All in-depth research & reports

Issue Brief

Nov 5, 2018

The future of development finance

By Aubrey Hruby

Growing anxiety about China’s dominance of emerging markets spurred a rare bipartisan effort to pass the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act of 2018.

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Nov 5, 2018

The future of development finance

By Aubrey Hruby

Growing anxiety about China’s dominance of emerging markets spurred a rare bipartisan effort to pass the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act of 2018. The BUILD Act delivers a needed overhaul of US development finance capabilities and commercial diplomacy by subsuming the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and other development finance agencies […]

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Sep 24, 2018

Getting creative about development

By Aubrey Hruby

African film, music, and fashion are exploding in popularity on the global stage. From Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry to the visual arts in South Africa, creative and cultural industries (CCI) represent a new realm of economic op­portunity.

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Sep 24, 2018

Getting creative about development

By Aubrey Hruby

African film, music, and fashion are exploding in popularity on the global stage. From Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry to the visual arts in South Africa, creative and cultural industries (CCI) represent a new realm of economic op­portunity. From artists to distrib­utors, Africa’s creative economy is currently estimated to employ about half a million people, generates […]

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Apr 20, 2018

Fintech: Powering inclusive growth in Africa

By Aleksandra Gadzala

Fintech: Powering Inclusive Growth in Africa, helps investors and policy makers better understand the impact of the waves of fintech innovation unfolding in sub-Saharan Africa, and reflects on the enabling environments needed to ensure its success and contribution to inclusive growth.

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Apr 20, 2018

3D Printing: Shaping Africa’s Future

By Aleksandra Gadzala

A new issue brief by Africa Center Senior Fellow Dr. Aleksandra Gadzala, 3D Printing: Shaping Africa’s Future catalogues the experiences of other countries facing the challenges of widespread 3D printing adoption.

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Apr 20, 2018

Fintech: Powering inclusive growth in Africa

By Aleksandra Gadzala

From cryptocurrencies to blockchain to mobile money, financial technology (“fintech”) is revolutionizing the basic structures of the global economy. Financial services delivered through fintech are becoming more accessible, efficient, and personal. In sub-Saharan Africa, where only 34 percent of adults have bank accounts, fintech companies are already providing financial products and services to millions of […]

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Apr 20, 2018

3D Printing: Shaping Africa’s Future

By Aleksandra Gadzala

Disruptive technologies—such as the Internet of Things, robotics, and three-dimensional (3D) printing—have been heralded as the future of the global manufacturing sector. However, in Africa, they could hinder industrialization and result in fewer entry points into global supply chains. While it may be possible for African nations to “leapfrog” directly to newer technologies, it is […]

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Mar 8, 2018

Sudan: Soft power, cultural engagement, and national security

By Tim Carney and Mary Carlin Yates

The third paper in the new Atlantic Council Sudan Task Force series, “Sudan: Soft Power, Cultural Engagement, and National Security” examines the importance of people-to-people engagement and its relevance to broader US strategic aims in Sudan. More than two decades of isolation have succeeded in funneling Sudan’s best and brightest to seek higher education and […]

Africa Democratic Transitions

Issue Brief

Mar 8, 2018

Sudan: Prospects for economic re-engagement

By Jeffrey Herbst

The second paper in the new Atlantic Council Sudan Task Force series, “Sudan: Prospects for Economic Re-engagement” examines the possibility of a new era of US economic cooperation with Sudan, including an opportunity for the United States to push for desperately needed economic reforms as part of wider US bilateral engagements efforts. Authored by Dr. […]

Africa East Africa