The Week at CSIS: The Speeches, Discussions, and Events from July 24- July 28

CSIS hosts over 2,000 events a year, from major public speeches to small briefings. Join us here for an inside look at the events of the week.

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CSIS
Jul 28, 2017 · 7 min read

7.24: Bipartisan Task Force on Reforming and Reorganizing U.S. Foreign Assistance Report Launch

The Trump administration has asked the executive branch to provide suggestions on reforming and reorganizing U.S. foreign assistance by September 2017. On May 30, 2017, CSIS announced the formation of a Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Reforming and Reorganizing U.S Foreign Assistance. Task Force members consist of former Bush administration and Obama administration officials, including senior Foreign Service officers of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department, former ambassadors, and former members of the National Security Council.

After meeting three times and going through several rounds of discussions, this task force identified actionable recommendations that the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress can take to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of U.S. foreign assistance programs.

From left to right: Michele Sumilas, USAID; Nilmini Rubin, Tetra Tech; Conor Savoy, CSIS; Amb. John Simon, U.S. Department of State

This event marked the launch of the report on reforming and reorganizing United States foreign assistance. A panel of select task force members, joined by Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), discussed their findings and presented three major recommendations for the future of foreign aid.

Sen. Todd Young, (R-IN)

7.25: Future of Vertical Lift: Forging a New Paradigm

This event highlighted how Future Vertical Lift (FVL) may be a paradigm shift for the Department of Defense’s acquisition of vertical lift systems. The discussion will delved into how FVL is likely to shift from the current paradigm. In past discussions on FVL at CSIS, experts have suggested that FVL may lead to changes in the way that different tiers of the supply chain interact, including the relationship between primes and subprimes, and that FVL may present a different approach to commonality and sustainment across vertical lift platforms. Furthermore, FVL may present an opportunity to take a new approach to developing and fielding new capabilities in vertical lift systems.

From left to right: Andrew Philip Hunter, CSIS; Col. Robert A. Freeland, U.S. Marine Corps; Keith Flail, Bell Helicopter; H. Eric “Delta” Burke, Harris Corporation; Dave Schreck, Rockwell Collins Government Systems; David Dowling, Northrop Grumman Corporation

This discussion looked at both views from the department and views from leading industry partners to think about the critical elements of the new paradigm for Future Vertical Lift and how best industry and DoD can work together going forward.

7.25: The Global Forced Migration Crisis: Project Launch

The Project for Prosperity and Development launched a new project on the global forced migration crisis. More people are forcibly displaced now than at any time in human history. Beyond the instability in Syria, over 65 million people from around the world have left their homes to escape conflict, famine, disaster, persecution, food insecurity, and unstable governance. The paths of these people could lead them a few miles from their origin, across borders into transit countries, or into protracted displacement in destination countries in Europe or elsewhere.

Paula Reed Lynch, U.S. Department of State

Over the next year, CSIS will research the journey of these millions of people and what it means for the developing world landscape, and how the U.S., its allies, the public and private sectors, NGOs, academics, government, and security can play a vital role in confronting global displacement and migration.

From left to right: Gideon Maltz, Tent Foundation; Daniel F. Runde, CSIS

7.26: The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement: Examining Progress and Partnerships

Country-led political and financial commitments are critical to reducing malnutrition at scale. Since its launch in 2010, SUN has focused on the high social and economic returns on nutrition investments. It supports national strategies to combat malnutrition with a systematic, multi-sectoral approach that accounts for its complex underlying causes. Having grown to encompass 59 member countries, SUN’s next phase will build on a foundation of advocacy, partnerships, and policy commitments to drive measurable results at scale.

Between 2010 and 2016, the U.S. Congress provided nearly $1.5 billion for nutrition-specific activities alone, sustaining U.S. leadership as the largest nutrition donor in the world. The first ever U.S. Global Food Security Strategy, submitted to Congress in October 2016, includes improved nutrition as one of three primary objectives. The U.S. Agency for International Development has contributed to the SUN movement since its inception.

From left to right: Reid Hamel, CSIS; Asma Lateef, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Civil Society Network; Denise Lionetti, PATH; Carolyn Hart, John Snow, Inc.

How can this partnership be characterized to date? What insights have emerged to inform effective SUN Movement engagement by the United States going forward? The CSIS Global Food Security Project launched a new report, What can the United States learn from the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement? Drawing from SUN progress observed in three Feed the Future countries, the report furnishes recommendations for the U.S. government to maximize returns on substantial nutrition investments through the SUN Movement. It highlights the importance of partnership and alignment with host countries and other donors to collectively tackle the global burden of malnutrition.

From left to right: Reid Hamel, CSIS; Denise Lionetti, PATH;

7.26: Renegotiating NAFTA: Energy Opportunities and Challenges

In fulfillment of a campaign promise made by then-candidate Donald Trump, the administration has made preliminary steps to revisit the provisions of the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). On May 18th, 2017, Robert Lighthizer, the United States trade representative, delivered a letter to Congress providing official notice of this intent. Despite attempts to move toward renegotiation, little is yet known about the administration’s plans, particularly as they relate to energy. Given the level of market integration and energy trade within North America, a renegotiated NAFTA could have major consequences for the region’s — and world’s — energy markets.

From left to right: Scott Miller, CSIS; Andrew W. Shoyer, Sidley Austin LLP; David Pumphrey, CSIS

The CSIS Energy and National Security Program hosted several international trade experts for a discussion on the future of NAFTA. The panel discussed the treaty’s renegotiation, the various and occasionally competing interests of North American energy players, and the impacts a new trade regime could have on the North American and global energy landscapes.

7.26: The Origins of America’s Asian Alliances and Lessons for the Future

CSIS and the Alliances and American Leadership Project hosted a conversation on the origins of America’s Asian alliances and discussed lessons for the future. With the United States and allies confronting rising threats and shifting geopolitical realities in this vital region, Alliances Project director Andrew Shearer and leading experts in the field considered the future impacts of U.S-Asian alliances.

From left to right: Victor Cha, CSIS; Richard McGregor, Financial Times

7.27: Report Launch: The Relevance of U.S.-Caribbean Relations

The CSIS Americas Program hosted the launch of their new report, The Relevance of U.S.-Caribbean Relations: Three Views, written by Anthony T. Bryan, Evan R. Ellis and Scott B. MacDonald. The launch event featured U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat, the first Dominican-American in Congress, as well as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Kenneth Merten. The presentations discussed the future of U.S.-Caribbean relations, particularly as they relate to the recently passed bipartisan legislation H.R. 4939, The United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016.

A panel discussion, led by the report authors and other CSIS experts, examined the development of the report and its hopeful impact on the new strategic U.S. foreign policy approach to the Caribbean. This report highlights three key policy issues on which the U.S. government must focus as a result of the legislation: strategic Caribbean security issues; U.S.-Caribbean economic issues; and the future of Caribbean energy.

From left to right: Rep. Adriano Espaillat, (D-NY); Evan Ellis, CSIS; Scott B. MacDonald, CSIS; Georges A. Fauriol, CSIS; David E. Lewis, CSIS; Anthony T. Bryan, University of the West Indies

7.28: The U.S.-Japan Alliance in an Era of Geo-Economic Competition

Retired military leaders from Japan and the United States discussed the results of this week’s fourth annual Japan-U.S. Military Statesmen Forum (MSF). The MSF is the only standing non-governmental military-to-military dialogue platform between the two countries. The theme of this year’s forum was “Japan-U.S. Alliance: The Era of Geo-Economic Competition.” Retired top military leaders, a number of active-duty leaders, and civilian policymakers participated in this year’s MSF and discussed pressing issues such as North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs and maritime and cyber security.

To register for any of our events or watch them live, visit our events page.

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Center for Strategic & International Studies is the source for bipartisan foreign policy news, analysis, & solutions to the world’s top challenges since 1962.

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