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

From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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
From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

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

Jun 30, 2025

Less investment, less influence: Why the US risks losing ground in the Indo-Pacific

By Lize de Kruijf and Nazima Tursun

The US withdrawal of foreign aid to Indo-Pacific countries creates space for China to expand its influence in the region.

Defense Policy Economy & Business

Econographics

Jun 23, 2025

From trade wars to capital wars: Section 899 could rattle global capital markets

By John Satory

Section 899 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act plans to tax certain foreign investors, testing investor confidence in America’s financial leadership and market stability.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Econographics

Jun 19, 2025

Hawks vs. doves: The split between the Fed and the ECB

By Bart Piasecki

While the ECB signals an end to its rate-cutting cycle, the Fed hesitates. This article explores the macroeconomic and policy reasons behind it.

Economy & Business European Union
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Content

Event Recap

Jul 7, 2022

From crypto winter to crypto spring: The challenges and opportunities of cryptocurrency in MENA

By Alexandra Kaiss

On June 28, the Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative held a virtual event on "Will the crypto winter cool the Middle East?" in partnership with ABANA.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Jul 6, 2022

Mayors are quickly becoming international diplomats. The US can help them thrive.

By Willow Fortunoff

Mayors will have the opportunity to revitalize US foreign policy at next year's Cities Summit of the Americas—but they'll need national support to shore up their teams and capacity.

Americas Economy & Business

In the News

Jul 5, 2022

Weinstein quoted in Hellenic Shipping News: Sanctions put globalization under strain

On July 5, 2022, Global China Hub fellow Emily Weinstein was quoted in Hellenic Shipping News article titled, “Sanctions put globalization under strain”. Looking at US sanctions against Huawei, Weinstein says, “We have to rethink what national security means. We have to figure out what we are doing with them. What we’re seeing now with […]

China Economic Sanctions

In the News

Jul 4, 2022

Lakhani featured in Phone World: Pakistan’s startups sector witnesses a significant drop in fundraising

By Atlantic Council

Economy & Business Future of Work

UkraineAlert

Jul 3, 2022

Investing in Ukraine’s brains is vital for the country’s post-war prosperity

By Gerson S. Sher

International support for the development of Ukraine's education and tech sectors could hold the key to a strong and sovereign Ukrainian state once the current war with Putin's Russia is over, writes Gerson S. Sher.

Conflict Cybersecurity

New Atlanticist

Jul 1, 2022

Summit speed read: How the G7 and NATO pushed back on Putin

By Daniel Fried

The free world’s leading institutions did a lot this week—but the war still hangs in the balance. Here's what was agreed to and what is yet to be accomplished.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

In the News

Jul 1, 2022

Global Sanctions Dashboard cited in EUAgenda

Read the full article here.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

In the News

Jul 1, 2022

Nikoladze cited in Foundation for the Defense of Democracies on cybersecurity export controls

Read the full article here.

Cybersecurity Economic Sanctions

In the News

Jul 1, 2022

Graham cited in USNI News on threats to Ukraine’s wheat supply due to the Russian invasion

Read the full article here.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

AfricaSource

Jul 1, 2022

Renewing transatlantic partnerships with Africa

As the world grapples with pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and the war in Ukraine, there is an urgent need for Africa, Europe, and the United States to work more closely than ever before on their common challenges in order to build a more secure and equitable future for all.

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action
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Experts

Fellow

Sergio Guzmán

Nonresident Journalist Fellow

Global China Hub

Americas Caribbean

Fellow

Perrihan Al-Riffai

Nonresident Senior Fellow

empowerME Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business

Staff

Melanie Hart

Senior Director, Global China Hub

Global China Hub

China Chinese

Staff

Alexis Harmon

Assistant Director

Global Energy Center

Geopolitics & Energy Security Renewables & Advanced Energy

Fellow

Danuta Hübner

Distinguished Fellow

Europe Center

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

Fellow

Santiago Villa

Nonresident Journalist Fellow

Global China Hub

Africa China
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Events

Online Event Wed, July 2, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

How to bridge the trust gap to drive the Western Balkans’ EU integration
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Political Reform
Online Event Wed, July 2, 2025 • 3:00 pm ET

Central Bank Governor Leonardo Villar on Colombia’s monetary policy trajectory
Americas Economy & Business Financial Regulation Latin America
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
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