/chair

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/racially-and-ethnically-motivated-violent-extremism-remve-global-trends-and-dynamics

On November 2, USIP held the second in a series of public discussions with Libyan leaders connected to the elections scheduled in the coming months. These events will dive into complex questions regarding efforts to prevent electoral violence, the electoral process itself and leaders’ visions for restoring peace and stability in Libya. This second event featured Fadel Lamen, who most recently served as director-general of the Libyan National Economic and Social Development Board. He is the founder of Afaak Al-Watan, a new Libyan political party with a future-focused agenda aiming to empower youth and women as critical contributors. Lamen is also an architect of the Libyan Political Agreement, which is currently governing Libya’s transition under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Fadel Lamen

Mike Yaffe, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/libyan-general-elections-2021-discussion-series-libyan-leaders-0

Twenty-one years ago, the United Nations unanimously adopted U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, which requires parties to a conflict to ensure the protection of women and girls as well as the full and meaningful participation of women and girls in conflict resolution. On November 9, USIP and the State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues co-hosted a discussion on the progress made on women, peace and security issues and a look forward to the years ahead.

Katrina Fotovat, moderator

Ambassador Nancy Soderberg

Susan Stigant, welcoming remarks

Mari Traore

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/celebrating-21-years-unscr-1325

For the Taliban, it seems that defeating the Afghan military and overthrowing the elected government as U.S. troops departed was the easy part. Now, the insurgency faces the daunting challenge of governing a weak and divided country. On November 4, USIP hosted a discussion with Afghanistan experts on how the Taliban are likely to respond to internal and external pressure to govern more inclusively as conditions inside Afghanistan worsen, as well as what the United States and the region can do to avoid the worst consequences of failed governance and mitigate a looming disaster.

Stephen Brooking

Naheed Farid 

Lotfullah Najafizada

Scott Worden, moderator

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/now-comes-hard-part-can-taliban-govern-afghanistan

On October 27, USIP held the first in a series of public discussions with Libyan leaders connected to the elections scheduled in the coming months. These events will dive into complex questions regarding efforts to prevent electoral violence, the electoral process itself and leaders’ visions for restoring peace and stability in Libya. This first discussion featured Fathi Bashagha, who has held several important positions since the 2011 revolution, including as a member of the Libyan Military Council and the Libyan House of Representatives and as minister of interior in the Government of National Accord from 2018-2021. 

Fathi Bashagha 

Mike Yaffe, moderator

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