The “2011 Leadership Symposium: Soft Power Protocol – Developing Common Language and Procedures to Harness NGO & Private Sector Capabilities through Partnerships Supporting U.S. Policy” was hosted by League for Hope and co-hosted by Pepperdine University in Washington, DC. An article summarizing the event can be viewed here.

The FSI is a leading index that annually highlights current trends in social, economic and political pressures that affect all states, but can strain some beyond their capacity to cope. Apart from the impact on their people, fragile and failed states present the international community with a variety of challenges. In today’s world, with its globalized economy, information systems and security challenges, pressures on one fragile state can have serious repercussions not only for that state and its people, but also for its neighbors and other states halfway across the globe.

The 2001 launch event included a keynote address by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, who spoke on the challenges that fragile and failed states pose for the international community. The debate centered on the motion that “failed states are a product of modern globalization.” Paul argued against the motion with partner Arvind Subramanian, of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Center for Global Development. A poll of the audience before and after the debate indicated that the “negative” side won.

Details of the event can be found here: http://www.fundforpeace.org/global/?q=node/115.

More information on the Failed States Index can be found here: http://www.fundforpeace.org/global/?q=fsi-grid2011.

Nine celebrities including Scott Mills, Dermot O’Leary, Craig David and Lorraine Kelly will stretch themselves further than ever before in an effort to raise as much money for Comic Relief as possible. The mission is to trek 100 kilometers (62 miles) over desert terrain, climbing over mountains and scrubland in temperatures of up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

Comic Relief is a British charity organization founded in 1985 in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief’s efforts is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March.

You can help support Comic Relief by donating at http://www.rednoseday.com/sponsor-donate.

Corporate, non-governmental, and public sector clients traveling to or operating within this region are likely aware of the deteriorating security situation in parts of Mexico as drug cartels, smuggling groups, kidnapping activity, and violent crimes increasingly threaten travel safety and business continuity. More than 34,000 drug-related deaths have been reported since 2006, while in 2010, some 45% of the 13,000−15,000 murders reported in Mexico occurred in the six states along the border. Additionally, an untold number of incidents go unreported, and violence and criminal activity are generally underreported.

In this potentially hostile environment, clients may be exposed to the mounting risks while traveling and operating in the region, and therefore may find great value in our relevant Information & Analysis and Risk Mitigation services.

The Information Operations Division specializes in actionable, real-time geopolitical and business information and analysis. Contact Info Ops for more information about the OVERWATCH product line, including this report and our international travel safety alerts.

We invite you to peruse the site, and share any feedback by contacting us. The site will be regularly updated as our business divisions and operations continue to expand – we hope you will become a regular visitor to www.paxmondial.com.

Coming soon: Video footage of the Jan. 24th event and speeches by Jeff Fahey and Amb. Michael Ussery.

Pax Mondial is also pleased to announce the formation of Pax Mondial Ghana Limited. Based in Accra and led by Resident Director Nasib Akill, our new presence in Ghana allows us to expand our offerings within the country as well as throughout West Africa.