event

Corruption: Security’s Invisible Enemy

Tue. December 9th, 2014
Washington, DC

Corruption undermines such longstanding U.S. foreign policy priorities as the promotion of economic growth and democratic accountability overseas. There is also a powerful nexus between severe, systemic corruption and international security challenges, including violent extremism, mass atrocities, and state failure.

Corruption is often misconstrued as an intractable problem, but there are multiple opportunities for curbing it. This event will provide a platform to discuss how the U.S. government is working together with civil society and the private sector—both within and outside affected countries—to creatively promote accountability and integrity.

On International Anti-Corruption Day, Carnegie hosted an address on these issues by U.S. Under Secretary of State Sarah Sewell. Carnegie’s Sarah Chayes moderated the program, which was followed by a light reception.

Sarah Sewall

Sarah Sewall is under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights. Over the previous decade, Sewall taught at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she also served as director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy and launched the Mass Atrocities Response Operations Project.

Sarah Chayes

Sarah Chayes is a senior associate in the Democracy and Rule of Law Program and the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment. Chayes formerly special adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and is an expert in South Asia policy, kleptocracy and anticorruption, and civil-military relations.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Sarah Sewall

Sarah Sewall is under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights. Over the previous decade, Sewall taught at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she also served as director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy and launched the Mass Atrocities Response Operations Project.

Sarah Chayes

Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Sarah Chayes is internationally recognized for her innovative thinking on corruption and its implications. Her work explores how severe corruption can help prompt such crises as terrorism, revolutions and their violent aftermaths, and environmental degradation.