Content

Issue Brief

Oct 6, 2025

Chinese mining in West Africa: Responding to the environmental and social impacts

By Abosede Omowumi Babatunde, Richard Asante, Joseph Asunka, Joshua Eisenman, Fancies Egu Lansana, Sanusha Naidu, Igwe Ogbonnaya, Youmanli Ouoba, and Boukary Sangare

Chinese entities are expanding legal and illegal mining for minerals in West Africa.

Africa China

Issue Brief

Oct 6, 2025

Chinese demand for timber and wildlife in West Africa: Responding to the environmental and social impacts

By Ebagnerin Jérôme Tondoh, Roland Balgah, Caroline Costello, Moses Fayiah, Jean-Luc Kouassi, and Christine A. I. Nougbodé Ouinsavi

West Africa’s forests are vital for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, poverty alleviation, and economic growth.

China Climate Change & Climate Action

MENASource

Sep 30, 2025

ISIS has its sights set on a new potential ally—Uyghur jihadi groups

By Morgan Tadych

The burgeoning ISIS-K and Turkestan Islamic Party partnership is likely to further threaten Chinese interests.

China Extremism

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

The Saudi-Pakistan defense pact highlights the Gulf’s evolving strategic calculus

By Eleonora Ardemagni

In Riyadh’s multi-aligned policy, signing a mutual defense deal with Pakistan is complementary, not alternative, to US security guarantees.

India Indo-Pacific

In the News

Sep 25, 2025

Daniels weighs the consequences of the US-China AI Race on Network 20/20

By Atlantic Council

On September 17, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Owen Daniels was featured on the Network 20/20 Virtual Briefing Series alongside Janet Egan and Sam Winter-Levy.

Artificial Intelligence China

UkraineAlert

Sep 24, 2025

What we can learn from Tibetan and Ukrainian freedom fighters

By Nolan Peterson

Nolan Peterson reflects on his experience embedded in the Tibetan and Ukrainian freedom struggles as he has sought to understand how these two nations summoned the will to defy the empires that meant to destroy them.

China Conflict

New Atlanticist

Sep 22, 2025

Why has Japan deployed fighter jets to NATO bases in the US, Canada, and Europe?

By Atlantic Council experts

As part of Operation Atlantic Eagles, Tokyo has sent four F-15 fighter jets and four additional military aircraft to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Germany Japan

Strategic Litigation

Sep 22, 2025

Strategic Litigation Quarterly Newsletter: Forging pathways to lasting justice

By Strategic Litigation Project

The latest updates on the Strategic Litigation Project's work advancing human rights and accountability.

Afghanistan China

New Atlanticist

Sep 19, 2025

The economic roots of Nepal’s uprising—and what it means for the region

By Rudabeh Shahid, Nischal Dhungel, and Shakthi De Silva

The pattern of regime collapses in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka over the past few years suggests a region-wide crisis of governance linked to economic despair.

Bangladesh Corruption

Sinographs

Sep 18, 2025

China’s economy remains trapped in the doldrums

By Jeremy Mark

New statistics from Beijing describe a country mired in a slowdown. Efforts to juice the economy late last year have failed to stimulate sustained recovery.

China Economy & Business

Experts

Events