Stability Operations

USIP- Youth at War, Youth Building Peace, Youth on the Margins

Posted Wed, 06/30/2010 - 1:44pm
Date: 
Jul 13 (2:00pm - 3:30pm)

The U.S. Institute of Peace is hosting a book launch and panel discussion on July 13, 2010 from 2:00-3:30 pm called Youth at War, Youth Building Peace, Youth on the Margins.

Conference Subject: 

The burgeoning youth demographic represents over half of the population in many of today’s conflict zones. As the next generation of leaders, young people are key players in creating sustainable peace in areas torn apart by war. As the international community grapples with how to address youth issues in conflict zones it is critical that policy makers and practitioners have a holistic understanding of the roles young people play and how the youth demographic can impact conflict dynamics.

This event celebrates the publication of Youth in Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change by Stephanie Schwartz published by the U.S. Institute of Peace.  Using three cases of post-conflict reconstruction—Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kosovo—this study goes beyond the well documented cases focused exclusively on child soldiers to examine the roles of the broader youth population and their impact on the reconstruction process.

The panelists will draw on their own experiences working with youth in conflict zones to distill best practices in addressing youth needs in areas of conflict and pinpoint what issues must be resolved as we look to the future.

To RSVP to the event or to learn more click here.

The Involvement of the Private Security Sector in Peacekeeping Missions

Posted Tue, 06/29/2010 - 4:27pm
Date: 
Jul 21 (9:00am) - Jul 22 (9:00pm)

The various conflicts, which have plagued the African continent for the past decades, have been characterized in most instances by the involvement of non-state actors, such as mercenaries and recently, private military/security companies (PMSCs). The use of PMSCs has extended to peacekeeping missions, where they are contracted to carry out non-core (military) functions. The burgeoning private security industry’s involvement in peacekeeping missions presents a critical point of departure from the past for enhanced peacekeeping operations through non-state actors.

There have been tentative attempts to control and regulate the services offered by PMSCs, due to double-edged-sword scenario presented by their presence especially in volatile situations. On the one hand they are criticized due to the lack of any effective oversight, regulatory or accountability mechanisms to monitor their services, while on the other hand they are seemingly indispensable, as their expertise and efficiency creates great demand for their use.

USIP- Preventing Violent Conflict: Principles, Policies and Practice

Posted Mon, 06/28/2010 - 3:18pm
Date: 
Jul 1 (9:00am - 5:30pm)

The U.S. Institute of Peace is hosting a conference on July 1, 2010 from 9:00 am- 5:30 pm called Preventing Violent Conflict: Principles, Policies, and Practice.

Conference Subject: Conflict prevention is widely endorsed in principle- including in the new National Security Strategy- but too rarely put into serious practice. The consequences of allowing new conflicts to erupt across the globe demand that we translate the concept of prevention into effective policy action. Even as governments, international organizations and nongovernmental organizations struggle to manage current crises and conflicts, USIP is seeking to devote greater attention to the equally vital task of prevention.

For this all-day conference, USIP will bring together experts and policymakers to discuss challenges and opportunities for conflict prevention around the world. The goals of this conference are to spotlight the importance of conflict prevention, to foster productive discussions between leading scholars and distinguished practitioners regarding what works in prevention, and to identify priority areas for future work on conflict prevention by the Institute and the field at large.

The RSVP for this conference is currently full but you can participate in the event by watching the live webcast of the event beginning at 10:15 am EDT on Thursday, July 1, 2010 as www.usip.org/webcast.html.

To learn more click here.

USIP: Leveraging International Support to Build Peace in the DRC

Posted Wed, 03/03/2010 - 3:27pm
Date: 
Mar 18 (9:30am - 3:30pm)

USIP: Leveraging International Support to Build Peace in the DRC

The United States Institute of Peace will be hosting a workshop titled “Leveraging International Support to Build Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo” on March 18, 2010 from 9:30am to 3:30pm at the USIP headquarters, 1200 17th Street NW, Washington, D.C. This workshop builds on USIP’s October 2009 Trans-Atlantic Diaspora Dialogue, which outlined concrete steps that diaspora communities could take to help prevent conflict and promote peace in the DRC. These include providing input for U.S.-DRC policy and program development in Washington, D.C., participating in economic development and capacity-building initiatives, and supporting anti-corruption efforts at every level. The workshop will feature two panels: the first comprising representatives from U.S. government departments (e.g. State, Defense and the Treasury) and the second with representatives from development agencies (e.g. the World Bank, UNDP and USAID). This workshop aims to inform members of the diaspora and other stakeholders of ongoing development assistance programs in the DRC, provide a forum for a frank exchange of ideas and identify avenues for more effective diaspora involvement in peacebuilding.

The role of Provincial Reconstruction Teams in delivering governance and development

Posted Wed, 02/17/2010 - 3:57pm
Date: 
Feb 18 (10:30am - 12:00pm)

A Special Briefing with Mark Ward, Special Advisor on Development to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan


When: Thursday, February 18th, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.


Where: 4th Floor Conference Room, CSIS


Please RSVP to Katherine Hubbard at: KHubbard@csis.org.


Mark Ward is the Special Advisor on Development to the Special Representative of the Secretary General for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), based in Kabul. He is responsible for implementation of UNAMA's mandate to improve donor coordination and aid effectiveness in Afghanistan. Before joining UNAMA, Ward was Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Asia at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a Career Minister in the U.S. Senior Foreign Service. He had principal responsibility for USAID programs in South and East Asia. He was also chair of the Agency's tsunami task force, the South Asia earthquake task force and the Lebanon Reconstruction task force. Ward was the 2006 winner of the Service to America Medal for international affairs. Ward's last overseas post with USAID was in Pakistan as the Mission Director, serving from July 2002 through December 2003. Prior to that, he was the Director of USAID's Office of Procurement in Washington, D.C. Ward joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1986 and served in Pakistan (twice), Egypt, the Philippines, and Russia. He is a native of San Francisco, and received his Bachelor of Arts in political science and Juris Doctor from the University of California at Berkeley. Ward was headmaster of a girl's high school in rural Kenya before law school, and practiced law in Washington for four years

SSI: Security and Governance: Foundations for International Stability

Posted Fri, 02/12/2010 - 11:58am
Date: 
Jun 21 (All day) - Jun 23 (All day)

SSI: Security and Governance: Foundations for International Stability


June 21-23, 2010
Four Points Sheraton, Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Open to the General Public
Registration Fee: $TBD


Most of the violent conflicts to which western armed forces have responded over the past two decades have had their origins in the incapacity of states to perform their most basic function - to provide for the safety and security of their citizens. Governments of states variously described as fragile, failing or failed are marked by weak public administration, notably though not exclusively in the provision of public services related to security and the rule of law. Because these conflicts generate civil conflict which is destructive of societies, economies and cultures within states and liable to spill over into broader interstate and regional instability, the international community has found itself increasingly engaged in attempts to foster effective governance strategies, most often during or immediately after civil or transnational wars. Western armed forces and police have gained considerable experience in reforming security institutions and training personnel at the national and local levels, while at the same time coping with difficult issues of civil-military relations. How to provide the human, technical and tactical capabilities for effective national and local security in these countries, how best to deploy international military and civilian forces for such purposes, and how to recognize when the job is well-enough done to permit gradual or complete disengagement – these are the central questions that will animate KCIS 2010.
RSVP using the Queen's Website.


Partners: Queen's University Centre for International Relations, US Army War College Strategic Studies Institute


Links and Contacts



Please note that all colloquia require RSVP.

Marcus Evans: 5th Annual Reconstruction and Stabilization Conference

Posted Thu, 02/04/2010 - 3:39pm
Date: 
Feb 9 (All day) - Feb 11 (All day)

Marcus Evans: 5th Annual Reconstruction and Stabilization -Building Interagency Strategies to Improve Civil-Military Operations


Event Date: 9-11 Feb 2010


Location: The Westin Tysons Corner, Falls Church, Virginia, USA Conference Focus


This year the marcus evans 5th Annual Reconstruction and Stabilization conference will bring together all stakeholders in reconstruction and stabilization operations. Focus will be placed on achieving military and civilian coordination as the US government shifts its focus to civilian resources. Join this event as policies and doctrines are converted into procedures and lessons learned become lessons applied. Have the opportunity to discuss success stories around the world.


Key Speakers



  • Jack Segal Chief Political Advisor to the Commander, NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum

  • Jonathan S Benton Principle Deputy Coordinator for the office of Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) , US Department of State

  • Neil Levine Director, Office of Conflict Management and Mitication, USAID

  • Christian Lotz Peacebuilding Specialist, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNDP

Key Topics



  • Achieve civilian and military interagency coordination with the US Department of State

  • Work with the US Agency of International Development to identify countries in transition

  • Debate private security efforts with Human Rights First

Key Features



  • An interactive workshop on, Training Military and Civilians to Consider Smart Power Peacekeeping Missions is included

  • This conference will provide perspectives from military and civilian stakeholders

  • This conference will provide international perspectives

Event Quote


"Develop Soft Power Capabilities to manage the threat of fragile and failing states" The current administration has pledged to double US foreign assistance to over $50 billion which will focus on building the capacity to conduct diplomatic efforts and administer foreign assistance programs

Contact Information


Event Contact



  • Contact Name: Anthony Knox

  • 455 North CityFront Plaza Drive 9th Floor NBC Tower Chicago, IL, 60611

  • Telephone: 312 552 2155 Fax: 312 540 3000 ext 6377

  • Email: AnthonyK@marcusevansch.com

Sponsorship Contact



  • Contact Name: marcus evans Defense

  • CGI Tower, 3rd Floor Warrens, St. Michael Barbados, BB12001

  • Telephone: 246 417 5328 Fax: 888 844 4901

  • Email: defense@marcusevansbb.com

IISS: Peacekeeping and Stability

Posted Fri, 01/29/2010 - 2:35pm
Date: 
Feb 10 (11:00am - 12:00pm)

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.

Withdrawal and Beyond in Iraq: A Discussion with General Caslen

Posted Tue, 12/08/2009 - 10:08am
Date: 
Dec 9 (10:00am - 11:30am)

RSVP TO ATTEND: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/502506009

Major General Robert Caslen recently returned from Iraq, where he served as commanding general of Multinational Division – North. This area of operations includes Ninewa, Kirkuk and other volatile areas along the Arab-Kurd fault line.


What are the security implications of impending U.S. withdrawal? What are the prospects for peaceful resolution of the Arab-Kurd conflict, and what will the strategic relationship between the U.S. and Iraq post-2011 look like?


Please join us as Major General Caslen addresses these and other aspects of U.S. drawdown in Iraq. His remarks will be followed by an open discussion moderated by Ambassador William Taylor.


Speakers :


Major General Robert Caslen Former commander of Multinational Division – North in Iraq


Ambassador William B. Taylor, Moderator Vice President, Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations, U.S. Institute of Peace

The Way Forward in Afghanistan

Posted Wed, 12/02/2009 - 11:31am
Date: 
Dec 7 (2:00pm - 4:00pm)

On Tuesday, December 1, 2009 President Obama gave a major address on Afghanistan, committing additional U.S. soldiers, civilians, and assistance to Afghanistan eight years after the initial invasion. Does the United States have a compelling national interest in Afghanistan? Does the U.S. have the partners and strategy it needs to succeed? What is the way forward for the U.S. and its Afghan and international partners?


On Monday, November 30 USIP's Director of Afghanistan and Pakistan programs Alexander Thier published a related two-part article in Foreign Policy. Entitled "Afghanistan Is Still Worth The Fight," his piece provides a timely introduction to this event. The event will feature the following speakers:


Ashraf Ghani, Discussant Former Finance Minister of Afghanistan


Stephen Hadley, Discussant Former U.S. National Security Adviser


Wendy Chamberlin, Discussant Former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan


Alex Thier, Moderator Director, Afghanistan and Pakistan programs, USIP


RSVP: http://thewayforwardinafghanistan.eventbrite.com/


Please contact Ashley Pandya at 202-429-3849 or apandya@usip.org with any general questions about this event. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Media The media are asked to contact Lauren Sucher at lsucher@usip.org or Allison Sturma at asturma@usip.org.

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