Category: Timely Commentary & Analysis

Is Islamic Law Compatible with Human Rights?

By Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

On November 7, 2016, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted a panel discussion on the relationship between Islamic law and human rights. Geneive Abdo, director of the Atlantic Council’s Islamic Law and Human Rights initiative, moderated the panel with legal scholars Dr. Moataz El Fegiery, Protection Coordinator for the Middle […]

Administering reform in Afghanistan

By South Asia Center

On Friday, November 4, 2016, the South Asia Center hosted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s Chief Adviser Dr. M Humayon Qayoumi for a discussion on administering reform in Afghanistan. Following the introductory remarks from Dr. Bharath Gopalaswamy, the Director of the South Asia Center, Dr. Frederick Starr, the Founding Chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, moderated […]

Finance for Growth

By Global Business and Economics Program

On November 3, 2016, the Atlantic Council’s Global Business and Economics Program held a panel discussion on how best to finance growth for Europe in Philadelphia. Mario Nava, then-Director of Financial System Surveillance and Crisis Management at DG FISMA, delivered the keynote remarks on how the Banking and Capital Markets Union support economic growth and […]

Implementation of the JCPOA: Transatlantic Perspectives on the Current Status and Challenges

On November 2, 2016, Ambassador Livia Leu, Head of the Bilateral Economic Relations Divisions at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and former Ambassador of Switzerland to Iran (2009-2013), was hosted by the Atlantic Council to discuss the current status and remaining challenges of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

ISIS the Day After Defeat

By Jenna Amlani

On November 2, 2016, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted “ISIS the Day After Defeat,” a panel discussion featuring Resident Fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy Hassan Hassan, Director for Tradecraft and Innovation at the Institute for the Study of War Jessica Lewis McFate, and Senior Economist […]

Disclosing Climate-Related Financial Risk

By Kate Schwartz and Lexie Ryan

On Monday, October 31, 2016 the Global Energy Center hosted a conversation on the necessity of financial disclosures for public and private interests. In light of increasing regulation from climate change legislation, investors are demanding risk disclosures in order to make rational decisions about where to target stakeholder and taxpayer money. Mary Schapiro, Secretariat of the […]

Ethiopian State Minister Details Causes of Ongoing Unrest, State of Emergency

By Africa Center

On Thursday, October 27, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted His Excellency Taye Atske-Selassie, state minister for political affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. After an introduction from Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham, Taye presented formal remarks. Taye discussed the sustained protests that have taken […]

Tackling Root Causes of Conflict in the Middle East

By Tyler M. Nocita

On Thursday, October 27, 2016, the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted Sweden’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Annika Söder for a conference on US-European cooperation in the Middle East. Söder delivered keynote remarks, in which she emphasized that the Middle East is undergoing a period of rapid transition and instability, threatened by a […]

Bolstering Nordic Defense

By Lauren Speranza and Marija Vaicekauskaite

On October 26, the Transatlantic Security Initiative hosted a public discussion on “Bolstering Nordic Defense” at the Army Navy Club. The event served as the release of the Atlantic Council’s new issue brief: The Future of US-Swedish Defense Cooperation.

A Conversation with Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing

By Lexie Ryan and Kate Schwartz

US Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing joined the Atlantic Council on October 25, 2016 to discuss the current status of the Paris Agreement and the agenda for COP-22. Central to COP-22 will be safeguarding the Paris Agreement and endorsing an acceleration of the implementation timetable. A definite shift in the stakes of climate […]