Democracy That Delivers

Moments of political change don't last long — and whether they lead to reform depends on who is ready to act. In this episode of Democracy That Delivers, CIPE's Michele Crymes speaks with Cheri-Leigh Erasmus of Accountability Lab about how civil society can seize democratic windows of opportunity. They explore why trust, coordination, and preparedness matter more than speed, how funding constraints limit response capacity, and why private sector partnerships are critical to sustainable reform. The takeaway is clear: meaningful democratic progress requires relationships built before the moment arrives — and collaboration across sectors is no longer optional.

With Australian Foreign Minister Wong explaining that Australia and China "are in a state of permanent contest in the Pacific" what are Australia's priorities in the Pacific, as well as in Southeast Asia? How does Australia engage in creative diplomacy, and how can the United States and Australia reinforce each other's efforts in supporting market-oriented democracy in this critical region? CIPE's John Morrell is joined by Bill Costello for a conversation about Australia's perspectives on ASEAN and the Pacific. Bill is Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia Development and Programs with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was previously Australia's Ambassador to Timor-Leste.

As the emerging democracies of the Pacific Islands grapple with development challenges and geopolitics, the region is attracting greater attention from around the world. CIPE's John Morrell speaks with Andrew J. Harding of the Heritage Foundation about his recent article The Pacific Pivot: An American Strategy for the Pacific Islands, which is Heritage's first-ever report outlining a long-term U.S. engagement strategy for the Pacific Islands to support U.S. interests. As part of a special podcast series on Business and Politics in Today's Pacific Islands, Andrew discusses a comprehensive approach to U.S. Pacific policy, and he lays out how to build sustained bipartisan support for increased engagement with Pacific Island Countries.

As part of a special podcast series on Business and Politics in Today's Pacific Islands, CIPE's John Morrell discusses China's growing presence in the Pacific with Paul Barker, Executive Director of the Institute for National Affairs (INA) in Papua New Guinea. INA is the leading independent policy think tank in PNG, and is among the most influential thought leaders in the Pacific region. Paul discusses political developments in PNG, the role of China in political debates in the country and across the Pacific, and the impact of China's influence in Pacific Island Countries. Listeners will hear the perspectives of Pacific people on these geopolitical dynamics.

As Samoa prepares for a historic election this August, and as the country's economy emerges from the pandemic, CIPE's John Morrell sits down with Sam Saili, President of the Samoan Chamber of Commerce and CEO of SkyEye Pacific, a technology company providing innovative solutions for the Pacific. Sam discusses the state of the Samoan economy and business climate, the work of the Chamber, and he walks listeners through the upcoming election. Listeners will learn what to expect, how to interpret the respective campaigns, the role of the business community in Samoan politics, and what the election results might portend. This episode on "Business and Politics in Samoa" is part of a special podcast series on the Pacific.

A key driver of the modern increase in global entrepreneurship is the increasing participation of women in sectors that were once inaccessible to them. This Global Entrepreneurship Week, CIPE's Elena Ratoi sits down with Arijeta Pajaziti Qerimi, a trailblazer for women in Kosovo's energy sector. Together, they discuss how Arijeta's recent partnership with CIPE's Center for Women's Economic Empowerment is strengthening women's participation in Kosovo's traditionally male-dominated energy sector. Listeners will learn how new technology is decreasing labor-intensive roles, how young women are meeting older role models, and how more women-centered events are decreasing knowledge gaps. Guest Bio Arijeta Pajaziti Qerimi's professional career as an electrical engineer is complemented by her academic profile with a Master of Science degree from the Electrotechnical Faculty, University of Prishtina. In 2021 she has been graduated from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business in Gender Equity Executive Leadership Program. She has been part of the sector for almost 25 years. She currently works as an engineer specialist for SCADA / EMS in the Kosovo Transmission System and Market Operator (KOSTT) and as an executive director of AWESK (Association of Women in the Energy Sector of Kosovo) and contributes and advocate for many years to the advancement of the national agenda for the inclusion of women in energy.

Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka follow the September selection of a new president and are expected to put the country on a new course. What might that look like? Sarrah Sammoon, CIPE's field coordinator in the country, joins Regional Director John Morrell to exchange insights on the economic and political situation in Sri Lanka leading up to the November 14 elections, including the role of the private sector and the Women's Chamber of Commerce under a new government.  

CIPE's own Sousena Tefera, Senior Program Manager with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, hosts a discussion from Blantyre, Malawi, with key industry professionals McWilliams Mhone, Griffin Kamanga, and Mavuto Zabula. They explore the transformative impact of a new training program for clearing agents, which aims to professionalize the industry and enhance compliance with trade regulations. The guests share their personal journeys into the logistics and freight forwarding sector, the challenges they faced, and the significant benefits they've gained from the training. This episode highlights the importance of education and professional development in improving trade facilitation and economic growth in Malawi.

In this episode of the Democracy that Delivers podcast, Frank Brown, Director for the Anti-Corruption and Governance Center (ACGC), is joined by Cristina Ritter, Head of Governance and Anti-Corruption at the UN Global Compact (UNGC), in a discussion on the UNGC resolution and how it has served as a vital tool to bring together governments and the private sector in 190 countries to combat global corruption. With over 25,000 participants worldwide, UNGC uses national commitments to its business integrity policies to empower SMEs at the national level to leverage the power of collective action to advance anti-corruption compliance initiatives. Listen in to learn more about how UNGC has collaborated with CIPE over the years and what comes next for the organization.   —   Cristina Ritter is an attorney-at-law specialized in business administration with a professional career of 20 years in both the United Nations and the private sector. She is currently the Head of Governance and Anti-Corruption at the UN Global Compact. Prior to this position, Ms. Ritter worked for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) since 2014, where she provided technical assistance in various continents on the international standards and tools to address corruption and money laundering, while engaging in international cooperation and asset recovery. Over the years, she was designated Global Coordinator of the Integrity Component of CRIMJUST, a UNODC flagship programme against drug-trafficking, she became responsible for the Americas at the Corruption and Economic Crime Branch (CEB) and served as Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor twice. In this context, she engaged with chambers of commerce, compliance associations, private sector entities and companies in over twenty countries to promote business integrity. She also fostered private-public dialogue, achieving the adoption of multiple policies, legal frameworks and national anti-corruption strategies.

Contemporary anti-corruption work has moved on from the old model defined by the public-sector directives and towards a new system of public-private collaboration. Our guest Viviane Schiavi sits at this critical intersection in her work with CIPE's valuable partner, the International Chamber of Commerce. Listen along as she shares first-hand knowledge of the present and future state of anti-corruption work with CIPE's own Frank Brown and Anna Kompanek on this week's Democracy that Delivers. — Viviane Schiavi is the Global Policy Lead, Anti-Corruption and Corporate Responsibility at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). She oversees ICC's program in this area, which is based on the development of capacity building tools for companies and policy advocacy vis-a-vis the UN, the OECD, the G20 and other fora. The ICC Commission on Anti-Corruption and Corporate Responsibility that Viviane manages brings together over 400 companies worldwide engaged on integrity, anti-corruption, and supply chain responsibility. Viviane is an attorney and member of the New York Bar, American of French and Argentine origin, with over 20 years' experience in international commercial law practice and global policy. She is a graduate of Bard College and the City University of New York Law School. Before joining ICC, Viviane practiced international commercial law in New York City and in Paris with Arthur Andersen International (now Accenture).

Last year, Poland held extraordinarily consequential parliamentary elections where the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) lost its majority for the first time since 2015. Against this backdrop, CIPE supported a new project, "The Rule of Law – Our Future" through the Institute for Private Enterprise and Democracy (IPED) based in Warsaw between July 2023 to January 2024. As part of the Free Enterprise and Democracy Network Small Grants initiative, the project educated voters about the importance of the rule of law and encouraged youth participation in the election.   In this podcast, Program Officer Tamari Dzotsenidze from CIPE Policy and Program Learning is joined by FEDN Steering Committee member and president of IPED Mieczyslaw Bak and Director of Program Strategy Anna Szczesniak in a discussion on lessons learned over the course of the project and perspectives on engaging with youth.

In 2018, widespread protests dislodged a decades-long kleptocratic regime in Armenia. Known as the Velvet Revolution, these protests represented a culmination of decades of civil society organization and activism and the first surge of revolutionary action against Serzh Sargsyan following his attempt to cling to power.   In this episode of Collectively Combating Kleptocracy, Gayane Abrahamyan, an award-winning journalist and social justice activist, who served as a member of the Armenian Parliament as part of the My Step Alliance, joins the host, Max Levites (Senior Governance Specialist, Center for Global Impact, International Republican Institute), to discuss the key foundations and mechanisms that fostered a unity between civil society and citizens, leading to the Velvet Revolution. Abrahamyan shares her unique perspective on the trajectory of this unity and the involvement of marginalized groups while also outlining the importance of Armenia's new-found democratic narrative as an outcome of the Velvet Revolution, among other short-term but key successes.

Beginning in November of 2013, then President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych withdrew from a long-desired and promised EU trade agreement in the interest of consolidating a kleptocratic regime with Russia. The events ignited a series of both violent and non-violent large-scale protests in Kyiv, spanning many months. The protests, named 'Euromaidan' shifted the tide in Ukrainian politics and represented one of Ukraine's largest ever collective action movements against corruption and kleptocracy.   Vladimir Dubrovsky is this episode of Collectively Combating Kleptocracy's guest, joining CIPE's ACGC Program Manager Izabela Chmielewska, to discuss his personal insights into the Euromaidan protests. Vladimir has extensive experience working as a senior economist at Case Ukraine and as a chief expert at the Economic Expert Platform; and a rich experience working in macroeconomics, political institutional economics and governance and anti-corruption. Vladimir outlines the historical and political background leading up to the protests and uses his experience and insight to explore the events' tipping points and mobilization mechanisms. He also discusses the outcome of the protest, noting the shift in collective action narrative in Ukraine, the existing needs for reform and the unification of civil society in response to recent conflicts.   

In April 2008, contested election results and alleged electoral fraud in Moldova triggered public protests and political turmoil between activists and state authorities. Eventually, the Communist Party of then-President Vladimir Voronin was replaced it with a coalition called the Alliance for European Integration, which pushed for the implementation of a pro-EU coalition government. The term "Twitter Revolution" has become widely used to describe the movement due to the nature and importance of the revolution's digital mobilization. Notably, multiple types of social media platforms were used to mobilize people to come out to the streets in protest, demanding positive change in 2009 and again in 2019. In the past, anti-corruption reforms were seldom implemented effectively, and often used solely to mask the underlying roots of kleptocratic systems. With the election of Maia Sandu as the President of Moldova in 2020, the process of dismantling these systems has been underway, with more progress on the horizon.   In this episode of Collectively Combating Kleptocracy, Victoria Popa (Anti-Corruption Partnership Consultant, Centre for Analysis and Prevention of Corruption in Moldova) joins Izabela Chmielewska (Program Manager, Anti-Corruption & Governance Center, Center for International Private Enterprise) to provide insights about the cyclical revolution, with knowledge informed by an extensive background in Moldova's anti-corruption efforts, including the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, public administration integrity policy, and advocacy for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Popa outlines the political and economic context that facilitated kleptocracy and ignited collective action efforts in Moldova while also discussing specific mobilization techniques, including the use of social media technology. Lastly, Popa discusses the critical role that activists, journalists, NGOs, and international organizations have played in the collective action movement and outlines the wider impact this has had in the pro-democratic fight against corruption in Moldova over time.  

In April of 2015, a telephone wiretap exposed Guatemala's then-President Otto Pérez Molina, his Vice President Roxana Baldetti, and and other high-ranking officials in the tax and customs administration as having been part of a kleptocratic network involving fraud in customs revenues. The La Línea case, a reference to the wiretap, is known as one of the most high-profile corruption cases in the country's history, enraging the people of Guatemala, who joined mass protests to demand accountability and dislodge kleptocracy. Hugo Novales Contreras, a political researcher and advisor to the Bernardo Arévalo presidency and the Movimiento Semilla legislative bloc, joins the host, Max Levites (Senior Governance Specialist, International Republican Institute), to discuss the history and context of the La Línea case, and the driving motivations and results of collective action. Contreras' insight into the case outlines the nature of Guatemala's generational shift in how citizens view the role of the government, and how this turned into a mass movement to hold the country's leaders to account. He also discusses the importance of international cooperation as one of many key successes of and lessons to take from this collective action movement.

The 1Malaysia Development Berhard scandal (1MDB Scandal) is known  as one of the world's most prolific financial scandals. With billions lost as a consequence of fraudulent activity by a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, 1MDB, the scandal saw a huge backlash from Malaysian citizens, the media, and civil society organisations alike. In this episode, P. Gunasegaram, an Independent Journalist and author of 1MDB: The Scandal That Brought Down A Government, joins the host, Max Levites (Senior Governance Specialist, International Republican Institute), to discuss the history and context of the scandal itself and the motivations for and nature of the collective action response. Gunasegaram discusses the driving force behind the collective action movement, more notably the importance of the media and news outlets, derived from his own personal experience and involvement. He highlights the significance of cohesive and coordinated action by the media, civil society, and international actors working together to  bring corrupt government officials to account and recover stolen assets. Gunasegaram finally outlines the key lessons and success factors to take away from this complex and multi-faceted case and its subsequent collective action response.    

CIPE's Asia Director speaks with two young professionals in Bangladesh to learn their perspectives and first-hand accounts of the political crisis currently unfolding in the country. Civic unrest sparked by university student protests in June led to the fall of a government barely a month later, and the man who is perhaps Bangladesh's most famous citizen is now the head of an interim government. What is life like in Bangladesh today? How are people running their businesses? Is there reason for optimism? This episode of Democracy that Delivers discusses these questions and more. Speaker Bios Shurat Rana Rushmi is currently working as a Research Associate at the Center of Governance Studies (CGS). She completed her BSS in Economics from Bangladesh University of Professionals and her master's degree in the same field. She loves to take on challenges and find ways to run things efficiently. She has multiple years of experience working as a program coordinator for CGS in numerous regions of Bangladesh. Apon Zahir is a Senior Research Associate at the C Center of Governance Studies (CGS). He has multiple years of experience in journalism in Bangladesh, having contributed to several English daily newspapers and having in-depth knowledge of the print and media industry. His research interests include politics, media, human rights, and the effects of corruption in Bangladesh. John Morrell is the Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). In this role, he leads a worldwide team of accomplished professionals and is responsible for a regional portfolio of dozens of programs on anti-corruption, democratizing opportunity, public and private sector governance reform, and creating political space in closed countries. John is a noted and widely published expert on issues related to corruption and governance. In countries across Asia-Pacific, John has personally designed numerous initiatives that build the political, civic and market institutions necessary for governance that is both participatory and accountable, and for economic development that is both inclusive and sustainable

Ahead of the annual FEDN conference, we invited two of our FEDN members to discuss opportunities and challenges to democratic institutions in the Asia-Pacfic region. CIPE's Tamari Dzotsenidze hosts Reiner Heufers of the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies and Robin Sitoula of the Samriddhi Foundation in Nepal for a lively conversation on present and potential future of South Asian democracies. Listen to insights on how businesses and governments are working towards greater prosperity for all on this week's Democracy that Delivers.

This episode of the Democracy That Delivers podcast focuses on the SAHA Project, a CIPE initiative aimed at improving healthcare governance in Tunisia. Dr. Fatma Habboubi, the project manager, explains how the project, funded by the U.S. Department of State, seeks to enhance the healthcare system through legal and regulatory reforms. These reforms include clarifying the organization of public health facilities, simplifying pharmaceutical pricing, establishing a framework for continuous professional development, and creating a professional order for allied health professionals. The discussion highlights the challenges of navigating complex consensus-building processes and the importance of inclusive and collaborative decision-making to ensure effective and sustainable reforms in Tunisia's healthcare sector. Learn more about the SAHA project

This Democracy that Delivers episode delves into the complexities of the investment landscape in Argentina. Lesly Rubio, Senior Program Manager of CIPE's Latin American Programs, is joined by the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) Senior Program Manager, Demian Gonzalez, and the American Chamber (AmCham) in Argentina Public Affairs Director, Marina Senestro to discuss Argentina's recent and ongoing economic transformations.  The podcast examines Argentina's decades of political and economic fluctuations, and its current volatile financial crisis. As we speak, Argentina is now striving to attract foreign investment through a new set of reforms. There is no question that the arrival of a new national administration has represented a breaking point in Argentina since President Javier Milei has expressed his commitment to market-oriented solutions to tackle economic challenges.  Drawing upon CIPPEC's experience in Argentina, Mr. Gonzalez shares that the Omnibus legislation (or "Ley de Bases") highlights Argentina's great potential for greater economic growth through foreign direct investment (FDI) and increased international trade. Based on AmCham's expertise on investment in Argentina, Ms. Senestro explains the importance of transparency, partnerships, and regulations to maximize the investment in critical economic sectors, ultimately promoting national development and safeguarding investments.   

Our episode today focuses on anti-corruption messaging: what messaging has looked like in the past, the challenges and risks it poses, and novel approaches that could yield better results. Holly Sandalow, Program Officer at CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center, sits down with Caryn Peiffer, Associate Professor in International Public Policy and Governance at the University of Bristol, and Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham, who have authored the new How-to Guide to Anti-Corruption Messaging in partnership with CIPE and with support from the National Democratic Institute. Anti-corruption campaigns have been a staple of both foreign aid programming and civil society over the last 30 years, and there is often an element of awareness-raising that involves producing messages about the harm that corruption can do. There is growing concern, however, that anti-corruption messages may be ineffective—or even do more harm than good—in part because they are not being tailored, targeted and tested to make sure they have the desired effect. Drawing upon their own research and studies by fellow academics about the impacts & efficacy of anti-corruption messaging, Peiffer and Cheeseman discuss the risks of deploying messages that have not been rigorously tailored, targeted, and tested. Listen in to hear what ideas they have for crafting more effective messaging campaigns.

Episode Description This episode's Democracy that Delivers podcast focuses on how individual entrepreneurs and policy professionals are using business integrity and compliance programs to deepen trade ties in North America. Michele Crymes, deputy director of CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center (ACGC), sits with former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Tony Wayne, and Gabriela Blanco, an anti-corruption expert and specialist in corporate integrity, to discuss business integrity in Mexico's private sector.  Our guests share their perspectives on progress being made and challenges to creating a robust culture of business integrity and complianc in Mexico. In 2024, the institutions and mechanisms of trade in North America are facing the potential for significant change. This year's elections in both the United States and Mexico could lead to changes in the prevailing Untied States-Mexico-Canda Agreement. Regardless of the respective electoral outcomes, business will keep flowing between the three countries, and thus business integrity will remain a focus. Drawing upon his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Mr. Wayne discusses the impunity rate for crime in Mexico, how a lack of business integrity hurts entrepreneurs, and what is presently being done to create a stronger business environment. Ms. Blanco likewise integrates her years of corporate governance work to examine how CIPE programs work with international firms and Mexican entrepreneurs to try to deliver better outcomes for stakeholders.

Description Corruption in the shipping industry is a persistent challenge for fair trade across the world, estimated by our guests to cost the international economy billions of dollars each year. The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) is a global business network of over 200 companies that, since 2011, has become a pre-eminent example of collective action to battle corruption. On this week's Democracy that Delivers podcast, CIPE Program Director for Anti-Corruption and Compliance Ekaterina Lysova sits with MACN Associate Director for Collective Action and Partnerships Martin Benderson and owner of QBIS Consulting Thomas Westergaard-Kabelmann. The guests discuss their new, groundbreaking study of the cost of maritime corruption to the shipping industry and society using the example of Nigeria. Martin and Thomas utilize unique data and an innovative methodology to assess both the direct and indirect or hidden costs of corruption in Nigeria's ports and maritime sector over the period of 2019-2023.  Their resulting assessment serves as a powerful case study for the wide-reaching implications of maritime corruption on low- and middle-income countries. Listen to these experts discuss how they performed their research, what trends the study reveals, and how their approach can be utilized by other researchers and anti-corruption practitioners seeking to understand the true costs of corruption in various industries and economic sectors. STUDY LINK

Description Challenged by a legacy of oligarchic state capture and a war raging in neighboring Ukraine, Moldova has made significant strides in recent years in putting in place anti-corruption structures that strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions. In the forefront of that effort is Moldova's Chief Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, Veronica Dragalin, a former Assistant United States Attorney who emigrated from Moldova as a child. In this episode of Democracy that Delivers, Dragalin discusses her innovations that she's introduced such as plea agreements, as well as the importance of building trust in the judiciary among a skeptical public. She joins Frank Brown, Director of CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center, and Natalia Otel Belan, Director of CIPE's Europe and Eurasia Division, to highlight her unique personal story, explain Moldova's prosecutorial process, share the challenges and innovative tactics her office has used to crack down on corrupt behavior, and preview future plans for addressing corruption.   This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center.

In 2022, FEDN Member Grace Nzou began the project "Using Democratic Spaces to Promote Ethical Practices in Business." As one of the inaugural FEDN small grants projects, the first phase of the project focused on training youth in Elgeyo Marakwet on ethical entrepreneurship. The second phase focused on implementation, working with youth to submit memoranda, track budgets, and build lasting partnerships.   In the final installment of this year's FEDN small grants series, tune into a conversation hosted by Program Officer Tamari Dzotsenidze with Grace Nzou and Edwin Ronoh from RESTHUB on empowering youth in agribusiness and ensuring the sustainability of learning programs.

Between July 2024 to January 2024, CIPE supported a new project, "Democracy: A Digital Story for Young Generations" through the Kurdistan Economic Development Organization (KEDO). As part of the Free Enterprise and Democracy Network (FEDN) Small Grants initiative, they created a new website to educate youth on the importance of democratic values and institutions. In the second episode of the FEDN small grants series, join Program Officer Tamari Dzotsenidze in a conversation with FEDN Member and General Director of KEDO Hussam Barzinji and Public Relations Officer Mustafa AbdulKareem on extending beyond the digital realm and finding hope under difficult circumstances.

Episode Description Last year, Poland held extraordinarily consequential parliamentary elections where the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) lost its majority for the first time since 2015. Against this backdrop, CIPE supported a new project, "The Rule of Law – Our Future" through the Institute for Private Enterprise and Democracy (IPED) based in Warsaw between July 2023 to January 2024. As part of the Free Enterprise and Democracy Network Small Grants initiative, the project educated voters about the importance of the rule of law and encouraged youth participation in the election.   In this podcast, Program Officer Tamari Dzotsenidze from CIPE Policy and Program Learning is joined by FEDN Steering Committee member and president of IPED Mieczyslaw Bak and Director of Program Strategy Anna Szczesniak in a discussion on lessons learned over the course of the project and perspectives on engaging with youth.

Episode Description The Ruggie Framework is a three-pronged approach that includes the obligations of corporations to uphold human rights, the responsibility of the state to protect those rights, and the provision of effective remedies for any infringements.  In this CIPE Anti-Corruption and Governance Center (ACGC) podcast, Luis Fernando de Angulo, Senior Advisor to the Center for Responsible Business and a member of the Institute for Human Rights and Business, joins Michele Crymes and Angela Maria Velez of CIPE as they analyze the experience of Colombia's private sector in upholding the Ruggie Framework. They discuss the private sector's successes, challenges, and potential areas to improve the support of human rights going forward. Crymes is ACGC Deputy Director and Velez is the Program Director for CIPE Colombia.    More Information In 2008, the United Nations Special Representative, John Ruggie, introduced a framework to the United Nations Human Rights Council to address the relationship between human rights and business activities. This framework, known as the Ruggie Principles, was a three-pronged approach that included the obligations of corporations to uphold human rights, the responsibility of states to protect these rights, and the provision of effective remedies for any infringements. In 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council unanimously approved and endorsed the Ruggie Framework, otherwise known as the United Nations' Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.  Our special guest, Luis Fernando de Angulo, joins this podcast to analyze the Colombian private sector's experiences of upholding the Ruggie Framework. Specifically, we will discuss the private sector's successes, challenges, and areas to improve the supporting of human rights in the future. 

Anticorruption Taskforce Sudan, ACT-Sudan, is a newly established coalition of local Sudanese civil society organizations dedicated to identifying and combating corruption in Sudan to achieve the ultimate goal of ending the war and bringing justice to the people of Sudan. The task force aims to address corruption through advocacy campaigns, investigative research, and public mobilization. Omayma Gutabi, Executive Director of the Sudan Democracy First Group and founding member of ACT-Sudan, joins Staci Samuels, Program Officer for CIPE's Anti-Corruption and Governance Center, in discussion on why tackling corruption issues is key to ending the war and restoring peace to Sudan. This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption and Governance Center.

One year after devasting earthquakes in Türkiye, Erhan Arslan of TÜRKONFED joins Babak Yektafar, CIPE Program Director, and Stephen Rosenlund, Deputy Director of CIPE's Middle East and North Africa Team. TÜRKONFED, a CIPE partner, is an independent business confederation representing 30 federations and 300 associations with more than 60,000 company members across Türkiye. Arslan, TÜRKONFED's Deputy Secretary General – Project Development and Coordination, discusses his organization's mobilization of business associations to assist with recovery, the collective action of the private sector in rebuilding communities, and their new report that highlights supply chain resilience for economic recovery.

Fostering Growth & Collaboration in Central Asia with B5+1 The B5+1 is a business dialogue platform for the five central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, along with the United States. The Center for International Private Enterprise had a leading role in bringing these voices of the private sector together, including convening a two-day conference in Kazakhstan in March 2024. CIPE's Executive Director, Andrew Wilson, is joined by Eric Hontz, Director of CIPE's Center for Accountable Investment (CAI) and Sobir Kurbanov, Senior Program Manager for CIPE's Europe and Eurasia team to discuss the background of the B5+1, how this conference will address of the issues of different investment models in Central Asia, and what outcomes the conference hopes to achieve long term. Eric Hontz - Center for International Private Enterprise Eric Hontz leads CIPE's Center for Accountable Investment which uses the lens of Corrosive and Constructive Capital to examine the impact of investment on democratic and market institutions.  The CAI's work sits at the confluence of corporate governance, the rule of law, and the business and investment climate, with... www.cipe.org   Andrew Wilson - Center for International Private Enterprise Andrew Wilson is the Executive Director of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) in Washington, D.C. Wilson has extensive experience working with the private sector on development issues in conflict and post-conflict settings, crafting successful business strategies to reduce corruption, encouraging en... www.cipe.org  

Two authors of the groundbreaking U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) join the podcast to discuss one of the most sweeping and consequential anti-corruption laws of the last four decades. Tom Firestone, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs, and Scott Greytak, Director of Advocacy at the U.S. chapter of Transparency International (TI), discuss the importance of FEPA. The law makes it a crime for a foreign official to demand or accept a bribe from a company with a U.S. nexus, including those listed on a U.S. stock exchange. The guests join Frank Brown, Director of CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center, to discuss who the law covers, the steps needed to enforce it, and what it means for other countries seeking to adopt similar legislation. This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center.   

Elizabeth David-Barrett, Director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption at the University of Sussex, is one of the co-editors of the "Dictionary of Corruption." She joins Katya Lysova, who leads CIPE's Business Integrity and Anti-Corruption and Governance Programs in Europe and Eurasia, and Sofiia Sapihura, Senior Humanitarian Aid and Anti-Corruption Expert for CIPE's Europe and Eurasia team, to discuss the purpose of the dictionary, the methodology employed to create it, the ever-evolving forms of corruption and related terminologies, and how this first-ever dictionary of corruption can be applied. This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption and Governance Center.

Hernando De Soto is the Founder and President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy (ILD) in Peru – CIPE's first developing-country partner. ILD and De Soto shaped Peru's economic modernization by influencing some 400 state initiatives, regulations and laws; CIPE replicated this success by forming thousands of partnerships with business associations, think tanks and civil society groups worldwide. For this podcast, De Soto joins CIPE Executive Director Andrew Wilson to discuss the importance of the informal economy, the central role of property rights, and the early successes of the ILD-CIPE partnership. 

Sabrina Segal, a risk and compliance professional with almost 20 years in the international development humanitarian sector, says there's a link between democracy and third-sector anti-corruption efforts, also commonly referred to as charities and nonprofit organizations. In this podcast, she joins Michele Crymes, Deputy Director for CIPE's Anti-Corruption and Governance Center, to discuss the importance of risk considerations in operations and knowledge sharing between third-sector organizations and small- and medium-sized enterprises. Segal and Crymes also debate how the private sector can serve as a better partner to the third sector. This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption and Governance Center.

Dr. Patrick Mardini, CEO of the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies (LIMS), is a leading advocate for market-based solutions to Lebanon's economic challenges. One year since their first conversation on the podcast, Dr. Mardini updates Marie A. Principe, Program Director for CIPE's Middle East and North Africa team, on the ongoing financial crisis, prospects for reform in key sectors, and how LIMS is engaging local leaders for change. 

Amy Miller-Taylor, Executive Director, and Elsa Peraldi, Associate Director, are executives at Global Integrity, a Washington-based anti-corruption NGO that is closing at the end of 2023. In its 18 years of existence, Global Integrity helped nurture what is today a global anti-corruption movement of unprecedented scope and impact. The organization was established on the belief that transformative change requires deep local expertise, something it helped build into CIPE's operations. Miller-Taylor and Peraldi speak with Frank Brown, director of CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center, to discuss why Global Integrity is closing, what might have been done to prevent it, and how Global Integrity's legacy will be preserved for the scores of anti-corruption organizations that had depended on the organization. This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center.

Selima Ahmad, Founder of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI), joins John Morrell, Regional Director for CIPE's Asia and Pacific team to discuss empowering women entrepreneurs. They highlight CIPE and BWCCI's partnership and how their work breaks down barriers, Ahmad's story of perseverance in founding the BWCCI, and Bangladesh's current political and economic outlook.

It's a pivotal moment in Cambodia's history, and Charles Dunst joins the Democracy That Delivers podcast to discuss the leadership transition as Prime Minister Hun Sen hands power to his son Hun Manet. Does this create a once-in-a-lifetime historic change for the country? Dunst is a regional expert and the author of Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman, and joins Jennifer Anderson, Program Director for CIPE's Asia & Pacific team, to discuss implications of this historic transition and what it means for Cambodia's future. 

The Ukrainian Business Women Platform, founded by President Nadiia Lysetska, specializes in assisting business women and women entrepreneurs, especially during wartime in Ukraine.Lysetska and Kateryna Khudyk, platform mentor, join Deputy Director of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Programs Stephen Rosenlund, CAE, IOM, to explain the essential mission of the association and its impact. Both Lysetska and Khudyk draw from their personal business experience and explain how the war has changed the role of women in the economy and how the platform empowers those women.

Nadiya Bedrychuk, Ukrainian Direct Selling Association Executive Director and Ukrainian Business Council board member discusses her vision for Ukraine's future and policy changes necessary to strengthen Ukraine's business climate and drive growth. 

Sankhitha Gunaratne, Deputy Executive Director at Transparency International Sri Lanka, joins Barada Regmi, Asia Program Officer, and Emma Yingst, Asia Program Associate, to discuss the latest anti-corruption efforts in the country, including a law that was recently certified and the launch of a government diagnostic report. Sri Lanka faced its most severe economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948 due to widespread corruption, leading to the Aragalaya protest movement in 2022. Gunaratne explains the economic causes of corruption and the roles and influence of her organization and others, including the International Monetary Fund.  This podcast is brought to you by CIPE's Anti-Corruption & Governance Center.

Acclaimed Russia expert Jill Dougherty examines the history of Ukraine and Russia and offers her thoughts on the future.  Based on her experience as a former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief and Georgetown University professor, Dougherty discusses the global implications of Russia's brutal aggression and how Ukraine continues to inspire.

Marcin Nowacki, President European Enterprise Alliance shares his bold ideas to help strengthen Ukraine's economy. As a leading figure in Poland's business community, Nowacki is spearheading initiatives to address supply chain challenges and open opportunities for Ukrainian companies. Tune in to learn how Ukraine's economic entrepreneurial spirit is helping to fuel the economy.

Natan Epstein, Deputy Division Chief and Deputy Mission Chief for Ukraine at the International Monetary Fund offers his perspective on how global investors are thinking about their support and loans, and what Ukraine can do to build lasting growth and stability.  

Feeding Ukraine's Future features a discussion with Andrii Dykun, Chairman of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council. The agriculture sector has been a main engine of Ukraine's economy since before the war. This podcast provides a stark look at everyday life for the country's network of farmers, considered some of the country's most important small business owners. Some have been imprisoned by the invaders and others are being forced to sell their crops below cost.