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IISS: Discussion Meeting - Peacekeeping and Stability

On Wednesday 10 February 2009 Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Arnold Saltzman Professor of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University will speak on 'Peacekeeping and Stability' from 11.00am-12.00pm.

Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former U.N. Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, leads research into strategies for peacekeeping and peace-building, addressing the challenges to international action that have been highlighted by events in Darfur, Afghanistan and eastern Congo. At this meeting, Mr Guéhenno will discuss how to overcome challenges to an integrated peacekeeping approach, looking at specific case studies, addressing lessons learned, and projecting into the future.

Jean-Marie Guéhenno is a Non-resident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution and the Arnold Saltzman Professor of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University. Formerly, as the Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations from 2000 to 2008, he led the largest expansion of peacekeeping in the history of the United Nations, overseeing approximately 130,000 staff on 18 missions. Before joining the United Nations, Mr. Guéhenno had a distinguished career in the French Government as director of policy planning in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ambassador to the Western European Union, the chairman of the French Institute of Higher Defense Studies.

Mr. Guéhenno is the Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and a member of the board of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva. He is a graduate of the Ecole Normale Supérieure, the Institut d’Eudes Politiques, and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

This discussion will be moderated by Adam Ward, Director of Studies at the IISS. It will take place in the Lee Kuan Yew Conference Room at Arundel House, 13–15 Arundel Street, Temple Place,, London WC2R 3DX.

Please RSVP to receive confirmation of attendance by Monday 8th February.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP Clara Lane-Spollen at Lane-spollen@iiss.org.

Book launch at IISS: Can Afghanistan’s Corruption be Treated?

On 19 January 2010, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will launch a report on Bribery and Corruption in Afghanistan from 1-2pm.

The Report, based on interviews with 7,600 people in 12 provincial capitals and more than 1,600 villages around Afghanistan, reveals how corruption – even ahead of insecurity and unemployment – is the biggest concern of Afghans. The problem is enormous by any standards. In the aggregate, Afghans paid out $2.5 billion in bribes over the past 12 months – that’s equivalent to almost one quarter (23%) of Afghanistan’s GDP.

The report shows that in Afghanistan those entrusted with upholding integrity and the law are seen as being most guilty of violating them – namely public officials like police, judges and prosecutors. Corruption is also rampant among Members of Government.

The findings of the report will be presented by UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa.

This discussion will be moderated by Col Christopher Langton, Senior Fellow for Conflict and Defence Diplomacy at the IISS.

It will take place in the Lee Kuan Yew Conference Room at Arundel House, 13–15 Arundel Street, Temple Place, London WC2R 3DX.

Please RSVP to receive confirmation of attendance by Monday 18 January.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP Kelly Signorelli-Chaplin at: currentevents@iiss.org.

Event from America Abroad Media: The US, NATO and the War in Afghanistan: What Next?

America Abroad Media (AAM), WDR German Television and Afghanistan’s Tolo TV host an international town meeting on Afghanistan with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor Zu Guttenberg.

Frank Sesno, Director of The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, and WDR’s Tina Hassel moderate a prime time program for broadcast in Germany and Afghanistan.

EVENT: As the Obama administration finalizes its new policy in Afghanistan, the German parliament confronts a key vote on that country’s commitment to the war. With growing public concern in both countries, AAM joins with WDR and Tolo TV to host an exclusive international town meeting on the critical issues affecting Afghanistan, NATO and the transatlantic alliance with two key policymakers: U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Amb. Richard Holbrooke and German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor Zu Guttenberg.

WHEN: Monday, November 23rd, 1p.m. Doors open 12p.m., close 12:30p.m.

WHERE: Newseum, Knight Studio, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, C Street entrance, Washington, DC. Metro: Judiciary Square or Archives/Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter Stations

MEDIA: Media coverage is open to print, online and broadcast journalists with no embargo. The program will be taped for broadcast by AAM, WDR and Tolo TV. AAM, WDR and Tolo TV have exclusive rights to air the program in its entirety. No other television cameras will be permitted. News organizations who wish to record audio/video studio output should contact Emily Simon, and may use up to four minutes of content. All use must include an on-screen or verbal credit for “America Abroad Media”. A still photo opportunity will be available prior to the beginning of the program. Media check-in begins at 12p.m. Doors close 12:30p.m. Credentials required. All media must pre-register with Emily Simon @ 202-457-8050 or esimon@americaabroadmedia.org

AUDIENCE: Guests must RSVP and check-in upon arrival.

For more information, visit AAMTV.tv

We're having our 3rd annual TIDES Fall field demonstration in Washington, DC at the National Defense University (NDU) campus from Tuesday, October 6 to Friday, October 9. This event will be live all week, please feel free to visit anytime during normal working hours to interact, see, and discuss the policies, practices, technologies, and organizations that affect Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief, Stabilization and Reconstruction, Building Partnership Capacity, and Defense Support to Civil Authorities. All activities will be independent of the power grid, and communications will be live. This event will feature active demonstrations in the following four scenarios throughout the entire week: - Stabilization and Reconstruction in Afghanistan - Disaster response and relief in the US - Refugee Camp in Sub-Sahara Africa - Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster relief in Central America Demo will be open from 8-5 each day. If you'd like to be involved please contact us here. Thanks!

The Future of Afghanistan Project and the Pakistan Working Group of the U.S. Institute of Peace cordially invite you to a public event and book launch:

Date: Friday, July 10, 2009

Time: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM