Programs

At the intersection of economics, finance, and foreign policy, the GeoEconomics Center is a translation hub with the goal of helping shape a better global economic future.

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Featured Analysis

10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Issue Brief Apr 28, 2025

Modernizing the tools of economic statecraft to meet the challenges of today

By Lesley Chavkin, Eitan Danon, Kimberly Donovan, Andrew Gallucci, and Caroline Hill

As the current administration revisits the functions and mechanics of government, near-term steps can be taken, under existing statutory authorities, to modernize how the United States uses its economic strength to combat national security threats and promote American interests.
Economy & Business Financial Regulation
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Fast Thinking Apr 22, 2025

Is the global economy headed for a reset, recession, or both?

By Atlantic Council

The International Monetary Fund has just released its latest World Economic Outlook. Atlantic Council experts dig into the details.
Economy & Business International Financial Institutions
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Fast Thinking Apr 10, 2025

What to expect as Trump’s trade war zeroes in on China

By Atlantic Council

On April 9, US President Donald Trump announced that he would suspend many of his “liberation day” import tariffs—but he raised the tariff on China to 145 percent.
China Economy & Business
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

New Atlanticist Apr 7, 2025

The IMF is a good deal for the US. Here’s how Trump can help make it even more effective.

By Elizabeth Shortino

The institution provides the United States a significant source of economic leverage, helps prevent financial crises, and serves as a counterweight to China’s influence.
Economy & Business International Financial Institutions
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

New Atlanticist Mar 31, 2025

Dispatch from Hong Kong: How the ‘geoeconomic city’ is weathering global headwinds

By Josh Lipsky, Ananya Kumar

From Chinese and US economic growth to stablecoin regulations, a recent visit to Hong Kong offered important insights for two Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center experts.
China Digital Currencies
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

EconoGraphics Apr 17, 2025

Russia Sanctions Database: November 2024

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze

The Atlantic Council’s Russia Sanctions Database tracks the restrictive economic measures Western allies have placed on Russia and evaluates whether these measures are successful in achieving the stated objectives.
China East Asia

In-Depth Research

In the News Nov 15, 2024

Avoiding Entanglement: G20 Responses in a Taiwan Crisis report cited by the Wall Street Journal on how China would respond to trade restrictions from the West

Read the full article here
Brazil China
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Report Oct 22, 2024

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

By Perrihan Al-Riffai

After a year of war, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries need a permanent ceasefire. But with development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East also urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan.
Conflict Israel
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Report Oct 9, 2024

End of the line: The cost of faltering reforms

By Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center and Rhodium Group

The China Pathfinder project examines whether China’s economy is converging or diverging with the world’s leading open market economies.
China Digital Policy
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Issue Brief Sep 20, 2024

Toward a financial inclusion agenda for the global majority

By Nicole Goldin

Policymakers, investors, and innovators must advance a new financial inclusion agenda designed for the global majority.
Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Report Sep 9, 2024

Sharing the post carbon economy means building a resilient EV supply chain

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman

In this report Sarah Bauerle Danzman advances the policy discussion by compiling trade, investment, and EV industrial policy data across the G20, and offers six recommendations to the G20 to build a resilient EV supply chain.
Brazil China
10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

Report Jun 7, 2024

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

By John E. Herbst, Olga Khakova, Charles Lichfield

Rebuilding the Ukrainian economy after Russia’s full-scale invasion will be a monumental task. Reconstruction can’t wait for peace and must be a well-coordinated, inclusive process.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

EconoGraphics

Apr 30, 2025

US-EU sanctions divergence would spell trouble for multinational companies

By Jesse Sucher

The fracturing of traditional alliances carries significant consequences for companies facing multijurisdictional compliance obligations, meaning an already complex situation will become more chaotic.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2025

Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman on how technology can be used to tackle financial crime

By John Cookson

Artificial intelligence and other new technologies are needed to address the problem of illicit funds in the global financial system, Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman told the Atlantic Council on April 25.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Issue Brief

Apr 28, 2025

Modernizing the tools of economic statecraft to meet the challenges of today

By Lesley Chavkin, Eitan Danon, Kimberly Donovan, Andrew Gallucci, and Caroline Hill

As the current administration revisits the functions and mechanics of government, near-term steps can be taken, under existing statutory authorities, to modernize how the United States uses its economic strength to combat national security threats and promote American interests.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation
Read More from the GeoEconomics center

Content

China-MENA Podcast

Nov 3, 2023

10 Years On: China’s Belt & Road Initiative and its Future in the Middle East

By Atlantic Council

David O. Shullman and Yun Sun join us to delve into the current state of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the challenges and opportunities it presents for the Middle East's development agendas.

China East Asia
Cash machine ATM queue Melbourne Australia

Issue Brief

Nov 2, 2023

Asking the right questions: Can digital currency enable financial inclusion?

By Ananya Kumar

Cryptocurrencies and CBDCs have the potential to enhance financial inclusion. However, the lack of quantitative data makes it challenging to evaluate their impact. To assess their financial inclusion capacity, this paper builds a rubric for policymakers which includes layers of consideration.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

In the News

Nov 2, 2023

Lipsky published in Politico on economic statecraft.

By Josh Lipsky

Read the full Op-Ed here.

Economic Sanctions Extremism

Video

Nov 2, 2023

Decoding artificial intelligence

Watch Philip L. Frana, professor in the Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies and Independent Scholars programs at James Madison University, decode artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence Digital Policy

In the News

Nov 2, 2023

Ambassador Morningstar in Financial Times: Letter: Action is needed to let Ukraine use Russia’s frozen assets
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Nov 1, 2023

Lipsky quoted in New York Times’ DealBook on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Read the full newsletter here.

Economic Sanctions Extremism

In the News

Nov 1, 2023

Bauerle Danzman quoted in Bloomberg on political risk and elections.

Read the full article here.

Economic Sanctions Extremism

UkraineAlert

Oct 31, 2023

How to bridge the Ukrainian government’s wartime funding gap

By Anna Kornyliuk

With the current war now widely expected to continue into 2024 and possibly beyond, Ukraine will need significant additional financial support from its partners in order to defeat Putin's Russia, writes Anna Kornyliuk.

Conflict Economy & Business

In the News

Oct 31, 2023

Cohen in Forbes: Russia uses new Arctic LNG to dodge energy sanctions

By Atlantic Council

Economic Sanctions Europe & Eurasia

Event Recap

Oct 30, 2023

Addressing the captagon crisis in MENA: Strategies & Challenges

By Diane Mohamed and Rachel Friedman

The Syria Program hosted a panel discussion taking stock of current captagon landscape in Syria and captagon’s place within the global illicit supply chain.

Corruption Crisis Management
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Experts

Fellow

Amina Mohamed

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Economy & Business

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Kipkorir Koskei

2025 European Leadership Accelerator participant

Millennium Leadership Program

Africa Energy Markets & Governance

Fellow

Itai Melchior

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Artificial Intelligence Economy & Business

Fellow

Hany Ghanem

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Americas Arabic

Fellow

Robert Fardi

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Israel

Fellow

Eric V. Guichard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Corruption
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Events

Online Event Tue, May 13, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Rethinking US policy options in Afghanistan
Afghanistan Economy & Business Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy
Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union