Resilience & Society

Afghanistan needs a ceasefire now to battle COVID-19

By Marika Theros and Sahar Halaimzai

COVID-19 will not wait for negotiators to reach a humanitarian ceasefire. This is not the time to place political goals above public health or to exploit divisions. A coordinated plan of action, grounded in a public health perspective and which prioritizes pausing the violence, is necessary in order to save lives. Any actor using the pandemic to score political points or to strengthen their hand at the negotiation table cannot be truly committed to peace in Afghanistan.

Coronavirus drug study disappoints investors, second wave prospect casts shadow on reopening plans

By Atlantic Council

A study appeared to show that a drug believed to treat coronavirus proved to be ineffective, disappointing investors. European leaders agreed to an economic stimulus deal of sorts, but thin on detail. The issue of a possible second wave of infections continues to garner attention as leaders worldwide wrestle with how best to reopen their economies.

What the world can learn from regional responses to COVID-19

By Anastasia Kalinina

Regional integration projects around the world could be the first step to help countries jointly meet the challenges of COVID-19. In recent weeks we have witnessed many of them coming together to establish collective measures.

Israel-Gulf ties, boosted by COVID-19 research, may trip over annexation plans

By Jonathan H. Ferziger

For policymakers, the prospect of West Bank annexation posed by Israel’s incoming coalition government is a reminder of the delicacy of Mideast peacemaking.

Design choices of Central Bank Digital Currencies will transform digital payments and geopolitics

By Nikhil Raghuveera

In this analysis, the Atlantic Council GeoTech Center examines the geopolitical implications of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and calls for the United States to lead on setting standards for CBDC and financial technology.

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?"