Uncategorized

April 6, 2026 • 11:48am ET

TEST – Accordion block

2:00–2:45 p.m. | Winning hearts and markets? China’s reach in the Global South

Speakers

Joseph Asunka
CEO,
Afrobarometer

Melanie Hart
Senior Director, Global China Hub,
Atlantic Council

Ho-fung Hung
Henry M. and Elizabeth P. Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy,
Johns Hopkins University

Moderated by

Jeremy Mark
Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoEconomics Center,
Atlantic Council

2:00–2:45 p.m. | Iran country spotlight: War, human rights, and the path to a better future

Featuring 

Holly Dagres
Libitzky Family Senior Fellow, Viterbi Program on Iran and US Policy,
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Moderated by

Nate Swanson
Director, Iran Strategy Project, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs,
Atlantic Council

2:00–2:45 p.m. | The nexus between development and economic statecraft

Speakers

Conor Savoy
Visiting Fellow,
Center for Global Development

Cindy Huang
Non-Resident Fellow,
Center for Global Development

Geoffrey Pyatt
Senior Managing Director, Energy and Critical Minerals
McLarty Associates

Moderated by

Adva Saldinger
Senior Reporter,
Devex

3:00–3:30 p.m. | Responsible mining in the critical minerals sector

Speakers

Tom Haslett
Director, Energy and Critical Minerals Policy,
US International Development Finance Corporation

Alan Carroll
Deputy Director, Government Affairs,
KoBold Metals

Moderated by

Kyeh Kim
COO,
Fulcrum Ventures

3:00–3:30 p.m. | Venezuela country spotlight: Navigating political and economic transition

Featuring

Rafael De La Cruz
Director,
Office of Maria Corina Machado and the President-elect
Edmundo González Urrutia in the United States

Moderated by

Daniel P. Erikson
Senior Advisor,
Covington and Burling;
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center,
Atlantic Council

3:00–3:30 p.m. | Supporting strategic trade corridors in the Middle East

Speakers

Alina Romanowski
Distinguished Fellow, Iraq Initiative, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative,
Atlantic Council

Dan K. Rosenthal
Managing Partner,
Albright Stonebridge Group

Wa-el Alzayat
Executive Director,
US-Syria Business Council
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs,
Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Allison Minor
Director, Project on Middle East Integration, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs,
Atlantic Council

3:45–4:15 p.m. | Toward a modern era of development cooperation 

Featuring

Rania Al-Mashat
Former Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation,
Arab Republic of Egypt

Moderated by

Alexia LaTortue
Head of Secretariat,
Future of Development Cooperation Coalition

3:45–4:15 p.m. | Syria country spotlight: The need for a ‘rules-first’ reset

Featuring

Ibrahim Al-Assil
Senior Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative,
Harvard Kennedy School;
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project,
Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Nour Dabboussi
Associate Director, MENA Futures Lab, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs,
Atlantic Council

3:45–4:15 p.m. | Using energy security compacts to promote growth

Featuring

Quill Robinson
Senior Professional Staff Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee,
US House of Representatives

Chris Avila
Energy and Environment Legislative Assistant,
Office of Senator Chris Coons

Moderated by

Katie Auth
Deputy Executive Director,
Energy for Growth Hub

4:30–5:00 p.m. | Non-kinetic approaches to countering cartels

Speakers

Noy Villalobos
Chief Programs Officer,
Creative Associates International

Conor Pfeiffer
Senior Director, Government Relations,
FDD Action

Moderated by

Patrick Quirk
Senior Advisor, Freedom and Prosperity Center,
Atlantic Council

4:30–5:00 p.m. | Tunisia country spotlight: Building institutions for long-term stability

Speaker

Ameni Mehrez
Assistant Professor, Government Department,
College of William & Mary;
Nonresident Fellow, Middle East Initiative,
Harvard Kennedy School

Moderated by

Nour Dabboussi
Associate Director, MENA Futures Lab, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs,
Atlantic Council