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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

Ashford on Intelligence Squared: Agree to disagree: Ukraine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Testimony

Jun 9, 2025

Carole House testifies to House Financial Services Committee on the gaps and opportunities for digital asset regulation

By Carole House

On June 6, Senior Fellow Carole House testified to the House Committee on Financial Services at a hearing titled, “American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: From Blueprint to a Functional Framework.”

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

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

Issue Brief

Jun 6, 2025

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

By Charles Lichfield

East Asia Economic Sanctions

Content

In the News

Mar 11, 2022

Ashford on Intelligence Squared: Agree to disagree: Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

On March 11, Emma Ashford featured in a debate organized by IQ2 with former Ambassador Kurt Volker on the conflict in Ukraine, which was distributed to all NPR affiliates. “Ukraine is undoubtedly an important country, a wonderful country full of wonderful people, but it is not strategically important to the United States or to our […]

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 11, 2022

CBDC Tracker cited in CNN Business on countries exploring central bank digital currencies around the world

Read the full article here

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

In the News

Mar 11, 2022

Zais joins Al Hurra to discuss the impacts of the Russian invasion on Ukraine on global oil prices and alternatives to Russian oil

By Atlantic Council

Arabic Conflict

Econographics

Mar 11, 2022

Biden’s Executive Order on Digital Assets has been Released. Now What?

By Ananya Kumar

Biden signed an Executive Order on CBDCs, Stablecoins and Cryptocurrencies. What does this mean for the future of digital assets and their regulation in the United States?

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Report

Mar 11, 2022

Exploring humanitarian frameworks for Venezuela

By A report by the Atlantic Council's Venezuela Working Group

Policy brief led by the Atlantic Council’s Venezuela Working Group (VWG) that seeks to analyze the two existing oil-funded humanitarian proposals on Venezuela, and provide recommendations for future humanitarian proposals’ governance structure, financing mechanisms, transparency controls, political agreements, legal requirements, and multilateral participation to achieve the most optimal possible outcome for the Venezuelan people.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

MENASource

Mar 10, 2022

Fintech is opening new doors in MENA for inclusive finance

By Allison Holle

On March 1, the Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative, in partnership with ABANA, held a virtual event to discuss the opportunities for inclusive finance that the financial technology (Fintech) sector presents to the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) population.

Economy & Business Middle East

TURKEYSource

Mar 10, 2022

Why Turkey is vital for Ukraine, as it balances both sides in Russia conflict

By Atlantic Council IN TURKEY

The Atlantic Council IN TURKEY discusses Turkey's importance for Ukraine, Turkey's stance towards the war between Russia and Ukraine and its efforts towards mediation with Yevgeniya Gaber.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Mar 10, 2022

Not just Putin: Most Russians support the war in Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

Many international commentators have pinned the blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine solely on Vladimir Putin but the chilling truth is that an overwhelming majority of ordinary Russians also support the war.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

Mar 9, 2022

Central Bank Digital Currency tracker cited by Reuters on Biden’s executive order

Read the full article here.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

In the News

Mar 9, 2022

Amb. Fried quoted in Politico’s West Wing Playbook newsletter regarding Ambassador Brzezinksi

Read the newsletter here

Belfer Center Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Sloan Fellow - MBA'25, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Millennium Leadership Program

Economy & Business Middle East

Events

Public Event Thu, June 12, 2025 • 2:30 pm ET

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Programs

Featured Analysis

The search for safe assets

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

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

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

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

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

In-Depth Research

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

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

End of the line: The cost of faltering reforms

Toward a financial inclusion agenda for the global majority

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

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

Carole House testifies to House Financial Services Committee on the gaps and opportunities for digital asset regulation

The search for safe assets

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

Content

Ashford on Intelligence Squared: Agree to disagree: Ukraine

CBDC Tracker cited in CNN Business on countries exploring central bank digital currencies around the world

Zais joins Al Hurra to discuss the impacts of the Russian invasion on Ukraine on global oil prices and alternatives to Russian oil

Biden’s Executive Order on Digital Assets has been Released. Now What?

Exploring humanitarian frameworks for Venezuela

Fintech is opening new doors in MENA for inclusive finance

Why Turkey is vital for Ukraine, as it balances both sides in Russia conflict

Not just Putin: Most Russians support the war in Ukraine

Central Bank Digital Currency tracker cited by Reuters on Biden’s executive order

Amb. Fried quoted in Politico’s West Wing Playbook newsletter regarding Ambassador Brzezinksi

Experts

Jasneet Hora

Gabriela Santos

Devon Long

Dan Murphy

Arvid Bell

Ala’a Kolkaila

Events

The cost of conflict: Launching the G7-China Economic Radar

2025 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes launch

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

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