Economy & Business Archives

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.

Learn more

Featured Analysis

Ashford on Background Briefing: The EU will block most Russian oil imports by the end of the year

Experts react Apr 18, 2024

Your primer on the US House security bills for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and more

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts share their insights on what’s in the pending legislation and why it matters for US national security.

Conflict Crisis Management

New Atlanticist Apr 18, 2024

Experts react: The US just reimposed sanctions on Venezuela. What does this mean for energy markets and Venezuela’s election?

By Atlantic Council experts

The United States will reimpose oil sanctions on Venezuela, faulting Nicolás Maduro’s government for failing to uphold the October 2023 Barbados Agreement.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

New Atlanticist Apr 14, 2024

Our experts decode policymakers’ plans for the global economy at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings

By Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts were on the ground at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings to analyze whether the Bretton Woods institutions can guide the world through an uncertain recovery.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

New Atlanticist Apr 12, 2024

Dispatch from Kyiv: Ukraine is fighting for its economic survival, too

By Olga Khakova, Charles Lichfield

The longer the war lasts, the more it will consume funds initially meant for long-term investments and reconstruction.

Conflict Economy & Business

Econographics Mar 28, 2024

Understanding the debate over IMF quota reform

By Hung Tran

The politics and mathematics of reform are tougher than they appear. A simple reform matching quotas to global economic weight will not be welcomed by many countries.

Africa China

New Atlanticist Mar 11, 2024

China is failing to address its economic challenges

By Jeremy Mark

The just-completed National People’s Congress offered no real insight into how Beijing plans to deal with interlocking economic troubles.

China Economy & Business

In-Depth Research

Issue Brief Oct 9, 2023

The Bretton Woods institutions under geopolitical fragmentation

By Martin Mühleisen

Given China’s current resource advantage, Western countries need to make better use of the IMF and World Bank where doing so is in their interest. If applied more broadly, this approach could provide incentives for other governments to return to multilateral institutions, instead of China, for support.

China Economy & Business

Issue Brief Oct 9, 2023

How the IMF can navigate great power rivalry

By Hung Tran

Fragmentation resulting from geopolitical competition between large economies is posing a serious challenge to the fulfillment of IMF’s core missions. Here’s how it can respond.

China Economy & Business

Issue Brief Oct 9, 2023

Reimagining Africa’s role in revitalizing the global economy

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The African continent potential to revitalize the world economy and reverse the downward trend in global growth. However, for this to materialize, it needs substantial investments in its physical and social infrastructure.

Africa China

Issue Brief Oct 9, 2023

Less is more: Fewer reports would improve the IMF’s global surveillance

By Tamim Bayoumi

To improve its global analysis, the IMF should consolidate its conjunctural analysis into a single, shorter, and more pointed report.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Report Sep 20, 2023

The US, EU, and UK need a shared approach to economic statecraft. Here’s where to start.

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze, Nicole Goldin, Mrugank Bhusari, Sarah Bauerle Danzman, Ambuj Sahu, and Daniel McDowell

The economic statecraft landscape is becoming more complex as transatlantic partners increasingly leverage the tools to counter transnational threats. There is a growing need to understand how these tools are used, by whom, and when, as well as their intended and real impacts worldwide.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Report Jun 21, 2023

Sanctioning China in a Taiwan crisis: Scenarios and risks

By Charlie Vest and Agatha Kratz

New research on possible options and their costs of G7 sanctions on China in the event of a Taiwan Crisis.

China Economic Sanctions

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

Econographics

May 2, 2024

Understanding the plan to create a $50 billion Ukraine bond from Russia’s blocked assets

By Charles Lichfield, Mrugank Bhusari

The United States is pushing the G7 to consider a sovereign loan of $50 billion to Ukraine which would be repaid using the interest income on blocked Russian assets. Where does this $50 billion figure come from?

Economic Sanctions Russia

Econographics

May 1, 2024

How to improve the technical skill of the US national security workforce

By Lesley Chavkin, Eitan Danon, and Sigal Mandelker

We cannot expect to compete on the world stage without equipping the US civil service with the skills and experience needed to understand and harness the technological trends that will define the future. But if we want our best and brightest—our most ambitious and innovative—women and men to pursue federal service, we have to do a better job of proactively making the case why.

Economy & Business Future of Work

Econographics

Apr 30, 2024

The yen’s travails in an era of geopolitical rivalry

By Hung Tran

In an era marked by geopolitical tensions, the yen’s depreciation underscores the broader economic fallout from a persistently strong dollar and rising US interest rates.

Economy & Business Indo-Pacific

Content

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Ashford on Background Briefing: The EU will block most Russian oil imports by the end of the year

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Emma Ashford was featured on “Background Briefing with Ian Masters” regarding the EU oil embargo. Ashford discussed her recent op-ed published in Bloomberg and the Washington Post, “NATO should think twice before accepting Finland and Sweden.” Ashford also shared some findings from her recently published book, Oil, the State, and War: The […]

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Ashford publishes book Oil, the State and War: The Foreign Policies of Petrostates

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Emma Ashford’s book Oil, the State and War: The Foreign Policies of Petrostates was published by Georgetown University Press. The book challenges prevailing understandings of the international implications of oil wealth and shows why it can create bad actors. In a world where oil-rich states are more likely to start war than their oil-dependent counterparts, […]

Corruption Defense Policy

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Grieco in The Diplomat: Biden’s China strategy needs an economic statecraft component

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Kelly Grieco published an article in The Diplomat highlighting the need for economic statecraft as a component of the Biden administration’s China strategy. “The China challenge is, indeed, serious but the Biden administration’s strategy for addressing it is lacking. There is no strategy – at least no credible strategy – without robust […]

China East Asia

Report

Jun 1, 2022

A Democratic Trade Partnership: Ally shoring to counter coercion and secure supply chains

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig

A Democratic Trade and Economic Partnership could provide an integrated framework for leading democracies and other partners to selectively decouple from revisionist autocracies and foster free, fair, and secure trade.

China Economy & Business

Press Release

Jun 1, 2022

In new Atlantic Council book, US and Colombia influencers propose new vision for US-Colombia ties

The Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center published its first book, Allies: Twenty-Seven Bold Ideas to Reimagine the US-Colombia Relationship, that outlines a new vision for US-Colombia relations amid the bicentennial of diplomatic relations and as new local and global challenges call for a reimagined partnership.

Colombia Economy & Business

In the News

Jun 1, 2022

Ashford on BBC: Ukraine and the EU oil embargo

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Emma Ashford was interviewed on BBC Newsnight about Ukraine and the EU oil embargo. More about our expert

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Report

Jun 1, 2022

Do countries need freedom to achieve prosperity?

By Dan Negrea, Joseph Lemoine, Matthew Kroenig, Joel Kesselbrenner

The Freedom Index and Prosperity Index are two separate indexes that rank one hundred and seventy-four countries around the world according to their levels of freedom and prosperity.

Civil Society Corruption

SouthAsiaSource

Jun 1, 2022

Experts react: Biden’s new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

By Atlantic Council

Introduced during Biden’s first Asian tour in Japan earlier this week, the Indo-Pacific Framework, or IPEF, is a US-led framework for an economic partnership between members of the Quad along with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and New Zealand. The framework is a means for the countries to solidify their relationship and engage in economic and trade matters concerning the Indo-Pacific region. The IPEF comes five years after the US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and is seen as a means to counter China’s dominance in the region and reassert American influence.

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Jun 1, 2022

Russia’s war on global food security

By Anders Åslund

Russia’s war on Ukraine has sparked sea changes in global politics on a historic scale. As the West grapples with how to move forward, addressing Russia’s culpability in exploiting a global food crisis—and mitigating the damage—is essential.

Central Europe Crisis Management

In-Depth Research & Reports

May 31, 2022

Diversify the bilateral agenda

By Maria Claudia Lacouture

Overcoming Colombia’s security challenges will require investment, job creation, and a strong social agenda. The United States should play a key role in this endeavor.

Colombia Economy & Business