Eli Sugarman

The challenges that the Organization of American States is facing in addressing the current crisis in Venezuela highlight a central challenge to the Inter-American Defense of Democracy Regime—the inability to address threats to democracy until there is a major crisis. The inability to respond before a crisis has been evident in several recent cases of democratic crisis in the region. Efforts to strengthen democracy before full blown crises emerge are necessary for ensuring the defense of democracy. Check out my latest article with Diplomatic Courier: https://lnkd.in/eK47x5r8.

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Harris’ Incoherent Middle East Strategy: A Critical Analysis In their recent Washington Times article, Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) CEO Michael Makovsky and my our VP of Policy, Blaise Misztal expose the flaws in the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to the Middle East. As Hamas executes innocent hostages, including an American, the administration continues pressuring Israel to cease its military efforts, while neglecting to hold Iran and Qatar accountable. Despite initial support for Israel after Hamas’ October 7 attack, misguided policies have prolonged the war, undermined Israel’s security, and jeopardized regional stability. Makovsky and Misztal argue for a clear shift: unwavering support for Israel, strong measures against Iran and Qatar, and decisive actions to safeguard American and regional interests. Read the full article to understand the impact of U.S. policy and what’s needed for a more coherent strategy:

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https://lnkd.in/grDs9ehd Here is the link to the wide-ranging and interesting conversation that I had with Sarah Scoles about Countdown. If you want to know what happens at Los Alamos, this is the place to find out!

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Why is Meridian International Center hosting a live-streamed Space Diplomacy Forum today? >>>From tackling climate change to advancing global health security, space should be better leveraged as a tool to overcome our greatest shared challenges as a planet. >>>The space economy could grow to $1.8T by 2035, according to a report released earlier this month by the World Economic Forum in partnership with McKinsey & Company. Meridian is forging partnerships between governments, businesses and academic institutions in the U.S. and those around the world to make the space economy accessible and inclusive. >>>Technological advancements have made launching satellites easier than ever and an increasing number of nations are doing so. But low Earth orbit is getting crowded and without better coordination and some sort of regulatory framework, dangerous collisions will occur and space debris will become rampant. International governance is needed. Tune into today's program right here on LinkedIn from 11 am to 5:15 pm EDT, held as part of the U.S. Department of State's #SpaceDiplomacyWeek, to learn how Meridian is advancing international partnerships and a responsible global regulatory framework that also encourages and maximizes the benefits of the growing space economy. Over 30 space visionaries from 10 nations will discuss the #ArtemisAccords, space economy talent development, space commercialization, opportunities for emerging space faring nations, the next generation of space stations and cross-border educational partnerships among other themes. https://lnkd.in/eRCpGSqW

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IRI is proud to publish “Bolstering Democratic Resilience to PRC Foreign Authoritarian Influence – A Field Guide,” curated by Caitlin Dearing Scott. This field guide builds upon years of effort by IRI and our partners to study and counter the many ways the Chinese party-state influences and corrodes democratic institutions around the world. While many people have studied and written about the PRC’s actions, there is relatively little work designed to guide civil society, journalists, academia, and concerned officials on the best ways to respond. This practical guide seeks to fill that gap, providing tools and strategies to bolster democratic resilience to authoritarian influence. The Field Guide opens with a brief overview of the PRC’s growing global influence and discusses why its negative impact on so many nations’ democratic institutions has made a guide like this necessary. It next examines the various ways PRC economic influence, political interference, and influence in the information space can corrode other countries’ democratic institutions. It recommends the best responses to PRC influence, using 15 case studies from 6 continents to illustrate how both the problem and its solutions play out in the real world. It closes with an appendix that includes the open-source tools and databases IRI and our partners have found most useful for researching and understanding Chinese influence. This Field Guide is meant to be a primer for democracy champions all over the world in tackling the PRC’s complex, sometimes deeply ingrained interests. This document outlines the nature of the problem and offers potential responses drawn from IRI’s global network of partners. Throughout, the guide calls for a balanced approach; responses to the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarian challenge should support the values democracy is meant to protect. This Field Guide offers the best responses to PRC influence as identified by IRI and our worldwide network of partners. However, this work is constantly evolving; we have learned that the best solutions come from deep local understanding of the problem, of potential windows for change, and of which narratives best resonate. Rather than being the final word, we hope this Field Guide can be a start for those who want to develop their own unique approaches to PRC influence together with a global community of like-minded journalists, activists, scholars, and politicians. Check it out at IRI.org

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Kleptocracy undermines U.S. security and economic interests overseas. What can we do about it? Our new report has answers. Join the International Republican Institute and the Center for International Private Enterprise this Thursday (9/19) -- in DC or online -- for a discussion on evidence-based strategies to combat strategic corruption, and the launch of our new Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) report Identifying Successful Collective Action Approaches Against Kleptocracy! https://lnkd.in/eyubxmvp

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