Content

MENASource

Sep 29, 2020

Absence of PhD programs contributes to weak research and development in the Gulf

By Omar Al-Ubaydli

The production of new knowledge is a very complex process and many factors contribute to the low levels of innovation exhibited by the Gulf countries. One factor that plays a role is the structure of tertiary education—particularly PhD programs.

Education
Middle East

New Atlanticist

Sep 29, 2020

Government response to economic crisis now is pivotal—but will risk future financial stability

By Hung Tran

Governments deploying economic and financial support measures have been able to protect from a major pandemic era crisis, but the emergency measures have entrenched inefficiencies, imbalances, and vulnerabilities that suggest a future financial crisis.

Economy & Business
Financial Regulation

New Atlanticist

Sep 29, 2020

Economic and financial risks after the pandemic

By Hung Tran

While huge fiscal and monetary support measures from governments have been necessary to avoid deeper damages being done to the economy and financial system by the pandemic, those actions—especially keeping interest rates low for long—have also reinforced many known areas of inefficiencies, imbalances, and vulnerabilities that will make the economy and financial system fragile and prone to crises going forward.

Economy & Business
Financial Regulation

Elections 2020

Sep 29, 2020

Five big questions as America votes: Middle East

By Middle East Programs

In every US presidential election since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Middle East and North Africa has been a top foreign policy issue. The 2020 presidential election is no different.

Conflict
Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Sep 28, 2020

EU-Ukraine tensions mount ahead of annual summit

By Peter Dickinson

The EU-Ukraine Summit in Brussels on October 6 is likely to be dominated by concerns that President Zelenskyy is no longer committed to maintaining Ukraine's post-2014 path towards Euro-Atlantic integration.

Corruption
Democratic Transitions

New Atlanticist

Sep 28, 2020

Pompeo’s trip highlights strong US-Greece relationship

By Katerina Sokou

Rather than being simply an effort to mediate among the parties in the Eastern Med, Pompeo’s trip has focused on the bilateral US-Greece relationship, on a strategic as well as a personal level

Energy & Environment
Greece

UkraineAlert

Sep 28, 2020

Ukraine must think globally in its hybrid war with Russia

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

Russia's hybrid war against Ukraine is likely to last decades. Kyiv's best hope of success lies in broadening the context of the conflict and backing international efforts to contain the Kremlin.

Conflict
Non-Traditional Threats

New Atlanticist

Sep 28, 2020

The illusion of decoupling the semiconductor industry: Latest US restrictions on China short-sighted

By Jeremy Mark

The action against SMIC, which reflects concerns about the use of US chip-making technology for military purposes and which follows steps put into effect on September 15 to choke off the supply of chips to Huawei Technologies Co., is likely to prove shortsighted. It will incur costs for US companies while failing to ensure them supply chain independence.

China
Digital Policy

New Atlanticist

Sep 28, 2020

Explainer: What’s behind the fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan?

By Ariel Cohen and Hayley Arlin

COVID-19, plague, and now war. As if 2020 was not cruel enough, fighting erupted on September 27 between Armenia and Azerbaijan along the contact line of the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, leading Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to declare martial law and total mobilization. President Ilham G. Aliyev of Azerbaijan addressed his nation, and partial martial law was declared in a number of Azerbaijani regions, including the capital Baku.

Conflict
The Caucasus

BelarusAlert

Sep 26, 2020

Lukashenka’s rapid decline is giving Putin nightmares

By Peter Dickinson

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka's worsening predicament is setting off alarm bells in the Kremlin, where events in neighboring Belarus are viewed as a possible blueprint for future unrest inside Russia itself.

Belarus
Democratic Transitions