Point of View
Our team of global experts' views on critical issues via blog posts, opinion pieces and Blue Papers™.
Conflict Orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo
3 February 2013
Violent conflicts have devastating consequences for the entire population. A change in the characteristics of conflict has made civilians more susceptible to the devastation from conflict. Today, a majority of combat related deaths are civilians. Armed conflict mostly affects women and children; orphans are the most vulnerable. Young children lack the capability to take care of themselves and depend on external support for survival. A child that lost its parents to conflict and is not enjoying the care of a third person is deemed to die. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), suffering from civil conflict for several decades, has produced multiple generations of orphans. To achieve long lasting and sustainable peace, orphans have to receive the education that enables them to integrate themselves into society, ensures employment, and promotes reconciliation. The future is going to ask for a next generation of environmental aware leaders that have the skills to address climate change and natural resource management. Hence, orphans in the DRC have to benefit from a comprehensive approach, combining the provision of basic needs, education, environmental skills development, and peace building. >> Read More
SUSTAINABILITY
23 January 2013
Sustainability can be defined as a long-term, cyclic process of a value adding system independent of additional external input, aiming to preserve and conserve our ecosystem, while pursuing intra- and intergenerational parity. >> Read More
IS BRAZIL EMBRACING GLOBALIZATION?
12 January 2013
Brazil’s economy highlights the interconnectedness of the world we live in today. In the late 1990s, globalization was already so far advanced that events on the other side of the world have wide-ranging implications for a single country. In the case of Brazil, it was the Asian financial crisis of 1998 that had a trickle down effect and brought the Brazilian economy into turmoil. >> Read More
UNITED STATES INVOLVEMENT IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN AFRICA
21 December 2012
The objective of this thesis is to discuss the impact of United States involvement in conflict resolution in Africa. The argument is that countries facing violent conflict benefit from U.S. involvement in conflict resolution. To evaluate this statement, the first section of this thesis examines the U.S. interest in engaging in conflicts in Africa and the significance of focusing on conflict resolution for Africa. Further sections explore different U.S. strategies to resolve conflict, as well as the outcomes of U.S. involvement and the consequences of non- involvement. The author concludes that the U.S. plays a crucial role in the peace building process, however, historical experiences have demonstrated that the United State’s primary strategy ought to be to function as an indirect mediator and facilitator. With the aim of achieving sustainable development the U.S. has to put emphasis on conflict prevention and ensure permanent peace and stability.
A SUSTAINABLE WORLD SYSTEM
15 November 2012
Given Kote-Nikoi’s definition of sustainable development as “ a development process in which the elements of the development vector do not generally worsen over time, in which the natural physical- capital stock that enables the provision of those elements does not get degraded over time, and in which society’s cultural-capital serves to legitimates the non-degradation of the stock of natural physical-capital.”, I strongly doubt that a world system based on the orthodox economic theory can lead to sustainable development. Even so, our world system continues to be based on constant economic growth.
Obama’s secret wars
3 July 2012
This article is about Obama’s foreign policy strategies and his struggle to keep up in this fast moving and diffuse world. A world where criticism seems to be louder than support, but idealism never vanishes. >> Read More
World Trade and private sector engagement to fight food insecurity
15 June 2012
In 2009 at the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, leaders from all around the world agreed to “act with the scale and urgency needed to achieve sustainable global food security.” As a result of continuing underinvestment in agriculture, the devastating impact of the financial crisis and unevenly favoring of world trade regulations, millions of people suffer severe poverty and hunger. Thus global leaders called for attention and increased investment for food security and agriculture. >> Read More
UN Mission in Liberia – A success?!?
19 May 2012
The benefits and risks of UN integration for humanitarian assistance have been intensely debated for many years. Many humanitarian staff remains skeptical that UN integration can benefit humanitarian action. Others stress the need for enhanced coherence and highlight the positive experiences of UN integration. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) is considered to be a success story. >> Read More
The Lubanga judgment of the International Criminal Court: a first step towards justice?
21 March 2012
The judgment has been praised by inter alia the European Union and several NGO-s for representing “a milestone for international criminal justice” since it “demonstrates that perpetrators cannot act with impunity”.1 Certainly, the importance of this judgment and the work of the ICC should not be underestimated; however, to argue that this one judgment “demonstrates that perpetrators cannot act with impunity” is not realistic for several reasons. >> Read More
What does the Lubanga conviction mean to the world?!
20 March 2012
On March 4, the fight for children's rights celebrated a small victory. The conviction of Thomas Lubanga at the International Criminal Court (ICC), has not only been the first successful trial at the ICC, but it has also been the first time that someone accused of recruiting child soldiers has been convicted.>> Read More
Why will the next generation have to worry about the state budget?
3 March 2012
Senator Mark Warner belongs to the Democratic Party and acts as the current Senator of Virginia. However, people also like to speak of him as a leader of the ‘Gang of Six’. The ‘Gang of Six’ is a bipartisan group, consisting of three democrats and three republicans. Together they assembled to solve the US budget crisis and drafted a plan, which the President agreed on without hesitation. Ironically, as Mr. Warner jokes tiredly, ” That was the worst outcome we could have had, because whenever the President is in favor of something, the rest of the House [of Representations] will be against it.” >> Read More
Somalia’s future and what we have to know about its past
27 February 2012
As leaders from around the world met at the London Conference on Somalia, it becomes imperative to understand the root causes of the conflict. Over 40 governments and multilateral organizations came together with the aim of delivering a new international approach to Somalia. The main issues have been security, political process, counter-terrorism, piracy and the current humanitarian situation. Furthermore, we have to ask whether there will be any progress achieved by June, when the next conference on Somalia will be held in Istanbul. >> Read More
Venezuela’s face has changed: pre-elections of hope
25 February 2012
On the 12th of February, more than 3 million people in Venezuela exercised their right to vote in order to choose an opposition candidate that will confront President Hugo Chavez in the presidential elections to be held on the 7th of October 2012. While these were only pre-elections, they were of great significance in a country in which for years it seemed that Chavez was unbeatable. The elections have made a smile reappear on the faces of many Venezuelans, because for a moment Venezuela caught a glimpse of an alternative future. >> Read More
Simeon Stylites (must fall off his column)
23 February, 2012
by Mark Somos
The deaths in Syria, and my friends there, make me want to go. But if you're committed to one place, why not to others? And if to all, what can you do? "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all," and you become a coward or much worse: a self-righteous coward, with an argument. >> Read More
The faith of crisis
30 January, 2012
by Mark Somos
It’s hard to think of a better place than Athens to discuss topics like assumptions about human nature in constitutional law, ingroup-outgroup formation, contested and reassertive circles of family, tribe, village, state and federation, or the asynchronous imperatives to gradually form and suddenly rally a citizenry.>> Read More
Spain: the unseen multiplier to Greek political risk
4 Nov. 2011, 08:00 CET
by Mark Somos
Yesterday's and today's market optimism and the dearth of discussion about the Greek-Spanish political risk multiplier suggest that the market has not yet priced in the short-term effects of the Spanish election later this month, including the announcement of inevitably anemic austerity measures and probable deficit cut renegotiations with the EU.>> Read More
FIFA 2022 must remain in the region, for Qatar's sake
22nd May 2011
Qatar and countries of the Gulf must collaborate to ensure the FIFA 2022 World Cup is hosted in the region. >>Read more
Letter to the Prime Minister: Are you captain of your ship, and do you know where she is heading?
8th March 2011
Cornerstone's Managing Director blogs about David Cameron's speech.
Battle for the Skies: GCC Airlines and the West
20th October 2010
by Ghanem Nuseibeh and Lucian J. Hudson
Recent remarks by Air France KLM and Canada's refusal to grant UAE airlines further landing rights means GCC carriers must adapt strategy. >> Read More
FIFA: England for 2018 - Qatar for 2022
13th September 2010
Cornerstone Global Associates' Managing Director and former Director of Communications at Britain's Foreign Office makes the case for why England and Qatar should host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022, respectively. >>Read more
Cambridge debates nuclear power and climate change
6th September 2010
Cornerstone Global Associates' Managing Director participated in a debate organized by Cambridge University Programme for Sustainable Leadership on nuclear energy and climate change. Lucian's team won the debate that was attended by industry leaders and academics >>Read More
Save Lake Chad: A CSR Initiative
23th August 2010
Cornerstone Global Associates' Managing Director blogs about a recent CSR initiative led by Constantin Schreiber who has recently returned from Chad to investigate and raise awareness of the environmental challenges facing Lake Chad. >>Read More
Pakistan's floods - a failure of nerve, and everything yet to play for
19th August 2010
As with all major catastrophes and crises, two universes run parallel: the objective truth of what is, or is not, happening on the ground; and the battle for mind-space, including what is reported, interpreted and acted upon. >>Read More
Dubai: Superstar of Islamic Modernism
25th July 2010
Leading American thinker, writer and visionary and Cornerstone Senior Consultant Howard Bloom told me that he thought Dubai was not mistaken for what some perceive as its shallow consumerism. He calls Dubai a "Superstar". Bloom, who founded the biggest PR firm in the record industry, knows what a superstar is, having helped create many such as Michael Jackson, Pink and others. >>Read More
The Lost Decade: Learning from the Developing World
2nd June 2010
by Lucian J. Hudson
Collaboration is often narrowly understood as how best to find common ground, rather than what makes it truly successful: keeping in balance the need to find common ground, and embracing, if not accepting and learning from, difference.
If the financial crisis has taught us anything, it is that systemic challenges require systemic solutions. Better international co-ordination and co-operation are only a small, yet necessary, part of cohesive international action. The more difficult, but more important, challenge is learning from >> Read More
Catalysing an Economic Resurgence
26th May 2010
by Jordan B. MacLeod
Earlier today, PIMCO's Bill Gross said that default may be the only means available for some nations to deal with mounting debt problems. In his June investment outlook, the world's largest mutual fund manager argued that in severe cases sovereign debts are likely to prove overwhelming even with concerted reductions in deficit spending.
This view merely adds to the chorus of increasingly pessimistic analysts, fund managers and economists who have expressed concern in recent weeks over deteriorating conditions. >> Read More
The "Desertec" Mirage: Get Real
19th May 2010
by Ghanem M. Nuseibeh
We were asked to review the report “100 percent renewable energy electricity: a road map to 2050 for Europe and North Africa”, published by PricewaterhouseCoopers, in association with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). The Desertec project is identified as one of the building blocks for the report’s vision. The report addresses the main challenges facing the author’s highly ambitious 2050 vision. But it also over-simplifies some of the challenges whilst over-complicating others. And in so doing, the authors weaken their case. >> Read More
Message in a Bottle
4th May 2010
by Lucian J. Hudson
This message
has been found in a milk bottle at Number 10. The author is a departing policy
adviser. It has been deciphered by Lucian J. Hudson, Partner and Managing
Director, Cornerstone Global Associates.
Dear Incoming Prime Minister,
If it is you, Gordon, welcome back; if it is David or Nick, good luck. If it’s Lord Mandelson, it was only a matter of time!
The UK general election campaign has necessarily focused on the question: Who should lead Britain? But the more important question has been avoided: How should the UK be led? >>Read More