Freedom and Prosperity

Freedom and Prosperity

Do countries need freedom to achieve prosperity? Do democracies or autocracies have the better answers for the aspirations of their people? With the goal of increasing the prosperity of the poor and marginalized, the Atlantic Council is seeking to answer these defining questions and explore the relationship between freedom and prosperity in developing and developed nations.

The Freedom and Prosperity Center aims to increase the prosperity of the poor and marginalized in developing countries and to explore the nature of the relationship between freedom and prosperity in both developing and developed nations.

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Content

UkraineAlert

May 26, 2026

Kyiv hosts Belarus opposition leader as Moscow drags Minsk closer to war

By Hanna Liubakova

As concern mounts that Moscow is pushing Minsk to join the invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv is strengthening ties with the democratic Belarusian opposition, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Belarus Conflict

UkraineAlert

May 22, 2026

Vyshyvanka Day celebrates Ukrainian identity amid Russia’s genocidal war

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine's annual Vyshyvanka Day holiday has emerged as a simple yet profound grassroots celebration of Ukrainian national identity at a time when Russia is attempting to destroy Ukraine as a state and as a nation, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

MENASource

May 4, 2026

Syria needs a trustworthy digital ecosystem to support its revival

By Nadia Farra

Robust digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and cybersecurity are no longer luxuries for high-income nations but fundamental requirements for national stability and economic resilience.

Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

Does liberal democracy drive inequalities?

By Yi Zhou

There has been much debate about the relationship between liberal democracy and social and economic inequality, but data shows that free societies remain more equal than their less free counterparts.

Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Issue Brief

Apr 29, 2026

How information and communication technologies can empower women in Senegal

By Aminata Niang

Data and interview results show how information and communication technologies are empowering women in Senegal's informal economy.

Africa Freedom and Prosperity

Transcript

Apr 23, 2026

Full transcript: The 2026 Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards honor leaders shaping the future with a collaborative spirit

By Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council honored two trailblazing corporate leaders, a military official, and a Grammy-winning country music artist for their roles in shaping the global landscape.

Freedom and Prosperity NATO

Event Recap

Apr 23, 2026

The 2026 Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards: Honoring leaders who have thrived in a time of volatility

By Katherine Golden, Daniel Malloy

The Atlantic Council honored Banco Santander's Ana Botín, Chevron's Mike Wirth, NATO's Admiral Pierre Vandier, and country music artist Tanya Tucker.

Freedom and Prosperity NATO

UkraineAlert

Apr 23, 2026

Shakhtar Donetsk gives Ukraine’s war-weary football fans reason to cheer

By Mark Temnycky

Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk will face English team Crystal Palace next week in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semifinal knowing that a win could provide a much-needed morale boost to millions of fans watching at home in war-torn Ukraine, writes Mark Temnycky.

Conflict Freedom and Prosperity

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Apr 20, 2026

Institutional architecture and prosperity: What lies beneath the aggregate score

By Ignacio Campomanes, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, James Mazzarella

Institutional strength drives prosperity, but aggregate scores can hide key differences—what ultimately shapes development outcomes is how political, legal, and economic systems interact.

Freedom and Prosperity Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Apr 18, 2026

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 long before the full-scale war of 2022

By Paul Niland

International efforts to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine must reflect the fact that the Kremlin's attack on Ukraine began in 2014 and not with the full-scale war of 2022, writes Paul Niland.

Conflict Disinformation
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Experts

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Pavlo Bilodid

International Communications Lead, DTEK Group

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Colin Buckley

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Inclusive Growth

Fellow

Helena Fee Rasch

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Michelle S. Giuda

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Politics & Diplomacy

Advisory Council member

Gordon Humphrey

Member, Freedom and Prosperity Center Advisory Council

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Disinformation Freedom and Prosperity

Fellow

Deng Liu

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

China East Asia
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