Crisis Group Podcast

Crisis Group Global Briefing 2010

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:52:16 +0200

23 July 2010: Director of External Relations, Mark Freeman, discusses Crisis Group’s unique flagship annual event, the Global Briefing 2010, hosted in Brussels this October.

Afghanistan's Critical Transition

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:50:55 +0200

21 July 2010: During a recent trip to Afghanistan, Crisis Group's Senior Vice President Mark Schneider met with dozens of senior-level Afghan and American officials. Here, he discusses the country's security challenges, upcoming parliamentary elections and the need for a more cohesive police force.

Kyrgyzstan: A Conflict-torn Country

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:36:37 +0200

6 July 2010: Paul Quinn-Judge, Crisis Group’s Central Asia Project Director, talks about the current situation in Kyrgyzstan and what measures urgently need to be taken to avoid further violence.

Somalia's Divided Islamists

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:35:16 +0200

5 July 2010: Rashid Abdi, Crisis Group’s Somalia Analyst, talks about the divisions between Islamist groups in Somalia, where these divisions come from and how they affect stability in the country’s and in the region.

The Korean Standoff: Beijing's Role

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:00:26 +0200

7 July 2010: Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, Crisis Group's China Adviser and North East Asia Project Director, discusses China's response to the sinking of the Chonan, as well as its position on proposed UN Security Council actions against North Korea.

Thailand: Bridging The Divide

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:58:17 +0200

5 July 2010: Jim Della-Giacoma, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director, explains how despite an outbreak of violence between April and May, in which thousands of demonstrators were killed and injured, Thailand’s military-backed government currently has few real solutions on offer.

Colombia: Las nuevas alianzas de la guerrilla

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:56:22 +0200

1 julio 2010: Markus Schultze-Kraft, Director del Programa Latino América, habla sobre los retos a los que se enfrentará el nuevo Presidente de Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, sobre todo en el ámbito de la política de seguridad.

The Challenge of Credible Elections in Central African Republic

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:37:54 +0200

22 June 2010: Edward Dalby, Crisis Group’s Central Africa Analyst, talks about the obstacles to organising credible elections in Central African Republic this year and the problems that could arise from President Bozizé’s extended mandate.

Le défi d’élections crédibles en République Centrafricaine

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:36:54 +0200

22 juin 2010 : Edward Dalby, analyste de l’Afrique Centrale de Crisis Group, nous parle des obstacles à l’organisation d’élections crédibles en République Centrafricaine cette année et des problèmes qui pourraient découler d’un mandat prolongé du Président Bozizé.

Guatemala: Squeezed between Crime and Impunity

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:35:32 +0200

22 June 2010: Mark Schneider, Crisis Group’s Senior Vice-President and Special Advisor on Latin America, explains how Guatemala’s armed conflicts, weak structures and organized crime networks have turned the country into one of the world’s more dangerous places.

Congo: l’enlisement du projet démocratique

Fri, 28 May 2010 16:10:59 +0200

21 Mai 2010: En République démocratique du Congo, Joseph Kabila avait remporté les élections présidentielles de 2006 en promettant la poursuite des réformes démocratiques, considérées comme une nécessité fondamentale pour la consolidation du processus de paix. Malgré les promesses de changements et d´équilibre des pouvoirs, aucun de ces engagements n´a été tenu. Presque quatre ans plus tard, les pouvoirs sont concentrés autour du gouvernement et les libertés fondamentales sont couramment menacées. Thierry Vircoulon, Directeur du Projet de l´Afrique Centrale à l´International Crisis Group, fait un bilan de la situation actuelle de l´agenda démocratique.

A Force in Fragments: Reconstituting the Afghan Army

Fri, 28 May 2010 16:08:52 +0200

20 May 2010: Candace Rondeaux, Crisis Group’s South Asia Senior Analyst, discusses how bureaucratic reforms could aid Afghan troops and warns against integrating Taliban fighters.

LRA: A Regional Strategy beyond Killing Kony

Thu, 06 May 2010 14:31:23 +0200

6 May 2010: Thierry Vircoulon, Crisis Group’s Central Africa Project Director, talks about why defeating the Lord’s Resistance Army will require both regional cooperation and a commitment to protecting civilians.

Zimbabwe: Political and Security Challenges to the Transition

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:52:31 +0200

21 April 2010: Donald Steinberg, Crisis Group’s Deputy President for Policy, talks about the transition in Zimbabwe, the challenges the country faces and how the international community can support the democratic process.

Dining with Al-Qaeda

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:14:27 +0200

15 April 2010: Hugh Pope, Crisis Group’s Turkey/Cyprus Project Director, talks about his critically acclaimed new book, “Dining with Al-Qaeda: Three Decades Exploring the Many Worlds of the Middle East”, and why it is so difficult to bridge the perception gap between this dynamic region and the West. For more information about the book, see www.hughpope.com.

Iraq Elections: Why Winning the Vote Won’t Be Enough

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:13:13 +0200

13 April 2010: On 7 March Iraqis participated in national polls for the third time since the US-led invasion. Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s secular coalition edged out sitting leader Nouri Al-Maliki to win the largest bloc in parliament, but after more than a month of negotiations and disputes the composition of the fragile country’s new government remains a mystery. Joost Hiltermann, deputy program director for the Middle East and North Africa, discusses why the close result could put a dark-horse candidate in line for the presidency.

Haiti: Two Month Assessment from the Ground

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:11:43 +0200

31 March 2010: Two months after a devastating 7.0 earthquake leveled Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a quarter million people remain in squalid tent cities, and the situation could become catastrophic if they are not moved before the impending rainy season. Mark Schneider, Crisis Group’s Senior Vice President and Special Adviser on Latin America, recently returned from Haiti where he surveyed the damage and met with senior officials.

Necessary Evils, Amnesties and the Search for Justice

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:31:04 +0200

31 March 2010 : In this podcast, Mark Freeman, Crisis Group’s Director of External Relations, talks about his new book, "Necessary Evils, Amnesties and the Search for Justice". The book is about amnesties for grave international crimes that are adopted by states in moments of transition or social unrest.

Madagascar: Ending the Crisis

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:39:05 +0100

23 March 2010: Madagascar has been in crisis since the bloody upheavals in early 2009. Several rounds of mediation under the auspices of the African Union (AU) and others have not unlocked the stalemate. Daniela Kroslak, Crisis Group’s Africa Program Deputy Director analyses what has gone wrong so far and how the crisis could be ended.

The Iran Nuclear Issue: The View from Beijing

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:37:46 +0100

16 March 2010: For months, the U.S. has spent an enormous amount of diplomatic capital pressuring China to support a new round of sanctions on Iran in the UN Security Council. Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, Crisis Group’s China Adviser and North East Asia Project Director, talks about China’s main reasons for opposing meaningful sanctions on Iran.

Women and Armed Conflict: Protection and Empowerment

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:34:20 +0100

10 March 2010: Donald Steinberg, Crisis Group’s Deputy President for Policy, was recently named to the United Nations Civil Society Advisory Group on Women, Peace and Security. This is a 14-person global panel that will advise senior UN officials on practical steps for transforming Security Council resolutions into effective measures to protect women in armed conflict and to empower them to play their vital role in peacemaking and post-conflict reconstruction and governance. In this podcast, he reflects on the unfinished agenda in implementing UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, and the challenges in generating the resources, institutional changes, and political will needed achieve new progress.

CrisisWatch No79: 4 March 2010

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:25:40 +0100

4 March 2010: This month’s podcast features an interview with Mohamed Jalloh, Crisis Group’s West Africa Analyst, about the transition to a civilian government in Guinea. The CrisisWatch Podcast looks at the highlights from this month's CrisisWatch, Crisis Group's monthly bulletin summarising some 70 conflicts or potential conflict situations around the world.

North Korea: Aggression at Sea

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:37:51 +0100

27 January 2010: North Korea’s artillery fire near the disputed Northern Limit Line has once again put the regime in the spotlight. Daniel Pinkston, Crisis Group’s North East Asia Deputy Project Director, comments on the political and military implications of North Korea’s most recent military demonstration.

Countering Insecurity in South Sudan

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:13:31 +0100

19 January 2010 : Zachary Vertin, Crisis Group’s Horn of Africa Analyst, talks about rising ethnic violence in South Sudan, the role of the UN in Sudan and the enormous challenges the country faces this year.

Guinée après la tentative d’assassinat contre Camara

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:10:57 +0100

8 janvier 2010 : Le 3 décembre 2009, Dadis Camara, le dirigeant de la junte guinéenne, était grièvement blessé par une balle d’un de ses officiers. L’incident révèle l’ampleur des divisions qui traversent l’appareil militaire et le potentiel de nouvelles violences. Richard Moncrieff, Directeur du projet Afrique de l’ouest de l’International Crisis Group analyse la situation en Guinée et les perspectives pour le pays.

CrisisWatch No77: 4 January 2010

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:29:36 +0100

4 January 2010: This month's issue features an analysis by Richard Moncrieff, Crisis Group’s West Africa Project Director, of the events in Guinea since the shooting of junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara on 3 December 2009. The CrisisWatch Podcast looks at the highlights from this month's CrisisWatch, Crisis Group's monthly bulletin summarising some 70 conflicts or potential conflict situations around the world.

Handing Back Responsibility to Timor-Leste’s Police

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:47:12 +0100

3 December 2009: Jim Della-Giacoma, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director, discusses the role of the UN police in Timor-Leste. He argues that the UN and the Timorese government must move quickly to hammer out a detailed framework for future cooperation for the police under local command.

Afghanistan's Post-election Challenges

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:25:07 +0100

25 November 2009: Candace Rondeaux, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst in Kabul, talks about the challenges Afghanistan and the international community face and how to improve security and accountability in the country in the aftermath of Hamid Karzai’s fraudulent re-election

Venezuela: Accelerating the Bolivarian Revolution

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:23:19 +0100

2 November 2009: Markus Schultze-Kraft, Crisis Group’s Latin America Program Director, discusses the main goals of the Hugo Chávez government, the current state of fundamental rights in Venezuela and the country's foreign relations.

Venezuela: Acelerando la Revolución Bolivariana

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:10:57 +0100

2 de noviembre 2009: Markus Schultze-Kraft, Director del Programa Latino América, habla sobre las principales metas del gobierno de Hugo Chávez, el estado de las libertades fundamentales en Venezuela y las relaciones internacionales del país.

Venezuela: Acelerando la Revolución Bolivariana

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:06 +0100

North Korea: Getting Back to Talks?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:36:57 +0200

22 October 2009: North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Il says his country will only return to multilateral talks on the nuclear weapons program if it first establishes successful bilateral negotiations with the U.S. Daniel Pinkston, Crisis Group’s North East Asia Deputy Project Director, takes a look at the chances of a breakthrough.

CrisisWatch No74: 1 October 2009

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:38:56 +0200

1 October 2009: This month's issue features an interview with Richard Moncrieff, Crisis Group’s West Africa Project Director, about the massacre in Guinea. The CrisisWatch Podcast looks at the highlights from this month's CrisisWatch, Crisis Group's monthly bulletin summarising some 70 conflicts or potential conflict situations around the world.

Massacre en Guinée

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:35:37 +0200

2 Octobre 2009: Le 28 septembre à Conakry, les forces de l’ordre ont ouvert le feu sur des manifestants, tuant au moins 157 personnes et en blessant plus de 1000. Elles sont également accusées d’avoir commis des attaques sexuelles sur des manifestants et des passants. Richard Moncrieff, Directeur du projet Afrique de l’International Crisis Group discute de la situation en Guinée et de ses conséquences régionales.

Massacre in Guinea

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:46:39 +0200

2 October 2009: On 28 September, security forces in Conakry opened fire, killing at least 157 protesters, wounding over 1,000 and reportedly committing brutal sexual attacks on demonstrators and bystanders. Richard Moncrieff, Crisis Group’s West Africa Project Director, talks about what is going on in Guinea now and what these events could mean for the whole West African region with Kimberly Abbott, Crisis Group Communications Director for North America.

Islamist militancy in Pakistan’s FATA

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:44:51 +0200

30 September 2009: The residents of FATA, Pakistan’s federal administered tribal areas, are caught in a cycle of violence between heavy military force and militancy. Shehryar Fazli, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst, talks about FATA and the sharp rise in Islamist violence in this region.

Nagorno-Karabakh: Getting to a Breakthrough

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:00:17 +0200

30 September 2009: Lawrence Sheets, Crisis Group’s Caucasus Project Director, talks about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and about the possibility of a breakthrough in the political stalemate between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Bosnia: A Test of Political Maturity in Mostar

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:29:23 +0200

9 September 2009: Marco Prelec, Crisis Group’s Balkans Project Director, discusses the problems of Mostar’s political system based on consensus and how it has led to a deadlock that has paralysed its government for over ten months.

CrisisWatch No73: 1 September 2009

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:52:46 +0200

1 September 2009: The CrisisWatch Podcast looks at the highlights from this month's CrisisWatch, Crisis Group's monthly bulletin summarising some 70 conflicts or potential conflict situations around the world. This month's issue features a closer look at the improved diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia and an interview with Crisis Group's Turkey/Cyprus Project Director Hugh Pope, based in Istanbul.

Indonesia: The Hotel Bombings: 14 August 2009

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:13:34 +0200

On 17 July 2009, suicide bombers attacked two hotels in central Jakarta, killing nine and injuring more than 50 in the first successful terrorist attacks in Indonesia for almost four years. Sidney Jones, Crisis Group Senior Adviser for the Asia Program, discusses the implications of the attacks.

Nepal: The Risks for the Peace Process: 13 August 2009

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:11:52 +0200

Rhoderick Chalmers, Crisis Group's Deputy Project Director for South Asia, talks about how recent political upheaval in Nepal, with the Maoists leaving government and the army integration issue still unresolved, threatens the country's fragile peace process.

Afghanistan's Election Challenges: 12 August 2009

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:13:19 +0200

Candace Rondeaux, Crisis Group’s new Senior Analyst for Afghanistan, talks about the challenges facing the country leading up to the 20 August presidential and provincial polls, and the chances for peace and stability going forward.

Afghanistan Retrospective: Five years in Kabul: 5 August 2009

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:11:46 +0200

Joanna Nathan, Crisis Group’s outgoing Senior Analyst in Kabul, reflects on her experiences working in Afghanistan over the past five years. She chronicles the changes she's seen in the country since arriving in 2005, and talks about how the situation on the ground has deteriorated in part because of the absence of a national strategy to counter the insurgency, and a lack of coordination between the international community and the Afghan government.

CrisisWatch No72: 1 August 2009

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:50:31 +0200

Violence in Northern Nigeria: 31 July 2009

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:51:36 +0200

Hundreds have died and thousands have fled from their homes in the northern town of Maiduguri during four days of intense fighting in Northern Nigeria. Richard Moncrieff, Crisis Group’s West Africa Project Director, talks with Kimberly Abbott, Crisis Group’s Communications Director USA, about where this new scale of violence comes from and what it could mean for the whole West African region.

Comprehensive Strategy to Disarm the FDLR in Congo: 14 July 2009

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:18:45 +0200

Guillaume Lacaille, Crisis Group’s senior analyst for the Central Africa program, talks about the Democratic Republic of Congo and its joint efforts with Rwanda to dismantle the rebel FDLR, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.

Une stratégie globale pour désarmer les FDLR au Congo: 14 July 2009

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:45:42 +0200

Guillaume Lacaille, analyste sénior du Projet Afrique Centrale de Crisis Group, nous parle de la République démocratique du Congo et de ses efforts en collaboration avec le Rwanda pour démanteler les rebelles des FDLR, les Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda.

Internally Displaced Persons in Pakistan: 7 July 2009

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:20:06 +0200

Samina Ahmed, Crisis Group’s South Asia Project Director, talks about the current displacement crisis in Pakistan's northwest and the dangerous aid gap that extremists are using to their advantage.

Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement: 24 June 2009

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:25:30 +0200

Fouad Hikmat, Crisis Group’s Horn of Africa Project Director, comments on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan and the challenges the country faces before the elections in February 2010.