A broad-sweeping look at international efforts to combat nuclear nonproliferation. This is part of the Global Governance Monitor, an interactive feature tracking multilateral approaches to several global challenges.

Though investment in entrepreneurs is not a silver bullet for development, economic growth and job creation stimulated by small and medium-sized enterprises can foster stability and help curb conflict in fragile states. Comprehensive programs that help SMEs increase their access to finance, markets, networks, and skills should be offered as part of a package of services to best leverage the efforts now under way to promote entrepreneurship.

CFR Senior Fellow for Global Health Laurie Garrett discusses the rising vulnerabilities to the world's medicine and drug supply as a result of the increasingly globalized supply chain, and presents six steps the G8 and G20 states should take to combat the growing problem of counterfeit and substandard medicines and ensure the reliability of the world's drug and vaccine supply.

A broad-sweeping look at international efforts to protect and promote human rights. This is part of the Global Governance Monitor, an interactive feature tracking multilateral approaches to several global challenges.

Woo Jung-yeop of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies analyzes the results of the April 11 Republic of Korea national assembly elections, explaining their implications for the December South Korean presidential elections and the country's future policy direction.

CFR Fellow Terra Lawson-Remer of the Civil Society, Markets, and Democracy initiative proposes four steps for capital-exporting countries, international financial institutions, and private-sector companies to follow to foster democracy and sustainable development in emerging economies with significant natural resource endowments.

CFR Senior Fellow Sheila A. Smith argues that the time has come for Japan and the United States to set priorities for military missions, formalize mechanisms for crisis management coordination, and work toward a long-term basing strategy that consolidates U.S. and Japanese facilities.

Most countries in the world have moved toward provision of systems of universal health coverage, enhancing affordability and access to medical care. Even as the U.S. Supreme Court debates legal standards for Americans, this report finds that risk-pooling is essential for affordable access to medical care in poor and emerging-market countries.

Bonnie Glaser of the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses the significant risk of conflict in the South China Sea and how the United States can prevent becoming involved in an armed clash.

CFR Senior Fellow Thomas J. Bollyky and the Center for Global Development's director of global health policy Amanda Glassman propose using an innovative incentive mechanism, Cash-on-Delivery (COD) Aid, to improve tobacco control in developing countries.

CFR Director of International Economics Benn Steil argues that the "Volcker rule" ban on bank proprietary trading won't prevent financial crises, and that the troubled effort to implement it should be abandoned in favor of controls on bank leverage.

At a time when the country's infrastructure needs are more pressing than ever, Scott Thomasson offers pragmatic solutions for working around current congressional gridlock and unlocking modest yet critical infrastructure investment.

Ma Sang-yoon of the Catholic University of Korea discusses the April 11 Republic of Korea national assembly elections, explains their relationship to the December South Korean presidential elections, and highlights issues relevant to the future of U.S.-ROK relations.

CFR Senior Fellow Stephen Biddle considers ways to adapt governance ambitions in Afghanistan to the constraints of diminishing time and resources.

This paper focuses on identifying the nature and characteristics of members of two groups of former extremists: former Palestinian and Israeli militants and former U.S. gang members. By exploring the underlying processes that led these two groups to turn away from violent extremism, the authors aim to decipher the "psychological code" of former extremists in order to help develop effective antiradicalization programs.

The authors summarize the findings of the Summit Against Violent Extremism and find that the reasons individuals have for joining and leaving violent groups cut across geographies and ideologies.

In addition to hosting a successful 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, South Korea is pursuing several nuclear-related national interests not directly associated with the conference, says Fred McGoldrick, partner in international consulting firm Bengelsdorf, McGoldrick, and Associates, LLC.

North Carolina, which was struck harder by the loss of manufacturing than any other state, offers a realistic guide for communities across the United States with how best to adapt to this new era of growing international competition.

The authors analyze the prospect of oil drilling off the coast of Cuba and suggest precautions the United States should take to defend against a potential oil spill emanating from Cuba.

This Working Paper analyzes U.S.-ROK cooperation in international development, presenting how the two countries should establish a new system of partnerships between aid recipients and donors and enhance donor coordination.