Fixing the Sky: The Checkered History of Weather and Climate Control WoodrowWilsonCenter 2024-10-22 | Fixing the Sky: The Checkered History of Weather and Climate Control
A Conversation on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-28 | Working closely with its partners and allies to ensure stability and security in the Indo-Pacific has been a priority for the Biden administration. Launched in May 2022, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) is the cornerstone of the White House’s strategy in the world’s most dynamic region. IPEF aims to enhance economic partnerships that would bolster a rules-based order and promote growth. At the helm of advancing IPEF is Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Please join us on Tuesday, July 25 for a fireside chat with Secretary Raimondo and Dr. Sadek Wahba, Chair of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition (WISC) and Chairman and Managing Partner, I Squared Capital. The discussion will focus on the path forward for IPEF and Secretary Raimondo’s efforts to enhance American economic security and spur private sector investment in areas of strategic economic importance. The event will include a conversation with a panel of experts as well as speakers including Ambassador Mark A. Green, President & CEO of the Wilson Center, and the Hon. Mark Kennedy, Director, Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition (WISC) at the Wilson Center.
SMART TAKE: Israeli Parliament Takes First Big Step to Curb Judiciary Powers WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-27 | Wilson Center Fellow Guy Laron talks about the judiciary overhaul in Israel and the agenda of Israel’s far-right government. He discusses the mass protest movement, the various laws that will likely limit Supreme Court powers, and why the government is pushing forward such a controversial legislation package. Guy Laron is a Senior Lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Fellow with the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute and Middle East Program.
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) - Private Sector Perspectives WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-26 | Working closely with its partners and allies to ensure stability and security in the Indo-Pacific has been a priority for the Biden administration. Launched in May 2022, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) is the cornerstone of the White House’s strategy in the world’s most dynamic region. IPEF aims to enhance economic partnerships that would bolster a rules-based order and promote growth. At the helm of advancing IPEF is Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Please join us on Tuesday, July 25 for a fireside chat with Secretary Raimondo and Dr. Sadek Wahba, Chair of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition (WISC) and Chairman and Managing Partner, I Squared Capital. The discussion will focus on the path forward for IPEF and Secretary Raimondo’s efforts to enhance American economic security and spur private sector investment in areas of strategic economic importance. The event will include a conversation with a panel of experts as well as speakers including Ambassador Mark A. Green, President & CEO of the Wilson Center, and the Hon. Mark Kennedy, Director, Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition (WISC) at the Wilson Center.
A Conversation with Diana Mondino, Senior Economic Adviser to Presidential Candidate Javier Milei WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-26 | Argentina is the second-largest economy in South America, one of the world’s major food exporters, and a rapidly expanding producer of energy and minerals. Yet as it prepares to elect a new president, the country is struggling to address a formidable set of challenges, including triple-digit inflation, a slumping economy, high debt, and a shortage of hard currency made more severe by a historic drought.These conditions have led to frustration with the ruling Peronist coalition, now known as the Unión por la Patria, and provided an opening for the center-right opposition coalition, Juntos por el Cambio, to return to power. But strong anti-incumbent sentiment has also benefited the libertarian candidate Javier Milei. Milei, a lawmaker who rails against traditional political parties he derides as the “political caste,” promises radical solutions such as dollarization, sharp cuts to public spending, and privatizations. Though he is not the frontrunner, his unexpectedly competitive campaign has already influenced his competitors.To learn more about Milei’s economic platform and his prospects in the October election, please join the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program, in partnership with McLarty Associates, for a virtual dialogue with Diana Mondino, congressional candidate, senior economic adviser to Milei, and director of institutional relations at the Universidad del CEMA in Buenos Aires, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm ET. This is the first event in the Latin America Program’s “Argentina Elige” series. Future conversations will feature senior economic advisers to the other leading candidates, Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, and Horacio Rodríguez Larreta.
The Current Challenges and Future of OSCE: A Conversation with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-26 | Over the last three decades, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has played a vital role in European security architecture and the rules based international order more broadly. However, the geopolitical tensions brought by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have disrupted its work. Several major decisions, including the adoption of the organization’s budget and the extension of the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, have been blocked by Russia. This has raised the question of how can OSCE continue to contribute to peace and security in the region? Join us for a discussion with Helga Maria Schmid, the Secretary General of the OSCE, on current challenges facing the OSCE and how the Organization sees its future role in European and Eurasian security, including in post-conflict Ukraine. The discussion will be chaired by A
To Speak or Not to Speak: Rights and Democracy in Bangladesh WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-26 | This event, an address by Dr. Shahidul Alam, a photojournalist and activist from Bangladesh, marks the 2023 Asma Jahangir Memorial Lecture. It is part of an annual lecture series in honor of the late Asma Jahangir, a leading human rights activist from Pakistan who passed away in 2018. The lecture features an annual address by a distinguished scholar, opinion leader, or activist who addresses issues of democracy and human rights in South Asia. This series is hosted by the Wilson Center's Asia Program and South Asia Institute, and South Asia Democracy Watch (SDW), a nonprofit organization that promotes social justice, human rights, and equality in South Asia through educational programs, conferences, and symposia.In his lecture, Alam spoke about his past and current work as a photojournalist documenting rights and democracy in Bangladesh. He spoke about his past incarceration, his current situation, and the broader state of play with rights and democracy in Bangladesh today.Alam has been a photographer for more than 40 years, and his work has been published in most major western media outlets. Much of his work has documented political change and human rights abuses. He founded the Drik Picture Library in 1989, the Pathshala South Asian Media Institute in Dhaka in 1998, and the Chobi Mela International Photography Festival in 1999. He is a visiting professor at the University of Sunderland in the UK. His books include Nature's Fury (2007) and My Journey as a Witness (2011). He was arrested and jailed for several months in 2018 after criticizing the Bangladesh government's violent response to protests over road safety. Alam was Time Magazine's 2018 Person of the Year.A moderated panel discussion followed Alam's lecture.
ICYMI: Building Lebanon WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-25 | In case you missed it, the Wilson Center’s full event, “Building Lebanon's Sovereignty and the State,” can be viewed here: tinyurl.com/56xew488
SMART TAKE: Cambodia’s Ruling Party Claims Election Victory WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-24 | Senior Associate Lucas Myers takes a look at recent election results in Cambodia and what it means for Democracy in Southeast Asia. He discusses the regional impact, particularly as it relates to China’s influence in ASEAN, and how the United States will manage its relationship with Cambodia during the power transition and in the future.
Increasing Competitiveness by Building a Better U.S.-Mexico Border WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-24 | While the border between the U.S. and Mexico is often in the news as a problem, it could just as easily be viewed as one of the greatest economic assets for both nations. Mexico Institute Director Andrew Rudman talks with host John Milewski about idea for building a more competitive situation on the border. They discuss post-pandemic recovery, new technologies that can improve information sharing, and how people can better capitalize on the opportunities cross-border trade offers.
Reforming Multilateral Development Banks for Global Structural Challenges of a Post-pandemic World WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-21 | A set of wicked problems, from dismal health and educational outcomes, economic and gender inequality, the digital divide and poverty, alongside the growing impacts of the climate crisis have coalesced into collective challenges that no one nation can solve or face alone. At a time of weakened multilateral cooperation and geopolitical competition, strategic efforts to define new resources and collaborative frameworks to address these global challenges has become critically important for multilateral development banks (MDBs) and sources of private capital.New leadership at the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank has brought renewed attention to the role of MDBs in addressing global structural problems in a post-pandemic world. Last year, for example, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen brought together leaders from MDBs and the G7 to consider new and innovative financing mechanisms to mobilize capital for emerging market infrastructure. A new report by Francisco Sagasti, former president of Peru and the Latin America Program’s Abraham F. Lowenthal Public Policy Fellow, argues that the world must not wait to “renew and empower the MDBs for the monumental tasks at hand.”Please join the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program, Asia Program, and Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. (ET) for a discussion on global structural challenges and the role of multilateral finance and investment.
Update on Russias Invasion of Ukraine: The View From Parliament WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-20 | In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, we are joined by Kira Rudik, member of the Ukrainian Parliament and leader of the Golos party. She discusses life in Ukraine’s capital sixteen months after Russia’s invasion and provides an update and overview about where things stand with Ukraine’s counteroffensive, support from NATO and the West, and how the people of Ukraine are holding up during the continuing conflict.
New Perspectives on US-Brazil Relations WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-20 | Join the Wilson Center’s Brazil Institute on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (ET) for an in-person conversation with Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Maria Luiza Viotti. Ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti will discuss the challenges and opportunities in US-Brazil relations, environmental protection, and human rights in Brazil. Ambassador Viotti previously served as Brazil’s ambassador to the United Nations and Berlin. This conversation will be Ambassador Viotti’s first public appearance in her new role.
Building Lebanons Sovereignty and the State WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-20 | The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program will convene a diverse group of esteemed experts, policymakers, and diplomats from the United States and Lebanon to engage in discussions concerning the intricacies of US-Lebanon relations and viable solutions to Lebanon's enduring crises.This conference represents the culmination of a year of research, convening and dialogue at the Lebanon Ideas Forum, a Wilson Center platform dedicated to fostering the exchange of ideas and facilitating discussions on Lebanon's political, economic, and social developments, as well as their impact on the Middle East region and beyond. The Middle East Program will present a comprehensive white paper, Building Lebanon's Sovereignty and the State, on Lebanon covering three key areas: political development, the reconstruction of its economy, and the role of the United States and the international community in supporting Lebanon.
(Original) Colombia’s Frontline Environmental Defenders: Afro-Colombians and the Pacific Coast WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-19 | With its exceptional biodiversity and unique ecosystems, Colombia holds significant importance for conservation. Within the country, the unique perspective and historical ties to the natural environment make Afro-Colombians leaders in land stewardship, forest conservation, community-based conservation, and traditional knowledge. As global efforts to protect biodiversity and address the climate and biodiversity crises, meaningful engagement with Indigenous and marginalized communities — like the Afro-Colombians in regions such as Chocó, Valle de Cauca, and Nariño departments — is key to ensuring sustainable and effective responses at every level of decision-making.
(Spanish) Colombia’s Frontline Environmental Defenders: Afro-Colombians and the Pacific Coast WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-19 | With its exceptional biodiversity and unique ecosystems, Colombia holds significant importance for conservation. Within the country, the unique perspective and historical ties to the natural environment make Afro-Colombians leaders in land stewardship, forest conservation, community-based conservation, and traditional knowledge. As global efforts to protect biodiversity and address the climate and biodiversity crises, meaningful engagement with Indigenous and marginalized communities — like the Afro-Colombians in regions such as Chocó, Valle de Cauca, and Nariño departments — is key to ensuring sustainable and effective responses at every level of decision-making.
El INE y Su Papel en la Democracia Mexicana WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-18 | El Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) es una institución autónoma establecida por mandato constitucional y cuyo objetivo es garantizar elecciones libres, justas y democráticas mediante la supervisión y organización de elecciones a nivel federal, estatal y local en México. En los últimos años, la institución ha enfrentado ataques por parte del presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador, quien ha propuesto reformas al sistema democrático de México, las cuales hubieran disminuido las capacidades e influencia del INE. En este video, el Instituto México destaca el papel que desempeña el INE en la democracia mexicana, así como lo que las reformas electorales hubieran significado para el futuro del INE.
The INE and its Role in Mexicos Democracy WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-18 | El Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) is an autonomous constitutionally mandated institution whose aim is to ensure free, fair, democratic elections through the oversight and organization of elections at the federal, state, and local levels in Mexico. In recent years, it has faced attacks from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who proposed reforms to Mexico’s democratic system that would have diminished the INE’s capabilities and its influence. In this video, the Mexico Institute highlights the role that the INE plays in Mexico’s democracy as well as what the proposed electoral reforms could have meant for the future of the INE.
SMART TAKE: Russia Suspends Ukraine Grain Deal WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-17 | Vladimir Putin will not be renewing the UN-brokered agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea. Lauren Risi, Director of the Environmental Change and Security Program, discusses what this could mean for global food security, which countries will suffer most, and how other environmental factors, like El Nino, are likely to affect an already-stressed food supply.
Blockchain Basics with Laura Shin WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-17 | This episode, hear from Laura Shin, journalist, podcaster, and author of The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze. She joins the podcast to talk foundational concepts in blockchain, from smart contracts to the role cryptocurrencies play in a blockchain's work as a decentralized ledger. Listen now to hear her take on the key thing you should know about digital assets - and the key misconception many have.
(Day 2 Part 2) Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Forging the Path Forward WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-14 | On July 12 and 13, the Wilson Center, in partnership with the University of Alaska, Department of Energy's Arctic Energy Office, and RAND Corporation, is hosting a two-day dialogue about critical minerals in the North American Arctic. The dialogue will develop policy recommendations for development of critical mineral resources in the Arctic, in the context of US national security, energy, climate, and technology goals.This dialogue will be solutions-oriented, producing actionable policy and investment recommendations. There are three distinct elements of the agenda: six individual working sessions, focusing on community ownership, financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, supply chains, and workforce development; a tabletop exercise quantifying risk prioritization in minerals development, and three public keynote sessions.
Russias Growing Maritime Power WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-14 | Although Moscow's assault on Ukraine is being fought primarily on the ground, the war has a pronounced maritime aspect to it as Moscow contests control of the Sea of Azov and further into the Black Sea. In fact, the war is having profound implications for Russian maritime power. While the Russian navy will likely have to take on a more active position in the Russian armed forces more broadly, this is not only a military question: the Russian economy is becoming increasingly dependent on sea lanes to access its major markets. The speakers of this roundtable event debated the changing face of Russian power, including the problems Moscow faces in developing its power at sea, the balance between Moscow's regional and global priorities, and the future of Russian power at sea and what this means for the U.S. and its allies.
US-Japan Partnership: Testing the Bond of Shared Economic Security Interests WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-14 | In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, we are joined by Shihoko Goto, Director for Geoeconomics and Indo-Pacific Enterprise and Deputy Director for the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, and Lucas Myers, Senior Associate for Southeast Asia at the Asia Program. They discuss their newly released report, “Reshaping US-Japan Economic Security Partnership in the Indo-Pacific.” The report highlights the convergence of economic concerns and national security interests between the two nations and how cooperation can be further enhanced moving forward.
(Day 2 part 1) Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Forging the Path Forward WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-13 | On July 12 and 13, the Wilson Center, in partnership with the University of Alaska, Department of Energy's Arctic Energy Office, and RAND Corporation, is hosting a two-day dialogue about critical minerals in the North American Arctic. The dialogue will develop policy recommendations for development of critical mineral resources in the Arctic, in the context of US national security, energy, climate, and technology goals.This dialogue will be solutions-oriented, producing actionable policy and investment recommendations. There are three distinct elements of the agenda: six individual working sessions, focusing on community ownership, financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, supply chains, and workforce development; a tabletop exercise quantifying risk prioritization in minerals development, and three public keynote sessions.
(Day 1) Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Forging the Path Forward WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-12 | On July 12 and 13, the Wilson Center, in partnership with the University of Alaska, Department of Energy's Arctic Energy Office, and RAND Corporation, is hosting a two-day dialogue about critical minerals in the North American Arctic. The dialogue will develop policy recommendations for development of critical mineral resources in the Arctic, in the context of US national security, energy, climate, and technology goals.This dialogue will be solutions-oriented, producing actionable policy and investment recommendations. There are three distinct elements of the agenda: six individual working sessions, focusing on community ownership, financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, supply chains, and workforce development; a tabletop exercise quantifying risk prioritization in minerals development, and three public keynote sessions.
SMART TAKE: Turkey Clears Roadblocks for Sweden to Join NATO WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-12 | Philip Reeker, Chair of the Wilson Center’s Global Europe Program, analyzes what this historic moment says about Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, how Sweden’s membership in NATO will impact the alliance, the future of Turkey’s relationship with the European Union, and what final steps are necessary before Sweden becomes the official, 32nd-member of NATO.
SMART TAKE: NATO Summit 2023 Begins in Lithuania WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-10 | This week in Vilnius, Lithuania, world leaders gather to discuss the future of the NATO security alliance. Robin Quinville, Director of the Wilson Center’s Global Europe Program, looks at the focus points of this year’s summit, including continuing support for Ukraine, Sweden’s outstanding membership, and planning for defense and deterrence.
SMART TAKE: A Week of Escalating Tensions in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-06 | Tensions heightened this week in the Levant as protesters marched in the streets of Tel Aviv, the Israeli Army launched one of its biggest attacks on the West Bank in years, and rockets were fired into Israel from Lebanon. Merissa Khurma, Program Director of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program, discusses the week’s events, analyzing the rise in tensions and what impact they will have on the region.
Protecting Antarctica: Argentine-Chilean Environmental Diplomacy in the Southern Ocean WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-07-06 | Argentina and Chile are gateways to Antarctica and important stewards of the frozen continent. Since 2011, the two countries have collaborated on efforts to establish a marine protected area (MPA) through the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, an international body responsible for protecting the Southern Ocean, home to some of the world’s most biodiverse marine habitats.The Southern Ocean is facing unprecedented environmental pressures amid worsening impacts of the climate crisis. Troublingly, scientists warn that El Niño will intensify these warming trends, accelerate ice loss in Antarctica and increase global sea-level rise. To confront these threats, Argentine and Chilean diplomatic efforts are in overdrive to protect the Western Antarctic Peninsula; at an international conference in Santiago next month, member states will vote on the MPA proposal from Argentina and Chile, as well as on two other proposed MPAs in the Weddell Sea and East Antarctic.
Global Peace Index 2023: “Peacefulness” Declines For 9th Straight Year WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-30 | In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, we are joined by Michael Collins, Executive Director, Institute for Economics & Peace, The Americas. He discusses the newly released 17th edition of the annual Global Peace Index (GPI), produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). The index is the world’s leading measure of peacefulness, and “reveals the average level of global peacefulness deteriorated for the ninth consecutive year with post-COVID civil unrest and political instability remaining high while regional and global conflicts accelerate.”
LGBTQ+-Friendly Destinations in Latin America WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-29 | Latin America has made strides in advancing LGBTQ+ rights, creating a safer environment for LGBTQ+ communities and travelers. From Uruguay’s vibrant nightlife to Argentina’s LGBTQ+ tango halls and Colombia’s thriving LGBTQ+ communities, in this explainer video, we explore the safest countries for LGBTQ+ tourists in the region.
ICYMI: 70 Years of the US-ROK Alliance WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-29 | In case you missed it, the Wilson Center’s full event, “70 Years of the US-ROK Alliance: The Past and the Future” can be viewed here: tinyurl.com/bdcnvdvs
Book Launch | Tripolar Instability: Nuclear Competition Among the United States, Russia, and China WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-27 | With China’s emergence as a peer nuclear power to the United States and Russia, the world is on the cusp of a tripolar nuclear order. Cold War risks are being dangerously recast. The nuclear “balance of terror,” which averted great-power conflict, is becoming less stable. The risk of nuclear war is the greatest since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Robert Litwak’s Tripolar Instability examines how these risks can be managed amidst the Ukraine war and heightened tensions over Taiwan.
Mixed Signals: Is a US-China “Cold War” Heating Up or Cooling Down? WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-27 | On this episode of “Need to Know,” Robert Daly, Director of the Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, joins host John Milewski to talk about the impact of Biden’s reference to Xi Jinping as a “dictator.” They also discuss recent diplomatic efforts by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and whether his trip to China paved the road for future high-level meetings between the two countries. Milewski and Daly also look at potential strategies to rebuild the US-China relationship.
SMART TAKE: What Happens to Prigozhin and the Wagner Group Now? WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-27 | William Pomeranz, Director of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute, considers what impact the Prigozhin-led uprising in Russia will have on Putin’s authority. He looks at why the paramilitary leader seized Russian military facilities and ordered a march to Moscow, what will happen to the Wagner Group forces, and describes the possible impact the rebellion will have on the war in Ukraine.
Strengthening Competitiveness by Investing in Maritime Transportation WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-26 | The efficiency and resilience of the maritime transportation system, including intermodal links, is vital to the competitiveness of the US and the Americas, North, and South, in global markets. The post-pandemic surge in e-commerce adds new pressure to the freight system, as does the advance of technology, the push to be greener, the need to maintain cybersecurity, and the imperative to preserve free and open global commerce. The Wilson Center’s Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition (WISC) recently held a roundtable discussion on maritime commerce with a wide cross-section of experts and government officials in Miami. Cary Davis of the American Association of Port Authorities and Emily Feenstra of the American Society of Civil Engineers join WISC Director Mark Kennedy to explore some of the findings of the roundtable and how investing in maritime transportation strengthens competitiveness.
Welcome to Blockchain Explained WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-26 | Meet your co-hosts for Blockchain Explained, Alan Rechtschaffen and Kellee Wicker! Hear more from Alan and Kellee about the podcast's mission to educate a wide audience about the opportunities and challenges of blockchain, study use cases, and assess the current and coming regulatory landscape. Listen now for more on what to expect from this series, and to hear what our hosts find most exciting about blockchain technology.
Israel at 75: The Views From Latin America WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-23 | As Israel celebrates 75 years of statehood, it is a moment to mark how Israel’s influence and reach extends well beyond its immediate neighborhood. Nowhere is that more true than in the Americas.The Western Hemisphere and Israel have a long-standing relationship. In 1947, Uruguay and Guatemala were among the first countries to vote for statehood for Israel. Uruguay was the first South American country to formally recognize Israel, while Guatemala was among one of the first countries to open an embassy in Jerusalem after the United States.Israel has a longstanding and historic friendship with the Western Hemisphere, many Jewish communities and a vast array of economic and commercial agreements and technology cooperation. Trade between Israel and the Western Hemisphere was approximately $6 billion in 2022 with Brazil being its largest trading partner. The relationship between the region and Israel is not without its challenges. As we remember and commemorate the terrorist attacks in Argentina almost 30 years ago against the Jewish Center and the Israeli Embassy orchestrated by Hezbollah and Iran, it is increasingly troubling that Iran’s dictator held a Latin America tour recently and visited Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba. Please join us for this event to discuss the relationship between Latin America and Israel, as well as the ongoing challenges and implications for the US.
[English] The US-ROK Alliance at 70: The Outlook After the Washington Declaration WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-23 | Please join the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Korea Center and the East Asia Foundation for The US-ROK Alliance at 70: The Outlook After the Washington Declaration. In the aftermath of successful state visit by President Yoon Suk Yeol, which included the issuance of the Washington Declaration intended to strengthen extended deterrence, the Korea Center and the East Asia Foundation will host a special forum with members of the Korean National Assembly and the US Congress and other experts on the outlook for the US-ROK alliance for the next 70 years.The 70th anniversary of the US-ROK alliance comes as North Korea continues to accelerate the development of its WMD program. In response, Presidents Biden and Yoon issued in April the Washington Declaration deepening ROK-US cooperation on nuclear deterrence while reinforcing South Korea’s commitment to the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Will the Washington Declaration succeed in reassuring South Koreans about the US alliance—or will South Korea feel compelled to take further steps to defend itself against the growing North Korea threat?That is only one of many pressing issues that confronts the alliances at this critical juncture. The two countries must grapple not only with other important security issues—such as the implications of Russia’s war in Ukraine--but also the economic fallout from the growing US-China rivalry, which has highlighted the need to safeguard both countries’ supply chains for critical components. Despite multifaceted efforts by the US and South Korea to cooperate on economic issues, including the Chip 4 alliance and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the prospects for the current approach of deepening economic integration remain unclear. How can both nations ensure their economic security while maintaining their critical trading relationships with China?This conference will examine both the security and economic issues that will shape the US-ROK alliance in the years ahead. A luncheon reception will follow the conference.
[Korean]The US-ROK Alliance at 70: The Outlook After the Washington Declaration WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-23 | Please join the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Korea Center and the East Asia Foundation for The US-ROK Alliance at 70: The Outlook After the Washington Declaration. In the aftermath of successful state visit by President Yoon Suk Yeol, which included the issuance of the Washington Declaration intended to strengthen extended deterrence, the Korea Center and the East Asia Foundation will host a special forum with members of the Korean National Assembly and the US Congress and other experts on the outlook for the US-ROK alliance for the next 70 years.The 70th anniversary of the US-ROK alliance comes as North Korea continues to accelerate the development of its WMD program. In response, Presidents Biden and Yoon issued in April the Washington Declaration deepening ROK-US cooperation on nuclear deterrence while reinforcing South Korea’s commitment to the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Will the Washington Declaration succeed in reassuring South Koreans about the US alliance—or will South Korea feel compelled to take further steps to defend itself against the growing North Korea threat?That is only one of many pressing issues that confronts the alliances at this critical juncture. The two countries must grapple not only with other important security issues—such as the implications of Russia’s war in Ukraine--but also the economic fallout from the growing US-China rivalry, which has highlighted the need to safeguard both countries’ supply chains for critical components. Despite multifaceted efforts by the US and South Korea to cooperate on economic issues, including the Chip 4 alliance and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the prospects for the current approach of deepening economic integration remain unclear. How can both nations ensure their economic security while maintaining their critical trading relationships with China?This conference will examine both the security and economic issues that will shape the US-ROK alliance in the years ahead. A luncheon reception will follow the conference.
China, Russia, and the US: Nuclear Competition in a Tripolar World WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-23 | In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, we are joined by Robert Litwak, Senior Vice President and Director of International Security Studies at the Wilson Center. He discusses his latest publication, “Tripolar Instability: Nuclear Competition Among the United States, Russia, and China.” The study explains how “China’s emergence as a peer nuclear power to the United States and Russia has brought the world to the cusp of a tripolar nuclear order.”
Wartime Attitudes and Identity in Frontline Ukrainian Cities WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-22 | Professors Karina Korostelina and Gerard Toal will present new survey findings from their ongoing National Science Foundation sponsored research project on Ukrainian social attitudes. In April 2023, Dr. Korostelina and Dr. Toal conducted a survey of 500 people and 90 semi-structural interviews in Eastern Ukraine, as a continuation of research begun in July 2022. The results reveal changes in the concepts of Ukrainian national identity, dynamics of attitudes and feelings toward Russia as well as perceptions and support for war, peace, and international aid.
Building a Competitive US-Mexico Border Conference WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-22 | The ninth edition of the annual conference will consider a range of cross-border issues including infrastructure, trade disruptions, and post-pandemic-era border management.This daylong conference will feature panel discussions with U.S. and Mexican lawmakers, officials, and private sector representatives to spark a vibrant and productive dialogue focused on further strengthening the competitiveness of the US-Mexico border region.
SMART TAKE: Is a Potential Biden-Xi Meeting Now in Jeopardy? WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-21 | Robert Daly, Director of the Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, explains the possible implications of President Biden’s reference to Xi Jinping as a “dictator,” and how it relates to recent diplomatic efforts by Secretary of State Blinken.
SMART TAKE: What to Expect from Indian Prime Minister Modi’s US Visit WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-21 | Michael Kugelman, Director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, discusses what Prime Minister Modi and President Biden will be seeking to accomplish during the former’s first state visit to the US. He describes the mutual goal of strengthening US-India partnership vis-à-vis China and how each country diverges in its stance towards Russia. Kugelman also covers anticipated agreements in the areas of higher education, artificial intelligence, and diplomatic relations.
Book Talk | Cooperating for the Climate with Joanna Lewis WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-20 | No country in the world releases more greenhouse gases than China. And no country has a greater capacity—and ambition—to mitigate climate change. China’s policies and investments that sparked the rapid build-out of renewable energy, electric vehicles and other climate actions have been spurred in great part by decades of international partnerships, particularly with the United States. With President Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry’s most recent call to action to develop a renewed partnership with China to combat climate change, the stage is set for an unprecedented opportunity for collaboration and collective action.
SMART TAKE: World Refugee Day: Facing the Challenges of the Highest Levels of Displacement on Record WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-20 | On World Refugee Day, John Thon Majok, Director of the Wilson Center’s Refugee and Forced Displacement Initiative (RAFDI), talks about the recent UNHCR Global Trends Report, which provides the latest numbers on refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people worldwide. He discusses the 20% increase in refugees around the world and identifies the conflicts that are fueling the uptick. Majok also addresses other root causes of forced displacement that have created an ongoing global refugee challenge.
Confronting Climate Change Through Carbon Pricing: Is the Policy Politically Feasible and Durable? WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-16 | In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, we are joined by Barry Rabe, the Arthur Thurnau Professor of Environmental Policy and the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He discusses his latest article, “Carbon Pricing Enters Middle Age.” The article “reviews the last half-decade of global climate policy and carbon pricing experience and examines the significant political challenges to pricing adoption in nations including the United States.”
SMART TAKE: Were Mexico’s Gubernatorial Election Results a Preview of the Presidential Election? WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-14 | Lila Abed, Deputy Director of the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute, talks about recent gubernatorial election results in the States of Coahuila and Mexico. She explains the difference in the States’ election results, the widespread power of AMLO’s Morena Party, and implications for the future of Mexico.
Book Talk | Transnational Advocacy in the Digital Era WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-14 | In her new book Transnational Advocacy in the Digital Era, Think Global, Act Local, Nina Hall explores the role of digital advocacy organizations and how digital technologies are changing transnational advocacy networks, and examines these organizations' campaigns on climate, trade and refugees' rights. Nina Hall will discuss her research into this topic and how these organizations have harnessed digitally networked power and can quickly respond to the most salient issues of the day, and mobilize large memberships, to put pressure on politicians. She finds that these organizations operate in a globalized world but tackle transnational problems by focusing on national targets. This new generation of activists have formed a strong transnational network, but still see the state as the locus of power.
MCC at 20: Applying the Model to Emerging Challenges Globally WoodrowWilsonCenter 2023-06-13 | The creation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in 2004 changed the conversation on how best to deliver smart US foreign assistance around the world. In the 20 years since its creation, MCC has demonstrated that focused investments promoting economic growth, democracy, infrastructure, reducing poverty, and strengthening institutions can have far reaching positive effects. In the face of current challenges around the world, how can the MCC model continue to help democracies across the globe deliver for their people? At this event, MCC CEO Alice Albright and Wilson Center CEO Ambassador Mark A. Green will discuss what comes next for MCC and how the model can be used to face today’s challenges in the foreign affairs arena. Please join us for this timely and critical discussion.
