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

How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

Econographics Jun 6, 2025

The search for safe assets

By Hung Tran

The deterioration of the US fiscal outlook has put international investors, especially foreign central banks, in a quandary. There is no good alternative to US Treasuries as safe reserve assets.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

Econographics May 29, 2025

After partial relief, what’s next for Syria sanctions?

By Alex Zerden

Syria remains a high-risk jurisdiction due to years of conflict, endemic corruption, state institution collapse, narcotrafficking of captagon, insufficient anti-money laundering efforts, and inadequate financing of terrorism controls.
Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

Sinographs Jun 2, 2025

Hong Kong highlights China’s policy of decoupling from US financial markets

By Jeremy Mark

The political benefits of an international financial center with Chinese characteristics will outweigh the pain that decoupling inflicts on China’s private sector.
China Economy & Business
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

New Atlanticist May 27, 2025

What’s the Trump administration’s dollar strategy? It depends on who you ask.

By Alisha Chhangani

Within the White House, there appear to be competing and fractured views of the dollar’s role. This dissonance could result in harm to the currency’s long-term dominance.
Digital Currencies Economy & Business
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

Issue Brief Jun 6, 2025

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

By Charles Lichfield

Japan is in a geopolitically challenging neighborhood and is witnessing the basic tenets of its foreign policy—from alignment with the United States to fostering a rules-based environment—come under unprecedented stress.
East Asia Economic Sanctions
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

New Atlanticist Jun 6, 2025

Even as courts step in, Trump still has plenty of tariff options. US trading partners should intensify negotiations.

By Brian Janovitz

Section 301 may entail more work for the White House, but it could provide a relatively straightforward pathway to broad-based tariffs.
Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy

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
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

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
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

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
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

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
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

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
How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

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

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2025

April, July, now August: Our expert guide to Trump’s latest tariff moves

By Atlantic Council experts

“Liberation Day” was nearly ninety days ago, and now the deadline for many nations to negotiate a trade deal and avoid US tariffs is extended to next month. Atlantic Council experts explain what’s behind the moving calendar.

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy
Stablecoins

Fintech Frontlines

Jul 8, 2025

Stablecoins are trending, but what frictions and risks are getting overlooked?

By Ashley Lannquist

Stablecoin usage is complex for consumers, and large-scale adoption could introduce new challenges for financial stability and regulatory oversight.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Econographics

Jul 7, 2025

Building BRICS

By Bart Piasecki

Fifteen years after its founding, BRICS has evolved into a formidable counterweight to Western dominance in global economic governance. Yet despite its growing influence, the bloc’s ability to translate bold rhetoric into concrete results remains uncertain.

Brazil China
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Content

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva holds up a logo for the 2023 global policy agenda at the start of a news conference during the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, U.S., April 13, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

Econographics

Sep 19, 2023

How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

By Bruce Shen and Euel Kebebew

In light global debt crisis, the IMF plays crucial role in navigating complexities exacerbated by COVID-19, emphasizing transparency, incentives, and innovative financial tools for effective debt management.

China Economy & Business

In the News

Sep 19, 2023

Mühleisen quoted by Axios on the importance of government spending to address inequality

Read the full article here.

Inclusive Growth Macroeconomics

In the News

Sep 19, 2023

Senior Fellow Carla Norllof authored Project Syndicate piece on why dollar hegemony is likely to continue.

Read the full article here.

China Japan

Issue Brief

Sep 19, 2023

Unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential

By Aubrey Hruby and Fatima Ezzahra Mengoub

The ongoing digital revolution in Africa presents a valuable opportunity to revolutionize the continent’s food systems.

Africa Economy & Business

Global China

Sep 18, 2023

Global China Newsletter: Xi stiffs the G20, turns to the Global South

By Dexter Tiff Roberts

The September 2023 edition of the Global China newsletter.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Sep 18, 2023

How Germany’s security strategy incorporates economic resilience

By Hung Tran

The National Security Strategy represents a step forward for Germany, but highlights how difficult "integrated security" can be.

China Economy & Business

The Freedom and Prosperity Equation

Sep 18, 2023

Introduction: The continuing debate about freedom and prosperity

By Dan Negrea, Brad Lips, Kris Mauren

Freedom and prosperity are strongly correlated, and freedom is necessary for sustained economic growth. Some authoritarian regimes have enjoyed some economic success, but the Chinese development model does not provide a sustainable path to prosperity and comes at the expense of human rights and individual freedoms.

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

The Freedom and Prosperity Equation

Sep 18, 2023

Dimensions of freedom and economic performance

By Ignacio Campomanes

Democracy can be strengthened significantly if we can rigorously show that free societies are also superior to autocracies in producing higher overall prosperity. Defining the attributes of liberal democracies is essential to understand the relationship between freedom and prosperity.

Freedom and Prosperity Macroeconomics

The Freedom and Prosperity Equation

Sep 18, 2023

Pathways to economic prosperity: Theoretical, methodological, and evidential considerations

By Markus Jaeger

Economic development is a complex, multi-causal phenomenon and it is useful to consider how different elements, including policies and institutions, interact to produce sustained economic growth. Depending on the situation, various reforms can nudge nations toward certain paths.

Freedom and Prosperity Macroeconomics

The Freedom and Prosperity Equation

Sep 18, 2023

Who came first: Freedom or prosperity? An inquiry about liberty and well-being

By Vladimir Fernandes Maciel, Ulisses Monteiro Ruiz de Gamboa, Paulo Rogério Scarano, and Julian Alexienco Portillo

The symbiosis between freedom and prosperity: a virtuous cycle (higher levels of freedom and prosperity lead to more freedom and prosperity) and a vicious cycle (lower levels of freedom and prosperity lead to less freedom and prosperity), with these cycles tending to reinforce each other.

Freedom and Prosperity Macroeconomics
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Experts

Staff

Jessie Yin

Assistant Director, GeoEconomics Center

GeoEconomics Center

China Chinese

Fellow

Beth Baltzan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

Fellow

Marek Magierowski

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Jonathan Corrado

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Indo-Pacific Korea

Fellow

Lisa C. Sawyer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Economy & Business

Fellow

Rabah Arezki

Distinguished Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Africa Economy & Business
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Events

Public Event Thu, July 10, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on the future of US-Africa trade and security

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau joins the Atlantic Council while he is in Washington, DC for a summit between West African leaders and US President Donald Trump. 

North & West Africa Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense Trade and tariffs
Online Event Fri, July 11, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

What comes next for transatlantic trade
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Trade and tariffs
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