The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) successfully hosted a timely and insightful event on September 23, titled “U.S. Foreign Affairs and Great Power Competition: Shifting Frontlines in a New Era,” at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.
The event featured distinguished experts from American University: Gregory Aftandilian, Senior Lecturer in the School of International Service, and Chuck Cushman Jr., Associate Dean in the School of Public Affairs. Their presentations offered in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of U.S. foreign policy amid intensifying global competition.
Gregory Aftandilian highlighted the critical need for proactive U.S. engagement in geopolitically sensitive regions such as the Middle East and Asia. He emphasized that shifting alliances and regional instabilities call for a recalibration of American diplomacy. Aftandilian warned against disengagement, urging that U.S. leadership must adapt strategically without abandoning its global commitments.
Chuck Cushman Jr. addressed the wider strategic challenges posed by great power competition, focusing on military, economic, and institutional dimensions. He noted that adversaries seek to reshape global norms and governance structures, necessitating a comprehensive U.S. approach that integrates hard power, soft power, and strategic alliances to maintain influence in a multipolar world.
The discussion concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where students, scholars, and policy professionals had the opportunity to interact with the speakers, exchanging views on the direction of U.S. foreign affairs and the complexities of global competition.
The NYCFPA remains committed to fostering informed dialogue on critical international issues and looks forward to hosting further events that contribute to deeper understanding and strategic foresight in foreign policy.
