Reviving Arms Control, the Dangers of Illegal Fishing, and More

February 4, 2023

Missile Combat Crew commander prepares for an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile launch at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

Some of the greatest foreign policy problems and international challenges today concern arms control, but the policy discussions on this topic have become lackluster in recent years. Amy Nelson outlines four challenges that are contributing to the arms control crisis.

Getting rice right in Liberia

"Liberians' dogged reliance on imported food is not sustainable. The looming food security crisis is an opportunity to finally tackle rice availability on three main fronts: Boosting smallholder production; taking agribusiness micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to scale; and attracting commercial agri-food enterprises," writes Liberian Minister of Agriculture Jeanine Milly Cooper in a Foresight Africa viewpoint.

The US must act to stop illegal fishing in 2023

Last year, the Biden administration strengthened U.S. policy to counter the dangers of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This year, it's time to translate policy into action. Brookings Federal Executive Fellow Brad McNally explains the threats posed by IUU fishing, Biden's policy framework to tackle it, and what needs to happen now.

Previewing Biden's State of the Union

On February 7, President Biden will deliver his second State of the Union (SOTU) address. In a new series, Brookings experts look at what the speech may cover and outline policy opportunities for the year ahead. See a selection of posts below and join us on February 6 for our preview webcast.

What's next for U.S. immigration? Congress has not passed any significant immigration legislation since 1996. Biden should call for congressional action on the issue, Tara Watson says.

The documents investigation. Biden's SOTU address will take place against the backdrop of a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents. Taylor Redd, Norman Eisen, and Colby Galliher discuss how Biden may acknowledge this controversy.

Restarting the privacy debate. With Congress divided, privacy legislation could be a rare area for bipartisan cooperation. It would be logical for the president to reiterate his support for comprehensive privacy legislation in this year's SOTU address, Cameron Kerry argues.

The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

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