May, 2011
The G8 retains its relevance in France, but for how long?
Last week’s G8 summit in Deauville, France, was met with mixed reaction. Some commentators questioned whether it would prove the organization’s last official summit, while others praised the leaders’ group for publishing official accountability reports on summit commitments. In this week’s interview, we speak to CIGI Distinguished Fellow and former Canadian G7-8 Sherpa Gordon Smith, who sounds a warning for Canada’s government to rethink its G8 and G20 strategies.
'Pre-1967' speech important reminder of global consensus on Israel-Palestine
After a week when US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both made major policy speeches on the future of Israel-Palestine peace negotiations, there has been widespread disappointment that neither leader placed anything constructive on the table to re-start talks. In this interview we speak to CIGI Senior Fellow and international security expert Mark Sedra, who says that Obama’s posturing was a necessary starting point for future talks, and with a commitment to creative and sustained negotiations, a resolution to the conflict is not impossible.
Strauss-Kahn arrest could finally accelerate IMF reform: Momani
While the May 15 arrest of IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has made international headlines and caused a leadership crisis at the Fund, the debate over who would succeed him was underway well before the scandal broke. CIGI Senior Fellow and IMF expert Bessma Momani says the crisis could ultimately benefit the Fund’s marginalized shareholders from the world’s emerging market economies.