Project for the Study of the 21st Century

Recalibrating external missions to the Sahel: Is no intervention better than these interventions?

PS21 is excited to be partnering with Saferworld [https://www.saferworld.org.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4cOEBhDMARIsAA3XDRivMV5KW1w2Nbr2rvxq7mbNqyBVvh2PXHx08icVqS3i9_8mkDh-qCUaArsVEALw_wcB] and the War Pod to bring you a regional focus event on ‘Recalibrating external missions to the Sahel: Is no intervention better than these interventions?’ Following the second coup in Mali in less than a year, the assassination of Chadian President Déby and an attempted coup in Niger, the situation in the Sahel region of West Africa has never been more tense. European, U.S. and French forces are intervening alongside the regional Joint Force and UN Peacekeeping mission MINUSMA (which hosts British troops) to tackle the security challenges in the region and defeat armed groups, but Sahelian security forces, often trained by intervening missions, are complicit in violence against civilians and the political elites do not appear willing to address abuses. Moderators Abigail Watson [https://twitter.com/abigail_watson7?lang=en] – Conflict and Security Policy Coordinator at Saferworld. Delina Goxho [https://twitter.com/delinagoxho?lang=en] – independent security analyst and PhD candidate at Scuola Normale Superiore and Scuola Superiore San’Anna. Speakers: Ornella Moderan [https://twitter.com/nella_moderan?lang=en] – head of Sahel Programme at the Institute for Security Studies in Bamako Dr Nina Wilen [https://twitter.com/wilennina?lang=en]– Africa Director at Egmont Institute in Brussels

War in the 2020s

From vaccine nationalism, restlessness in the South China Sea, the effects of climate change and rising territorial disputes the 2020s look to be one of escalating tensions, join our panel as we discuss what conflicts will be the ones to define the coming decade? Speakers: Peter Apps [https://twitter.com/pete_apps?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor](moderator) – Reuters global affairs commentator. Executive Director, PS21 Dr Ziya Meral [https://twitter.com/Ziya_Meral?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] – British and Turkish researcher. Senior Resident Fellow at the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and Director of the Centre on Religion and Global Affairs. Hayat Alvi [https://twitter.com/hayatalvi?lang=en]– Ph.D. Associate Professor in National Security Affairs, US Naval War College Charlotte Bratby [https://twitter.com/CharlotteBratby?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] – Army officer, Royal Signals. Outreach and engagement lead, Wavell Room

Where is 2021 going?

It may be hard to believe for those who have barely made it to the pub yet once, but 2021 is almost a third over. From a new US administration to rising tensions with Russia and China, global vaccination and turmoil in the world of football, there is a lot yet to digest. Join us for a free-flowing topical discussion as we discussed where the year is going, what it might bring next and what hope there might be that anyone in authority learns from it. Speakers: Peter Apps [https://twitter.com/pete_apps?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor](moderator) – Reuters global affairs commentator. Executive Director, PS21 Victoria Mackarness [https://twitter.com/tor_mackarness?lang=en]– Account Director at CMS Strategic, Defence and current affairs commentator Ana Bozovic [https://twitter.com/ana_analytics_?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor]– Geopolitics and financial specialist & founder of Analytics Miami Joe Stockman [https://twitter.com/JoeStockman7?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor]– Former Strategic Communications Manager, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, New Zealand Sir Michael Leigh – Academic Director, European Public Policy, Johns Hopkins University, SAIS-Europe; Senior Fellow, Bruegel, Brussels. Former Director-General for Enlargement at the European Commission.