More Russian Arms Sales to Assad: Time for Preemptive Contract Sanctions from the Friends of Syria?
5/10/13
Bills, conferences, bilats, and condemnations abound: Assad must go.
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Global Development: Views from the Center
Secretary Kerry: Here’s How to Keep Your Promise to Syria
2/27/13
During his first overseas trip as the United States’ top diplomat, and in advance of this week’s Friends of Syria meeting in Rome, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke forcefully in response to concerns from the Syrian Opposition Coalition that the United States is not providing sufficient support to the opposition:
Are Illicit Financial Flows Draining Development?
12/11/12
Yes, but not necessarily in the way most people think. Peter Reuter addressed this question at the Center for Global Development last week based on research in Draining Development? Controlling Flows of Illicit Funds from Developing Countries – a volume that he edited for the World Bank. It is clearly the most thorough assessment to date in assessing the channels by which illicit flows affect development.
Two More Reasons for Preemptive Contract Sanctions in Syria
11/27/12
This piece originally appeared in the Huffington Post on November 27, 2012.
This is a joint post with Owen Barder.
With relentlessly bad news out of Syria, the search continues for what the world can do to put pressure on Assad’s regime and to lay the groundwork for a future, legitimate Syrian government. The case for preemptive contract sanctions is becoming ever more compelling. Under this approach, the United States, United Kingdom, and other members of the Friends of Syria, would declare that new contracts with the Assad regime are illegitimate and that our courts should not enforce them if a legitimate successor government in Syria repudiates them. This could deter new loans and investments in Syria’s oil or other sectors and send a signal to the Assad regime that the economic pressure will not loosen.
Refinancing for Burma Would Not Be a First for World Bank; Could Be for ADB
11/17/12
I argued three months ago that donors should refinance rather than cancel Burma's $11 billion debt. The logic: the reforms underway in Burma, while remarkable and welcome, are also delicate, reversible, and incomplete. The country's famed opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi called early this year for the suspension rather than termination of the economic sanctions against her country.
Freedom House Urges Action on Syria Preemptive Contract Sanctions
10/3/12
Charles Dunne, Director of MENA Programs at Freedom House, posted a timely op-ed in Huffington Post over the weekend calling for preemptive contract sanctions against the Assad regime in Syria. Charles' piece came on the heels of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York, where countless speeches, meetings and behind-the-scene
Refinance, Don't Cancel, Burma's Debt
8/1/12
Time to Take Nyet for an Answer—and Move On
7/19/12
For the third time in recent months, Russia, supported by China, blocked United Nations action to put additional pressure on Bashir Assad and help end the violence in Syria. A UN Security Council resolution is the preferred way to go. But if that is not possible, preemptive contract sanctions can tighten the squeeze on Assad without the cooperation of Russia and China.
Preventing Business as Usual in Syria
6/25/12
The Friends of Syria coalition will meet in Paris on July 6 to discuss how they might stem the escalating violence in Syria. Once again there will be much hand wringing on what to do and a search for new ideas. Owen Barder and I, who have been working with our colleagues at CGD and officials in the U.S.
After Houla, It's Time for Preemptive Contract Sanctions on Syria
5/30/12
David Gordon and Stephen Krasner, two respected former State Department Policy Planning Directors, have a timely oped in Politico today on Syria policy options. They claim, convincingly, that the current bimodal choice between the (dead?) Kofi Annan plan or (costly & risky) military strikes ignores further squeezing the Assad regime.