Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
The longest running independent international affairs podcast features in-depth interviews with policymakers, journalists and experts around the world who discuss global news, international relations, global development and key trends driving world affairs.
Named by The Guardian as "a podcast to make you smarter," Global Dispatches is a podcast for people who crave a deeper understanding of international news.
- Update frequency
- every 3 days
- Average duration
- 31 minutes
- Episodes
- 1082
- Years Active
- 2013 - 2025
In Donald Trump V. International Law, Who Is Winning?
South Sudan's High Risk, High Reward Peace Process
On October 31, South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar entered the capitol city of Juba for the first time in two years to attend a peace ceremony. The ceremony in Juba was intended a confidence buil…
Under Reported Human Rights Catastrophe: Thousands of Refugees Languish in Libyan Jails
In mid September, I was sitting next to the journalist Sally Hayden while attending a press briefing near the United Nations when phone started buzzing with WhatsApp messages. Refugees and migrants …
These Are the Foreign Policy Implications of the US Mid-Term Election Results
As was expected, Republicans have held onto control of the Senate while Democrats have won a solid majority in the House of Representatives. So what does this mean for foreign policy and global aff…
The Top UN Humanitarian Official Discusses the Crisis in Yemen
Mark Lowcock is the top humanitarian official at the United Nations, serving as the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator.
When a manmade or nat…
Macedonia May Get a New Name -- And this is a Very Big Deal for International Relations
For 27 years, the question of what to formally call the country informally known as "Macedonia" has been a diplomatic thorn in the side of Europe and the Balkans.
Macedonia became independent upon t…
What Happens if the International Criminal Court Investigates American War Crimes in Afghanistan?
How India Defeated Polio
The challenge was immense
About twenty years ago, India accounted for over 60% of all polio cases worldwide -- in fact it was considered a "hyper" endemic country. Then, the Indian government teamed …
Canada Goes to Pot
On October 17 Canada became the second country in the world to legalize the recreational use of Cannabis. The first was Uruguay, which decriminalized Cannabis a few years ago. But Canada's move is ar…
Why the Latest Ebola Outbreak in the DRC is So Dangerous
The State Sanctioned Murder of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Will Shake International Relations
The Grand Strategic Failure of Trump's Foreign Policy
My guest today Ivo Daalder served as the United States ambassador to NATO under President Obama from 2009 to 2013. He is now the president of the Chicago council on foreign relations and he is the co…
Are Development NGOs Fit for Purpose?
My guest today, Nicola Banks, is a lecturer in global urbanism and urban development at the University of Manchester. She has conducted some pioneering research on the role of the NGO sector in globa…
A Conversation with Kosovo's Foreign Minister
I met the Foreign Minister of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli in a hotel lobby not far from the United Nations where the foreign minister had spent several days during the UN General Assembly last week.
I …
How Facebook is Abetting Rodrigo Duterte's Drug War in the Philippines
How Better Data Can Fight Global Hunger
Every year during UN Week there are a number of substantive and important issues discussed, new initiatives launched and new partnerships formed, typically around some big important global issues. It…
UN Week is Here! These Are the Stories That Will Drive the Agenda
All eyes turn to the New York and the United Nations as world leaders gather for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, better known UNGA. This is always the busiest week of the diplomat…
When UN Peacekeeping Works: The Story of the United Nations Mission in Liberia
In this special episode of Global Dispatches Podcast we are bringing you the story of how UN Peacekeepers partnered with the people and government of Liberia to help transform the country from one of…
Unmasking the Elite Charade of "Changing the World"
My guest today, Anand Giridharadas, is the author of the new book Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World. The book is a piercing examination of how the global elite have co-opted o…
The World is Experiencing a Dam Building Boom
The world is experiencing a dam building boom. According to research by my guest today David Hulme there are plans underway around for the construction of over 3,700 new dams around the world. And th…