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Blog Post

Sep 29, 2021

The inaugural Trade and Technology Council Meeting — groundhog day or great leap forward?

By Barbara C. Matthews

Following the commencement of the Biden presidency, there were high hopes of a resurgence of transatlantic ties. This week's inaugural meeting of the TTC highlights that policymakers on both sides will have difficulty meeting that expectation.

China Economy & Business

The 5×5

Sep 29, 2021

The 5×5—The future of cyber diplomacy

By Simon Handler

We brought together experts with a range of perspectives to discuss cyber diplomacy and what the future of responsible cyber statecraft looks like.

Civil Society Conflict

EnergySource

Sep 28, 2021

The VTR will play a key role in the nuclear energy innovation ecosystem

By Suzanne Baker, Jennifer T. Gordon, Judi Greenwald, and Jackie Toth

Next-generation nuclear technologies hold the potential to bring US-led zero-carbon energy to international markets. But their development will be stymied without government support for the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR), whose budget was recently zeroed out. Congress still has opportunities to provide sufficient funding, and it must act on them.

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

empowerME Conversations

Sep 28, 2021

Transforming logistics

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 1 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with UPS President for Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, and Africa Jean-Francois Condamine about the e-commerce boom in the Middle East, promoting sustainability in the logistics industry, and empowering small and medium enterprises to become regional and global exporters.

Economy & Business Middle East

Blog Post

Sep 27, 2021

Inclusive growth needs financial inclusion. Can central bank digital currency help?

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

1.7 billion adults remained unbanked as per the 2017 wave of Findex dataset, with large disparities in financial inclusion still existing across countries, gender, income, education, and rural-urban lines. CBDCs have the potential to enhance financial inclusion and reduce these disparities.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Blog Post

Sep 24, 2021

Evergrande’s debt distress: Withdrawal symptoms of China’s debt-fueled growth model

By Hung Tran

On September 24th China’s giant property developer Evergrande Group entered a 30-day grace period before being declared in default. Although they may not default, this slowdown highlights the key contradiction in China’s policy goals.

China Economy & Business

SouthAsiaSource

Sep 22, 2021

Experts react: 2021 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tajikistan

By South Asia Center

On September 17, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held a heads-of-state summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in a hybrid virtual and in-person setting. Consisting of China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and most recently Iran, the SCO meeting primarily discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan and its ramifications for member states as well as the international community more broadly.

Afghanistan Central Asia

SouthAsiaSource

Sep 22, 2021

Experts react: The September 2021 White House QUAD meeting

By Atlantic Council

US President Joe Biden is set to host a first in-person Quad meeting on September 24, 2021, with Australia, India, and Japan present. South Asia Center experts react to the meeting and offer insight into what to expect. 

Australia Indo-Pacific

SouthAsiaSource

Sep 21, 2021

A reinvigorated Quad is becoming a key element of the new US administration’s Asia policy—just not in the way you expected.

By Atman Trivedi

A reinvigorated Quad is becoming a key element of the new US administration’s Asia policy. Its members—Australia, India, Japan, and the US—convened virtually in March at the leader level. Amid multiple global crises, they wisely opted to focus on concrete ways to deliver for their people and the region. The grouping sought to prove that democracy still works, as President Biden likes to say. The Quad Leaders’ communique set the bar high: cooperation on “the defining challenges of our time.”

Indo-Pacific Japan

EnergySource

Sep 20, 2021

India is key to US climate ambitions, and the Quad can help

By Reed Blakemore, David Yellen

India's massive demand for energy is projected to grow rapidly over the next several decades, and its current coal reliance will be difficult to break. But doing so is vital, both to global decarbonization and US geopolitical interests. The Quad can help provide the requisite security, investment, and support to help India undertake this challenge.

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions