The CSIS Podcast

Ray Walser, senior policy analyst for Latin America at the Heritage Foundation, joins CSIS Americas Program director Stephen Johnson to discuss the recent victory of the Popular Party in Spain's parliamentary elections. The discussion focuses on what changes may be ahead in Spain's foreign policy towards Latin America with the Popular Party now controlling the legislature.

Americas Program senior associate Johanna Mendelson Forman discusses the Haitian governments intentions to rebuild the countrys armed forces. Dr. Mendelson Forman notes that much work is still needed in rebuilding Haitis police force, and given past abuses by the Haitian military, that Haiti's immediate needs lie elsewhere.

Duncan Wood examines Sunday election results in Michoacán, where the PRI won a close gubernatorial race. He also looks into the implications of Sunday results for 2012, which suggest the presidential election might be a closer race than current polls show.

Duncan Wood examines recent comments made by the PRI likely presidential candidate, Enrique Peña Nieto, concerning the future of Mexico state owned oil company, Pemex. Peña Nieto comments suggest he may be open to fundamental restructuring of Pemex if elected president, which would mark a dramatic shift from previous PRI policy.

Gregg Gottlieb, the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Food Security at USAID, and Amb. William Garvelink discuss careers in humanitarian assistance, the evolution of the industry, and the role of aid in U.S. foreign policy.

Holly Wise, Former Director of the Global Development Alliance Initiative at USAID and CSIS Senior Associate, speaks with CSIS Daniel Runde about partnership initiatives undertaken by USAID over the last ten years, as well as the current structural impediments to increasing the development of such partnership in the future.

Ambassador Donald Steinberg, current Deputy Administrator of USAID and former U.S. Ambassador to Angola, speaks with CSIS Senior Advisor, Ambassador William Garvelink, about careers in international development. He discusses the impact of the current financial climate on career prospects in international development and the future of official development agencies.

Andrew S. Natsios, Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and former Administrator of USAID, speaks with CSIS Daniel F. Runde about his experiences at USAID and his thoughts on the future trajectory of the agency.

Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and former Administrator of USAID, speaks with CSIS Johanna Nesseth Tuttle on food security, his experiences at USAID, and his thoughts on the future of the agency.

Brian Atwood, chairman of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and former administrator of USAID, speaks with CSIS's Johanna Mendelson Forman on his experience with democracy and governance programs at USAID and his thoughts on the future trajectory of the agency.

Nathan Freier, senior fellow with the CSIS New Defense Approaches Project, talks with CSIS staff writer Don Morton about the capabilities supplied by U.S. ground forces and how to prioritize their role during a drawdown in defense spending.

Whether motivated by a desire to access new markets, to address stakeholder demands for greater involvement and transparency, or to react to shifts in the global competitive landscape—leading companies are beginning to think more holistically about the future of their role in addressing fundamental societal issues. Leveraging insights from recent CECP and Accenture interviews with pioneering corporate CEOs, as well as the perspective of a practitioner working at the frontier of this thinking, this session will review the trajectory from traditional corporate philanthropy practices to the doorstep of a new cross-sector model for engagement, Sustainable Value Creation.

Despite the global recession, Koreans will continue to have positive views of U.S. leadership, the resiliency of American hard and soft power, and an appreciation of the critical role the United States plays in the region, given the rise of China. Koreans will hold a nuanced understanding of some of the domestic constraints on U.S. foreign policy, which does not reduce their anxiety about perceived negative trends in U.S. behavior. Although there has been a degree of hedging in ROK thinking about the United States and China influenced by past South Korean liberal administrations, current and future thinking is likely to remain strongly aligned with the United States. According to policy elites, Chinas behavior in the aftermath of the Cheonan sinking, the North Korean enriched uranium revelations, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling has shifted the core strategic calculations of South Koreans, who now view a fundamental conflict of interest with China regarding North Korea and potential unification even as Seoul continues to seek economic opportunities in China. This recent turn of events will only increase ROK appreciation of the alliance with the United States as the cornerstone of its strategy.

Andrew Kuchins interviews Gordon Hahn on new report Getting the Caucasus Emirate Right launched September 28, 2011.

Johanna Nesseth speaks with Sue Clark, Director of Corporate Affairs at SABMiller, on the overall sustainable development strategy of this world-renowned brewer. Ms. Clark discusses the specific example of South Sudan, where the establishment of Southern Sudan Beverages Ltd. has successfully created one of the largest investments in this new countrys economy.