Economy & Business

Suma Chakrabarti says EBRD is committed to financing post-coronavirus recovery

By Larry Luxner

Unlike the much larger International Monetary Fund (IMF) or World Bank, the London-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) stands out as being the only international financial institution that will focus its 2020-21 activities exclusively on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Russian economy in health, oil, and economic crisis

By Anders Åslund

Russia’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic and the ensuing economic crisis does not impress. Arguably, it has hardly been worse than the average EU response—except for the Central European countries, where the pandemic arrived late and who protected themselves much better. The Russian authorities’ attempts to deny and conceal the epidemic have undermined popular trust in Putin, which is lower than ever. Nor have the authorities shown any sign of restart long dormant reforms.

A new era in financial diplomacy: The third evolution of Bretton Woods

By Michael Greenwald

China has made significant waves by introducing its own digital yuan this past month. The United States should turn to its allies for support and cooperation in building an alternative to the Chinese solution for digital currencies.

Event recap | Data salon episode 1: Notice, consent, and disclosure in times of crisis

By Stewart Scott

On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center and Accenture hosted Dr. Jennifer King, Director of Consumer Privacy at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School, and Ms. Jana Gooth, legal policy advisor to MEP Alexandra Geese, for the inaugural episode of the jointly presented Data Salon Series. The event was co-hosted by Mr. Steven Tiell, Senior Principle, Responsible Innovation at Accenture and Dr. David Bray, Inaugural Director, GeoTech Center at the Atlantic Council.

Dr. David Bray on COVID-19 as the great disruption accelerator

By Atlantic Council

Dr. David Bray, Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center discussed on the Business Learning Institute's Future Proof podcast that today's challenging moment also presents immense opportunity for transformation and the introduction of changes society has long needed.

EU looks for next step in coronavirus economic response

By Bart Oosterveld

An agreement within the EU to not only jointly issue debt, but to disburse the proceeds of those debt issuances in the form of grants to financially weaker member states, would be an important moment in capital markets.

The WTO needs a new DG: No time for business as usual

By Marc L. Busch

Will the WTO finally pick a woman? Which continent “gets” the slot? And does the institution need someone from a developing country? These questions merit attention, but first, it’s time to ask why this isn’t “business as usual.”

Expert panel briefs Congressional staffers on Sudan

By Africa Center

On Tuesday, May 26, the Africa Center hosted a closed Sudan briefing for Congressional staffers who are currently at work on several important pieces of Sudan-related legislation. The private briefing featured remarks from Sudanese Minister of Finance H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Elbadawi and Sudanese Minister of Justice H.E. Nasredeen Abdulbari, followed by an expert panel of DC-based Sudan experts.

Going deeper: Central Bank Digital Currencies and how best to design them to benefit everyone

On May 19, 2020 - Lisa Pollina, Gabriel Abed, George Bachiashvili, Shane Glynn, Aditi Kuma shared perspectives on "The digital dollar: Do we need it and how do we build it?" as part of a live video discussion moderated by Michael Greenwald. The discussion focused what exactly is a digital dollar? How would it work, how could it best be designed, and who would manage it?