Content

Demographic Dividends - Img

Issue Brief

Jul 9, 2020

Past, present, and prospective: The demographic dividend opportunity in Arab youth

By Nicole Goldin

Over half of the population of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is under the age of 25. While often referred to as the “youth bulge” and seen as a challenge that needs to be dealt with, young people in the region have the potential to yield a “demographic dividend” that can present […]

Education
Middle East
Gulf States - Netanyahu & Qaboos

Issue Brief

Jul 7, 2020

Israel’s growing ties with the Arab Gulf states

By Jonathan H. Ferziger, Gawdat Bahgat

Once thought to be irreconcilable adversaries, Israel and the Gulf states have grown closer in recent years. What started as under-the-table intelligence sharing designed to counter Iran’s ambitions throughout the Middle East has morphed into greater cooperation not only on security but also on economic, political, and cultural issues.

Israel
Politics & Diplomacy
An elevated view of Saudi Arabia

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jun 17, 2020

Assessing Saudi Vision 2030: A 2020 review

By Stephen Grand, Katherine Wolff

Executive summary When global oil prices collapsed in summer 2014, Saudi Arabia confronted one of the most daunting economic challenges of its modern history. Upon ascending to the throne the following year, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his son Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (now the crown prince) responded by developing an ambitious […]

Economy & Business
Energy Transitions

Report

Jun 15, 2020

The reverse cascade: Enforcing security on the global IoT supply chain

By Nathaniel Kim, Trey Herr, and Bruce Schneier

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the increasing convergence of the physical and digital worlds and it affects us all. Hundreds of “things” are being connected to the Internet and each other, with more than fifty billion devices expected to be connected by 2030. Many IoT devices are manufactured abroad at low cost with little consideration for security. How can we secure these devices, especially those manufactured outside the United States?

Cybersecurity
Internet of Things

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jun 2, 2020

Geometries of deterrence: Assessing defense arrangements in Europe’s northeast

By Hans Binnendijk and Conor Rodihan

Nations in Europe's northeast cooperate through a variety of multilateral security and defense arrangements. "Geometries of Deterrence" assesses how these arrangements individually and collectively contribute to deterrence and defense in Northeastern Europe.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2020

Executive summary: The virus and global order

By Jeffrey Cimmino, Matthew Kroenig, and Barry Pavel

The COVID-19 pandemic is having dramatic effects on everyday life, but its geopolitical implications could prove to be even more profound. The pandemic is exacerbating and unleashing pressure points in the global order, including intensified US-China competition, that could fundamentally reshape geopolitics.

China
Coronavirus

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2020

Taking stock: Where are geopolitics headed in the COVID-19 era?

By Jeffrey Cimmino, Matthew Kroenig, and Barry Pavel

The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed pressure points in the global order and threatens to unravel the rules-based international system. This paper examines the geopolitical implications of the pandemic by identifying key strategic shocks and tensions exacerbated by the virus. It also identifies uncertainties for the global order and provides policy recommendations for how the United States and its allies should address the pandemic.

China
Coronavirus

Report

May 26, 2020

European energy security and the critical role of transatlantic energy cooperation

By Richard L. Morningstar, András Simonyi, Olga Khakova, Jennifer T. Gordon

Transatlantic cooperation is essential to European energy security, which is and should remain a key national security priority for the United States. European energy security is crucial for the maintenance of a strong European economy and for European political stability, both of which are in the best interests of the United States. This report recommends that the United States and the EU focus their energy cooperation in several areas that will benefit the EU’s efforts to meet climate targets and that, at the same time, will also bolster energy security.

Energy & Environment
Europe & Eurasia

Report

May 16, 2020

Downstream oil theft: Countermeasures and good practices

By Dr. David Soud with contributing authors Dr. Ian Ralby and Rohini Ralby

Downstream oil theft has become a global problem. Since most of the world’s energy systems still rely on oil, fuel smugglers are nearly always able to find markets for their goods. Moreover, as oil is not inherently illegal, it is generally an easy product to move, buy, and sell. Profits from oil theft are frequently used to fund terrorism and other illegal activities.

Energy & Environment
Energy Markets & Governance
Destroyed village in Lebanon

In-Depth Research & Reports

May 13, 2020

Counting the cost: Avoiding another war between Israel and Hezbollah

By Nicholas Blanford and Assaf Orion

The Atlantic Council has released a new report, “Counting the Cost: Avoiding Another War between Israel and Hezbollah,” authored by Nicholas Blanford and Assaf Orion.

Conflict
Crisis Management