Around the World
Last week, Afghan authorities announced that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar died more than two years ago in a Pakistani hospital. Jonathan Cristol argues that while the new Taliban leadership may create some diplomatic uncertainty, it will ultimately make a negotiated settlement between the Taliban and the U.S. government more likely.
Moving west, as diplomatic relations are restored between the United States and Cuba, there are renewed economic interests in the island nation. Lawrence Gutman, in his latest for The Cuban Reset, explores how the global race for Cuban investment has silenced many of those who once opposed trade with the Castro-led regime.
Meanwhile, while speaking in Nairobi at the 6th annual Global Entrepreneur Summit, President Barack Obama told an audience of international investors that supporting the continent’s emerging technology sector is the key to peaceful economic growth. Peter Bamkole of Pan-Atlantic University echoes this call, urging African governments to promote entrepreneurship as a means to create jobs, catalyze youth economic involvement, and improve overall quality of life.
Finally, on today’s episode of World Policy On Air, Chinese novelist Qui Xiaolong discusses the inspiration behind his short story, “China’s Smoke-Smothered Sky,” which was featured in the latest issue of World Policy Journal. Qui explains how political corruption stands in the way of almost every effort to combat the pollution affecting Chinese citizens on a daily basis.
Around the Institute
On Monday, August 10, 2015, the World Policy Institute will host its next World Economic Roundtable in partnership with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. The event will focus on “Taiwan, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific Economy: Making the Trans-Pacific Partnership a Building Block for Prosperity.” It will feature a keynote address by Shih-chao Cho, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, who will speak on Taiwan’s view of the TPP and the future of the Asia-Pacific economy. His address will be followed by a panel discussion with Jacques DeLisle, Director of the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute; Michael Levi, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; Sherle R. Schwenninger, Director of the World Economic Roundtable; and Henny Sender, Chief International Finance Correspondent at The Financial Times. James H. Nolt, Senior Fellow at the World Policy Institute, will moderate the panel discussion.
This event is a crucial part of our efforts to bring a fresh perspective to the policymaking table, and we are thrilled to offer these opportunities to our members. World Policy Membership offers a number of benefits and puts you at the center of our community of professionals engaged in innovative, solution-oriented dialogues on crucial global challenges. Your support is essential to making our programs and events possible, and we hope you will consider making your tax-deductible gift today.
Fellow Updates
Michael Genovese, in a televised interview with CBS Los Angeles, explains Obama’s recent rise in popular opinion, as well as how his latest diplomatic achievements will shape the 2016 Republican presidential race.
James H. Nolt, in his latest for Polarizing Political Economy, explores why China may not be the economic driver investors hoped it would be.
Khadija Sharife, at a recent closed-door meeting hosted by Open Society & Trust Africa, discussed issues of corporate and governmental data transparency. She presented her two most recent investigative pieces for World Policy Journal: “Lettergate” and “Kimberley’s Illicit Process.”
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[Photo courtsey of U.S. Embassy Nairobi and Stephen Colebourne]