The idea of a ‘Russian resurgence’ in the Middle East set against a perceived American withdrawal has captured the attention of policymakers and scholars alike, warranting further examination.

In collaboration with the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Atlantic Council hosted a discussion on new strategic visions and power competition in the Middle East. The event was organized within the framework of the fifth edition of MED – Rome Mediterranean Dialogues, […]

“This was just a spark that unleashed all built-up grievances,” he said. “Many of the grievances are not about Adel Abdul Mahdi’s government,” he added, referring to Iraq’s prime minister. “But when you are the prime minister, you have to pay for your mistakes and those of previous leaders.”

How can the rules-based international system be re-created for the 21st century? Can and should the US re-build a liberal, rules-based international system? What goals should the US, and its allies, pursue in a changed world, where emerging risks and enduring challenges persist? Those were some of the key questions which animated the event Present […]

The U.S. has so far been unwilling to adapt to the changing global reality, Burrows tells Axios. No other country would imagine it could “only ensure national security through primacy,” he says.

“A lot of what you hear in the context of the NATO conversation is this question about core values…the question of democracy and freedom, the rule of law, and human rights that are fundamental to alliance. And when you see those degrade, that opens the door to Russian influence,” said Speranza, deputy director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.

After two decades under Vladimir Putin’s rule, Russians are taking to the streets in growing numbers to voice their opposition to the Kremlin and its increasingly unpopular policies. Russian youth now stand out as some of the loudest voices calling the Kremlin to account. As authorities have attempted to control, distract, and repress this wave […]

The resource-rich and geographically strategic region of Central Asia is continuing to evolve. Once isolated and impoverished, the Central Asian republics have broken free from their Soviet legacies to pursue new economic development strategies.

John Herbst, another former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who has known Taylor for years, said Taylor’s opening statement probably was strategic. “His testimony knocked my socks off because of the detail,” he said. “I can only surmise that he included so much because he wanted to make sure the policy stayed in the right direction.”

On Tuesday, October 22, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted H.E. Ibrahim Elbadawi, minister of finance of the Republic of the Sudan, for a public discussion on the Sudanese economy. Following the ouster of longstanding president Omar al-Bashir in April and months of popular protests that led to the formation of a civilian-led transitional government […]

“This Nobel Prize is a nod to the rightness of Abiy’s rise to power. That may irk not only the old guard on the border, but Abiy’s pro-democracy political rivals, too—many of whom . . . may not feel that the international community has earned the right to cast a vote on Ethiopia’s future.”

“Smart companies will invest in local subsidiaries instead of trying to maintain strong central control, and they will embrace mobile technology to connect with consumers and build bridges to the informal sector.”

The Spanish Minister of Economy and Business, Nadia Calviño, shared her thoughts on Spain’s economic prospects and necessary reforms at the EU level.

In “New Risks to Global Financial Stability” author Hung Tran, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Business & Economics program, assesses the global financial system weaknesses and outlines steps to promote financial stability.

“Investors are trading on a hope for some sort of lasting trade peace, which https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-markets-are-rising-despite-a-trade-war-brexit-and-impeachment-threats-11571418451after 18 months, appears to be elusive,”

This year’s Global Energy Forum features Dr. Tawfiq-e Elahi Chowdhury, power, energy, and mineral resources affairs adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh. The Global Energy Center had the chance to host an event with him at Atlantic Council headquarters in October 2019 to discuss Bangladesh’s energy prospects and priorities in an increasingly interconnected region.

In this analysis, the Atlantic Council estimates the value that the civilian nuclear power sector contributes to the United States’ national security apparatus. Based on a series of inputs, this analysis and conservative estimation finds that the nuclear power complex contributes an equivalent of more than $42.4 billion to US national security, as broadly defined.

“Even getting Exxon or another major oil company to develop Syrian oil would be a “hard sell” given its relatively limited infrastructure and small output”

On October 23-24, 2019, the Atlantic Council’s DFRLab hosted the 3rd annual Global Forum on Strategic Communications (StratCom).

“Russians are meddling in the Democratic primary. Is anyone paying attention?”

In a conversation hosted by the Atlantic Council’s DFRLab on October 16, 2019, Richard Stengel explained the threat disinformation poses to democracy and what we can do about it.

Over the past six years, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has expanded across the globe, drawing varied reactions ranging from full-on support to deep-running skepticism. Latin America and the Caribbean, long considered peripheral to the BRI, is increasingly engaging with the initiative – 19 countries have already signed on. As BRI continues to evolve, […]

The future of Mexico and the United States are intertwined. In recently presenting Mexico’s 2020 budget to Congress, President López Obrador highlighted macroeconomic stability and financial certainty—both key goals for Secretary of Finance Herrera. Prosperity in Mexico and certainty in the trajectory of the bilateral commercial relationship bring important wins on both sides of the […]

The rising frustration with crime and corruption is dovetailing with another phenomenon: people willing to take to the street to force change, said Jason Marczak, the director of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. This is the case, or has been in recent months in Ecuador, Venezuela, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Haiti. “I see a common thread of popular disenchantment with the status quo and people feel empowered to do something about it,” Marczak said.