Report

Dec 18, 2025

Democracy and stability in Africa: Why US leadership still matters

By Mason Ingram, Alysson Oakley, and Jack Higgins

This issue brief is the fifth in the Freedom and Prosperity Center’s “Future of democracy assistance” series, which analyzes the many complex challenges to democracy around the world—and highlights actionable policies that promote democratic governance.The near- and long-term interests of African societies and key US stakeholders are bolstered by the advancement of democratic, accountable, and stable governance on the continent. A robust democracy assistance strategy in Africa is in line with long-standing US values that underpin America’s reputation and image on the continent, and is also instrumental to current US objectives. 

Africa
Corruption

Issue Brief

Dec 18, 2025

Engaging generative artificial intelligence in African development

By William Yancey Brown

From classrooms to farming communities, generative artificial intelligence holds great potential for Africa. The question is whether its promise of abundance will reach everyone—or only those already well-connected.

Africa
Artificial Intelligence

Report

Dec 15, 2025

Beijing pressures Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners. Here’s what the US should do in response

By Kitsch Liao, Nik Foster, Santiago Villa

Taiwan’s shrinking circle of diplomatic partners plays a crucial role in deterring Chinese coercion, and the United States needs a more targeted strategy to help preserve this support and maintain cross-strait stability.

China
Politics & Diplomacy

Report

Dec 12, 2025

Inside Trump’s peace plans  

By Atlantic Council experts

From Rwanda to Cambodia, US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts mix economic pressure, trade deals, and high-profile ceremonies. His unorthodox style produces rapid results—but can it achieve lasting peace?

Africa
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Issue Brief

Dec 12, 2025

It’s all about Hamas’s disarmament

By Daniel B. Shapiro

A US-brokered cease-fire ended the Israel-Hamas war, but the next phase depends on the group’s disarmament. Until that happens, Gaza’s reconstruction, regional diplomacy, and political future hang in the balance.

Israel
Middle East

Issue Brief

Dec 12, 2025

In Southeast Asia, the promise and pitfalls of tariff diplomacy are on full display 

By Amy Searight

US President Donald Trump’s high-profile intervention in the Thai-Cambodian border dispute delivered a cease-fire, but its violation exposes the fragility of tariff diplomacy and raises questions about the durability of coercive US diplomacy in the region.

Indo-Pacific
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Issue Brief

Dec 12, 2025

From the DRC to Sudan, Trump’s disruptive moves could revive stalled negotiations

By Maureen Farrell

Across Africa, US President Donald Trump’s unorthodox diplomacy is unsettling old patterns—reviving talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and injecting new momentum into Sudan mediation. The gains may be fragile, but the openings are real.

Africa
East Africa

Russia Tomorrow

Dec 12, 2025

The Russian economy in 2025: Between stagnation and militarization 

By Elina Ribakova, Lucas Risinger

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series examines the Russian wartime economy.

Economic Sanctions
Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Dec 10, 2025

Middle powers’ game-changing rivalries in Africa

By Rama Yade

As traditional powers retreat, middle powers like Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Indonesia are stepping into Africa with ambitious investments and strategic outreach. Their growing presence is transforming alliances, competition, and development across the continent.

Africa
Middle East

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Dec 4, 2025

Delivering justice and jobs is the real test of Ghana’s storied democracy

By Joseph Asunka

Vigilant media and active civil society sustain Ghana’s democracy, but weak judicial independence erodes public trust. Rising youth joblessness calls for reforms to strengthen industry, modernize agriculture, and align skills training to labor-market needs.

Africa
Civil Society

Issue Brief

Dec 4, 2025

Improving transatlantic cooperation on digital competition

By Zach Meyers

Greater dialogue between US and EU regulators would reveal similar priorities on digital competition, mergers, and antitrust issues, and could lead to greater alignment on key digital competition issues.

Digital Policy
Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Dec 4, 2025

A stronger, safer, and more prosperous hemisphere: The case for investing in democracy in the Americas

By Antonio Garrastazu and Henrique Arevalo Poincot

This issue brief is the fourth in the Freedom and Prosperity Center’s “Future of democracy assistance” series, which analyzes the many complex challenges to democracy around the world—and highlights actionable policies that promote democratic governance.

Civil Society
Democratic Transitions

Issue Brief

Dec 3, 2025

Cloudbusting: Policy for evaluating trust in compute infrastructure

By Sara Ann Brackett

A global cloud built on technical assurances—not geography—is essential to securing critical infrastructure and the future of AI.

Artificial Intelligence
Cybersecurity
NATO announced Baltic Sentry 2025, a multi-domain vigilance activity aimed at increasing maritime situational awareness in the Baltic Sea area, to deter and defend against attacks on Critical Undersea Infrastructures (CUI).

Issue Brief

Nov 26, 2025

How the Baltic Sea nations have tackled suspicious cable cuts

By Elisabeth Braw

Two places in the world’s oceans see a lot of suspicious maritime behavior: the Baltic Sea, and the waters around Taiwan. Elisabeth Braw reports from the NATO task force charged with protecting the undersea cables and pipelines essential to daily life in Europe, with lessons for Baltic states and Taiwan, too.

Europe & Eurasia
Maritime Security

Issue Brief

Nov 19, 2025

Carbon markets and climate finance for Ukraine’s recovery

By Ievgeniia Kopytsia and Darka Harnyk

As COP30 unfolds, learn how Ukraine’s experience will influence climate finance mechanisms and drive sustainable recovery efforts.

Energy & Environment
Geopolitics & Energy Security

Issue Brief

Nov 19, 2025

Why Ankara’s rising power in the Sahel could benefit the West

By Alp Ozen, Haley Nelson

Turkey offers a rare channel in the Sahel that the West could use to recalibrate its approach to the region.

Africa
Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Nov 19, 2025

Why modernizing CAFTA-DR matters for the United States, and options for updating the trade pact

By Enrique Millán-Mejía, Antonio Ortiz Mena, and Rocío Rivera Barradas

Central America and the Dominican Republic are emerging as key partners for US economic security. The United States has a unique opportunity to reform its free trade agreement with the region—CAFTA-DR—to strengthen these ties.

Americas
Economy & Business

Report

Nov 19, 2025

Biometrics and digital identity in Africa

By Sani Suleiman Sani

Biometrics have become deeply embedded in Africa’s political, social, and economic landscape. 

Africa
Cybersecurity

Report

Nov 18, 2025

China’s economic slowdown and spillovers to Africa

By Matthew Mingey, Jeremy Smith, and Laura Gormley

China has catalyzed new infrastructure and industries in Africa, but the continent is also exposed to negative ripple effects from changes in China’s domestic economy. This report investigates how different projections of China’s economic growth and structure over the next five years will affect trade and financial engagement with the African continent.

Africa
China

Report

Nov 17, 2025

Building the digital front line: Understanding big tech decision-making in Ukraine

By Emma Schroeder

In this report, author Emma Schroeder examines which factors most shaped tech companies’ decisions as to whether and how to lend their support to Ukraine throughout the war.

Cybersecurity
Defense Industry
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