Source description last updated: 24 March 2023

In brief: The Carter Center is a US non-governmental organisation that seeks to promote peace, democracy, human rights and better healthcare in developing countries. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Quarterly Reviews on Syrian Political and Military Dynamics and selected other reports

No regular coverage.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

Founded by former US president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter in 1982 (Carter Center: Annual Report 2021, 2 May 2022, p. 3), the Carter Center aims “to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health”, including through education, knowledge-sharing, analysis and the provision of access to resources (Carter Center website: Our Mission, undated). The Carter Center has around 230 employees at its headquarters in Atlanta and over 3,100 in field offices around the world. (Carter Center: Annual Report 2021, 2 May 2022, p. 3)

The Center’s Democracy Program works to assist democratic elections and participatory democracy on the basis of human rights, including through election observation missions. Since 1989, the Center has monitored over 100 elections in African, Latin American, and Asian countries. (Carter Center website: Democracy Program, undated)

Its Conflict Resolution Program currently works on conflicts in Syria, Israel-Palestine, Mali and Sudan. With the aim of informing peacebuilding efforts in Syria specifically, the programme carries out research, analysis, and documentation of conflict-related activity in the country (Carter Center website: Conflict Resolution Program, undated). These findings are published in “Quarterly Reviews on Syrian Political and Military Dynamics” (Carter Center website: Conflict Resolution Program Reports, undated).

Funding:

The Carter Center states that it is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, corporate entities, governments, and international development aid organisations (Carter Center: Annual Report 2021, 2 May 2022, p. 3). As of end of August 2021, its total assets amounted to 1,259,295,922 US dollars. (Carter Center: Consolidated Statements of Financial Position - August 31, 2021 and 2020 (With Independent Auditors’ Report Thereon), 2 May 2022, p. 3)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Syria

Thematic focus: conflict events; control of territory; political developments; clashes and tensions between different actors; unexploded ordnance; drug trafficking; humanitarian situation

Methodology:

Reports on Syria published by the Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution Program are based on information from public sources (Carter Center website: Conflict Resolution Program, undated) such as think tanks, NGOs, and local and international media outlets (writing both in English and Arabic) (see, for example, Carter Center: Quarterly Review of Syrian Political and Military Dynamics July-September 2022, 30 September 2022). Quantitative data relating to conflict incidents and detonations of unexploded ordnance stems from datasets prepared by the Carter Center and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) (see, for example, Carter Center: Quarterly Review of Syrian Political and Military Dynamics July-September 2022, 30 September 2022, pp. 10-12 and 15-16). To identify areas of control, the Center’s Syria Conflict Mapping Team relies on media analysis, information provided by its partners (e.g., ACLED), and interviews with contacts in Syria. (Carter Center website: Exploring Historical Control in Syria, undated)

Language of publication:

English

Methodological note:

ecoi.net's source descriptions contain background information on an organisation’s mission & objective, funding and reporting methodology, as well as on how we cover the source. The descriptions were prepared after researching publicly accessible information within time constraints. Most information contained in a source description was taken from the source itself. The aim is to provide a brief introduction to the sources covered regularly, offering information on relevant aspects in one place in a systematic manner. 

All links accessed 24 March 2023.