Building The Future: Freedom, Prosperity, And Foreign Policy With Dan Runde

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan speaks with Sergio de la Peña, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs and a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Army. The pair discuss Sergio’s immigrant background and his path through the ranks of the U.S. military and government, which included assignments in Venezuela and Chile. They also tackle some of the factors currently destabilizing de la Peña’s old stomping ground, including the refugee flows from Venezuela, drug trafficking, and illegal gold mining, as well as China’s growing political and economic influence on the region.

In this episode of Building the Future, Tomás Serebrisky, Principal Economic Adviser at the Inter-American Development Bank’s Infrastructure and Energy Department, speaks with Dan about his recent book, From Structures to Services: The Path to Better Infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean. The pair cover the growing need to prioritize service provision in Latin America, and how Covid-19 has impacted this need. Tomás also provides his recommendations on how to change policymakers’ mindset towards a more service-oriented perspective, and what role his organization, the IADB, has to play in infrastructure development in the region moving forward.

In a special Spanish-language crossover episode with the CSIS podcast 35 West, Dan sits down with María Eugenia Vidal, the former Governor of the Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. They discuss how she got her start in politics, as well as key policy issues she prioritized during her time as governor, including crime reduction and poverty. They also discuss how the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation in key sectors, such as education. Cómo Reducir el Crimen y la Pobreza: Una Conversación con María Eugenia Vidal Dan conversa con Maria Eugenia Vidal, la ex gobernadora de la provincia de Buenos Aires en Argentina, sobre cómo ella se inició en la política y sobre temas en materia de política pública durante su mandato, como la reducción del delito y la pobreza. También conversan sobre cómo se ha acelerado la transformación digital en sectores como, por ejemplo, la educación, a causa de la pandemia de Covid-19.

In this episode of Building the Future, Joshua Eisenman, author of Red China’s Green Revolution and Assistant Professor at the Keogh School of Global Affairs at Notre Dame, sits down with Dan Runde to talk about the specifics of China’s development narrative, and how the country leverages this narrative to advance its strategic objectives in the rest of the world. The two also discuss where the U.S. fits in within this dynamic, and how it should frame its own role in the developing world going forward, especially in Africa.

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined once again by Dr. Jonathan Ward, author of China’s Vision for the World, to discuss how China’s relationship with the rest of the world has changed in the last 18 months. This time around, the pair analyze the growing recognition of China’s ambitions in U.S. society and foreign policy, as well as China’s increasing willingness to push regional boundaries and embrace the use of force, whether on the border with India, in Hong Kong, or elsewhere. Dr. Ward explains that, in order to counter China going forward, the United States will need to create a coalition of fellow democracies and private sector actors capable of containing the country’s growing economic and industrial power.

Ambassador Nestor Forster Jr., Ambassador of Brazil to the U.S., sits down with Dan Runde to discuss the history of the U.S.-Brazil relationship and avenues for potential future collaboration. They address environmental conservation and protection, space collaboration, and the budding Brazilian creative economy. The Ambassador and Dan also discuss Covid-19 and how the pandemic has affected trade patterns in the region.

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Dr. Weifeng Zhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. They discuss Dr. Zhong’s work in developing the open source Policy Change Index (PCI) project, which leverages machine learning to analyze vast quantities of propaganda and predict Chinese policy changes. The two focus on PCI-China and PCI-Crackdown, two China specific PCI applications, discuss what might be next for China in the coming twenty years, and imagine the potential impact of U.S. educated elites assuming leadership roles in China. The Policy Change Index can be found at https://policychangeindex.org

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Representative Joe Wilson (SC-2), Chairman of National Security & Foreign Affairs Task Force at the Republican Study Committee, to discuss the recent RSC National Security Strategy. The duo review the positive role America has had in the world since World War II, examine current relationships and perceptions of the U.S. abroad, and delve into concrete foreign policy measures to counter today’s most persistent threats to the liberal, rules-based international order, such as those posed by China, Russia, Iran, and other U.S. adversaries.

In this episode, Dan Runde speaks with Ambassador Bárcena, the first female Ambassador from Mexico to the United States. Their discussion touches upon President AMLO’s response to Covid-19, the future of Mexico – U.S. trade relations, and the significance of Mexico’s recently announced feminist foreign policy.

In this episode, Dan Runde speaks with Dalibor Rohac, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the new book, In Defense of Globalism. During their conversation, Mr. Rohac repudiates the recent push for isolationism in the name of national sovereignty and instead makes the case for maintaining and improving the multilateral system. The duo discuss how global institutions such as the WTO, UN, and WHO act as force multipliers of a Western system of globalization that prioritizes peace, prosperity, and progress. Also discussed is the threat to the U.S. and other countries presented by China’s rising interest in multilateral institutions, especially given U.S. reluctance to lead in these institutions.

In this episode, Dan Runde speaks to Jene Thomas, Mission Director for USAID Peru, about the strength of the middle class when it comes to economic growth, the conservation of the Amazon, and the U.S. government counternarcotics strategy in Peru.

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde hosts Jamie Fly (President, Radio Free Europe) to discuss Radio Free Europe’s work providing free and independent media in countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. Jamie talks about overcoming interference by governments that seek to prevent the delivery of news, as well as addressing technological barriers to reaching rural areas. Dan and Jamie also discuss covering Covid-19 in Iran, troll farm attacks on journalists, and the weaponization of “fake news.” 

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan speaks with Andrew Natsios, former USAID administrator and current director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. During the conversation, Andrew talks about his past experiences confronting epidemics while at USAID, and highlights the work currently being done at the Bush School’s Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy program. Dan and Andrew explore the political and economic realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the duo touch on issues related to the role of the Chinese government during the outbreak and the operational capacity of the WHO. Andrew also analyzes how Covid-19 is going to bring about economic and social change to our society, including worldwide consumer behavior. Please listen to the full podcast to learn more about what the future holds for Covid-19 in the United States and the developing world.

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde talks to Richard Fontaine (President/CEO for the Center for New American Security) about the need to create a new Atlantic charter for the post-coronavirus era. Richard talks about the importance of globalization in a post-pandemic world and utilizing this unique moment of global collaboration as an opportunity to envision the future for the world, the U.S., and its allies. Dan and Richard also discuss keeping democracies free from foreign influence, competing in an era of strategic competition, and the importance of continued U.S. leadership in multilateral institutions. To read more about this topic, you can find Richard's article, "We Need an Atlantic Charter for the Post-coronavirus Era," here.

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde sits down with General James Cowan (CEO of the Halo Trust) to discuss the continuing devastation caused by landmines, and the work of the Halo Trust, the oldest and largest humanitarian landmine clearance organization in the world. General Cowan describes the history of landmines and the Halo Trust’s work in areas such as Colombia, Afghanistan, and the Balkans. Dan and General Cowan talk about the macroeconomic effect of landmine removal in boosting local economies in areas such as agriculture and tourism. General Cowan also discusses everything from Princess Diana’s role in landmine removal advocacy to the way landmines impact elephant migration in Angola.

In this episode, Dan is joined by Eugenio Díaz-Bonilla, head of the Latin American and Caribbean Program at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). During their conversation, the duo discuss the importance of regional development banks (RDBs)—in particular, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)—at a time when three of the four RDBs' presidencies are up for grabs in 2020. They examine Diaz-Bonilla's book, A Long and Winding Road: The Creation of the Inter-American Development Bank, written in 2011. Díaz-Bonilla first traces the history of the IADB and explains why the institution has had consistent backing from both Latin American countries and the United States. He then argues that the IADB needs to demonstrate a greater interest in various issues, including drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, access to education, youth employment, and inequality; and expand its partnerships with other international development organizations.

The Power Africa Initiative was launched by the Obama administration in 2013 and was housed under USAID. The Initiative brings together technical and legal experts from 12 different federal government agencies and over 130 civil society and private sector partners. Today, it has closed over 126 transactions in the region, commissioned and operationalized 56 power plants, enabled the production of over 10,000 MW of power, adding nearly 15 million new connections and giving electricity to 68 million new people in the continent. In this episode, Dan sits down with Andrew Herscowitz (former Coordinator of Power Africa) and Paul Weisenfeld (Vice President of RTI International) to discuss the Power Africa initiative, the East Africa energy project, and the future of electrification in Africa. Andrew and Paul describe how leveraging tools of U.S. agencies like USAID and EXIM Bank can create successful public-private partnerships and the role of multilateral banks in Power Africa projects. They also discuss successfu

In this episode, Dan is joined by Ali Siddiqui, Pakistan’s Ambassador for foreign investment, to discuss the future of Pakistan and U.S.-Pakistan relations. They examine how Pakistan went from being a close U.S. ally and “one of the potential Asian tigers” in the 1950s, to being largely associated with the legacy of the war in Afghanistan. Ambassador Siddiqui discusses the efforts that Pakistan has been making in rebranding itself and explains that the story of Pakistan is one of culture, music, art, ancient civilizations, literature, business, and opportunities. He highlights that the strengthening of Pakistan’s relationship with China should serve as a wake-up call to the United States. If the U.S. takes a proactive approach, there is huge opportunity for the U.S. boost its ties with Pakistan.

In this episode, Erol Yayboke, deputy director and senior fellow of the Project on Prosperity and Development at CSIS, sits in for Dan Runde to talk with Jennifer Spies, product manager for Google’s Next Billion Users (NBU) initiative. They discuss the NBU project and the role of internet access in bringing emerging economies into a new age of technology development. They also reflect upon how the usage of technology has changed and will continue to change through innovations like machine-learning which tailors products to serve local community needs. Jennifer also describes how to create free and open internet access through partnerships with local stakeholders, governments, and the private sector.

On the 25th anniversary of the Western Newly Independent States Enterprise Fund, Dan is joined by Jaroslawa Johnson (Western NIS Enterprise Fund president and CEO), and Dennis Johnson (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund). Dan, Jaroslawa, and Dennis discuss the history and accomplishments of Western NIS Enterprise Funds, the evolution of the economies of Ukraine and Moldova, and the role of enterprise funds in Ukraine and Moldova’s development future. Jaroslawa describes how WNISEF investments shifted from a focus on agriculture to a wide variety of investments from ice cream and mortgage banks in Ukraine to breweries and banks in Moldovo.