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Begin New Search Topic International Affairs Content Type Special Report

11. An Ambiguous Election: Tshisekedi’s First 100 Days in Office

Author:
Jason Stearns
Publication Date:
05-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Center on International Cooperation
Abstract:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo held national presidential and legislative elections on December 30th 2018. The elections, which had been delayed by two years, were mired in controversy. The national electoral commission declared opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi the winner of the presidential poll. However, a leak from the same commission, whose results were extremely similar to those released by the Catholic Church’s observation mission, showed that Martin Fayulu, another opposition leader, clearly won the elections.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

12. What’s Good for Women and Girls can be Good for Men and Boys

Author:
Jeni Klugman
Publication Date:
06-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Center on International Cooperation
Abstract:
It is well known that gender inequality is bad for economic growth. Better gender equality is associated with gains in terms of income, economic growth, and national competitiveness. What is less widely recognized is that greater gender equality—in terms of labor force participation, wages, education, health, and assets—can work to close income gaps in society more broadly.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

13. The Western Balkans Counter-Serious Crime initiative

Author:
Denis Hadžović
Publication Date:
07-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Centre for Security Studies
Abstract:
The location of the Western Balkans makes of it a sensitive area for the proliferation of criminal networks. Albeit regional leaders seem aware of Europe’s changing criminal landscape, considerable gaps in regional cooperation persist. The Integrative Internal Security Governance represents a policy coordination framework designed to foster cross-border cooperation in the region, enabling the Western Balkan countries to cope with internal security challenges in a longterm and self-sustainable perspective. Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in the initiative and committed to implement key priorities that would allow law enforcement agencies to keep pace with the changing nature of this significant threat. However, functionality along the law enforcement chain remains a matter of serious concern. A highly fragmented law enforcement sector still inhibits the country’s ability to detect, investigate and prosecute cases of serious and organized crime, jeopardizing first and foremost human security. In light of country’s integration objectives, Bosnian authorities should reopen discussion on structural reforms, starting from a serious and credible debate on police reform. This would allow Bosnia and Herzegovina to constructively participate in regional initiatives, fulfilling membership criteria, and improving the security of its citizens.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

14. Rethinking the European Union-Western Balkans cooperation on fighting organised crime in light of new challenges brought by the migration crisis

Author:
François Lhoumeau
Publication Date:
05-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Centre for Security Studies
Abstract:
Faced with the migration crisis it has experienced since 2015, the EU has not presented a unified policy. Moreover, the different approaches to crisis management have undergone various reversals - from a simplified reception policy at the beginning of the crisis to a complete closure of borders from 2016. These policies had a direct impact on the Western Balkans region, then at the centre of the crisis. First a crossing point, the region has been repeatedly asked to be the guardian of EU borders. This has resulted in a significant number of migrants trapped within the borders of the Western Balkans. As the region is mainly a transit point, organised crime has been strengthened around migrant smuggling and human trafficking activities by the policies initiated at the end of 2015. Despite the EU's growing attention to this issue, regional cooperation efforts need to be strengthened. In addition, the EU must use the tools of enlargement to establish a comprehensive strategy based on strengthening the rule of law and maintaining security
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

15. Tourism Across Borders in Israel/Palestine

Author:
Anne Bauer
Publication Date:
08-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Israel/Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives (IPCRI)
Abstract:
This research was conducted as part of IPCRI's project "Tourism Brings Us Closer", funded by the Swiss Embassy, and examines the ways in which tourism can be used as a tool for social and political change. The research is based on focused group discussions with actors in the tourism industry that were conducted within the scope of the project. Thereby, the research analyses the challenges and opportunities identified by people working in the field. The research also offers a set of recommendations that can inform future engagements.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

16. Learning from Success in Climate-Informed Decision-Making: Case Studies Across the Three Regions

Author:
Zena Grecni
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
A network of sustained assessment specialists created within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (NOAA RISA) program present five case studies of successful local responses to climate change that are supported by scientific information. Based in three regions—the U.S. Pacific Islands, the South Central United States, and the Rocky Mountain West—the case studies in this report feature local managers who are providing and applying climate information, with valuable outcomes, across a range of geographic scales and sectors. They include improving local climate-adaptation efforts in San Angelo, Texas, enhancing the resilience of iconic coastal ecosystems on Hawai‘i Island, managing water in the Colorado River Conservation District, increasing conservation resilience in the southern Great Plains, and using El Niño forecasts to plan for drought in the Pacific Islands. The case studies provide new insights, which are summarized as five practical lessons for anyone seeking to better integrate climate considerations into decision-making.
Topic:
Environment, International Affairs, and Global Political Economy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

17. Now I Know my ABCs: U.S.-China Policy on AI, Big Data, and Cloud Computing

Author:
Wenhong Chen
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Cloud Computing (ABC) have generated unprecedented opportunities and challenges for economic competitiveness, national security, and law and order, as well as the future of work. ABC policies and practices have become contentious issues in U.S.-China bilateral relations. Pundits see a U.S.-China AI race and are already debating which country will win. Kaifu Lee, the CEO of Sinovation Ventures, believes that China will exceed the United States in AI in about five years. Others argue that China will never catch up. This essay focuses on two issues: the comparative ABC strengths of the United States and China in data and research and development (R&D); and the emerging ABC policies and practices in the two nations. Empirical analysis suggests that the United States and China lead in different areas. Compared to China’s top-down, whole-of-government, national- strategy approach, the U.S. ABC policy has been less articulated but is evolving.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

18. U.S.-China Trilateral Aid Cooperation: Features, Prospects, and Recommendations

Author:
Dhenghua Zhang
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
The current trade war between China and the United States has drawn global attention to competition in U.S.-China relations. Such competition should not, however, obscure areas of mutual interest where cooperation is possible. Based on U.S.-China trilateral pilot projects, trilateral cooperation creates opportunities for aid officials and practitioners from China and the United States to communicate, but it would be ambitious to expect the limited number of pilot projects to shape Chinese aid practices or improve Chinese aid performances in the short term. These pilot projects are small in scale, and the level of coordination between China and the United States should be strengthened further. More effort by both sides is needed if trilateral aid cooperation is to sustain and even thrive. In this context, trilateral aid cooperation has the potential to become a modality in the middle, promoting mutual understanding and facilitating coordination.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

19. Joko Widodo’s Re-Election and Indonesia’s Domestically Anchored Foreign Policy

Author:
Dhenghua Zhang
Publication Date:
08-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
On July 14, newly re-elected Indonesian incumbent President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo delivered a speech on his visions for the second term, set to kick off in October 2019. The president’s speech did not touch upon foreign policy, a subject many have claimed to be his weakness. Expectedly, Jokowi focused his speech on infrastructure and economy — which reflects the administration’s main concerns since he first assumed presidential office in 2014. This does not mean, however, that Indonesia under Jokowi has been neglecting foreign affairs.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

20. Taoboa Villages: Rural E-Commerce and Low End Manufacturing in China

Author:
Fan Lulu
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
Taobao is the leading Chinese online shopping and e-commerce website, founded by the Alibaba Group. In 2018, there were 3,202 "Taobao villages" in 24 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of China. Taobao merchants sell clothing and other consumer items, mostly obtained from small local factories. Most Taobao manufacturing firms operate informally and do not necessarily adhere to basic labor and safety standards. The current lack of governance raises challenges for trade unions and government entities tasked with ensuring the rights and welfare of workers. If the negative aspects related to lack of oversight can be addressed, however, Taobao villages could provide a promising development model for rural and remote areas, not only in China but also in other countries of Asia.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus