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Kofi A. Annan

Kofi A. Annan

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Kofi A. Annan, a former secretary-general of the United Nations and Nobel Peace laureate, was Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation, which mobilizes political will to overcome threats to peace, development, and human rights. He also chaired the Elders and the Africa Progress Panel.

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  1. How IT Threatens Democracy
    Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
    Free to read

    How IT Threatens Democracy

    Feb 16, 2018 Kofi A. Annan probes the ways in which social media, big data, and artificial intelligence can jeopardize open societies.

  2. Rethinking Sanctions
    Woman in Burma selling fruit Woman in Burma selling fruit/Pixabay
    Free to read

    Rethinking Sanctions

    Jan 11, 2016 Kofi A. Annan & Kishore Mahbubani argue for a more refined and comprehensive approach to changing states' behavior.

  3. The Grassroots of Climate Change
    Grass
    Free to read

    The Grassroots of Climate Change

    Dec 22, 2015 Kofi A. Annan argues that it is up to citizens to ensure that the agreement reached in Paris is fulfilled.

  4. Migration Realism
    Migrants Arriving in Lampedusa Noborder Network/Flickr
    Free to read

    Migration Realism

    Jun 13, 2015 Kofi A. Annan proposes a four-pronged strategy to ensure more humane treatment of those fleeing dire conditions.

  5. Saving Global Order
    annan6_photographer is my life_getty images_globalization Photographer is my life/Getty Images
    Free to read

    Saving Global Order

    Jan 29, 2015 Kofi A. Annan reminds us why renewing the international system is in everyone's interest.

  1. lboone2_Celestino ArceNurPhoto via Getty Images_ukraine Celestino Arce/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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    Europe’s Red Tape Is Helping Russia

    Laurence Boone & Nicu Popescu

    The European Union’s cumbersome and narrowly defined regulations for public procurement and spending are not simply inadequate; they are dangerous. They weaken the bloc’s ability to protect itself from a broad range of Russian hybrid attacks while prolonging Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

     propose a European Defense Production Act to help fast-track processes for public procurement and spending.
  2. posner31_Spencer PlattGetty Images_trumptrial Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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    What to Look for in Trump’s First Trial

    Eric Posner

    The intricate legal issues and colorful characters in Donald Trump's criminal trials will undoubtedly keep the media and the viewing public enraptured for months to come. But when it comes to the 2024 election, all that really matters is how the defendant appears to a narrow sliver of undecided voters.

     points out that optics, more than the law or the facts, will be what matters most for the election.
  3. nixonsaintil2_shark_749Getty Images_AIdataclimatecity shark_749/Getty Images
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    AI Holds the Key to Resilient Cities

    Justina Nixon-Saintil surveys the technology's foreseeable applications in promoting urban sustainable development.
  4. ito36_ KAZUHIRO NOGIAFP via Getty Images_boj KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images
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    How Risky Is Japan’s Monetary-Policy Normalization?

    Takatoshi Ito considers the implications of the central bank’s exit from negative interest rates and quantitative easing.
  5. bansal1_Getty Images_family Getty Images
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    As Families Change, So Must the Safety Net

    Neha Bansal urges governments to implement policies that promote intergenerational integration and solidarity.
  6. skidelsky200_Getty Images_speech Getty Images
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    The Language of Political Control

    Robert Skidelsky views recent linguistic innovations as manipulative efforts to compel “correct” thought and perception.
  7. basu101_Alfonso Sangiao iStock Getty Images Plus_voting Alfonso Sangiao/iStock / Getty Images Plus
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    Globalization vs. Democracy

    Kaushik Basu highlights the contradictions and vulnerabilities inherent in the current international order.
  8. coyle36 Alishia AbodundeGetty Images INFRASTRUCTURE Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images
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    The West’s New Infrastructure Imperative

    Diane Coyle explains why a broader conception of the term could reflect a renewed interest in investing in the future.
  9. bp iran israel Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images
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    An Iran-Israel War?

    Iran’s mass ballistic missile and drone attack on Israel last week raised anew the specter of a widening Middle East war that draws in Iran and its proxies, as well as Western countries like the United States. The urgent need to defuse tensions – starting by ending Israel’s war in Gaza and pursuing a lasting political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – is obvious, but can it be done?

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