026 - The UN General Assembly Goes Virtual

In our first episode of Season 2, we speak with Bermet Talant (Journalist, Reuters Institute Fellow, @ser_ou_parecer) about the recent presidential elections and referendum vote in Kyrgyzstan. We take a deep dive into the background of Sadyr Japarov, who won the contest in a landslide vote, and discuss his connections to former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, sources of financial support, and public appeal among rural populations and labor migrants. We talk about the events leading up to the vote, the new constitution, and the significance of a presidential system. We consider Kyrgyzstan's relations with Russia and China, the country's tourism sector, and how Bishkek can play a role in diplomatic efforts. Finally, we comment on the global trend toward populism and potential changes to reporting and rural-urban dialogue in light of this development, both in Kyrgyzstan and elsewhere.

In our last episode of 2020, we look back at some of our favorite clips from the year. We review Georgian words with Thomas Wier and historical swindling, gathering, and organizing with Maximilian Hess, Bernie Moore, and Shingi Mavima. We revisit some of this year's protest movements in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Belarus with Shingi Mavima, Hildegard Titus, and Sasha St John Murphy. We conclude with geopolitical developments in Eurasia, including global Russia with Olga Khvostunova, North Macedonia's NATO membership with Jennifer Ginsburg, and conflicts in the Caucasus with Ian Kelly and Karena Avedissian.

This week our guest is Hans Gutbrod (@HansGutbrod). Hans has a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and is a lecturer at Ilia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia. Our conversation is predicated on a piece Hans wrote which was recently published in Foreign Policy. We discuss a grand bargain to solve several conflicts at once for the greater peace across the Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean. We also talk about the role of Russia, Turkey and the West in any possible negotiations. 

This week we reflect on the role of the US president in domestic and foreign policy. We question the power of the office and evaluate the currency of a presidential visit abroad. We discuss the goals of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Tbilisi and consider how President-Elect Joe Biden's policies toward the Caucasus, Russia, and Sub-Saharan Africa may differ from predecessors.

This week we speak with Ian Kelly (Former US Ambassador to OSCE, Georgia; Professor at Northwestern University @ikelly731) about the origins of the ongoing conflict in Nagorno Karabakh, including the history of diplomacy between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the past few decades. We discuss recent diplomatic efforts by the US, Russia, and France, as well as the interests of Moscow and Ankara in the conflict. We also ask about the variation in support for the independence of disputed territories in the Caucasus.

In a normal year diplomats and policy wonks converge on NYC in late September for the UN General Assembly. On this episode of Spicy World we discuss the implications of the first ever work from home UNGA. We look back at some of our favorite historic UNGA moments. We highlight some notable speeches and themes from this year. And we speculate on the preferred video chat platform used by heads of state.

This week we interview Shingi Mavima (PhD in African American and African studies from MSU, Assistant Professor at University of Toledo, author of the novel Pashena, @TenziMavima). The episode starts in 1100 AD with the stone structures in Mapungubwe and the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe. We transition to the 20th century march for independence, highlighting the founder of the Zimbabwe African National Union Ndabaningi Sithole. We then discuss the modern day, including land reform and the Zimbabwe Lives Matter movement

This week we speak with Sasha St John Murphy (Visiting Research Fellow at Minsk Dialogue @SashaStJMurphy) about the ongoing protests in Minsk and throughout Belarus. We discuss how the demonstrations began, the role of women in the movement, and how it embodies Belarusian culture and society. We talk about the role of industries in protest and speculate over Lukashenka's funds and future.

This week we interview Maximilian Hess (Head of political risk at AKE Group, FPRI Fellow, @zakavkaza) about all things sovereign debt and the implications for international politics. We discuss Russian holdings of Ukrainian debt, financing from Beijing, IMF's role, and old school fraudster Gregor MacGregor.

This week, we interview Karena Avedissian (@KarenaAV, researcher focused on issues of governance, justice, and security in Eurasia) about the recent escalation in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. We discuss the background of the conflict and how the recent developments differ from past tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh. We talk about the Tbilisi-Yerevan highway and how technologies like Google Maps reflect border conflicts. We also consider Russia’s offer to serve as a mediator and Armenian views on its role in the region.