Issue briefs and reports

Annual Report 2025/2026: How the Atlantic Council’s programs shaped the global future in 2025

By The Atlantic Council

Through the work they publish, the ideas they generate, the future leaders they develop, and the communities they build, the Atlantic Council's programs and centers shape policy choices and strategies to create a more free, secure, and prosperous world.

The Atlantic Council at 65, the US at 250, and a mission that has withstood the tests of time

We are confronting another pivotal moment in history on the scale of the one the Council’s founders encountered.

Annual Report 2025/2026

By Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council's 2025/2026 annual report provides insight into our impact and agility.

The shadow fleet is undermining the maritime order more brazenly than ever

By Elisabeth Braw

The shadow fleet—ships sailing outside the official shipping system — has grown to encompass more than a thousand oil tankers globally. Iranian shadow vessels slipping through the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are the latest sign that the fleet and its main sponsor, Russia, have responded to enforcement attempts with ever more brazen violations.

Redefining power systems: Turkish electric-sector engagement in Africa

By Shaheer Hussam

The report examines how Turkey has become a $100B energy infrastructure player across Africa—and what that means for North American and European firms.

Using the USMCA review to strengthen regional integration

By the Binational Task Force on Economic Security and Competitiveness

As economic and trade authorities across Mexico and the United States engage in the July 2026 USMCA review, adapting to new geopolitical realities without reversing binational economic integration should be a priority.

Institutional architecture and prosperity: What lies beneath the aggregate score

By Ignacio Campomanes, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, James Mazzarella

Institutional strength drives prosperity, but aggregate scores can hide key differences—what ultimately shapes development outcomes is how political, legal, and economic systems interact.

Navigating the European Union’s AI and health data framework

By Mark Scott

The EU is strengthening AI and health data governance, creating a more secure and trusted framework for innovation.

A US strategy for energy competition with China in emerging markets

By Steven Burns

The US has an opportunity to position itself as a favorable partner in emerging markets that will help them develop modern, secure energy systems.

Transatlantic cooperation on AI and national security

By Antonio Calcara

AI and its linkages with national security will play a key role in transatlantic relations. But absent more structured cooperation, the United States and the European Union risk drifting further apart on AI policy.