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Bi-weekly News and Opinion Roundup - December 10, 2020

Holiday Message from the Director

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Supporters,   We know this year has been incredibly difficult for many of you. Your ongoing collaboration with and support of the Charity & Security Network has meant the world to us. Today’s environment – with a global pandemic and the rise of more authoritarian governments and movements – makes our work especially crucial. Across the globe governments are abusing national security measures to close civic space. But, with ongoing engagement with policymakers and collaboration with partners like you, we will continue to hold governments accountable and make meaningful changes to harmful counterterrorism policies and the protocols and culture they have created.    I would like to thank you for your readership and wish you all health, safety, and happiness. Collectively we look forward to a brighter 2021.   Happy holidays, Paul Carroll Director, Charity & Security Network

New from C&SN

C&SN Submits Comments on Financial Regulatory Proposals The comments highlighted the impact of bank derisking on nonprofits delivering aid and other programming, outside attacks on nonprofits, and the role of disinformation. Read more at C&SN News. (December 21) Language on Charities and Derisking in NDAA U.S. Treasury will be required to develop a derisking strategy under the banking provisions contained in the fiscal year 2021 under the National Defense Authorization Act. C&SN News reports. (December 16) Proposed Commission on Counterterrorism Policy Fails in Congress Legislation to establish a National Commission on U.S. Counterterrorism Policy to assess U.S. counterterrorism objectives, policies, and programs did not survive the latest attempt to move through Congress. Read the full story at C&SN News. (December 16)

Featured Resources

U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability The State Department released the long-awaited strategy to implement the Global Fragility Act, the landmark peacebuilding bill that seeks to address the root causes of conflict. View the strategy at U.S. Department of State. (December 22)

Civil Society

USA Downgraded as Civil Liberties Deteriorate Across the Americas The CIVICUS Monitor rates civic freedoms in the USA as “obstructed” following crackdowns on journalists and protestors in 2020. Debora Leao and Suraj K. Sazawal report at Inter Press Service. (December 16)

Counterterrorism

Counterterrorism — At Home and Abroad — Will Be Renewed Under Biden President-elect Biden is likely to pursue a range of counterterrorism measures, including sanctions, to obstruct overseas based right-wing terror groups. Jason M. Blazakis reports at The Hill. (December 9)

Humanitarian Access

In Syria, Put Humanitarian Aid Ahead of a Political Solution The Biden-Harris administration must navigate how to “depoliticize humanitarian aid in a highly fraught political context, while also elevating it to the highest political levels.” Daphne McCurdy and Charles Thepaut write at War on the Rocks. (December 17)

Peacebuilding

Reimagining the Path to Peace: Priorities for the New Presidential Agenda The Alliance for Peacebuilding published a holistic set of foreign policy recommendations for the Biden-Harris administration which include reframing counterterrorism policies. (December 21)

Sanctions

Treasury Targets Syrian Regime Officials and the Central Bank of Syria The new wave of sanctions further complicates international aid and development in the war-torn country. Read more at U.S. Department of the Treasury. (December 22) Sudan Removed from U.S. Terrorism Sponsors List As a result, Sudan gains access to international lending institutions and aid that operate on U.S. dollars. Max Bearak and Naba Mohieddin report at The Washington Post. (December 14)

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