Ahead of President Trump’s UN General Assembly speech, hopes have dimmed for U.S. global leadership and a positive vision for the United Nations.
Alexander Shcherbak\TASS via Getty Images
The UN General Assembly hosts a much-watched high-level debate of world leaders each year but has struggled to make its work more substantive. The seventy-third session will likely be dominated by issues including nuclear disarmament, a global migration pact, prevention of noncommunicable diseases, and reform of the UN itself.
Democracy
Laszlo Balogh/Reuters
The European Parliament has issued its stiffest rebuke yet to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, but questions remain over the bloc’s willingness to stand up for its core values.
Korean Peninsula
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has had more success than many expected in Pyongyang for his third summit with North Korea’s Chairman Kim Jong-un.
North Korea has embarked on an accelerated buildup of weapons of mass destruction and modernization of its already large conventional force.
Emerging Markets
Sebastian Mallaby, the Paul A. Volcker senior fellow for international economics at CFR and a contributing columnist for the Washington Post, joins James M. Lindsay to discuss the collapsing currency valuations in places like Turkey, Argentina, and South Africa.
Turkey has some similarities with the Asian crisis countries back in the 1990s, but also important differences. When emerging-market crisis typologies are updated to reflect the events of 2018, Turkey should enter into the pantheon on its own, not just as a sub-category of “Asian-style” crises.
Venezuela
In addition to a sharp economic downturn, Venezuela faces a humanitarian crisis. The United States can do little to prevent a downward spiral, but it should take measures to mitigate the political, economic, and humanitarian consequences of a potential mass emigration.
Disasters
The U.S. government responds to scores of disasters each year, coordinating closely with state, local, and foreign partners. However, more frequent and severe storms, fires, and floods are straining resources.
CFR on the Record
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr discuss Canada’s global outlook, including the government’s perspective on the future of multilateralism, the importance of economic growth that benefits everyone, gender equality and women’s empowerment, fighting climate change, and restoring confidence in democratic and international institutions.
Panelists examine the lessons learned and the continuing legacy of the global financial crisis.
The Paul C. Warnke Lecture on International Security was established in 2002 and is endowed by a number of Council members and the family and friends of Paul C. Warnke.
Expert Spotlight
Editor, Foreign Affairs and Peter G. Peterson Chair
Wars and Conflict Middle East and North Africa Southeast Asia
Explainers
1
5
Iran
Who Runs Iran?
Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and responding to domestic calls for reform? A look at the government's organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is.
Korean Peninsula
North Korean Nuclear Negotiations: A Brief History
Nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea have proceeded in fits and starts across three decades and have failed to halt the advance of the North’s atomic weapons program.
Israel
The Stakes in Jerusalem
President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the embassy there could inspire protest and set back the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Human Trafficking
The Scourge of Modern Slavery
Slavery, long banned and universally condemned, persists in many corners of the world, victimizing tens of millions of people.
Trade
How Are Trade Disputes Resolved?
Dispute resolution mechanisms have become increasingly controversial as countries grapple with their implications for sovereignty, domestic regulation, and the enforcement of international obligations.
Experts in the News
Featured Publications
The Third Revolution argues that Xi Jinping’s dual-reform trajectories—a more authoritarian system at home and a more ambitious foreign policy abroad—provide Beijing with new levers of influence that the United States must learn to exploit to protect its own interests.
Solar energy is the world’s cheapest and fastest-growing power source, but its rise is in danger of stalling. Varun Sivaram argues that realizing solar's potential will require innovation—creative financing, revolutionary technologies, and flexible energy systems.
The award-winning author of The Battle of Bretton Woods reveals the gripping history behind the Marshall Plan—told with verve, insight, and resonance for today.