Olivier Kamanda

Olivier is founder and editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy Digest. He has conducted extensive research on nuclear power technology, regulatory law and proliferation issues. In addition he has written on the rule of law in post-conflict societies and transitional justice in central Africa. Prior to founding the Foreign Policy Digest, Olivier was Deputy Campaign Manager for Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler. He also served as a Senior Management Analyst in BearingPoint's Homeland Security Sector.He is Truman National Security Fellow and a columnist for the HuffingtonPost's OffTheBus Project. In addition, Olivier has served on a number of boards including the Board of Trustees of Princeton University and the Board of Directors of the Nepalese Children's Education Fund.Olivier received his B.S.E from Princeton University and is currently pursuing a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he is an executive editor of the Journal of International Law.

Articles

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Video Interview: Roger Ballentine, former Chairman, White House Task Force on Climate Change

Roger Ballentine, President of Green Strategies discusses climate change with Olivier Kamanda. Mr. Ballentine served as Chairman of the White House Climate Change Task Force and Deputy Assistant to the President for Environmental Initiatives under President Clinton. He is a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and a Senior Fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute.

February 25, 2009
Olivier Kamanda
Climate Change - February 2009

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From the Mountain to the Sea: 'Climate Change' Changes More Than Just the Weather

This month, ten underprivileged youth from Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana will climb Mount Kilimanjaro in order to draw international attention to climate change in Africa. The trip to the “rooftop of Africa” is sponsored by the Kilimanjaro Initiative, named after Africa’s highest mountain. The climb is also supported by the United Nations' UNite to Combat Climate Change campaign. The U.N. Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfred Lemke announced, “[t]his year’s climb will highlight–with the melting ice of Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop–how global warming has a direct impact on the living conditions of individuals and communities throughout the world.” But the mountain range is not the only region of Africa devastated by climate change.

March 2, 2009
Olivier Kamanda
Climate Change - February 2009

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Justice Threatens Peace in Congo, Rwanda and Uganda

On January 23rd, justice caught up to Congolese warlord General Laurent Nkunda. The leader of the Tutsi militia which caused nearly 200,000 deaths in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was arrested by Rwandan soldiers, some of which were former allies. Nkunda joins other African warlords including Charles Taylor, Thomas Lubanga and Jean-Pierre Bemba, now in custody. The United Nations and Western countries request that these and other war criminals face justice at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

January 30, 2009
Olivier Kamanda
Outlook on 2009 - January 2009

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Was There Good News from Africa in 2008?

Headlines from Africa in 2008 recounted brutal riots in Kenya, a war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and election-driven chaos in Zimbabwe. But there was also good news. The International Monitory Fund has estimates economic growth for sub-Saharan Africa in 2008 at 6%, compared to global growth rates of 3 or 4%—a good sign given global food and fuel price shocks in the last year. Relative peace in former conflict zones like Cote D’Ivoire, Mozambique, Rwanda is noteworthy. In fact, President Bush announced the reopening of the Peace Corps in Rwanda this February, 14 years after the genocide forced the offices to close.

December 18, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
Free Trade Under the Microscope - November/December 2008

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Iran: Nuclear World Order

Iran’s recent test launch of nine long-range missiles is making its neighbors nervous. To make matters worse, attempts to dissuade Iran from enriching uranium (the process by which mined uranium is developed into fuel for nuclear power and nuclear weapons) haven’t worked. Several world leaders from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, China and Russia offered Iran trade deals and other incentives in exchange for a vow to stop uranium enrichment. Many of these leaders fear that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons under the guise of peaceful (or civilian) nuclear power development. Iranian officials claim their development of nuclear power is permitted under international law. Who is right?

July 25, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
Radical Transformations - July 2008

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Nepal's Lesson in Democracy

On July 21st, Nepal swore in its newest president, Ram Baran Yadav. But this inauguration is particularly noteworthy because it was the Himalayan country’s first presidential inauguration. After 240 years, Nepal’s monarchy was brought to an end with a change to the constitution in May. The abolishment of the monarchy was one of a number of steps taken to bring democracy, peace and reconciliation to a country that has been plagued by violence in recent years.

July 25, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
Radical Transformations - July 2008

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New Zealand's Energy Madness is Catching On

In 2004, Dr. Chris Mardon co-founded Energy Mad with the goal of reducing climate change through economical energy savings. Less than four years later the company announced a new initiative to solve the carbon emissions problem one household at a time. Energy Mad has created the first system for individuals and families to go carbon neutral.

September 1, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
Global Need for Energy - September 2008

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What can the international community do about corruption?

The results from Zimbabwe's election recount are nearly complete. A CNN source indicates that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai led with 47% of the vote to incumbent President Mugabe's 43%. After 28 years in power, Mugabe's campaign of violence and intimidation has resulted in international pressure for him to step down. Rampant corruption, food shortages, and over 100,000% inflation continue to plague the country's nearly 13 million people....

April 30, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
April 2008

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The General and the President

After six years of serving as both General and President of Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf stepped down as army chief on November 28th. He has allowed both of his political opponents to return from exile. In addition to pledging that "free and fair" elections will take place in January 2008, Musharraf has vowed to lift Pakistan's state of emergency by December 16th. Under mounting pressure from domestic and international critics, President Musharraf seems to be moving Pakistan towards democracy...

December 11, 2007
Olivier Kamanda
Militarization - December 2007

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Video Interview: Anne-Marie Slaughter, Princeton University (Part 2)

(Part 2) Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University joins Olivier Kamanda at Foreign Policy Digest to discuss the international legal response to the George-Russia crisis and the future of liberal internationalism.

August 19, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
August 2008

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Video Interview: Anne-Marie Slaughter, Princeton University (Part 1)

(Part 1) Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University joins Olivier Kamanda at Foreign Policy Digest to discuss the international legal response to the George-Russia crisis and the future of liberal internationalism.

August 19, 2008
Olivier Kamanda
August 2008

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China's Total Recall

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao announced a draft law designed to increase food safety on Wednesday. The new legislation comes in the wake of a nationwide crackdown on the sale of tainted food and other consumer products.

November 1, 2007
Olivier Kamanda
First Issue - November 2007

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Save Darfur... and the rest of Sudan, too

Representatives from the Sudanese government met with various rebel groups this weekend in Sirte, Libya, for a new round of peace talks concerning Darfur. The talks were aimed at ending the four year conflict between the government of Sudan and tribal rebel groups. But as the world's attention drew to resolving the Darfur crisis, a former conflict was resurfacing.

November 1, 2007
Olivier Kamanda
First Issue - November 2007