Peace building is a global imperative and the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) works with the international community to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts in conflict affected states (CAS). The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan, national institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase conflict management capacity and intellectual capital worldwide. By law, the USIP is governed by a bipartisan Board of Directors. The Board is composed of twelve members from outside federal services who are appointed by the President of the U.S and confirmed by the Senate, and four ex-officio members: the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the President of the National Defense University, and the President of the Institute (nonvoting). The board is prohibited from having more than eight voting members of the same political party.
The first cornerstone in the creation of USIP was in 1976 when Senator Vance Hartke of Indiana and Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon introduced a bill to create the George Washington Peace Academy. After a hearing in the Senate it was decided that further research was needed in order to effectively address the needs of the world. President Jimmy Carter established a Commission that was chaired by Senator Spark Matsunaga (1916–90) and was referred to as the Matsunaga Commission. The Commission researched for over a year and a half and conducted a wide variety of surveys and studied different theories, techniques, and institutions involved in the resolution of international conflicts. The commission met with military and government officials, leading educators, conflict resolution professionals, and representatives from various religious, ethnic, and scientific communities. In addition, the commission met with thousands of citizens through a series of public meetings held across the nation. In 1981, the Matsunaga Commission issued a final report recommending the creation of a national peace academy. After considerable debate regarding the formation of a new institution, the U.S. Institute of Peace Act (PDF) was finally signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
- USIP works towards its initiatives through several different activities. Operation on the ground in zones of conflict, most recently in Afghanistan, the Balkans, Columbia, Iraq, Kashmir, Liberia, the Korean Peninsula, Nepal, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda. Projects include: mediating and facilitating dialogue among parties in conflict, promoting the rule of law, reforming and strengthening education systems, strengthening civil society and state-building. USIP also educates the public through events, films, radio programs, and an array of outreach activates.
- USIP performs research that has resulted in more than 400 publications that are beneficial for negotiators, policymakers, and academia. The books cover a wide variety of topics, such as, negotiating across cultures, conflict management and sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. Through this research USIP also develops innovative peace building tools.
- USIP organizes training on conflict management and educates government and military personnel, civil society leaders and staff of non-governmental and international organizations on topics like mediation and negotiation skills.
- USIP educates high school and college students about international conflicts with the goal of increasing the peace building capabilities of future leaders. USIP holds a National Peace Essay Contest that encourages high school students to learn about international issues and about how countries can best preserve security and world peace. There are a total of 53 winners and the person awarded 1st place receives $10,000.
- USIP also supports policymakers by providing analysis, policy options, advice, as well as providing a wide range of country oriented working groups.
- USIP has also organized three strategic centers organized around preventing armed conflict, working towards resolutions when they occur and promoting strategic plans for post-conflict stabilization. These centers include:
USIP supports peace building projects managed by non-profit organizations, including educational institutions, research institutions, civil society organizations, and NGO’s. The Institute has awarded funding to grantees in 46 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and in 81 foreign countries. Most USIP grants are one to two years in duration. Most awards fall in the range of $40,000 to $120,000.
Syria and Political Change
(by Scott Lasensky and Mona Yacoubian, USIPeace Briefing)
Stakeholders include the countries USIP is involved with, and the United States Government, such as the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Almost 90 percent of USIP’s projects (including grants projects) are in partnership with the US Government, non-governmental organizations, academia, and in collaboration with local partners on the ground in conflict areas.
Funded Grant Search
The Daniel Pipes Appointment
Daniel Pipes was nominated to be on the board of the U.S Institute of Peace on April 1, 2003. In response to his appointment a number of Islamic and Arab organizations protested.
Pro-Pipes
Anti-Pipes
Bush Appointee is a Bigot Disguised as a Scholar
(by Fedwa Wazwaz, St. Paul Pioneer Press)
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Founded: 1984
Annual Budget: $33 million
Employees: 85
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United States Institute of Peace
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West, J. Robinson
Director
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J. Robinson West received his B.A at the University of North Carolina in 1968 and his J.D from Temple University in 1973. West was on the White House staff from 1974-76 and from1976-77 he worked with the Ford Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Economic Affairs. From 1977 to 1980 West was Vice President of Blyth, Eastman, Dillon & Co., Inc., an investment banking firm. In 1981-83 he served in the Reagan Administration as Assistant Secretary of Interior for Policy, Budget and Administration, with responsibility for US offshore oil policy. His duties included preparation of the Department's $6 billion budget and general administrative oversight of its 75,000 employees. Since 1984 West has been the Chairman of PRC Energy, which he founded. He has served as a trustee of the $3 billion Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund, as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel, the Industry Policy Advisory Committee on Multilateral Trade Negotiations of the US Trade Representative, and on the National Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children. Robinson was nominated by the President in 2003 as a director of the United States Institute of Peace and the nomination was approved by the Senate.
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