Join us for a virtual fireside chat exploring critical issues in fragility, conflict, and violence. This conversational discussion will provide valuable insights for emerging leaders and professionals working at the intersection of foreign policy and conflict prevention.
Robert Barton served for more than 20 years in multiple positions with USAID, most recently as Mission Director in Timor-Leste and previously as Office Director for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in Washington, where he coordinated an $800 million foreign assistance portfolio across 22 countries. His assignments spanned the Indo-Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, leading development, humanitarian, and conflict-mitigation programs in some of the world’s most complex environments. In August 2026, he will begin doctoral studies at Georgetown University, where his research will focus on the future of U.S. foreign assistance.
The discussion will be moderated by Courtney Blankenship, the U.S. Delegate to the 2026 Y20 Summit in the Fragility, Conflict, and Violence track.
About Y20 This panel is part of the Road to Y20, an initiative under the G20 summit that convenes emerging global leaders and policymakers to develop consensus-based policy recommendations. The Y20 brings together delegates from across the G20 countries to negotiate solutions on core priorities, culminating in an in-person summit August 11-14 in Washington DC where delegates will present recommendations directly to G20