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New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2020

President Duque outlines how Colombia is handling dual coronavirus challenges

By David A. Wemer

For most countries around the world, the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has strained resources and demanded singular attention from policymakers. For Colombia, this new crisis must also be juggled with the ongoing collapse of neighboring Venezuela, which has already seen 2 million Venezuelans seek refuge in Colombia. “We have had to manage two crises at the same time,” President Iván Duque explained on April 14, which forced Colombia to take drastic measures to contain coronavirus earlier than many of its neighbors.

Colombia Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Apr 14, 2020

A more coordinated global coronavirus response is needed, Turkish foreign minister argues

By David A. Wemer

Çavuşoğlu cautioned that it is very possible that the pandemic ushers in a “world that is less open, less prosperous, and less free,” but he hoped that effective global leadership would allow the international community to grow stronger. The need for solidarity might even “force us into more multilateralism,” as governments pursue common solutions to the crisis. While many leaders continue to be singularly focused on the situations within their own borders, “we can only eradicate this threat through collective effort,” Çavuşoğlu said. “We must work together.”

Coronavirus Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Apr 8, 2020

Massive testing program could hold keys to ending coronavirus crisis

By David A. Wemer

A massive nationwide testing program could help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and could provide a roadmap for rolling back the extensive social distancing measures implemented across the United States and around the world, according to Nobel laureate economist Paul Romer and Dr. Raj Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation and former administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Coronavirus Resilience

David A. Wemer was associate director, editorial, at the Atlantic Council, where he wrote, edited, and produced the Council’s short-form written content. Prior to his work at the Atlantic Council, Wemer was DC program coordinator for the Eisenhower Institute. In 2018, Wemer was the director and managing editor of the Fellowship Program at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, where he previously served as the 2016 Europe Fellow. In 2014, Wemer interned in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Office of International and Interagency Relations.

In addition to Council publications, Wemer’s writings have appeared in The Huffington Post, The Diplomatic Courier, Charged Affairs, Euractiv, The Kyiv Post, The Daily Star Lebanon, Real Clear Defense, and Real Clear World. His analyses and reporting have also been cited in numerous outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Financial Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Vox, Foreign Policy, Bloomberg, Slate, Quartz, Al-Jazeera, The National Review, The Daily Beast, Project Syndicate, and The Washington Times.

In 2013, Wemer was awarded the American Historical Association’s Raymond J. Cunningham Prize for his work on economic transition in Slovakia. Wemer received a MSc in European Union politics from the London School of Economics, a certificate in Russian politics from St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, and a BA from Gettysburg College.