Issue briefs and reports

The top 23 risks and opportunities for 2023

The war in Ukraine changed the world in 2022. How will it continue reshaping global affairs in 2023 and what else looms on the horizon? The Atlantic Council’s top experts brought their globe-spanning expertise to the task of forecasting the near future.

A next-generation agenda for US-ROK-Japan cooperation

By Lauren D. Gilbert, Kyoko Imai

Trilateral cooperation among the United States, Japan, and South Korea has proved challenging over the years, owing largely to historical tensions. As a result, this project has sought perspectives from next-generation leaders of the three countries to define areas where targeted, flexible, and informal cooperative arrangements can provide clear mutual benefit to all.

Taiwan’s engagement with the world: Evaluating past hurdles, present complications, and future prospects

By Jessica Drun

Since Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in May 2016, relations across the Taiwan Strait have grown increasingly tense—and even more so following the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022.

Arms racing under nuclear tripolarity: Evidence for an action-reaction cycle?

By Matthew Kroenig

Matthew Kroenig argues that there has not been a nuclear arms race since the Cold War—but that China's nuclear buildup might start one.

Global China in Africa: Documenting Indian perspectives from Ghana

By Veda Vaidyanathan and Arhin Acheampong

Partly due to the lack of alternative options, China is quickly becoming a partner of choice, and several African countries are keen to explore the many possibilities of working together.

Road to the tenth North American Leaders’ Summit: Spotlight on competitiveness and supply chains

By María Fernanda Bozmoski, Jacob Kaufhold, and Isabel Chiriboga

North American competitiveness and supply chains are at an inflection point. The three leaders must take the momentum of the last meeting and continue to advance key priorities. In an increasingly complicated global context, close collaboration and partnership on all fronts is key.

Wargaming to find a safe port in a cyber storm

By Daniel Grobarcik, William Loomis, Michael Poznansky, Frank Smith

With the Maritime Transportation System increasingly reliant on cyberspace, how can cybersecurity be improved within key nodes of this critical infrastructure, particularly cargo ports?

Securing alternative gas supplies and addressing critical infrastructure gaps in Europe

By Richard L. Morningstar, András Simonyi, Olga Khakova, Paddy Ryan

This issue brief offers recommendations for measures that European countries decoupling their energy supplies from Russia should take to give themselves the best chances of succeeding.

Improving tax policy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A balancing act

By Felipe Larraín B., Pepe Zhang

This publication outlines evidence-based actions to boost tax revenues, reduce deficits, and encourage robust, fair, and equitable economic development.