Resilience & Society

Coronavirus will worsen Venezuela’s emergency, interim president says

By David A. Wemer

“This right now is an unprecedented emergency,” Guaidó said during an April 23 event with the Atlantic Council moderated by journalist and CBS news contributor María Elena Salinas. “Venezuela cannot survive both a pandemic and a famine,” he explained.

It Takes a Village: Helping the Most Vulnerable in Crisis

India’s coronavirus lockdown has sparked an economic pandemic. A collective of community groups and non-profits in Chennai stepped in to help.

Coronavirus hits consumer confidence, businesses in Europe; Germany’s Merkel urges patience

By Atlantic Council

The coronavirus outbreak took its toll on consumer confidence and business activity alike in Europe, with progress to prevent a second wave of the disease set to be “painfully slow”. A summit meeting of European leaders is expected to make limited progress to support the region’s battered economy. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pandemic is “still at the beginning”.

Why the Netherlands opposed unconditional European coronavirus aid

By Elmar Hellendoorn

Southern European calls for northern solidarity should be backed up with a quest for greater empathy in countries like the Netherlands. As long as the Dutch public remain largely unaware of the plight of southern Europe—as well as ignorant of the geopolitical consequences of too much fiscal rigidity—the current clash may only be a prelude to a much larger battle.

Foresight and democracy during a period of growing polarization, turbulence, and misinformation

By Atlantic Council

On April 23, 2020, Sheila Ronis, Leon Fuerth, Lin Wells, and David Bray held a live virtual roundtable on the topic of "Foresight and Democracy During a Period of Growing Polarization, Turbulence, and Misinformation?"

Gaza is unprepared for coronavirus: Providing aid could avert a security and economic catastrophe

By Evanna Hu

Given Gaza’s isolation and the fact that almost two million people are cramped into such a small space—Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas on Earth—physical distancing, especially within refugee camps, is literally impossible. Though there has been a lot of forced ingenuity from Gazans—adapting existing materials to make sanitizers, facial masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE)—it is far from enough.

COVID-19 is transforming education for all: Fast tracking the shift to distant learning

By Robert Feller

The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has presented the world with a series of challenges that can deepen inequalities across societies, but also (or maybe especially) in the world of education, which is now forced to move into the online realm. COVID-19, however, also gives us the opportunity to increase the quality and access to education for the world’s most vulnerable young people. The impact of new, digital innovations on the education of thousands of young refugees is huge and demands our urgent attention.

Starling writes article on European military mobility in Defense One

By Atlantic Council

Deputy Director of Forward Defense Clementine Starling reviews the successes of and challenges to European military mobility in the wake of COVID-19, and advances four solutions.

Europe prepares stimulus as US Senate passes $484 billion in relief; CDC warns of virus second wave

By Atlantic Council

US Senators passed a $484 billion in relief for small businesses and hospitals, while Europe’s leaders prepared for a stimulus package of their own. A second wave of coronavirus could be even worse because of flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Cases of coronavirus emerged in California earlier than first thought. Press reports revised the death toll upwards in the UK and beyond.