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Global Dispatches

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.

Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters

Joe Biden's final foreign trip as President was a long-promised visit to sub-Saharan Africa—Angola, to be precise. Biden had pledged to be the first President to visit Africa in nearly a decade, but the trip was delayed and is only happening with just a few weeks left in his term. Still, the trip was intended to solidify at least one part of the Biden administration's legacy: a major infrastructure project called the Lobito Corridor. This rail line links the mineral-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo to a port on Angola's Atlantic coast.
 
A key question now is whether this legacy will survive the incoming Trump administration. How might the Trump administration's approach to Africa differ, if at all, from that of the outgoing Biden administration?
 
Joining me to answer these questions—and many more—is Ziyanda Stuurman, Senior Analyst for Africa at the Eurasia Group. We begin by discussing why Angola is well-suited for a major American investment like the Lobito Corridor and then dive into a wide-ranging conversation about how this investment fits into the geopolitical competition between China and the United States, as well as what might—or might not—change about U.S. policy toward Africa under the new administration.

What is Biden's Africa Legacy? (And Will Trump Blow It Up?)

As a journalist who covers international humanitarian crises, I'm accustomed to seeing masses of refugees fleeing their homes for safer locations. But in Syria over the last several days, the reverse has happened. Thousands upon thousands of displaced people are now returning home -- the scenes of traffic jams, literally on the road to Damascus, were indicative of the fact that Syrians believe this new era to be one in which they are safe to return home.
 
A brutal regime has been toppled, but are the new de-facto authorities going to respect the rights of Syrians and be able to undertake the basic functions of government to avoid state collapse and the chaos that would bring? I put these questions and many more to my guest today, Emma Beals, a longtime Syria analyst and reporter who is a Senior Advisor at the European Institute of Peace and a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute. We kick off discussing the mood on the street in Damascus before having a long discussion about Syria's political future.
 
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https://www.globaldispatches.org/

What Syria's Political Future May Look Like | Emma Beals

If Donald Trump actually follows through on many of his campaign promises to impose tariffs, it would thoroughly upend the rules-based system governing international trade. That system, which is partially embodied by the World Trade Organization, was once championed by the United States. However, over the years, U.S. presidents, including President Biden, have occasionally skirted its rules and processes. The incoming Trump administration, though, seems willing and eager to ignore it altogether.
 
So, what does that mean for global trade? And could Trump's actions spark a trade war? Joining me to answer these questions and more is Dmitry Grozoubinski, a trade expert and author of the new book Why Politicians Lie About Trade...and What to Do About It. The book is an excellent primer on trade policy—I learned a lot from it. We kick off by discussing the book before diving into a long conversation about how Trump's approach to international trade upends the logic of the rules-based trading system and whether or not his policies might result in a trade war.
 
https://www.globaldispatches.org/

Will There Be a Coming Trade War?

Today’s episode is produced in partnership with the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fragility, Conflict, and Migration as part of a series that examines effective approaches to improving the well-being of people in fragile and conflict-affected settings. CGIAR is a global partnership that brings together international organizations focused on research for food security.
 
We are calling this series “From Fragility to Stability.” In today’s episode, we host a roundtable discussion with three experts on how to place women’s empowerment at the core of resilience-building efforts.
 
Our guests include:
 
 Vivian Efem-Bassey • , Programs Management Specialist in the Women’s Rights Unit at ActionAid in Nigeria.
 Sarah Hendricks • , Director of the Policy, Program, and Intergovernmental Division of UN Women and Head of the Secretariat for the Secretary-General's Gender Equality Acceleration Plan.
 Jordan Kyle • , Research Fellow in the Gender and Inclusion Unit at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Putting Women's Empowerment at the Center of Resilience Building | From Fragility to Stability

Tjada D'Oyen McKenna is a veteran humanitarian official who now leads Mercy Corps, a major international NGO that provides relief in disaster zones, including Gaza and Syria. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023, I have periodically checked in with her to discuss the challenges of meeting the needs of Gazans trapped and displaced by the conflict. Over a year later, the dynamics of getting aid into Gaza have largely remained unchanged—there are still significant bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Israeli government, which controls the flow of aid. Moreover, there is no meaningful so-called "de-confliction mechanism" to allow aid groups to operate in Gaza without fear of being attacked by warring parties. Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, even as new signals suggest a ceasefire may soon be reached.
 
In Syria, the situation has obviously changed dramatically over the past several weeks, so we discuss how Mercy Corps plans to expand its aid operations as the new de facto authorities consolidate power in Damascus.
 
Please support our humanitarian journalism with a paid subscription: https://www.globaldispatches.org/

A Top NGO Official Explains the Difficult Dynamics of Getting Aid into Gaza and Syria

Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29th, at the age of 100. Jimmy Carter's term in office coincided with some key events in international affairs, including the Iran hostage crisis and the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. But for my money, Jimmy Carter's most lasting legacy will be what he did after office. And in terms of history alterting impacts on the human species, Jimmy Carter has no greater legacy than his determination to eradite guinea worm disease. 
 
Guinea worm is a water born parasite that when ingested grows and grows until it painfully exits the body through a lesion in the skin. There is no treatment for it. There is no cure for it. But it can be prevented. And if prevented everywhere, Guinea Worm Disease will be eradicated. 
 
We are now on the cusp of global eradication moment. This is largely thanks to the work of the Carter Center. 
 
In 1986, 3.5 million people a year were impacted by guinea worm disease across 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Then, Jimmy Carter decided to make guinea worm eradicationa pillar of his post-presidential work. According to the Carter Center, the incidence of Guinea worm has been reduced by more than 99.99 percent. As of last year there were just 14 cases of the disease. 
 
In February 2023, I caught up with Adam Joseph Weiss, director of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center. In our conversation he explained how the Carter Center and its partners are able to confront this ancient parasite and why they are so tantalizingly close to global guinea worm eradication. 
 
Rest in power, Jimmy Carter

An Inside look at Jimmy Carter's Quest to Kill the Last Guinea Worm

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, we examine how a novel school milk program in Yemen is fighting food insecurity and achieving other impressive results. You will hear from:
 
 • Adeeb Qasem, Director for Economic Development Initiatives at the HSA Group
 • Lily Bliznashka, a research fellow at the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

How a School Milk Program is Fighting Hunger in Yemen | From Fragility to Stability

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which prohibits the manufacture, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons, entered into force in 1997. It is now the most widely adopted international arms control treaty, with 193 states parties. 
The CWC is a clear example of a treaty that works. Since its adoption, all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed, including those of the United States last year. Its broad acceptance has also reinforced international norms against chemical weapons use. When such weapons were deployed in Syria in 2013, the atrocity prompted Russia and the United States to pressure the Assad regime to join the CWC and allow investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to oversee the destruction of Syria’s remaining stockpile. This effort earned the OPCW the Nobel Peace Prize that same year.
 
The CWC is fulfilling its purpose. Joining me to discuss how the treaty was created, its success in shaping state behavior, and what lies ahead now that all declared stockpiles have been eliminated is Paul Walker. He is the chair of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition, vice chair of the Arms Control Association, and a former weapons inspector. We begin with the history of efforts to ban chemical weapons before exploring how the CWC has transformed the global approach to these weapons of mass destruction.
 
This episode is produced in partnership with Lex International, a philanthropic fund dedicated to strengthening international law to address global challenges. It is part of a series showcasing how treaties make the world a safer place. To access the transcript of this episode and others in the series, visit GlobalDispatches.org

When Treaties Work: The Chemical Weapons Convention

A new year. A new United Nations. In this 2025 debut episode of To Save Us From Hell, Fordham University professor Anjali Dayal and I discuss what to expect in the year ahead at the United Nations. We cover a lot of ground—from the new composition of the UN Security Council to China’s new status as a major funder of the UN system, the chaos Trump is likely to bring, and much, much more.
 
Get 40% off your subscription by following this link!
 
https://www.globaldispatches.org/40Off

What to Expect from the UN in 2025 | To Save Us From Hell

Donald Trump's foreign policy team is taking shape. So for today's episiode, I wanted to give listeners a deeper understanding of some of the key players that will shape US foreign policy in the years to come.
 
My guest is Josh Keating, a senior reporter at Vox and a veteran of DC foreign policy reporting. We go through a list of key foreign policy figures in the incomming administration, discuss the distinct foreign policy traditions and personal experiences that have informed their worldviews, and explain what baggage or, perhaps more charitably, perspectives they will bring to their new roles. We then discuss how key decisions on Ukraine may determine what faction of Republican foreign policy ideology may have the upper hand in Trump's second administration.
 
Get a 40% discount off a paid subcription while supporting our work! 
 
https://www.globaldispatches.org/40Off

Better Know Trump's Foreign Policy Team

Mark Tokola is the vice president of the Korea Economic Institute of America. He's a long serving American diplomat with postings around the world and we discuss a few of them in this episode, including his first posting to Turkey where his main job was helping Americans sent to prison on drug trafficking charges. He also compares his work in the Balkans in the 1990s to Iraq after the fall of Saddam and I think makes an important point about the value of multilateralism to American interests. 
 We spoke a day after the Security Council passed new a sanctions resolution on North Korea following a nuclear test in September and we kick off discussing the implications of those sanctions before pivoting to a longer conversation about his globe-spanning career. Mark's last posting was to South Korea and we end with some discussion about the political upheaval underway there and whether or not my man Ban Ki Moon may run for president next year. Mark is an alumnus of the Salzburg Global Seminar which is a podcast sponsor this month and at the top of the episode we also reference a seminar about North Korean human rights in which he participated

Episode 131: Mark Tokola

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