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

Event Recap

Apr 9, 2026

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau: The old chapter on US foreign policy is ‘coming to a close’

By Katherine Golden

At an Atlantic Council event, Landau talked about the Department of State’s approach to commercial diplomacy and its role in US foreign policy.

Freedom and Prosperity Politics & Diplomacy

Report

Apr 8, 2026

Making aid work in the new geopolitical era will be an uphill battle

By Stefan Dercon

Development aid requires local political commitment, careful project selection, and long-term focus, or it can worsen the problems it seeks to solve. When aid becomes a pawn of geopolitical competition, those conditions for effective aid become more elusive.

Economy & Business Freedom and Prosperity

Dispatches

Mar 27, 2026

What does Bangladesh’s new government need to do to revitalize democracy?

By Will Mortenson

The new leadership in Bangladesh should focus on both short-term economic development and forward-looking constitutional reforms.

Bangladesh Democratic Transitions

Dispatches

Mar 24, 2026

Will Trump focus on Nicaragua next after Venezuela and Cuba?

By María Fernanda Bozmoski

If it wants to help foster a more economically integrated Central America, the United States will need to address Nicaragua’s authoritarianism and transnational repression.

Central America Democratic Transitions

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Mar 18, 2026

Italy faces a dangerous gap between stability on paper and citizens’ lived experience

By Massimo Morelli

Giorgia Meloni’s three-year tenure as prime minister is unusually long by recent Italian standards. As her government faces its biggest test yet with a referendum on judicial reforms, what explains Meloni’s relative stability—and the frequent turnover that preceded it? A deep dive into economic and political indicators sheds light on Italy’s path forward.

Elections Fiscal and Structural Reform

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Mar 16, 2026

Weakening democratic checks and regional insecurity put Benin’s future at risk

By Gilles Olakounlé Yabi

Benin’s democratic gains since 1990 have eroded over the past decade amid growing executive centralization, shrinking political competition, and rising insecurity. Renewing strong institutions and political openness is key to shared prosperity.

Africa Elections

UkraineAlert

Mar 5, 2026

Russian army faces comms crisis amid Starlink cut and Kremlin crackdown

By Katherine Spencer, Marc Goedemans

The Russian army in Ukraine is facing a growing communication crisis amid recent disruptions to Telegram and Starlink, leaving troops increasingly in the dark and exposing mounting strains inside Russia, write Katherine Spencer and Marc Goedemans.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Feb 24, 2026

Ukrainians don’t want to be resilient. Putin has given them no other choice.

By Peter Dickinson

For the past four years, Ukrainians have been praised for their remarkable resilience, but in reality most recognize that Russia's genocidal invasion leaves them with no real choice but to fight on, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Feb 23, 2026

When growth outpaces accountability, volatility follows in the Philippines

By Cesi Cruz

Economic growth in the Philippines has largely taken place in the absence of sustained political stability. Political rights and accountability swing sharply with changes in leadership. The task ahead is to ensure that economic progress deepens democratic accountability.

Corruption Elections

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Feb 20, 2026

Tunisia needs both bread and freedom

By Ameni Mehrez

Tunisia was one of the Arab Spring's success stories, with dramatic increases in political freedom after the 2011 uprising. Fifteen years on, the country's experience shows how intertwined freedom and prosperity are. With economic opportunity not matching the increases in political voice, frustration and unrest has followed.

Democratic Transitions Fiscal and Structural Reform
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Experts

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Pavlo Bilodid

International Communications Lead, DTEK Group

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

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

Fellow

Peter Mandaville

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Civil Society Freedom and Prosperity
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