South Sudan’s civil war is one of the most brutal and destructive conflicts of the 21st century. Could the war have been prevented? Could some of the atrocities and misery caused by the war have been avoided?  On July 19 the U.S. Institute of Peace and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide hosted a discussion on what lessons should be learned from U.S. policy toward South Sudan in the years leading up to and during the civil war.

Speakers:

Kate Almquist Knopf

Joshua Meservey

Jon Temin

Mike Yaffe, welcoming remarks

Aly Verjee, moderator

With over 44 percent of new voters between the ages of 18 and 35, Pakistan’s youth will play an important role in the upcoming elections and influence the future of the country’s democracy. To harness the power of Pakistan’s youth, a recent UNDP Human Development Report argues for a national focus on youth empowerment through education, employment, and meaningful engagement. According to the report, youth will prove to be a dividend or a serious challenge to the country, depending on how Pakistan invests in their development. To positively impact that policy, youth must be empowered and engaged.

Speakers:

Dr. Adil Najam

Pir Zubair Shah

Jumaina Siddiqui, Moderator

South Sudan’s civil war is one of the most brutal and destructive conflicts of the 21st century. Could the war have been prevented? Could some of the atrocities and misery caused by the war have been avoided? On July 19 the U.S. Institute of Peace and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide hosted a discussion on what lessons should be learned from U.S. policy toward South Sudan in the years leading up to and during the civil war.

Ambassador Donald Booth
Former U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan

Kate Almquist Knopf
Director, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University
@almquistkate

Joshua Meservey 
Senior Policy Analyst, Africa and the Middle East, The Heritage Foundation
@JMeservey

Jon Temin
Visiting Fellow, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide and Africa Director, Freedom House
@JonTemin

Mike Yaffe, welcoming remarks
Vice President, Middle East and Africa Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

Aly Verjee, moderator
Visiting Expert, United States Institute of Peace
@alyverjee

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/south-sudan-independence-civil-war

With over 44 percent of new voters between the ages of 18 and 35, Pakistan’s youth will play an important role in the upcoming elections and influence the future of the country’s democracy. To harness the power of Pakistan’s youth, a recent UNDP Human Development Report argues for a national focus on youth empowerment through education, employment, and meaningful engagement. According to the report, youth will prove to be a dividend or a serious challenge to the country, depending on how Pakistan invests in their development. To positively impact that policy, youth must be empowered and engaged.

Speakers:
Sahar Khan
Visiting Research Fellow, CATO Institute

Dr. Adil Najam
Dean, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University

Pir Zubair Shah
Freelance Journalist

Jumaina Siddiqui, Moderator
Senior Program Officer, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

With over 44 percent of new voters between the ages of 18 and 35, Pakistan’s youth will play an important role in the upcoming elections and influence the future of the country’s democracy. To harness the power of Pakistan’s youth, a recent UNDP Human Development Report argues for a national focus on youth empowerment through education, employment, and meaningful engagement. Failing to do so could lead to youth anger and dissent, spelling disaster for the future of Pakistan.

Sahar Khan 
Visiting Research Fellow, CATO Institute

Dr. Adil Najam 
Dean, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University and
Author, UNDP Pakistan National Human Development Report

Pir Zubair Shah
Freelance Journalist

Jumaina Siddiqui, Moderator
Senior Program Officer, Asia Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/will-pakistans-youth-be-boom-or-bust-its-democracy

Illegal wildlife poaching and trafficking has destabilized local communities and devastated elephant, rhino, and endangered species populations across Africa. In the last decade, over half of Africa’s elephants have been killed for their ivory. High demand for wildlife products in Asia has driven this surge in poaching and trafficking, threatening the future of these species.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) 
U.S. Representative from California
@RepEdRoyce

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) 
U.S. Senator from Delaware
@ChrisCoons

Nancy Lindborg
President, U.S. Institute of Peace
@nancylindborg

For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/wildlife-poaching-and-trafficking-combating-source-terrorist-funding

Illegal wildlife poaching and trafficking has destabilized local communities and devastated elephant, rhino, and endangered species populations across Africa. High demand for wildlife products in Asia has driven this surge in poaching and trafficking, threatening the future of these species. Illegal trade in protected wildlife is worth an estimated $7 to $10 billion.  This figure places wildlife trafficking among the most lucrative criminal activities worldwide, rivaling the illegal trade in drugs and arms in size and scope. The United States, with support from Congress, has been at the forefront of this push, through legislation like the Congo Basin Forest Partnership Act of 2004 and the END Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will discuss key successes, challenges, and next steps for U.S. policymakers.

Speakers:

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)

Nancy Lindborg