Languages: English
Areas of Expertise: United Nations system; European security and defence policy; Africa; Western Balkans
Richard Gowan is an associate fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. His topics of focus range from the UN to conflict management.
Gowan teaches at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and writes a weekly column ("Diplomatic Fallout") for World Politics Review. He was previously research director at New York University's Center on International Cooperation, and has recently worked as a consultant with the International Crisis Group, the Simon--Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the UN Department of Political Affairs.
Richard Gowan - 22 January 2019
Although their new friendship treaty does not call for an EU Security Council seat, France and Germany must pitch a compelling vision of multilateralism at the UN.
Mark Leonard and Richard Gowan go through the likely talking points at the meeting and discuss what might be on some countries' hidden agendas. The podcast was recorded on 19 September 2018.
Bookshelf:
The Secret of the World: A History of Intelligence by Christopher Andrew
Enough Said by Mark Thompson
Katharina Botel-Azzinnaro & Richard Gowan - 10 May 2018
Richard Gowan gives his thoughts.
Policy Brief
by Richard Gowan - 08th May, 2018
Brexit has the potential to upset European coordination on development and human rights across the UN system.
PDF
Richard Gowan - 23 March 2018
Brutal transactional talks is the only language the new National Security Advisor understands.
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard talks with ECFR’s U.N. expert Richard Gowan among other things about Trump and Macron's addresses at the UNGA, the Korean nuclear crisis, the Iran deal and the Syrian peace process.
The podcast was recorded on 21st September 2017.
Bookshelf:
John Le Carré, A Legacy of Spies
Hillary Clinton, What Happened
Zygmunt Bauman, Retrotopia
Richard Gowan - 25 July 2017
Running the United Nations is a lonely job for António Guterres - and he seems to prefer it that way.
by Richard Gowan - 08th May, 2018
Brexit has the potential to upset European coordination on development and human rights across the UN system.
PDF
by Richard Gowan - 28th April, 2017
Taking early steps to tackle humanitarian crises is a chance to show the EU has not entirely lost a sense of strategic purpose and that it is able to meet moral
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by Mathieu Duchâtel, Richard Gowan, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil - 14th June, 2016
China is taking on a new military role in Africa, seeking to boost its image as a great power that promotes peace and security worldwide.
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by Dennison et al. - 28th January, 2016
The sixth ECFR Foreign Policy Scorecard highlights the EU's diminishing ability to influence its neighbours, and the neighbourhood's growing impact on the EU.
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EPUB
Mobi
by Susi Dennison , François Godement, Richard Gowan, Daniel Levy, Kadri Liik , Jeremy Shapiro , Nick Witney - 09th July, 2015
The EU needs an honest assessment of its capabilities and to set limited goals behind which member states can show sustainable unity
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EPUB
Mobi
Richard Gowan - 22 January 2019
Although their new friendship treaty does not call for an EU Security Council seat, France and Germany must pitch a compelling vision of multilateralism at the UN.
Richard Gowan - 23 March 2018
Brutal transactional talks is the only language the new National Security Advisor understands.
Richard Gowan - 25 July 2017
Running the United Nations is a lonely job for António Guterres - and he seems to prefer it that way.
Richard Gowan - 11 November 2016
Before January, Europeans should make preparations to safeguard the UN, again.
Richard Gowan - 19 September 2016
There are still, for now, some very serious European contenders with real chances of success.
Richard Gowan & Manuel Lafont Rapnouil - 28 June 2016
Even if the UK is a diminished power after Brexit international partners will still need its cooperation in the UN and NATO.
Richard Gowan - 27 May 2016
This week’s World Humanitarian Summit was an opportunity to discuss how to assist the suffering, yet the entire process showed much of the humanitarian sector at its most fragmented and self-indulgent.
Mark Leonard and Richard Gowan go through the likely talking points at the meeting and discuss what might be on some countries' hidden agendas. The podcast was recorded on 19 September 2018.
Bookshelf:
The Secret of the World: A History of Intelligence by Christopher Andrew
Enough Said by Mark Thompson
Katharina Botel-Azzinnaro & Richard Gowan - 10 May 2018
Richard Gowan gives his thoughts.
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard talks with ECFR’s U.N. expert Richard Gowan among other things about Trump and Macron's addresses at the UNGA, the Korean nuclear crisis, the Iran deal and the Syrian peace process.
The podcast was recorded on 21st September 2017.
Bookshelf:
John Le Carré, A Legacy of Spies
Hillary Clinton, What Happened
Zygmunt Bauman, Retrotopia
This workshop, organised with the Embassy of the Netherlands in London, discusses crisis management in Africa in the age of Trump and Brexit.
With:
Richard Gowan, Associate Policy Fellow, ECFR
Hester Somsen, Director for Security Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (from the Hague)
Stefano Tomat, Head of Division EEAS PRISM (from Brussels)
Chaired by Susi Dennison, Director European Power Programme, ECFR
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with Senior Policy Fellow Richard Gowan about the candidates, and the factors that will decide the race. The podcast was recorded on the 15 September 2016.
Bookshelf:
The fog of peace: A memoir of international peacekeeping in the 21st century by Jean-Marie Guehenno
EU indecision on UN Secretary General choice plays to Russia’s advantage by Richard Gowan
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with Somini Sengupta, UN correspondent for the New York Times, Richard Gowan, ECFR Senior Policy Fellow, and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, Head of ECFR Paris office, about the UN secretary-general candidacy, the public hustings and about who is leading the race.
Richard Gowan, Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR and Professor at Columbia University, explains why the EU received a B- for how it dealt with multilateral issues and crisis management, and what the outlook for the coming year is.
You can find the Scorecard 2016 publication here.
Richard Gowan, ECFR Associate Fellow and author of Chapter 6, believes that there were several crises the EU had to face in 2014. How to deal with the increased migration from African countries was the most challenging one.
Richard Gowen comments on the consequences of Brexit on European developmental policy in the global south.
Richard Gowan's piece for World Politics Review on Mike Pompeo's recent speech in Brussels attacking multilateral institutions.
Richard Gowan on Heather Nauert being appointed as the new US ambassador to the UN.
Richard Gowan quoted by Voice of America on the appointment of Heather Nauert as the new US ambassador to the UN.
Richard Gowan's op-ed for World Politics Review regarding the midterm elections in the US and what this could mean for mulilateralism.
Senior Policy Fellow Richard Gowan's examines the resignation of US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley for Politico
Senior Policy Fellow Richard Gowan weighs in on the use of Justin Trudeau in Canada's bid for UN Security Council seat.
US President clashes with the Chinese delegation at UNGA 2018 says Senior Policy Fellow Richard Gowan
Senior Policy Fellow Richard Gowan reports from UN General Assembly 2018
Email: richard.gowan@ecfr.eu