Category: Democracy Assistance and Promotion

Engage civil society in party-building to consolidate democracy

     

Criticizing U.S. missteps in promoting democracy is certainly reasonable—particularly in light of the debacles in Iraq and Libya—but elevating these criticisms into high doctrine and principled critiques of democracy promotion… Read more »

Egypt’s civil society crackdown: rights defenders at risk of prosecution

     

Fourteen global human rights groups today urged Egypt to halt a renewed crackdown on civil society and rights defenders. The demand came as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced a cabinet… Read more »

Envoy Khalilzad’s knack for being in room while history was written

     

One of the most intriguing individuals to play a leading role in the Bush-era wars is Zalmay Khalilzad, a polished diplomat who was the most senior Muslim in the White… Read more »

Perfect sandstorm? High stakes in the Sahel

     

There is only one region in which Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and ISIS have all emerged as major threats – the Sahel. United Nations secretary-general Ban… Read more »

Obama’s visit to Cuba – civil society speaks

     

On the occasion of President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba, independent civil society groups issued a rare joint statement: The visit to Cuba of Mr. Barack Obama, President of… Read more »

Cubama: a ‘new day’ or a ‘slap in the face’ for U.S.-Cuba relations

     

Change is coming to Cuba, President Barack Obama told his Cuban counterpart today, after  Raul Castro called on the U.S. to lift longstanding trade and other restrictions as part of… Read more »

Deciphering Nigerian president’s legacy

     

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization forged in the fires of the U.S. civil rights movement, has honored former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for his contributions to human rights and freedom, Global… Read more »

Democracy in retreat?

     

Despite the current democratic regression, there are three reasons why democracy advocates should maintain hope for the future, says Carl Gershman, President of the National Endowment for Democracy. The first… Read more »

Russia’s ‘New’ Tools for Confronting the West

     

In the last two years, Russia has demonstrated its return to an assertive foreign policy by successful military interventions in Ukraine and Syria. The capabilities it employed to do so… Read more »

Democracy in the Arab World: Still a Mirage?

     

More than five years after the Arab Spring began, the euphoria that accompanied the region’s early uprisings has been replaced by a dogged realism, notes RAND analyst Seth G.Jones. From the indignant graffiti… Read more »