Category: Timely Commentary & Analysis

Turkey and the West: With friends like these

By Nathalie Loiseau

Turkey benefits from significant funding from Europe, enjoys a customs union with the EU, and participates in attractive European partnerships on education and research. Europe also supports Turkey financially for welcoming millions of Syrian refugees on its soil. All this looks like a cloudless sky, doesn’t it? Well, not exactly.

State of the Order: Assessing June 2020

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Dr. Dambisa Moyo, panel reinvigorate debate on a Marshall Plan for Africa

By Africa Center

On Friday, July 10, the Africa Center hosted a panel discussion on whether the time has come for a Marshall Plan for Africa. The panel featured Global Economist and Author Dr. Dambisa Moyo, former US Congressman Dr. David Brat, and Africa Center Senior Fellow Ms. Aubrey Hruby. The virtual conversation was moderated by Africa Center Senior Fellow Mr. Gabriel Negatu, with opening and concluding remarks given by the Center’s Director of Programs and Studies Ms. Bronwyn Bruton.

Event recap | Space salon: Making space available for everyone

By Henry Westerman

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, the GeoTech Center and Amazon Web Services (AWS) jointly hosted a public live event, "Space Salon: Making Space Available for Everyone." In a panel discussion co-moderated by Dr. David Bray, Director of the Geotech Center, and Shayn Hawthorne, Senior Manager at AWS, specialists from across the space industry discussed approaches to making tools and data in space accessible to players of all sizes.

Ian Brzezinski testifies to House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Russian bounties on US troops

Russian Bounties on US Troops: Why Hasn’t the Administration Responded?

Cybersecurity can help the energy industry seize this moment to embrace its digital future

By Leo Simonovich and Sridhar Sudarsan

Digitally connected oil and gas assets, smart grids, renewables, and intelligent infrastructure promise more efficient, safer, and lower-emissions operations, but truly reimagining the energy sector and fully realizing that promise requires strong cybersecurity. Whether built new, acquired, or retrofitted, future energy assets will rely heavily on digital management and remote access. In these stressful but potentially exhilarating times, the winners will be those who envision more competitive business models based on new technologies.

Distributed solar and batteries will power a more inclusive economic recovery in developing countries

By Sandra Chavez

A reliable supply of electricity is crucial for responding to the COVID-19 health crisis and boosting economic activity. Governments in many developing countries already struggle to provide their citizens with enough high-quality electricity to satisfy demand. The additional constraints the COVID-19 crisis places upon utilities, and national economies in general, can make the delivery of reliable electricity even harder. However, distributed solar energy and battery storage can provide reliable, affordable, and pollution-free power globally, while also creating jobs that incorporate local talent—especially from groups underrepresented in the labor market such as women and low-income workers.