PODS by PEI

America's foreign policy has undergone significant evolution since its founding. After World War II, the country embraced a policy of containment towards the Soviet Union, leading to increased involvement in international affairs. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War marked a shift towards a more interventionist foreign policy, as seen in the Gulf War and post-9/11 conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Russia-Ukraine War, which began in 2014 with Russia's annexation of Crimea, marked a new low in US-Russian relations, with the US imposing economic sanctions in response. China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region has also been a challenge for US foreign policy, with the US responding with a mix of engagement and competition, including trade tensions and efforts to strengthen partnerships in the region. In this episode, PEI’s Anurag Acharya sits with Ryan Hass to discuss the US and its role as a global leader in a changing geopolitical landscape. Ryan Hass is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. and a member of the Board of Trustees of The Asia Foundation. From 2013 to 2017, he has served as the Director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the U.S. National Security Council, advising President Obama and senior White House officials on all aspects of American policy towards these three countries. In this 15-year tenure in the US Foreign Service, Ryan served in various American embassies, from Beijing, and Seoul, to Ulaanbaatar. He has authored multiple books, including “Stronger: Adapting America's China Strategy in an Age of Competitive Interdependence.” Anurag and Ryan discuss the evolution of American foreign policy, especially in the last two tumultuous decades since 9/11, and how that has impacted its position as a global leader. They also examine contemporary world crises like the Russia-Ukraine War, as well as the potential conflict between US and China over Taiwan, and America’s response to China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Ryan further elaborates his proposition that, instead of looking for a hostile contestation, the US and China both have to learn to live with each other, that the US must invest in itself and in its friends, and how the collaboration between these competing powers on collective-action problems like climate change can result in better outcomes for everyone. Click here to support us on Patreon!!

२०७२ सालमा संविधान निर्माण भए पश्चात, संघीय लोकत्रान्तिक गणतन्त्र नेपालको सरकारले आफ्नो पहिलो ५ वर्षको कार्यकाल समापन गरि, हालै सम्पन्न तिनै तहको निर्वाचन पछाडि, दोस्रो सरकार गठन र सञ्चालनको प्रक्रिया अगाडि बढेको स्थिति छ | यसै परिप्रेक्षमा, आज हामी देशमा भैरहेको राजनीतिक खिचातानी र हारजितको अन्तरङ्गमा रहेर, आजका हाम्रा अतिथि प्रा. डा. विद्यानाथ कोइरालाको कान्तिपुर दैनिकमा गत पुष ७ गते प्रकाशित लेख “राजनीतिक दलहरूले सिर्जेको दलदल” को सेरोफेरोमा संवाद गर्ने छौं | आजको भागमा पी. ई. आई. का जनक पोख्रेल, डा. विद्यानाथ कोइराला सँग संवादमा बस्दैछन्, जहाँ उनी डा. कोइरालाको लेख र उहाँले एउटा शिक्षाविद्को हैसियतमा लामो समय देखि गर्दै आउनुभएको शिक्षाका काम,  कुरा र अनुभवका बारेमा कुराकानी गर्नेछन्! आजको भागमा डा. कोइरालाले नेपालमा रहेका राजनैतिक दल, तिनका नेता र तिनले आफ्ना अनुयायीहरूलाई कस्तो शिक्षा प्रदान गरिराखेका छन् भनेर अहिलेको हाम्रो राजनीतिक पृष्ठभूमिसँग जोडेर हेर्न खोज्नु भएको छ | डा. कोइराला त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयका पूर्वप्राध्यापक हुनुहुन्छ। उहाँ सँग राष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग, शिक्षा मन्त्रालय, प्रधानमन्त्रीको कार्यालय र एसिया फाउन्डेसन नेपाल, एसियाली विकास बैंक, जाइका, युनेस्को, युरोपेली शिक्षा आयोग जस्ता अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय महत्वका संस्थाहरूका लागि रणनीतिक योजना र कार्यक्रममा काम गरेको लामो र उदाहरणीय अनुभव छ। यसमा उहाँको भूमिका पाठ्यक्रम विकास गर्ने र शिक्षाको विकेन्द्रीकरण, अनौपचारिक शिक्षा, शिक्षामा लैङ्गिक, जातीय, र अपाङ्गताका समस्याहरूलाई सम्बोधन गर्ने रहेको छ।

In this podcast, Shreeya interviews Subina Shrestha about Nepal's transportation sector and its impact on global emissions. They discuss the need for Nepal to transition to sustainable options and the challenges and opportunities involved. The podcast also explores the progress and challenges of Nepal's transition towards sustainable transportation, as well as the differences between private and public electric transportation. Additionally, they highlight the barriers faced in transitioning to electric mobility in Nepal and the importance of battery waste management.

India has been seeking to expand its global influence and has set ambitious goals for itself in this regard. For example, last December, India assumed the presidency of the G20, a group of the world's largest economies that aims to promote international economic cooperation. This has been presented as a significant opportunity for India to showcase its leadership and advance its economic and foreign policy goals on the global stage. India's G20 presidency will also have implications for South Asia. The country's leadership role in the G20 could lead to an increased focus on the region and potentially lead to greater economic integration and cooperation among South Asian countries. Additionally, India's emphasis on the digital economy, climate change, and health could also have spillover effects for the region. But while India looks outward globally, China, in recent years, has been increasing its presence in South Asia through various means, such as infrastructure development and investment. This increasing Chinese presence in its traditional sphere of influence has been a concern for India, and it has been responding with its own set of initiatives of diplomacy, development, and investment initiatives. In this episode, PEI’s Nirjan sits with Mandakini Surie to discuss these global ambitions of India, the position it holds in the various Indo-Pacific Strategies to counter the rise of China, and the impact this has on its South Asian Neighbors. Click here to support us on Patreon!!

Ep. Br#010 In 2026, Nepal will be graduating from the LDC status after meeting the graduation criteria for three consecutive UN triennials (2015, 2018, 2021) reviews conducted by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP). Nepal has been granted an additional two years to the 3-year transition period generally given by the UN, therefore, making graduation effective from 2026. However, questions have been raised on this proposal as Nepal’s GNI per capita is well below the LDC graduation threshold and also below the LDC average hence, the rising doubts on whether Nepal will be able to sustain the status. Notably, Nepal will have to relinquish the International Support Mechanisms it has been receiving as an LDC. That would mean the loss of preferential market access, stringent rules of origin requirements, and possible increases in tariffs on selected goods leading to significant losses in exports. In this episode of The Brief, PEI colleague Aslesh sits with Dr. Paras Kharel, where the two talk about the rationale behind categorizing countries as an LDC and discuss Nepal’s graduation from the LDC status and its implications on trade, development assistance and policy space. They then examine the failings of the export sector and the policy changes required to boost the sector. They conclude with some key takeaways from the post-graduation experiences and strategies of a few countries which have graduated and competently sustained the graduation. Paras Kharel is Executive Director at South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), a Kathmandu-based think tank. He has over 15 years of research experience in trade and development. He has a PhD in Economics (University of Melbourne) with specialization in international trade and applied microeconometrics. His publications include two edited volumes on South Asian cooperation/integration, and articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Review of International Economics, International Economics, and East Asian Economic Review.

Ep. Co#010 Sri Lanka is currently facing an economic crisis. The crisis can be traced back to a number of factors, including the country's high levels of debt, a decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a lack of foreign investment. These issues have led to a sharp depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee, high inflation, and a decrease in living standards for many people.   In this episode, PEI’s Anurag sits in conversation with George I. H. Cooke to discuss the 2022 Sri Lankan economic crisis. They start with understanding the contexts of the Sri Lankan economy to illustrate its recent economic and development priorities. The two then converse on the recent crisis discussing what mistakes Sri Lanka made along the way on institutional and strategic levels. They demark what the crisis entails for the State and its people and how it can best pull itself out of the plummet before more harm is done. Finally, they consider what lessons Nepal and other developing nations and development partners can learn from the whole debacle to avoid any more in the future.    George is a Diplomatic Historian whose main research areas include foreign policy, diplomacy, regionalism, and integration. He is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, and Visiting Lecturer at the National Defence College of Sri Lanka, Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute, Defence Services Command, Staff College, and Sri Lanka Air Force Academy, amongst others.

Ep. Co#009 Nepal and Bangladesh have gone through similar tribulations and upheavals in their quest for affordable, secure, reliable, and sustainable electricity in the past. As we discussed in our previous episode of PODS by PEI, the principal factor behind Nepal overcoming its substantial load shedding was completing the cross-border transmission line that allowed for electricity trade between Nepal and India. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s emphasis on energy “emergency management” allowed for the rapid uptake of coal and LNG-powered plants, allowing the nation to overcome its dark days. However, as the conversations surrounding climate change and the need to curb the global reliance on carbon-intensive fuels take focus, Bangladesh faces a new challenge towards sustaining its electricity demand. In this episode, we have the Senior Programs Officer, Saurab Lama, in conversation with Dr. Khondaker Moazzem, Research Director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh. The two discuss the overall landscape of the Bangladeshi electricity sector, the various factors that have shaped the electricity market in the nation, the scope of renewables in the LNG-dominated system, and the scope for Nepal as a future exporter of electricity to Bangladesh. Moazzem is the Research Director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh, with interests in developing industrial enterprises, entrepreneurship development, and private investment, including FDI, competition policy, and trade at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels. Moazzem holds a Ph.D. from Kyoto University, Japan, and was a visiting fellow at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University. Click here to read Khondaker Moazzem’s 2019 report on the Bangladeshi electricity sector. Click here to read Khondaker Moazzem’s Op-Ed “Feasible options for cross-border power trade with Nepal.”

EP. Br#009 To get an in-depth understanding of the Political Settlements Framework mentioned in this episode, please listen to EP. Br#008 - The Brief: Mushtaq Khan on Madhesh and the Challenge of Inclusive Federalism in Nepal - A Political Settlements Framework Analysis. In collaboration with SoAS school of London, PEI conducted a targeted survey of 352 SMEs in the tourism, agriculture, and light manufacturing sector across Bagmati Province, Madhesh Province, Lumbini Province, and Karnali Province. Out of the 352 surveys, 200 (56.8%) were conducted in Bagmati, 49 (13.9%) in Madhesh, 71 (20.2%) in Lumbini, and 30 (8.5%) in Karnali. This survey on SMEs was conducted to understand the characteristics of SMEs in Nepal better and support the diagnosis of the process of economic transformations in Nepal, especially in the post-federalism context. The core of the research is based on the Political Settlements framework, which is applied to assess the distribution of capabilities.   In this episode, PEI colleague Shreeya Rana sits with Dr. Pallavi Roy, where the two discuss the role of SMEs in accelerating inclusive economic growth, the organizational capabilities that SMEs should develop in order to expand their competitive base, the policy options that decisions makers should keep in mind while targeting economic growth, and how firms with low, competitive base tend to collude with politicians when they are forced to comply with regulations. They also talk about some of the relevant findings from the SOAS and PEI  jointly-implemented survey as part of the larger study on federalism through the application of the framework of the Political settlement, a framework we discussed in our last episode.   Dr. Pallavi Roy is a Reader in International Economics at the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London. Her research focuses on applying institutional economics and, in particular, the political settlements framework to problems of industrial policy, anti-corruption, commodity markets, the political economy of clientelism, and economic development. She is also the joint lead for the Research and Evidence on Nepal’s Transition project, a four-year research implemented by SOAS, Yale University, Governance Lab, and PEI.

EP. Br#008 Contemporary economics and policy studies struggled with two main paradoxes: while on one hand policies previously successful in some countries remain futile in others, on the other hand, different approaches were capable of solving the same issues in different contexts. A Political Settlement Framework tackles this paradox by acknowledging the need to tailor policies to the idiosyncrasies of each society. Within the framework, the primary focus is on understanding the social context as it studies the interaction between groups (organizations) and the rules they are subjected to (institutions). In this episode, PEI colleague Khushi Rai sits with Prof Mushtaq Khan on his political settlements analysis of the Madhes Province. The conversation is based on an upcoming publication that he has co-authored, titled: “Madhesh and the Challenge of Inclusive Federalism in Nepal”. This briefing paper is based on a provincial settlement study drafted from a tracking exercise at the national, provincial, and local spheres of governance in Nepal by SOAS and PEI under the Research and Evidence on Nepal’s Transition project. Mushtaq is a Professor of Economics at SOAS University of London, where he heads the Anti-Corruption Evidence Research Consortium and is also the joint lead for the Research and Evidence on Nepal’s Transition project. He is a leading thinker on political settlements. The two explore the process of mobilization in Madhesh, the drivers of their movement, and how all of that culminated in the Constitution that was eventually promulgated. They also examine the role of Madhesh in the implementation of federalism, the evolution of new settlements with the emergence of newer actors, and what all this means for the future of inclusive federalism in Madhesh. They end with three plausible scenarios in this regard and also discuss the possible implications for federalism in Nepal.

Ep. Co#008 The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly referred to as COP27, took place this November in Egypt. One major achievement of this round of dialogue, which went down to the wire, was to establish a loss and damage fund, particularly for nations vulnerable to the climate crisis. While this may have been “a historic decision,” it raises more questions than answers, especially for countries like Nepal. In this second episode, Saumitra and Ajaya discuss the plausibility of Nepal reaching its ambitious goal of net-zero emission by 2045 and the impact of climate change on Nepal’s water, energy, and infrastructural development. They also discuss the transboundary nature of the water relationship in the region and how climate change can perturb the existing interdependencies. Mr. Ajaya Dixit, co-founder and advisor of ISET-Nepal is an Ashoka Fellow who has led different projects on climate change adaptation and resilience building, disaster risk management, energy, food security and water governance. He possesses MSc in Engineering from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK and undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Regional Engineering College, Orissa, India. He has directed regional research that examined climate changes impacts on flood, drought and food system adaptation in South Asia. His research focused on exploring the approaches to develop strategies for resilience building against climate change vulnerabilities at sub national scale. He coordinated and edited Nepal’s first national disaster report, which was published in 2010. He is also the lead author of the book “Nepal maa Bipad” (Disasters in Nepal) that was published in 2016. He has published extensively in prestigious journals such as the Economic and Political Weekly. His opinion is highly regarded in the international arena and has been regarded as a climate change adaptation and resilience expert in Nepal and South Asia.