Reports

Why do Latin American countries remain mired in sluggish economic growth? Economists have addressed the question with reams of analysis, but the answer is simple: low productivity. That in turn, has been caused by government involvement in the economy that has stifled competition and innovation. The real puzzle is what ...

Through RCEP, Asian and Pacific countries have created the largest and most powerful trade zone in the world. Although there is no lack of geopolitical tension in the region, the member states have put aside political issues to prioritize economic growth. This could serve as an example for Europe, which ...

Rwanda is often hailed as one of Africa’s brightest stories of growth and stability. But President Paul Kagame, in office since 2000, has taken a firm grip over the country, with little tolerance for opposition. The pandemic and its aftermath present serious risks to Rwanda’s economy and to the regime’s ...

In early November, several pharmaceutical companies announced that their Covid-19 vaccine trials had yielded promising results. Markets immediately began to recover, but many experts warned against declaring an early end to the pandemic, especially for oil producers. While global recovery and oil prices have moved in tandem during previous months, ...

The WTO is a relatively cheap international organization, but it has achieved very little since it was created in 1995. It will not likely disappear, especially if it keeps a low profile and transforms bilateral deals driven by politics into multilateral deals. That would be less useful than if it ...

Italian politics has been reshaped by the coronavirus. Dissatisfaction with the populist star Matteo Salvini has meant an opportunity for a new rising figure, Giorgia Meloni. The former Berlusconi minister has brought back the networks and rhetoric of the traditional right wing, while cultivating ties with conservatives in Europe and ...

For years, gross domestic product (GDP) has been the dominant metric for evaluating a country’s economic progress. Recently, however, it has come under criticism for not including factors such as equality or environmental sustainability. Replacing it is a tricky task that relies on a lot of subjective judgments. But if ...

In an atmosphere of panic over the Covid-19 crisis, European governments are enacting more and more open-ended measures that are often of dubious utility for containing the pandemic but severely restrict personal freedom, privacy and entrepreneurship. Alarmingly, citizens’ rights enshrined in constitutions are being set aside.

African communities in postindependence states often have painful memories of police repression dating back to the colonial era, and the recent lockdowns have reopened old wounds. During the pandemic, political activity ground to a halt. But with several elections to be held in the near future, violent incidents involving law ...

The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, recently halted by a Russia-backed cease-fire, exposed a new balance of foreign interests in the region. Iran has faced a difficult choice: whether to back a Shia Muslim Azerbaijan that is also receiving support from Israel and Turkey. The prospect of Israeli access to Iran’s northern ...

With a growing Chinese presence in Asia, it is crucial for Japan to maintain its position as one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. To achieve this, the Japanese are likely to tap into their long tradition of rapid modernization. This time, the country will need to ...

The geopolitics of the Caribbean region is dominated by natural resources, disputes over sovereignty and the growing salience of national identities. Oil-dependent Venezuela is in steep decline but sustained by allies, while an underdeveloped Guyana is expecting a major energy windfall. In the long term, China will use both carrot ...

After last year’s protests, the Chinese Communist Party no longer wishes to highlight Hong Kong’s economic prowess. Rather, it plans on implementing ambitious economic reforms in the city of Shenzhen so that the Greater Bay Area becomes a hub for innovation and growth. The new strategy foresees economic integration with ...

China’s recent moves to secure supply chains, win over allies and beef up its military made it clear that it saw conflict with the West as a possibility. Now, its new five-year plan will develop policies meant to insulate it from the possible negative effects of the great power competition. ...

Popular protests and military pressure have combined to bring down another longtime African leader, Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. A tumultuous transition period has become somewhat clearer, with the appointment of a civilian president and a government that includes opposing armed factions. But violence and a refugee crisis have worsened ...

Though small and separated by vast distances, Pacific Island nations play a key role in Western military and diplomatic strategy. They host crucial bases and help provide international clout to allies like Taiwan. Like in other areas of the world, however, China has been flexing its muscles in the region, ...

On September 23, 2020, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim unexpectedly announced he had amassed a “strong, formidable and convincing majority” to replace the current prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin. Maneuvering under the cover of the worsening pandemic, the prime minister then attempted to declare emergency rule. However, his request was rejected ...

Several large global technology firms have pumped billions of dollars of investments into India’s digital economy sector this year. The development reflects a trend toward “super apps” being created in the country, helped along by favorable government policies. The question is whether the market will remain fiercely competitive, or devolve ...

The Covid-19 pandemic defined geopolitics in 2020. Not only has it upended the competition between global powers, it has led to instability in every region of the world. Societies, fearing the virus, have given unprecedented powers to central authorities, curtailing individual freedoms. This dossier reviews GIS experts’ analysis of how ...

Shortly after Democratic candidate Joe Biden declared victory, European states began expressing their hope of a new era in transatlantic relations. However, the nature of U.S.-EU ties is unlikely to undergo a profound change. A Biden presidency will also have its downsides. President Trump’s style might have made him unpopular ...

Going into the second year of his presidency, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has drawn criticism for a nationalistic economic policy, mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, and a worsening security crisis. He has moved the country toward a state-driven economy, focusing on energy and infrastructure. Despite a grim financial outlook, AMLO is unlikely to prioritize private-sector growth or foreign investor confidence.

Once a key player in the Middle East, Europe has gradually begun to ignore the region – even conflicts that had a direct impact on European states, like the 2015 refugee crisis caused by the war in Syria. The power vacuum left in Europe’s wake is now being filled by ...

Global policy around digital taxation is headed toward higher and more complicated taxes. The OECD’s latest proposed framework would add a new set of complex regulations to the existing system. Meanwhile, several countries are unilaterally implementing their own digital services tax, which they may refuse to repeal even after the ...

In October, the key domestic actors in Libya’s conflict resumed political dialogue. Three factors have helped this process: the military setback suffered by the warlord ruling in the east, Khalifa Haftar; the prolonged cease-fire, and the mounting street protests as the country sinks into chaos.