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Preventing and Rebuilding Failed States Amid Global Economic Crisis: What are Realistic Options for U.S. Policy?

As the U.S. government copes with huge challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, other fragile states hang in the balance while generating threats to U.S. and international security.

Date & Time

Friday
Jun. 5, 2009
8:30am – 5:15pm ET

Overview

The Project on Leadership and Building State Capacity recently held a policy colloquium, Preventing and Rebuilding Failed States Amid Global Economic Crisis, on June 5th, 2009. A comprehensive conference publication is currently in poduction. Please see related documents and presentations below.

As the U.S. government copes with huge challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, other fragile states hang in the balance while generating threats to U.S. and international security. This colloquium was held with the intention of informing U.S. decision-making on how to approach these emerging threats more deliberately and cost-effectively by retrieving key lessons and evidence from years of U.S. and international experience in post-conflict countries and transitioning societies vulnerable to conflict. Sessions focused on strategic "whole of government" issues at the global, regional, country, and sectoral levels. Included among the topics and presenters were:

•Scanning potential threats
Jack Goldstone, George Mason University

•Prioritizing and sequencing in post-conflict countries
Ambassador James Dobbins, RAND

•When can third-party mediation incentivize post-settlement state-building?
William Zartman, SAIS

•Can viable states be built up and out from local de facto informal authorities, i.e., "governance without government"?
Ken Menkhaus, Davidson College

•Key lessons in stimulating local enterprise
Sarah Cliffe, World Bank

•UN progress and obstacles seeking inter-agency coherence and cooperation with regional organizations
Charles Call, American University

•Re-sorting USG budgetary resources for fragile and failed states
Gordon Adams, American University

Please see related documents below.

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Hosted By

Africa Program

The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and US-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial US-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The Program achieves its mission through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in US-Africa relations.    Read more

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