In this episode, Dan is joined by Dr. Jonathan Ward, author of China’s Vision of Victory, to discuss China’s ambitions for the world and how the United States should respond. Jonathan explains that in order to continue leading a free world, the United States must focus on the source of China’s strength: its economic might. His recommendations include the United States more effectively trading with its allies, integrating its allies in Europe and in Japan, and ramping up funding for research and development.

In this episode, Dan is joined by Catherine Bertini, former executive director of the World Food Programme, as they discuss Catherine’s recent report for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs entitled, “Leading Change in UN Organizations.” The conversation is focused broadly on what it means to lead a UN organization. They discuss Catherine’s recommendations for reforms within the UN system, specifically targeted to incoming heads of UN agencies to maximize success in the first one hundred days in their roles. Additionally, they discuss Catherine’s distinguished career and her important work on improving gender parity within UN agencies.

In this episode, Dan is joined by Rick Rossow, CSIS Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, as they host two senior bureaucrats from the Indian state of Kerala, Tom Jose and Sanjeev Kaushik. They all discuss how Kerala is becoming a force to be reckoned with and how infrastructure development can take them to the next level. Additionally, they explain why transportation, water, and solid waste management are of high priority for the state; and the role of various development partners in financing Kerala's infrastructure plans.

In this episode, Dan sits down with Dean Piedmont, Senior Advisor for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) at Creative Associates, where Mr. Piedmont leads the charge in implementing DDR programs in various countries. Dan and Mr. Piedmont discuss the trends, challenges, and successes of past DDR programs, and how they can be redesigned for integration into Afghanistan. Their conversation touches on the critical role of stakeholders and builds a potential strategy for an Afghanistan program.

In this episode, Dan is joined by Pablo Maldonado. Mr. Maldonado led a comprehensive study of unique factors that are driving migration from the Northern Triangle, including vicitmization, household income, and international relations. Much of the extensive data analysis is presented in Creative Associates International's report, "Saliendo Adelante: Why migrants risk it all," which Dan and Pablo will discuss.

Pablo Maldonado is Chief Operating Officer of Creative Associates International, where he directs three program divisions including Education for Development, Communities in Transition, and Economic Growth. Mr. Maldonado also directs Creative's Business Development Division.

In this episode, Dan sits down with Sean Cairncross, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). As CEO, Mr. Cairncross leads the agency and provides strategic direction and vision as MCC fulfills its mission of reducing poverty through economic growth and advancing America’s interests around the globe. Dan and Mr. Cairncross discuss the recent MCC-Cote D’Ivoire compact, the addition of regional compacts, the MCC model, and beyond. They also analyze how the MCC integrates accountability and sustainability mechanisms into their agenda and how its threshold programs lead to successful country compacts.

In this episode Dan sits down with the Swiss Ambassador to the US, Martin Dahinden. Ambassador Dahinden began his diplomatic service in 1987, has headed many European oriented institutions such as the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining, and is currently exiting his position as Swiss Ambassador to the US. In this interview, our speakers overview the career of a successful diplomat, discuss Swiss neutrality and its purpose along with the role of Switzerland on the international stage, and teach us about the specificities and benefits of Swiss apprenticeships, and the importance of maintaining Swiss-US relationships.

In this episode, Dan sits down for a second time with Whit Ayres, author of 2016 and Beyond: How Republicans Can Elect a President in the New America, to discuss the issues facing the current U.S. political climate. Whit delivers his research on the uniqueness of national security and foreign policy issues in the context of politics, and how public opinion in these areas is more easily swayed. Dan and Whit also address the role of trade, China, and isolationism in an increasingly globalized and interconnected world by tracing a link between US humanitarian aid abroad, national security, and international image. Whit also speculates on what outcomes and issues are likely to be faced by political candidates in the 2020 elections.

In this podcast, Dan is joined by Whit Ayres, a GOP strategist and polling expert with 30 years of experience. Whit begins the podcast by highlighting key messages from his book, 2016 and Beyond: How Republicans Can Elect a President in the New America. Whit and Dan then discuss how President Donald Trump managed to win the presidential election in 2016 despite projected odds through his appeal as an outsider. Dan and Whit make predictions about the future of the Republican Party and its potential to galvanize minority populations, particularly Hispanic voters. Whit also highlights three common, ineffective scenarios that campaigns should avoid in today’s political climate.

In this episode, Dan interviews Alex Kitain, Chief of Party for DAI’s Revenue Generation for Governance and Growth (RG3) project in Liberia, and John Yates, Global Practice Lead for Public Financial Management at DAI. Alex and John both supported our recent report, Rethinking Taxes and Development: Incorporating Political Economy Considerations in DRM Strategies. Development programs focused on increasing domestic resource mobilization require relatively small amounts of funding and can dramatically improve the amount of money collected by governments. For example, Georgia was able to increase its domestic revenue by close to $4 billion between 2005 and 2011 with USAID’s support. Listen to the full podcast to hear more about how building strong tax administrations can help build countries’ self-reliance and reduce their dependence on foreign assistance.