Abi McGowan

CFR Staff

Abi McGowan

Global Conflict Analyst

Abi McGowan is the global conflict analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). She was previously a research associate for Southeast Asia and U.S. foreign policy. Before joining CFR, she served as an AmeriCorps member and interned with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Department of State, and the House of Commons of Canada. She received her BA from the Ohio State University and an MA in Global Security and Borders from Queen's University Belfast, where she was a Hillary Rodham Clinton Scholar. 

 

Most Recent

Iran

The Islamic Republic’s Power Centers
Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and domestic calls for reform? A look at the government’s organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is.

by CFR Editors January 9, 2026

Climate Change

Paris to Kyoto: The History of UN Climate Agreements
International efforts, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But experts say countries aren’t doing enough to limit dangerous global warming.

by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong January 9, 2026 Renewing America

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Freedoms: What China Promised and How It’s Cracking Down
Beijing has tightened its grip on Hong Kong in recent years, dimming hopes that the financial center will ever become a full democracy.

by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong December 15, 2025

Top Stories on CFR

Venezuela

Increasing Venezuela’s Oil Output Will Take Several Years—and Billions of Dollars
President Trump has set his sights on Venezuelan oil, but there are many economic and political obstacles to significantly ramping up the country’s oil production.

by Brad W. Setser January 8, 2026 Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies

United States

Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Should Not Come as a Surprise
In the context of global threats to the United States, a long overdue defense modernization bill, and the ambitions of Trump’s signature defense priorities, perhaps the budget request should have been expected.

by Erin D. Dumbacher, Michael C. Horowitz and Lauren Kahn January 9, 2026

Conflict Prevention

Conflicts to Watch in 2026
The world continues to grow more violent and disorderly. According to CFR’s annual conflict risk assessment, American foreign policy experts are acutely concerned about conflict-related threats to U.S. national security and international stability that are likely to emerge or intensify in 2026. In this report, surveyed experts rate global conflicts by their likelihood and potential harm to U.S. interests and, for the first time, identify opportunities for preventive action.

by Paul B. Stares December 18, 2025 Center for Preventive Action