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Democracy That Delivers

The Democracy That Delivers podcast is about democratic and economic development and the intersection between the two. Through their personal stories, guests share how their work is helping build stronger democratic institutions in countries all over the world and how they are tackling some of the major governance challenges that many countries face today. The weekly discussion covers a wide range of topics including entrepreneurship, governance, rule of law, and the role of the private sector in democratic processes.
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Now displaying: 2019
Dec 20, 2019

This week we are joined by John Zemko, Regional Director for LAC at CIPE, and Julia Pomares , who has been the executive director of the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) since December 2015.

CIPE and CIPPEC worked together during the 2011 presidential elections in Argentina to hold the first presidential debates in the country. During this most recent election, we saw the candidates debate each other twice. Results aside, and at a time when we are seeing protests break out all across the region, she discussed what we can take away from this election, especially regarding the state of democracy in Argentina.

Dec 10, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers we are joined by Narayan Adhikari from Nepal's Accountability Lab. They discuss his work in developing a number of innovative tools for accountability and open government, including a pioneering television show and movement called Integrity Icon; and the Mobile Citizen Helpdesks which have ensured citizen voices have been been fed into plans for $4.4 billion of international spending after Nepal's devastating earthquake. The Integrity Icon is a global program that now runs in 10 different countries.

Dec 3, 2019

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, announced a briefing analyzing corruption in the Balkans on December 3rd, 2019, titled:

IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY

Corruption as a Brake on Balkan Recovery

We are joined by Igor Novakovic, Research Director, International and Security Affairs Centre in Serbia, and Misha Popovikj, Project Coordinator and Researcher at the Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis Skopje in North Macedonia. They discuss CIPE's work on corrosive capital and the what they have done with CIPE since the launch of the report: "Channeling the Tides - Protecting Democracies Amid a Flood of Corrosive Capital."

Learn more about the event here, and watch it on Facebook Live.

 

Dec 3, 2019

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, announced a briefing analyzing corruption in the Balkans on December 3rd, 2019, titled:

IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY

Corruption as a Brake on Balkan Recovery

We are joined by Igor Stojanovic, Researcher with the Center for Civic Initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Martin Vladimirov, Analyst with the Economics Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy in Bulgaria. They discuss CIPE's work on corrosive capital and the what they have done with CIPE since the launch of the report: "Channeling the Tides - Protecting Democracies Amid a Flood of Corrosive Capital."

Learn more about the event here, and watch it on Facebook Live.

 

Nov 14, 2019

We are joined this week by Randall Kempner, Executive Director of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, also known as ANDE. He and CIPE's Director of Knowledge Management, Kim Bettcher, discuss ANDE's strategy over the past decade since its founding in 2009, and what its new strategy will be in the next decade. 

"What I and my team want to make sure, is that those people that are supporting entrepreneurs are benefiting from the best practice, the best knowledge and the connections so they are more effective at what they do, and then we want the world to embrace small and growing businesses as a tool to support the development and attainment of the sustainable development goals," says Randall Kempner about ANDE's goal. 

Listen to the full interview today!

Nov 4, 2019

Due to technical difficulties at the CIPE studio, last week's Democracy That Delivers podcast is being published this week. 

This week, Martina Hrvolova, Program Officer for Europe and Eurasia at CIPE, is our host. She is joined by Josh Rudolph, the Fellow for Malign Finance at the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund. They discuss the issue of party financing from foreign sources, focusing on some country examples and channels, including shell companies or subsidiaries of foreign companies in recipient countries. He also introduces ASD’s influence tracker - a depository meant to expose the Russian government’s foreign interference activities in more than 40 transatlantic countries from 2000 to the present across the five tools ASD tracks. These tools are: information operationscyberattackspolitical and social subversionstrategic economic coercion, and malign finance.

Oct 22, 2019

We are joined this week by consortium members of the Women And Girls Empowered program (WAGE) to introduce this global programming consortium. The mission of WAGE is to advance the status of women and girls around the world. The program is funded by the U.S Department of State's Office for Global Women's Issues. The consortium is led by the American Bar Association's Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) in very close partnership with CIPE, Grameen Foundation, and Search for Common Ground.The primary goal is to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations around the world to work holistically advancing the status of women. Guests include:

  • Denise Baer – Director of Evaluation, CIPE
  • Paula Rudnicka – Technical Advisor, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative
  • Marin O’Brien Belhoussein – Senior Program Officer, Institutional Learning Team, Search for Common Ground
  • Bobbie Gray – Research Director – Grameen Foundation

 

Oct 15, 2019

To enhance the capacity of Macedonian youth to engage in entrepreneurship, CIPE, William Davidson Institute (WDI) of the University of Michigan, and Youth Educational Forum (YEF) have partnered to develop a comprehensive youth entrepreneurship training program for North Macedonia. Since its pilot in 2017, the program supports and encourages youth entrepreneurship and private sector employment across various sectors of the country’s economy.

We are joined by Stephen Brand, Entrepreneurship Consultant of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, Martina Hrvolova, Program Officer for Europe and Eurasia at CIPE and Kim Bettcher, Director for Knowledge Management at CIPE.

Oct 9, 2019

What pathways can one take to get a job in international development? This week, we hear from three staff members who took very different routes to come to CIPE. From interests in governance, private sector and CSOs, or regional passions, CIPE provides all kinds of opportunities.

Sep 27, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by Martina Hrvolova and Ken Jaques. Martina shares a glimpse of her upcoming presentation at the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) 2019 Western Balkans Regional Conference. They discuss CIPE's approach to identifying and combatting corrosive capital through different governance structures, as countries are at different stages in their development, and the steps they are taking to recognize the threat. 

Sep 24, 2019

In this episode of Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by Peter Glover, Associate program Officer of CIPE's Anti-Corruption and Governance Center, and special guest Schuyler Miller. Miller recently returned from Trinity College in Dublin, where he completed his Master's Degree in International relations. He joins us to discuss the findings from his research dissertation on the relationship between international organizational input and financial disclosure reforms.  

Sep 16, 2019

In this week's Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by José Raúl Perales, Deputy Director of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) at CIPE. Perales and host Ken Jaques discuss the beginnings of GATF's work with CIPE, and how trade and the private sector can work better together. They also discuss the first project the team at CIPE has closed out, and the great successes that have come out of it in Colombia:

"It was a relatively small project, but the impact in monetary terms is 900% the investment that was made to implement the system."

Jose Raul Perales recently did a CIPE Insights video interview about some more projects GATF is currently working on. Check it out: https://www.cipe.org/newsroom/cipe-insights-with-jose-raul-perales/

Sep 4, 2019

"You need an infrastructure spine to build an economy," says guest Gyude Moore in this week's episode of Democracy That Delivers.

Gyude Moore is a Visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development, and former Minister of Public Works for Liberia. He joins Ryan Musser, Program Officer for Africa at CIPE, and host Ken Jaques, in an insightful discussion on the vast field of infrastructure development. They discuss a number of issues, including the presence and practices of leading bilateral lender, China, as well as the current gaps in infrastructure in the African continent and how that impacts the economy. 

Aug 20, 2019

Rick O'Sullivan joins host Ken Jaques and co-host Ryan Musser to continue their conversation about collective governance. During this session, they discuss the CAMP Matrix and its significance in explaining and understanding associations. Associations are not just about members. Members are only one of four core constituencies that associations need to engage to ensure their very survival. The other three, Customers, Allies, and Partners, are often overlooked but of equal importance to the success of an association.

Aug 14, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we are joined by Rick O'Sullivan, who joined us for episode #157 of DTD.

This podcast continues the conversation with co-host Ryan Musser, and host Ken Jaques. They examine the importance of civil society taking an active role in governing and not just advocating for government action through legislative or regulatory restraints.  During their conversation, they link  “third party governance” to self-sustaining CSO capacity, reducing corruption and countering the closing of civil society space.

Aug 6, 2019

Desmond Irabor is a Program Officer at Nigeria's field office. He has been involved in supporting and leading the implementation of numerous CIPE projects in Nigeria, that include:

  • Building state-based coalitions in 7states in Nigeria and a national women’s coalition that included state business agendas and two election debates (2015 and 2019)
  • A port-reform project with Lagos Chamber of Commerce and the Organized Private Sector
  • Building the capacity of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and developing a chamber accreditation program for Nigerian chambers
Jul 30, 2019

We are joined by Ali Ayadi, CIPE’s Country Representative in Tunisia, to discuss the changing social, political and economic environment of the country. He and host Ken Jaques begin by discussing the recent passing of the late President of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi. Ayadi then discusses some of the work CIPE does with partners such as the Jasmine Foundation and Institute Arabe des Chefs d’Entreprises  (IACE) to help boost youth entrepreneurship in the country, and how the office has been working with government, business, civil society to help pass reforms. One of such initiatives focuses on corruption, and how to help the business community identify top priorities to introduce reforms, noting that corruption is part of what keeps young people from being included in their national economy.

Jul 23, 2019

Emily Crain joins us this week on Democracy That Delivers to discuss her recent trip in Geneva, Switzerland, where she attended the Centenary of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Part of the conversations at the conference included the discussion of the convention concerning the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work. She describes the nuances of the convention with the tripartite system (government, private sector, and workers), and the resulting Convention 190. 

Emily Crain is the Director of Fontheim International, LLC, where she manages client relationships and corporate social responsibility initiatives. She also manages programs of GlobalWorks Foundation.

Jul 17, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers, our host is Lars Benson, Regional Director of Africa for CIPE. We are joined by co-host Ryan Musser, Program Officer for Africa at CIPE, and Eric Olander, the founder of the China Africa Project (CAP). CAP is an independent, non-partisan media initiative dedicated to exploring every facet of China’s engagement in Africa. The CAP is now followed by more than a million people around the world, especially among policymakers in Beijing and Washington. Eric is also the co-host of the weekly China in Africa podcast that is now among the top-10% most downloaded shows worldwide. Eric provides nuanced insights into China and its actions both in Africa and around the world, and the three discuss China’s “corrosive” investments across the continent.

Jul 9, 2019

Jehan Ara is a long-time CIPE partner, FEDN member, and President of the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA) based in Islamabad. Jehan is a motivator, an entrepreneur, a social activist and a strong propagator of extending the power and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) beyond pure traditional business, to empower and enable communities. 

In this episode, Jehan and CIPE's Regional Director for Global, Anna Kompanek, discuss some successes and challenges seen in Pakistan when it comes to advancing digital transformation of business, and the economy more broadly. They note that innovation and jobs increasingly depend on countries creating enabling environments for a digital economy.

To learn more about Jehan's work with P@SHA, please visit their website and their tech incubator's website, called The Nest i/o.

Jun 25, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we are joined remotely by author Richard C. Lyons. Lyons has been involved in printing, publishing, stage and television production throughout his professional career. His most recent work, "The DNA of Democracy," takes a historical look at the evolution of democracy through short essays differentiating distinct time periods. With host Ken Jaques, he discusses some valuable points about the current state of democracy, as well as what part independent businesses and corporations play in a democracy.

"The DNA of Democracy" is volume 1 of a 2 volume work. Volume 2, "The Shadows of the Acropolis", is forthcoming in 2020.

To learn more about the book and other works by Richard C. Lyons, please visit Lylea.com. "The DNA of Democracy" can be found wherever books are sold.

Jun 18, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers, we highlight CIPE's work in helping refugee populations in the MENA region, especially women, ahead of International Refugee Day on June 20th. Women comprise 49% of the Syrian refugees living outside of camps in Turkey, and more strikingly, 95% of Syrian refugees in Turkey are outside of camps. The Livelihoods Innovation through Food Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Project is an innovative approach to the humanitarian challenge of the Syrian refugee crisis, and benefits women who are disproportionately impacted by conflict.

In this episode, Barbara Langley, Director of CIPE's Center for Women's Economic Empowerment, and Marie Principe, Program Officer for MENA, recount stories of impact from the LIFE Project. They discuss how through the LIFE Project, the members, particularly the women, build confidence in public speaking and advocating for their product and themselves, and how they also build a sense of community with other women from different backgrounds.

 

Jun 11, 2019

Dr. Bijan Khajehpour is the managing partner of Eurasian Nexus Partners (Eunepa) – a Vienna-based strategy consulting firm.  He has advised international companies on West Asian markets for more than two decades. He has also been involved in mediation and negotiations of international business and investment partnerships.

In this Democracy That Delivers podcast, along with Babak Yektafar,  CIPE Senior Program Officer for MENA, he discusses the issue of corrupt networks in Iran, and how that affects the country’s population and harm the private sector.

“In the name of sanctions, all types of corrupt businesses are happening. It’s undermining the Iranian economy, it’s undermining the private sector, and it’s consolidating forces that are not constructive for Iran or for the region. It creates channels of goods and money that are hurting the regional economy.”

Jun 4, 2019

Zahid Jamil has over 20 years of experience a general law practitioner, where he specializes in technology (i.e. e-commerce, e-payments, and privacy), cybercrime and counterterrorism. Jamil has served as a cybercrime and cybersecurity consultant for the Council of Europe, the ITU-American Bar Association, the government of Pakistan, and is a member of the Commonwealth’s Cybercrime Experts working Group. He is a qualified barrister with primary practices in Pakistan and the UAE as a member of the Bar at the Dubai International Financial Center Court and the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and serves as a Special Legal Consultant to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In these capacities, he has drafted numerous pieces of legislation relating to cybercrime and cybersecurity.

During this podcast, Jamil, along with Louisa Tomar, Program Officer, Global Programs, and host Ken Jaques, discuss trends in cybersecurity and cybercrime legislation around the globe. Jamil suggested ways to improve cyber readiness in countries still coming online and what small and medium-sized businesses can do to protect themselves. Tomar referenced CIPE’s Digital Economy Enabling Environment Guide: Key Areas of Dialogue for Business and Policymakers, which includes guidance for business and regulators on cybersecurity legislation.

May 28, 2019

This week on Democracy That Delivers, host Ken Jaques is joined by two experts in the field of “corrosive capital” in the Balkans. Martina Hrvolova is a Program Officer for Europe at CIPE, and Ruslan Stefanov is the Director of the Economic Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) based in Bulgaria, a longstanding partner of CIPE. Stefanov is also a member of the Free Enterprise and Democracy Network (FEDN) through CIPE.

Stefanov and Hrvolova discuss CIPE’s corrosive capital work in the Balkans. Stefanov last joined Democracy That Delivers in the summer of 2018,  where he, along with other partners CIPE has in the Balkans, presented the results of their work on Russia’s economic presence in the region. In the first phase of this project (2017-2018), CSD and other CIPE partners from Balkan civil society and media came together to create analyses of Russian economic footprint in the Western Balkans. The results were launched at a U.S. Congressional Helsinki Commission Briefing. Stefanov discusses the work they have accomplished in the last year, and what some of the main challenges and successes have been thus far.

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