USIP Afghanistan Recommendations Adopted at Paris Donors Conference

A number of points in Afghanistan Senior Fellow Mohammad M. Stankezai’s new USIPeace Briefing, Afghanistan: Not Lost, But Needs More Attention, were adopted in the final declaration of this week’s Paris donors conference. This briefing discusses Afghanistan’s challenges and offers policies in economic development, project implementation, coordination and security.

The specific points included in conference’s final declaration are:

• Committing to support the Afghan National Development Strategy
• Enhancing coordination between the government and international community
• Investing in infrastucture, especially agriculture and energy
• Strengthening Afghan government institutions to improve service delivery to all Afghans
• Improving auditing to combat corruption
• Strengthening regional cooperation
• Expanding the role of the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General in Afghanistan

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USIP Hosts Deputy Commanding General for Detainee Operations
On June 11, USIP hosted Major General Douglas Stone, Multinational Forces-Iraq Deputy Commanding General for Detainee Operations.

Stone's premise revolves around separating moderates from extremists within the internment facilities, and providing the moderates with the intellectual tools that will ultimately empower them to marginalize violent extremists in their society. Over the long term, he hopes that this approach will allow the vast majority of detainees in coalition force custody to successfully reintegrate back into Iraqi society.

Moderator Daniel Serwer said, "General Stone gave us a close-up view of the difficult issues raised by detention, as well as a good sense of his innovative approach to ensuring that detentions do not undermine the peacebuilding process. A breath of fresh air in an area where serious mistakes have been made in the past."

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Advancing the Interfaith Youth Movement for Peace
On Tuesday, June 10, USIP hosted a discussion titled "Advancing the Interfaith Movement for Peace." Key participants included Dr. Eboo Patel of the Interfaith Youth Core, Samuel Rizk of the Forum for Development, Culture, and Dialogue and Farah Pandith of the U.S. Department of State. David Smock moderated the discussion.

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Making Bosnia Work: Why EU Accession is Not Enough
USIPeace Briefing
On June 16, Bosnia will sign a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union, more than 13 years after the Dayton Agreement ended the war there. This USIPeace Briefing examines this complex, timely issue.

Domestic Agencies in Reconstruction and Stabilization: The "4th D"
USIPeace Briefing
The "3 D's," defense, diplomacy and development, have been pillars of U.S. government reconstruction and stabilization programs. Recently, however, the "4th D"—the domestic interagency community—has come into the picture. This USIPeace Briefing describes the distinct value the "4th D" adds to reconstruction and stabilization initiatives and how it can be integrated into the larger U.S. government community.

Mullahs, Money, and Militias: How Iran Exerts Its Influence in the Middle East
Special Report
This report focuses on Iran’s interactions with groups in Lebanon, Iraq, and, to a lesser extent, the Palestinian territories. The intent is to help policymakers understand the real extent of Iranian influence so that they can better motivate Iran and its allies to become more constructive actors in the Middle East.

India: Iraqi Youth Dialogue
In Dharamshala, India, USIP recently facilitated a five-day workshop for Iraqi youth focused on peacebuilding. The workshop included listening exercises, facilitated dialogue, artistic expression, skits, song and dance. One "free-form" session allowed the youth to express what life is like in Iraq. In the end, the participants focused on localized action they could take once they returned to Iraq. Many of the youth are learning to facilitate dialogues in their own neighborhoods.

Thirty-eight participants in the education, non-profit, media and business fields from all around Iraq were selected by the USIP Baghdad office and the Global Peace Initiative for Women. Dharamsala was chosen because of its significance as a center of non-violent resistance and peacemaking.

"Despite the troubled and turbulent environment that they came from, the spirit of life was alive and kicking with this group of young leaders. They were always quick to gather together to sing and dance showing their unity as Iraqis," said Noor Kirdar.

Non-Violent Struggle: 50 Crucial Points
This handbook, CD and website, produced from a USIP grant, describe proven strategies and tactics for nonviolent political movements. Based on firsthand experience in Serbia and Georgia, the resources provide easily accessible lessons and best practices to front-line practitioners engaged in struggles for freedom around the world.

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June 12
Senior Fellow Radwan Ziadeh was quoted in an Institute for War and Peace Reporting article titled "Opposition Looks Forward to End of Syrian Isolation."

June 11
The National Interest covered an event at the Nixon Center featuring panelist Mona Yacoubian in an article titled "Hezbollah Steams Ahead."

June 10
The Christian Science Monitor quoted Scott Lasenksy in an article titled "For some Iraqi war refugees, business is booming."

June 9
The Washington Post cited President Bush's speech at the USIP groundbreaking ceremony in an article titled "Tough Words From This Cheney on U.S. Mideast Policy."

June 7
The Hindustan Times reported on a recent event on Kashmir in an article titled "Study finds erasing LoC may a solution of Kashmir problem." The Hindustan Times also cited President Bush's speech at the USIP groundbreaking ceremony.

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Resettling Kenya's Internally Displaced Persons
June 17, 2008
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Join us for a discussion on the issue of election violence displacement in Kenya and the efforts necessary to resettle the displaced persons.

Nepal: En Route to Peace and Democracy
June 18, 2008
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
In light of Nepal’s recent transition from monarchy to democracy, what happens next? What challenges and opportunities lay ahead for Nepal?

Sudan: What's Happening, What Needs to Happen Now?
June 18, 2008
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sudan faces numerous challenges, including implementing the North/South peace agreement, the Darfur crisis and new tensions over the Abyei region. What is happening now? What needs to happen to re-establish peace and security and prevent the recurrence of violence?

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