Atlantic Council blogs

Continued Focus on Economic Reform in Egypt’s Cabinet Reshuffle

By Elissa Miller

On February 14, Egypt’s parliament approved a limited cabinet reshuffle following weeks of anticipation. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said the reshuffle was aimed at continuing the government’s social and economic reform plans, and indeed, several of the changes reflect an effort to continue to build on major reforms. Ismail began meeting with candidates for cabinet […]

Defeating Terror in Syria: A New Way Forward

By Frederic C. Hof

Official statement presented to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the hearing for “Defeating Terrorism in Syria: a New Way Forward.” Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member, Members of the subcommittee: I am honored by your invitation to speak about defeating terror in Syria and pleased to submit […]

Understanding Africa’s Disappointing Economic Growth in 2016

By Mayécor Sar

While sub-Saharan Africa has enjoyed an average economic growth of over 5 percent since the turn of the century, a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimate has sparked worries of a continent-wide slowdown. The report estimated that Africa’s combined gross domestic product (GDP) has grown by a mere 1.5 percent rate in 2016, the continent’s […]

Lonely GOP Outpost in Brussels Sees Supporters Slowly Emerge

By Teri Schultz

It’s not a secret that expatriate Americans, along with Europeans, tend to feel more closely aligned with the Democratic Party in the United States. Even when overseas liberals supposedly “fell out of love” with Barack Obama or didn’t, more recently, adore Hillary Clinton as much as they had her husband, there’s no contest between any Democratic […]

Refugee Resettlement Program Takes a Hit Following Brief Travel Ban

By Sarah El Sirgany

Mahmoud was supposed to travel to the US on February 7th. The 22-year-old Somali refugee had escaped forced recruitment by al-Shabab at the age of 16. He has finally allowed himself to dream of a better life, but it all came crashing down when President Donald Trump placed a 120-day ban on refugees.

Russia’s Violation of Missile Treaty is a Major Foreign Policy Challenge for Trump

By Robbie Gramer, Foreign Policy

While the White House reeled from a scandal that forced the resignation of National Security Adviser Mike Flynn, reports emerged on Tuesday that Russia deployed recently-developed cruise missiles

Tallinn Manual 2.0: Defending Cyberspace

It is the international community’s responsibility to maintain peace and security in the face of growing cyber threats to a society that is increasingly vulnerable because of its dependence on connected technology, Henne Schuwer, the Netherlands’ ambassador to the United States, said at the Atlantic Council on February 8. “We have to all band together […]

Al-Nadeem Center for Torture Victims Fights its Closure in Cairo

By Jihad Abaza

On Thursday, February 9th, the doctors and lawyers working in the Al-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims found that “a huge police force” had sealed their center and clinic with red wax and took their porter to the police station for questioning, the co-founders said in a statement.  Al-Nadeem is an NGO founded […]

Keeping TTIP Alive By Any Other Name!

By Andrea Montanino and Dante Roscini

US President Donald Trump has been outspoken in his opposition to multilateral trade agreements.  He will seek only to sign bilateral agreements in order to leverage the strength of the United States, the larger economy in any negotiation.  In such an environment, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a free-trade agreement between the United […]