Issue Brief

Mar 20, 2025

A lifeline under threat: Why the Suez Canal’s security matters for the world

By Racha Helwa, Perrihan Al-Riffai

The Suez Canal is both a maritime choke point and vital waterway for global trade and energy security. Given its strategic role as the fastest sea route between Asia and Europe, any disruption to the Suez Canal can have outsized impacts on global commerce and energy markets, as have occurred in recent years.

Economy & Business International Markets
Cover photo for Changing the conversation about religious freedom: An integral human development approach

Report

Mar 17, 2025

Changing the conversation about religious freedom: An integral human development approach

By Fabio Petito, Scott Appleby, Silvio Ferrari, and Michael Driessen

Religious freedom is essential for human dignity and development. Persecution restricts minorities’ access to healthcare, education, and jobs. Integral Human Development offers a holistic, inclusive approach, fostering dialogue and collaboration. To combat discrimination effectively, policymakers must move beyond protection and empower all individuals to contribute to society’s common good.

Freedom and Prosperity Politics & Diplomacy

Issue Brief

Mar 14, 2025

The Three Seas Initiative stands at an inflection point

By Emma Nix, Ian Brzezinski

The Three Seas Initiative is preparing for a critical summit in Warsaw in 2025. What opportunities exist to ensure the Initiative can accomplish its goal of ensuring a Europe whole, free, secure, and at peace?

Central Europe Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Mar 13, 2025

Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement

By Jonathan Fulton

Despite economic advancements and high-profile diplomatic engagements, China’s influence remains largely economic rather than political, Jonathan Fulton argues.

China Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Mar 13, 2025

India’s path to AI autonomy

By Mohamed Elbashir, Kishore Balaji Desikachari

India is taking a distinctive approach to the global race for artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy.

Artificial Intelligence Digital Policy

Report

Mar 10, 2025

How greater freedom empowers entrepreneurs and expands access to credit

By Jérémie Bertrand, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, Caroline Perrin

Access to credit is vital for SMEs, yet barriers like high collateral and discriminatory lending hinder growth, especially for women-led firms. Data shows freer economies reduce borrower discouragement. Legal protections, economic deregulation, and gender-sensitive policies improve access. Case studies from New Zealand, Singapore, and Kenya highlight how strategic reforms bridge credit gaps and drive growth.

Corruption Freedom and Prosperity

Report

Mar 10, 2025

Emerging technology policies and democracy in Africa: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zambia in focus

By Ayantola Alayande, Samuel Segun, and Leah Junck

How are African nations navigating the governance of AI, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies? Emerging Technology Policies and Democracy in Africa: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zambia in Focus examines how five key countries are shaping regulatory frameworks to drive innovation, protect digital rights, and bridge policy gaps in an evolving tech landscape.

Africa Artificial Intelligence

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Mar 7, 2025

Mexico’s fork in the road: Rule of law or authoritarian shift? 

By Vanessa Rubio-Márquez

When freedom declines, prosperity tends to follow—a trend observed not only in Latin America but worldwide. Yet Mexico appears to be an exception. The country is experiencing rising prosperity despite increasing restrictions on freedom. However, further centralization of political power could ultimately hinder progress.

Economy & Business Elections
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen give a statement before a meeting with EU Commissioners in Brussels, Belgium, January 11, 2023.REUTERS/Johanna Geron

Issue Brief

Mar 5, 2025

The EU must become a strategic player in defense—alongside NATO

By Justina Budginaite-Froehly

The European Union and NATO need renewed alignment on defense to meet the new geopolitical moment. Refocused cooperation would provide a critically needed burden sharing to eliminate vulnerabilities and prepare Europe to withstand new realities.

Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Mar 5, 2025

Foreword: Protecting global freedom in an age of rising autocracy

By Edward L. Glaeser

Geopolitical shifts are weakening Western democracies, technology is reshaping governance, and authoritarianism is on the rise. How will these developments affect the world—and are there pockets of progress that remain? This foreword examines the state of global freedom, setting the stage for the country reports than follow.

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Mar 4, 2025

Making AUKUS work: The case for an Indo-Pacific defense innovation consortium

By Elliot Silverberg, Jacob Sharpe, and Rob Murray

The AUKUS partnership, focused on defense innovation in the Indo-Pacific, faces challenges in technology-sharing due to regulations like ITAR and EAR. The proposed Indo-Pacific Strategic Partnership for Accelerated Research and Knowledge in Defense (SPARK) aims to overcome these barriers, fostering faster co-development and co-production of advanced defense technologies

Australia Defense Industry

Issue Brief

Mar 3, 2025

Financing the future: Unlocking private capital for global infrastructure and climate goals

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Nisha Narayanan, Hung Tran

MDBs and international financial institutions alone cannot bridge the climate and development financing gaps.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Issue Brief

Mar 3, 2025

Toward equitable debt contracts: Preventing de facto seniority-clause escalation in the sovereign lending space

By Lili Vessereau

China’s stringent clauses are hindering debt restructuring negotiations for low-income borrowers. Here’s how the IMF and World Bank can intervene.

China Economy & Business

Report

Mar 3, 2025

The art of the transatlantic deal

By Frances Burwell

The transatlantic relationship is shifting with US president Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Nevertheless, discreet deals across the US-EU trade, energy, and defense sectors are possible.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

Mar 3, 2025

Fragmentation and the role of the IMF

By Patrick Ryan

Here’s how the IMF can adapt to ensure that the international system has an effective insurance mechanism.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Feb 28, 2025

Building balanced institutions for prosperity

By Ignacio Campomanes, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, Joseph Lemoine

This overview chapter explores the institutional evolution of each country and contextualizes these insights within the broader economic and political science literature on institutions and development. As global instability rose in 2024, longstanding governance challenges that had been intensifying over the past decade became increasingly evident.

Corruption Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Feb 24, 2025

From Tunis to Baghdad: Can platform-based politics take root?

By Carrie Schenkel and James Storen

This paper is the fifth in the Freedom and Prosperity Center’s “State of the Parties” series analyzing the strength of multi-party systems in different regions of the world.

Civil Society Corruption

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Feb 24, 2025

Demography and geopolitics put Japan’s strength to the test

By Kotaro Shiojiri

By almost all freedom and prosperity metrics, Japan is a model for stability and success. However, looming challenges threaten this narrative, including an aging population, outdated social laws, a rigid labor market, and growing security and geopolitical concerns.

East Asia Freedom and Prosperity

Report

Feb 24, 2025

Atoms for Appalachia: The role of nuclear energy in economic development

By Lauren Hughes

Advanced nuclear technologies can drive economic security and energy security within Appalachian states.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Feb 20, 2025

Issue brief: A NATO strategy for countering Russia

By Ian Brzezinski, Ryan Arick

Russia poses the most direct and growing threat to NATO member states’ security. This threat now includes the war in Ukraine, militarization in the Arctic, hybrid warfare, and arms control violations. Despite NATO’s military and economic superiority, a unified and effective strategy is essential to counter Russia’s aggression.

Cybersecurity Defense Technologies
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