CSIS Podcasts

In this episode, hosts James Lewis and Chris Painter speak to guest Adam Segal, Senior Advisor for International Cyber and Digital Strategy Policy in The State Department’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy. They discuss the global reactions to the International Cyberspace and Digital Policy Strategy, (even China’s and Russia’s) and what ‘digital solidarity’ really means.

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns. They discuss his time spent in China and his perception of current and future U.S.-China relations.  

This week, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner delivers his remarks from our 14th Annual South China Sea Conference. Japhet and Lauren cover the latest from the region: from delays in Nusantara to updates on POGOs in the Philippines.

In 2019, the U.S. Congress passed the bipartisan Global Fragility Act (GFA), approving up to $200 million annually for prevention and stabilization efforts in target countries and regions, including Mozambique, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo. The GFA aims to strengthen fragile states, described by the Department of State as those "where state weakness or failure would magnify threats to the American homeland" and to "empower reform-minded governments, people, and civil society." Collaborating with state governments, civil society actors, and other key stakeholders, 10-year plans were developed for each target country. This initiative comes at a critical time, as conflict-related violence globally is at its highest since the end of the Cold War, with particularly acute effects in Africa, from the Sahel to Sudan to the eastern DRC.Peter Quaranto, Director of the Office of African Affairs in the Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO), joins Mvemba to share CSO’s approach to better anticipate, prevent and mitigate violent conflicts. They discuss how CSO’s mission to strengthen U.S.-Africa partnerships for a more peaceful future.

In 2020, Laura Modi launched Bobbie, the first U.S.-based manufactured organic formula company. Laura joins Dr. Kathleen McInnis and Lauren Bedula, the Managing Director at Beacon Global Strategies, for a discussion on how her company was defined during a national infant formula shortage, including what she learned about the infant formula industry, and how symbolic it is to everything broken in our society for parents.   

This week Mike and Jude are joined by join Lt. General Stephen Sklenka, USMC, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. They discuss deterrence and the current state of play in the Indo-Pacific region.

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Kathryn Paik on her brief with Eileen Natuzzi, “Prioritizing Health System Development in the Pacific: A Layered Approach.”

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Kenneth Smith Ramos, former Chief Negotiator of USMCA from the Mexican side and partner of AGON, about how the Constitutional Reforms proposed by President Lopez Obrador might weaken Mexico’s judiciary and in doing so, impact the key principles of USMCA and other trade agreements such as impartiality, transparency, and nondiscriminatory practices. They also discuss measures North America could take to defend itself against predatory practices and the facts behind recent Chinese investments in Mexico. And, they speak about the upcoming 2026 mandatory review of USMCA and the negative implications of opening a full renegotiation.

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Ben Cahill on his white paper, "National Oil Companies and Methane Reductions: How to Meet 2030 Goals."

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Laura Delgado López on her brief, “Orbital Dynamics: The Domestic and Foreign Policy Forces Shaping Latin American Engagement in Space.”