CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Building the Future: Freedom, Prosperity, and Foreign Policy with Dan Runde

Hosted by Dan Runde, William A. Schreyer Chair and Director, Project on Prosperity and Development, Building the Future explores topics at the intersection of global development, foreign policy, and national security. In each episode, Dan sits down for a discussion with a leading expert from government, the private sector, and international organizations to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the world today.

Author

CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Category

Government

Podcast website

www.csis.org

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2025

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Episodes

Multi-stakeholder and Public-Private Partnerships in Food Systems of the Future 21.06.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by C.D. Glin, the president of the PepsiCo Foundation and the Global Head of Philanthropy at PepsiCo Inc, and Ginya Truitt Nakata an expert in food security and an independent consultant. C.D. and Ginya share insights on global agriculture and food security, and how the private sector has the potential to facilitate the growth of more sustainab...

Diplomatic Relationships with the Vatican with Former Ambassador Francis Rooney 31.05.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Ambassador Francis Rooney, who shares insights from his experience as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and discusses the Vatican’s role in diplomacy as found in his book, “The Global Vatican: An Inside Look at the Catholic Church, World Politics, and the Extraordinary Relationship between the United States and the Holy See.” 

The Rise of Autocracies and How to Combat It: Discussing Charles Dunst's New Book 17.05.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Charles Dunst, the Deputy Director of Research & Analytics at The Asia Group, who shares insights into the global power struggle between autocracies and democracies and discusses his new book “Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman.”

Character Driven Leadership and the Ukraine Conflict with Dr. Evelyn Farkas 03.05.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Dr. Evelyn Farkas, the Executive Director of the McCain Institute, a nonprofit organization that focuses on democracy, human rights, and character-driven leadership. Evelyn shares insights from her government career, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia under the Obama administration, and discus...

Debt Transparency and the Future of International Development with Dr. Rafael Romeu 28.04.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Dr. Rafael Romeu, the President and CEO of DevTech Systems, Inc. Rafael explains how his company helps confront the challenges facing public financial management and debt in the developing world, both of which define the future of global development. 

Diversity in International Affairs with First Trip’s Dex M. Burns  19.04.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Dex M. Burns, the Founder, President, and CEO of First Trip, an organization focused on diversifying the field of International Relations by alleviating barriers for underrepresented college students to travel abroad for the first time and pursue global careers. 

Innovating Digital Technology in Agriculture with Agromovil’s Andrew Mack  07.04.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Andrew Mack, Founder and CEO of Agromovil. Andrew explains how his company helps connect small farmers with markets around the world and discusses the importance of digital technology in the agricultural sector, particularly in developing countries.

Insights into International Diplomacy with Catherine Ashton  23.03.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Catherine Ashton, former High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to discuss her new book, And Then What. Catherine’s book draws on her experience in the role to provide insights on international diplomacy and the strategic importance of the Western Balkans for the EU and the US. 

Denouncing Your Own Government with Nicaraguan Ambassador Arturo McFields  08.03.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Arturo McFields. Arturo served as the former Ambassador of Nicaragua to the Organization of American States (OAS) until his fateful decision to publicly break ranks with the government, call it a dictatorship, and denounce its human rights violations. Today, Dan and Arturo discuss that personally and nationally consequential moral decision,...

Foreign Policy Lessons from the Bush Administration: Discussing Stephen Hadley's New Book Handoff 22.02.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Ambassador John Simon, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, and Bobby Pittman to discuss a recent publication by Stephen Hadley entitled, Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama. Each guest held senior roles in the Bush Administration working on development in Africa, and they speak with Dan about their roles and the foreign policy...

The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership through Soft Power by Daniel F. Runde 07.02.2023

This episode Dan Runde is interviewed by Ambassador John Simon about his new book, The American Imperative. Dan’s book explores how the US can and must use non-military, soft power tools to entrench its dominant global influence in the face of competition from China and Russia. 

How the U.S Treasury Office of Technical Assistance Impacts the World's Economy with Larry McDonald 25.01.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Larry McDonald, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Treasury and leader of the U.S. Treasury Office of Technical Assistance (OTA). In this podcast, Dan and Larry discuss Larry’s career, what OTA is and does, and OTA’s role in shaping countries' economic systems and relieving the global debt crisis. 

How Loans Improve Lives with Kathy Guis 12.01.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Kathy Guis, Vice President of Investments at Kiva. In this podcast, Dan and Kathy discuss what Kiva does, how loans can improve lives, and how Kiva works with institutions to foster financial inclusion. 

The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter with Shannon O'Neil  04.01.2023

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Shannon O'Neil, Vice President, Deputy Director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller, Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. In this podcast, Dan and Shannon discuss the reality of globalization, the impact of regional trade, and her book, The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter. 

The Story of Opportunity with Atul Tandon 14.12.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Atul Tandon, CEO of the non-profit Opportunity International. In this podcast, Dan and Atul discuss Atul’s career path, the purpose of Opportunity International, the theory of change, and how loans can change lives. 

The Importance of U.S. Congressional Support for Ukraine with Peter Roskam 30.11.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Peter Roskam. Peter is a former six-term U.S. Congressman from Illinois and is currently a Partner at Sidley Austin LLP. Peter held some of the most significant positions in Congress during his tenure from 2007 to 2019. In addition to serving in the House Leadership as the Chief Deputy Whip, he chaired three major subcommittees of the House...

PADF: 60 Years Creating a Hemisphere of Opportunity, with Katie Taylor 16.11.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Katie Taylor, the Executive Director of the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF). In this podcast, Dan and Katie discuss PADF’s impact over the last 60 years, and the ongoing challenges and progress that Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have seen over the past decades.

Hong Kong Two Years Later with Olivia Enos 02.11.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Olivia Enos, the new Washington Director of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK). In this podcast, they discuss the CFHK’s work, the ongoing effects of the Chinese-imposed National Security Law (introduced to Hong Kong in 2020), the U.S.-Hong Kong relationship, and how listeners can help political prisoners in Hong Kong.

Bike Riding in Kabul: The Global Adventures of a Foreign Aid Practitioner with Jamie Bowman 26.10.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Jamie Bowman, who worked as a legal consultant across Asia, Africa, and Europe for various U.S. and international agencies. In this podcast, Dan and Jamie discuss Jamie’s career and her recently published book Bike Riding in Kabul: The Global Adventures of a Foreign Aid Practitioner. 

The Case for Panama with Ambassador Ramón Eduardo Martínez de la Guardia 19.10.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Ambassador Ramón Eduardo Martínez de la Guardia, the Ambassador of Panama in the U.S. In this podcast, they discuss how Panama is a great candidate for U.S. companies to nearshore operations, opportunities for tourism in the country, and Panama’s role in advancing the global health system.

The Future of Myanmar with Erin Murphy 12.10.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Erin Murphy, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow in the Economics Program at CSIS. In this podcast, they discuss Murphy's career and her new book Burmese Haze, foreign policy and Myanmar, and Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Launch of SCIF with Harry Bader 06.10.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Harry Bader, Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) at USAID. In this podcast, they discuss USAID’s new Supply Chain Integrity and Freedom program (SCIF).

The Road Ahead for Nicaragua with Ambassador John Feeley 28.09.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Ambassador John Feeley, former U.S. ambassador to Panama. In this podcast, they discuss Feeley's career in the foreign service, the importance of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega and his "mafia"-style dictatorship, the Vatican's relationship with Nicaragua's government, and short- and long-term solutions to the dictatorship.

Asia’s Journey to Prosperity: Lessons from Takehiko Nakao 21.09.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Takehiko Nakao, former President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In this podcast, they discuss Nakao's career in Japan's Ministry of Finance, the potential reasons why the U.S. and Japan did not join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Nakao’s various memoirs- including his recently published The Rise of Asia: Perspec...

America's Great-Power Opportunity with Ali Wyne 14.09.2022

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan Runde is joined by Ali Wyne, Senior Analyst with Eurasia Group's Global Macro practice. In this podcast, they discuss Ali’s newly published book, "America's Great-Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy to Meet the Challenges of Strategic Competition," how to learn from the Cold War, the future of the U.S.-China relationship, and U.S. compara...

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