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

How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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
How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

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

Jul 18, 2025

Four questions (and expert answers) on the new US cryptocurrency legislation

By Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts pull back the curtain on three new pieces of legislation on digital currencies, covering everything from stablecoins to CBDCs.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Econographics

Jul 17, 2025

Charting a strategic path for Syria’s postwar reconstruction

By Kimberly Donovan, Jonathan Panikoff, Lize de Kruijf, Manal Fatima

As Syria emerges from over a decade of conflict, easing sanctions by the United States, the European Union (EU), and other European partners is an important step toward reintegrating Syria into the global economy. Yet, for a country that has been economically isolated for over fourteen years, lifting sanctions is only the beginning.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Jul 17, 2025

What Ancient Greece can teach the United States about defending against cyber attacks

By Carole House

Applying lessons from the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC to present-day cyber warfare is surprisingly instructive.

Cybersecurity Iran
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Content

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2019

How Kolomoisky does business in the United States

By Anders Åslund

The PrivatBank case shows that dirty money is not necessarily concentrated in the big cities and in real estate but can penetrate the real economy.

Corruption Financial Regulation

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2019

Seven dangers of engaging with the occupied Donbas—and opportunities for the new Ukrainian president

By Petro Burkovskyi

Ukraine’s new president says he wants to end the Russian-backed war in the country’s east. However, it won’t be easy. There are at least seven dangers of engaging with the occupied territories of the Donbas. The first danger is that a class of highly educated and trained leaders is completely absent. All key positions, whether […]

Conflict Corruption

EconoGraphics

Jun 3, 2019

US Cuba policy: EU and Canadian firms to suffer?

By BY OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY SHIQING HUA, FRANCIS AUBEE, AND NICK BROWN

On April 17 2019, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced an important change in the United States’ policy toward Cuba: Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democracy Solidarity Act of 1996 (LIBERTAD Act) would no longer be suspended. As a result of this decision, US claimants can now seek compensation for property confiscated by the Castro government. The move has important implications for US and foreign companies doing business in Cuba. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the history and purpose of the LIBERTAD Act, evaluates the policy’s potential impact on US allies’ economic interests in Cuba, and highlights its implications for the pressure campaign against the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

Cuba Economic Sanctions

Insights & Impact

Jun 1, 2019

US-China Trade War: Escalation with No End in Sight

Hung Tran The Atlantic Council’s Global Business & Economics Program’s nonresident senior fellow Hung Tran argues that the ratcheting up of US-China trade tensions in May “could begin to fragment the global economy into US- and China-driven global spheres, with potentially huge implications for sustained growth and prosperity for the world.”

China Economy & Business

Insights & Impact

Jun 1, 2019

Russia’s Crony Capitalism: The Path from Market Economy to Kleptocracy

Anders Aslund This insightful study explores how the economic system Vladimir Putin has developed in Russia works to consolidate control over the country. By appointing his close associates as heads of state enterprises and by giving control of the FSB and the judiciary to his friends from the KGB, he has enriched his business friends […]

Corruption Economy & Business

Insights & Impact

Jun 1, 2019

Geo-economics: Russia and Iran in Syria

Faysal Itani This article examines two dimensions of a broader analysis of the geo-economics of reconstruction in Syria: the actions of Iran and Russia in the context of their interests and capabilities. The analysis identifies overlaps and conflicts among these interests and examines the larger geo-economic and geo-political implications. A comprehensive survey of Iranian and […]

Economy & Business Iran

Event Recap

Jun 1, 2019

Rapid reaction call: Implications of President Trump’s Mexico tariff threat

On May 30, President Trump announced that he would impose tariffs on products imported from Mexico, beginning at 5 percent on June 10, with a possible escalation to 25 percent by October. This threat is directed at the US’ largest trading partner thus far in 2019. President Trump’s announcement came on the same day that […]

Americas Economy & Business
eurogrowth

Insights & Impact

Jun 1, 2019

European American Chambers of Commerce Delegation Visit

On May 14th, the Global Business & Economics Program’s EuroGrowth Initiative hosted a large delegation of American Chambers of Commerce from Europe to exchange views on transatlantic trade relations. Director Bart Oosterveld, Deputy Director Marie Kasperek, Fellow Hung Tran and Google’s Michele Lynch all participated in the lively conversation.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
alanwolff

Insights & Impact

Jun 1, 2019

Global Trade Developments and the Future of the World Trade Organization

The Global Business and Economics (GBE) program co-hosted, with the South Asia Center, a discussion with WTO Deputy Director-General Ambassador Alan Wolff. The conversation focused on the latest global trade developments and the future of the WTO. South Asia Center Senior Fellow Mark Linscott moderated the session. In addition, Marie Kasperek, deputy director of the […]

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions
womeninbanking

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Jun 1, 2019

Giving Credit Where It’s Due: Access to Capital for Women in African Markets

On Thursday, May 16, the Africa Center hosted a public discussion on gendered barriers to raising capital in African markets, and the dearth of female leadership atop private equity and venture capital firms with funds on the African continent. Panelists discussed OPIC’s 2X Women’s Initiative, which has mobilized over $1 billion for women-led businesses, and […]

Africa Economy & Business
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Experts

Fellow

Evi Fuelle

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Fellow

Julie Brinn Siegel

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Financial Crimes & Illicit Trade

Staff

Enrique Millán-Mejía

Senior Fellow, Economic Development

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Americas Colombia

Fellow

Rza Aliyev

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Azerbaijani Central Asia

Fellow

Matthew L. Ekberg

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Financial Crimes & Illicit Trade

Fellow

Thomas Storch

Distinguished fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Energy Markets & Governance
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Events

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
Online Event Thu, July 24, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

Strengthening the resilience of the Caribbean services sector
Caribbean Economy & Business
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