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

Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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
Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

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

Econographics

Jul 14, 2025

Injecting new life into Europe’s life science industry to improve competitiveness

By Emma Nix

US turmoil under Trump has shaken the life sciences sector, prompting top researchers to consider leaving. Europe now has a rare chance to attract this talent and revive its biotech and pharma industries—but only if it moves quickly and decisively before China does.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Jul 10, 2025

The stablecoin race

By Hung Tran, Barbara C. Matthews

Each country’s agenda is motivated by questions about the sustainability of the dollar’s dominant global role.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

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
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Content

In the News

Sep 23, 2019

Livingston in Axios: How blockchain falls short for energy transactions

By Atlantic Council

Defense Technologies Economy & Business

Feature

Sep 22, 2019

Sanctions explained: How a foreign policy problem becomes a sanctions program

By Brian O'Toole and Samantha Sultoon

Sanctions allow a US president to exercise power unilaterally and often expeditiously. They are often one of the few middle grounds between war and words.

Economic Sanctions

Inflection Points

Sep 21, 2019

Trump’s Iran test: Nerves and vision

By Frederick Kempe

President Trump’s maximum pressure and Iran’s escalating responses have increased the risks of conflict. They have also brought a new chance of resolution that may become the most significant test yet of President Trump’s ability to transform his disruptive foreign policy into positive outcomes.

Defense Policy Economic Sanctions

Event Recap

Sep 20, 2019

Senegal’s economy minister outlines strategy for private sector-led growth

By Africa Center

On Friday, September 20, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted H.E. Amadou Hott, minister of economy, planning, and cooperation of the Republic of Senegal.

Africa Economy & Business

MENASource

Sep 20, 2019

To deal, or not to deal: Iran remains divided on the United States

By Sara Bazoobandi

The Iranian leadership has been unable to find a consensus on when the negotiations should begin, or what a final agreement should achieve.

Economic Sanctions Iran

New Atlanticist

Sep 20, 2019

Iranian central bank designation: What does it mean?

By Brian O'Toole

The only appreciable impact of the September 20 designation will be to further impair the delivery of food and medicine to the Iranian people, who are already struggling to get needed supplies and to antagonize US partners around the globe.

Economic Sanctions Iran

In the News

Sep 20, 2019

Sultoon quoted in Reuters on Iran’s central bank sanctions

By Atlantic Council

Economic Sanctions Iran

Event Recap

Sep 19, 2019

Guinea’s president seeks expanded US investment

By Africa Center

On Thursday, September 19, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted H.E. Professor Alpha Condé, president of the Republic of Guinea. Atlantic Council Vice President and Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham provided opening remarks and welcomed President Condé to the Atlantic Council. President Condé discussed Guinea’s ability to implement reforms and overcome challenges in […]

Africa Democratic Transitions

In the News

Sep 19, 2019

Cohen in Forbes: China’s Giant $400 Billion Iran Investment Complicates U.S. Options

By Atlantic Council

China East Asia

Issue Brief

Sep 19, 2019

Secondary sanctions’ implications and the transatlantic relationship

By Samantha Sultoon & Justine Walker

The term secondary sanctions provokes strong reactions from allies and markets. Due to the power of the US dollar, breadth of the US market, and dominance of the US financial system, even the threat of secondary sanctions prompts many non-US companies to change their behavior to avoid the risk of such sanctions. Although this approach has furthered US policies, it has resulted in transatlantic political divergence and enhanced compliance uncertainty among private sector actors.

China Economic Sanctions
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Experts

Fellow

Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Staff

Isabella Palacios

Project Assistant

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Americas Colombia

Fellow

Brenda Estefan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Economy & Business Latin America

Fellow

Elizabeth Shortino

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth

Staff

Tatevik Khachatryan

Assistant Director, Events

Armenian Digital Policy

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Kipkorir Koskei

2025 European Leadership Accelerator participant

Millennium Leadership Program

Africa Energy Markets & Governance
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Events

Online Event Thu, July 17, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

Book talk: A portrait of ‘the man who would be king’
Economy & Business Energy & Environment Middle East Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Mon, July 21, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

Atlantic piracy, current threats, and maritime governance in the Gulf of Guinea
Africa Civil Society Economy & Business North & West Africa
Online Event Tue, July 22, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Israel’s Noach Hacker on the resilience of the Israeli economy in times of war
Conflict Economy & Business International Markets Israel
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