The Week at CSIS: the speeches, discussions, and events from December 12— December 16
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.
China’s 15th WTO Anniversary: Assessing the Record and Charting the Path Forward
The 15th anniversary of China’s WTO entry marks a milestone in China’s engagement with the global economy. The WTO provides the best example of China’s shift from being a ruletaker to a rulemaker. The speakers and panelists used this occasion to assess the accomplishments and challenges of China’s WTO membership, analyze how China’s trading partners and the WTO itself have adapted to China’s growing involvement, and consider the possible future paths of the WTO and the multilateral trading system.
Russian National Identity and Foreign Policy
In recent years, Russia’s foreign policy has become considerably more asserting, posing a challenge to the United States and its Western allies. In his presentation, Igor Zevelev, a fellow at the Kennan Institute and a former visiting fellow at CSIS, explored what is driving this shift from the Russian side. He outlined the ways in which Russian foreign policy doctrine today stems primarily from domestic ideas about Russian identity and the reasons why the impact of such thinking has become such a driving force in the past four years.
A discussion with His Excellency Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo Secretary General of OPEC
The CSIS Energy and National Security Program hosted His Excellency Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to discuss OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2016. The report addresses OPEC’s outlook for medium and long-term oil supply, demand, and downstream out to 2040, including their view on the challenges and opportunities for the oil industry. This World Oil Outlook sees opportunities presented by a growing global population, and economic growth in developing countries leading to an increase in energy demand, but also comes at a time of continue uncertainty in the oil market.
Panelists from both the public and private sectors discussed the evolution of Brazil’s sustainable agriculture techniques, and the potential application of their agribusiness model to other countries within the Western Hemisphere and around the world. Brazilian agriculture has revolutionized production with successive gains in productivity, based upon investment in farming research and development, as well as rural entrepreneurship and innovation. Over the past few decades, the country’s success in increasing productivity while employing sustainable practices has come to define the Brazilian agricultural sector.
Book Event: When the Walking Defeats You
Ledio Cakaj, author of When the Walking Defeats You: One Man’s Journey as Joseph Kony’s Bodyguard, explored the conflict waged by the LRA through the accounts of people who survived its attacks and the unique insights of George Omona, a former high-ranking member who fought alongside the group’s leader, Joseph Kony. Kony, who has led the LRA for nearly three decades, continues to evade capture despite regional and U.S. efforts to track him down in recent years. Meanwhile, one of his former commanders, Dominic Ongwen, who was abducted by the group as a child, is set to be tried this month by the ICC for 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Venezuela’s Health Sector: Current Crisis and Opportunities for International Engagement
Venezuela is experiencing a profound public health emergency. Even as Venezuelans struggle to access medicine, food and other essential commodities, the Venezuelan Government has proven reluctant to acknowledge the challenges facing its health sector. Multiple actors, including civil society organizations and multilateral institutions, are engaging in dialogue to determine how to best address the causes and consequences of the current crisis. At this event, panelists examined the origins, evolution and likely trajectory of the current health situation in Venezuela and the role regional bilateral partners and international organizations may be able to play in resolving the humanitarian crisis and identifying sectoral reforms that can strengthen prospects for Venezuela’s health sector in the long term.
Global infrastructure demand is estimated at approximately $3.7 trillion annually, with the majority of that demand being generated in developing countries. Asia alone will require more than $700 billion annually to support its growing infrastructure needs through 2020. As developing countries continue to experience population growth, rapid urbanization, and economic and industrial expansion, the need for quality and lasting infrastructure will remain acute.This half-day conference featured an opening keynote address by Tatsuya Terazawa, Director General of the Trade and economic Cooperation Bureau at METI, followed by three expert panel discussions that examined the growing trend and importance of quality infrastructure with a focus on the multilateral development banks.
The Smart Women, Smart Power (SWSP) initiative is designed to amplify the voices of women in foreign policy, national security, and international business. This week, Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, joined SWSP for a discussion. Pritzker was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden in June of 2013. She has 27 years of experience in the private sector which includes her role as CEO of PSP Capital Partners and her assistance in developing numerous other small companies in many diverse sectors. Pritzker has also served on the boards of Hyatt Hotels, LaSalle National Bank, the William Wrigley Company, and was the non-executive Chairman of TransUnion.
Domestic Resource Mobilization’s Changing Global Landscape
The Project on U.S. Leadership in Development hosted a Chevron Forum on the changing policy landscape of domestic resource mobilization (DRM) in development. DRM allows governments to raise revenue to fund independent development priorities. The cost of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is estimated in the trillions of dollars, with current support lacking annually. For these development goals to be reached and for countries to manage their own futures DRM must be a focus. The U.S. must strive to build global financial sustainability and stability to encourage national ownership over development that will lead to steady employment and more benefit.
To register for any of our events or watch them live, visit www.csis.org/events (updated daily).
