Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters

Global Dispatches
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Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
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The longest running independent international affairs podcast features in-depth interviews with policymakers, journalists and experts around the world who discuss global news, international relations, global development and key trends driving world affairs. Named by The Guardian as "a podcast to make you smarter," Global Dispatches is a podcast for people who crave a deeper understanding of international news.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    A Political Earthquake in Botswana

    Botswana's general elections were held on October 30th, and the results were nothing short of a political earthquake. Botswana has had the same ruling party for 58 years—since independence. Even by the standards of long-ruling post-independence parties in Africa, this is remarkable. Just days after the elections, President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) conceded defeat. The incoming president is a human rights lawyer and advocate named Duma Boko, who leads the opposition coalition known as the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Botswana is a politically stable, upper-middle-income country—a rarity in the region—and it has long maintained this status. This stability partly explains the longevity of the Botswana Democratic Party. However, as my guest Ringisai Chikohomero explains, Batswana have grown disillusioned with the BDP, reflecting a broader global trend against incumbent governments. In our conversation, Ringisai Chikohomero discusses why the BDP lasted so long in power, what to expect from the incoming government, and why Botswana's politics and economy matter to the global community. He is a researcher specializing in political affairs, governance, and democracy in the Southern Africa program of the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria. We spoke last week.

    22 min

  2. 6 DAYS AGO

    The Crisis in Haiti Has Taken a Dramatic Turn for the Worse

    Over the past few weeks, the situation in Haiti has gone from bad to worse. On November 10, the interim prime minister of Haiti, Gary Conille, was dismissed by the council that had appointed him in May. Since then, violence has surged throughout Port au Prince and in surrounding locals. A Kenyan-lead police mission has been powerless to stop this escalating security and humanitarian crisis. In our conversation, Renata Segura of the International Crisis Group explains the shifting contours of this violence and what steps can be taken to enhance security in Haiti. She also delves into the ongoing debates about transforming the Kenyan-lead mission into a formal UN peacekeeping mission, discussing the potential advantages and disadvantages of such a move.

    31 min

  3. 18 NOV

    A Heavy Shadow Looms Over, COP 29 the Major UN Climate Conference

    The major UN climate conference, known as COP29, kicked off in Baku, Azerbaijan, last week. Tens of thousands of attendees are present, including members of civil society, the private sector, and delegates from every country on the planet. This long-planned summit, however, takes place just a week after the world's largest economy and second-largest emitter elected as president a man who denies climate change and intends to pursue American withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. What impact is the U.S. election having on these negotiations and on climate diplomacy moving forward? Joining me to explore this question and much more is Ryan Hobert, Associate Vice President for Climate and Environment at the UN Foundation. We begin with an extended conversation about this and another elephant in the room: the irony of a petrostate hosting a climate conference. We also spend much of our discussion focusing on the substance of this year’s COP, particularly the effort to reach an agreement on funding for less-developed countries to help them adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts.

    23 min

  4. 15 NOV • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Let the Trump Proofing Begin! | To Save Us From Hell

    The wheels of history are turning fast. Less than a week after Donald Trump won a sweeping election victory, he made his first cabinet pick: New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for UN Ambassador. Well, it turns out Elise and co-host Anjali Dayal go way back. Waaaay back — to middle school? So what does this former middle school Student Council president mean for the UN? And what chaos might Trump bring to the UN? We discuss that in our first segment. Meanwhile, in Turtle Bay, the “Trump-Proofing” has begun. We explain what that means and what contours that has taken—and will take in the months to come. This episode is exclusively available to our paying subscribers. Thank you so much for supporting the show. On a personal note, it has been great to see this audience grow and thrive. Thank you!

    31 min

  5. 14 NOV

    How to Escape the Nexus of Climate Change, Conflict and Forced Displacement | From Fragility to Stability

    Today’s episode is produced in partnership with the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fragility, Conflict, and Migration for a series that examines what works to improve the well-being of people in Fragile and Conflict Affected Settings. CGIAR is a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research about food security.  We are calling this series “From Fragility to Stability” and in today’s episode I host a roundtable discussion with three experts about how to escape the nexus of climate change, conflict and forced displacement Ms. Jana Birner, Associate Partnerships Officer in the Office of the Special Advisor on Climate Action for the UN Refugee Agency Barthelemy Mwanza, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who works with the Global Refugee Youth Network   Alessandro Craparo, a Bioclimatologist with CGIAR

    29 min

  6. 12 NOV • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    My Thoughts on Elise Stefanik as Trump's Pick for UN Ambassador

    Donald Trump has appointed New York Representative Elise Stefanik as his incoming Ambassador to the UN. The most important thing to know about Elise Stefanik is that she has no fixed ideological stance. While she does promote certain conventional GOP views—such as being staunchly pro-Israel and anti-China—her foremost allegiance is to Trump. Trump has now rewarded that loyalty by appointing her as UN Ambassador, marking his first cabinet selection.For the UN, this could actually be a beneficial development. Here are three reasons why.

    7 min

  7. 11 NOV

    What the Republican Election Sweep Means for the United Nations

    Republicans will soon control the House of Representatives, the Senate, and, of course, the White House. What does this Republican trifecta mean for the United Nations? Peter Yeo, Executive Vice President of the United Nations Foundation, explains the nuances of how Republicans have traditionally approached the United States's relationship to the United Nations, what we can expect from the second Trump Administration, the Senate and House moving forward.

    24 min

  8. 7 NOV

    What Trump's Victory Means For US Foreign Policy | Politico's Robbie Gramer

    It was neither a surprise nor an upset: Donald Trump overwhelmingly won the United States Presidential Election. Republicans will also control the United States Senate, while control of the House of Representatives remains undecided. Joining me less than 24 hours after this election is Robbie Gramer, national security correspondent for Politico and host of Politico’s excellent NatSec Daily newsletter. Few people are as connected to both the political and foreign policy worlds as Robbie Gramer, so I thought it would be valuable to hear what he is learning from his sources about the foreign policy implications of a second Donald Trump term and the potential Republican control of Congress.

    19 min
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The longest running independent international affairs podcast features in-depth interviews with policymakers, journalists and experts around the world who discuss global news, international relations, global development and key trends driving world affairs. Named by The Guardian as "a podcast to make you smarter," Global Dispatches is a podcast for people who crave a deeper understanding of international news.

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