Panel Discussions - Tuesday, March 24, 2009
IPI Hosts Lunchtime Policy Forum on "Somalia: New Hope for the Peace Process?"
On March 24, 2009, Professor Ken Menkhaus, Associate Professor of Political Science at Davidson College, and Mr. Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, Director of the Mogadishu-based Centre for Research Dialogue, presented their views on the political and humanitarian challenges facing Somalia and the future prospects for peace in the country, during a lunchtime policy forum of academics, UN officials, diplomats, and NGO representatives.
IPI Senior Vice President and Director of Studies Dr. Edward C. Luck chaired the event.
Dr. Menkhaus and Mr. Abdulle spoke in depth about the political dynamics in Somalia in light of recent events: the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops, the resignation of President Abdullahi Yusuf and his replacement by moderate Islamist Sheik Sharif Ahmed, and the establishment of a more broad-based parliament than had previously existed. The speakers also addressed a variety of other critical issues facing Somalia, ranging from the humanitarian crisis in the south and central parts of the country and the rise of piracy, to the influence of the Shabab and the role of the African Union mission in Mogadishu. Underpinning the discussion was a cautious optimism that Somalia may be on the road to peace after eighteen years of civil strife. Along these lines, the speakers offered suggestions for how the international community can best nurture the fragile Djibouti peace process.
read full transcript of event (pdf)
Chair
Dr. Edward C. Luck,
Senior Vice President and Director of Studies, IPI
Speakers
Prof. Ken Menkhaus,
Associate Professor of Political Science, Davidson College
Mr. Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle,
Director, Centre for Research and Dialogue, Mogadishu
The Global Observatory
Interview with John Prendergast, Co-Founder, Enough Project
Mr. Prendergast discusses the international justice system and the new ground forged by Invisible Children's Kony2012 campaign.
Key Global Events to Watch in May
A list of key upcoming meetings and events with implications for global affairs.
The Global Observatory is a new website by IPI, providing timely analysis on peace and security issues, interviews with leading policymakers, interactive maps, and more.
Recent Events
May 10, 2012
Arbour: What the Rule of Law Means
“In my understanding of the rule of law, fundamentally, what the rule of law means is that it embraces the principle of equality before the law,” Louise Arbour, president of the International Crisis Group (ICG), told an IPI audience on May 10, 2012. Ms. Arbour outlined that this means that no one is above the law and everyone has both equal protection and equal benefit of the law. 
May 03, 2012
Shachtman: Cyber Threats Akin to South Bronx, Not Pearl Harbor
“There’s not a danger of a cyber Pearl Harbor… it’s more like the South Bronx circa 1999, where there’s a danger that it becomes such a tough neighborhood that no one wants to set up shop there and people move out,” Noah Shachtman, editor of the Danger Room blog at Wired magazine and non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution, told an IPI audience at a panel on cyber security on May 3, 2011.
April 27, 2012
Preventing Conflicts in Africa: The Role of Early Warning and Response Systems
An April 27th roundtable discussion at IPI titled “Preventing Conflicts in Africa: The Role of Early Warning and Response Systems” examined the progress, prospects and challenges of regional and international early warning and response mechanisms to monitor, anticipate, and mitigate potential conflict situations in Africa.