A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Why Pope Francis Will Visit Cuba on His Way to the U.S.
Pope Francis, who has taken a public role in U.S.-Cuba relations, will visit Cuba on the way to the United States this fall, the Vatican announced Wednesday. (...)Pope Francis, who followed his predecessors Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II in visiting Cuba and calling for an end to U.S. travel and financial restrictions on the nation, wrote letters to Obama and Cubaan President Raúl Castro urging them to settle outstanding issues and clear the way for a deal.
Soft Belarusization: A New Shift In Lukashenka's Domestic Policy?
In addition to the state's renewed interest in Belarusisation and cultural initiatives, support for these changes in society is also on the rise. The 'soft' Belarusisation policy and the activity of the organisations such as Art Siadziba are in growing demand in Belarus.
Kenya, Somalia, UNHCR Form Commission To Oversee Repatriation Of Refugees
On Tuesday, Kenya, Somalia and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said they had formally nominated four representatives each to a team. Kenya's Foreign Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed told reporters in Nairobi that the commission will help the three parties "discuss ideas" that will see a faster return of refugees to Somalia.
Chinese President Concludes Pakistan Visit, Praises Closer Ties
On April 20, Xi and Sharif signed agreements to begin building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a network of roads, railway, and pipelines linking western China with Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast. The corridor is part of China's aim to forge "Silk Road" land and sea ties to markets in the Middle East and Europe.
There's a Russian Troll in Your Computer. Now What?
The State Department has people now whose job is to challenge false online claims about the U.S. and our policies. If they’ve been successful, they should expand that effort. It won’t be easy: It has to be done fast and adroitly (two skills not always conjoined in the State Department) to be effective.
'Security Council needs Sweden's soft power'
As Sweden's government intensifies the campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council 2017-2018 the rights-based foreign policy the government claims it wants to carry out will be put to the test. The diplomatic entanglements with Saudi Arabia and the Arab League show clear differences between the nations of the world when it comes to their view of human rights, not least the rights of girls and women. Sweden must continue to make its voice heard.
Are Women the Key to Peace in Colombia?
As the country's five-decade war winds down, how the government disarms female fighters could define the coming truce. After 50-plus years, 222,000 deaths, $9 billion in U.S. aid, and 34 rounds of negotiations, one of the world’s longest civil wars might finally be nearing its end. Colombia’s president wants an agreement signed within months. Still to be resolved, however, is the question of how to return over 8,000 FARC fighters to civilian life, often within communities that bore the brunt of the violence.
How to Break the 'Mutually Assured Misperception' Between the U.S. and China
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has emerged as a key broker of perceptions between the U.S. and China. He was a member of the Berggruen Institute's 21st Century Council delegation that met Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2013 in Beijing and is currently director of the Asia Society Public Policy Institute.On behalf of the Belfer Center at Harvard, he has just completed a seminal report "U.S.-China 21: The Future of U.S.-China Relations Under Xi Jinping." Below are the key conclusions of that report.
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