Economics | Council on Foreign Relations

Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: March 26, 2021

China restricts use of Tesla vehicles by military and state employees; Amazon adopts AI-powered cameras, forces delivery drivers to sign “biometric consent” form; Intel to expand advanced chip spending and development; Major companies call on G7 to form “Data and Technology Forum;” and Facebook takes action against Chinese hackers.

Blog Post by Adam Segal March 26, 2021 Net Politics
Middle East and North Africa

Major Power Rivalry in the Middle East

Great power competition is altering the prospects for managing conflicts in the Middle East. As policymakers rethink the United States’ role in the region, they should avoid the kind of strategic errors that have provided opportunities for other major powers, notably China and Russia, to undermine U.S. policy.

Report by Steven A. Cook March 25, 2021 Center for Preventive Action
Kenya

Belt and Road in Kenya: COVID-19 Sparks a Reckoning with Debt and Dissatisfaction

The economic impact of COVID-19 has exposed the underlying fragility of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Kenya, already the subject of scrutiny over corruption, pollution, and debt concerns. BRI fueled an ambitious infrastructure push in Kenya.

Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Africa in Transition March 25, 2021 Africa in Transition

Climate Change

Extreme Weather Worsens, Myanmar’s Armed Forces Day, and More

Extreme weather events ramp up in Australia and the United States; Myanmar’s military junta marks Armed Forces Day; and leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay convene for a virtual trade summit.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay March 25, 2021 The World Next Week
Economics

State and Local Officials Webinar: The CARES Act: Implications for U.S. Economic Competitveness

Betsey Stevenson, professor of public policy and economics at University of Michigan, leads a conversation on the new U.S. stimulus bill and how it will shape U.S. economic competitiveness.

Virtual Event by Betsey Stevenson March 24, 2021 State and Local Conference Calls and Webinars
Nigeria

Nigerian Lawmakers Consider a Petroleum Investment Bill

Nigerian lawmakers are seeking passage of a Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that would reorganize the oil industry. Since the establishment of civilian government in 1999 after a generation of military…

Blog Post by John Campbell March 24, 2021 Africa in Transition
China

China’s Belt and Road: Implications for the United States

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy undertaking and the world’s largest infrastructure program, poses a significant challenge to U.S. economic, political, climate change, security, and global health interests.

Task Force Report by Jacob Lew, Gary Roughead, Jennifer Hillman and David Sacks March 23, 2021
Middle East and North Africa

What Is the Kafala System?

The kafala system regulates the lives of tens of millions of migrant laborers in the Middle East, but growing outrage over human rights abuses, racism, and gender discrimination has fueled calls for reform.

Backgrounder by Kali Robinson March 23, 2021
State and Local Governments (U.S.)

How COVID-19 Is Harming State and City Budgets

The coronavirus pandemic is placing enormous budget pressure on state and local governments, threatening deep and potentially lasting cuts to education, infrastructure, and other important investments.

Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and Jonathan Masters March 19, 2021
Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: March 19, 2021

U.S. federal judge halts ban on Xiaomi; U.S. report finds that Russia, Iran attempted to meddle in 2020 election; China blocks Signal; Alleged Russian hackers compromise Polish websites to spread disinformation; and Finland attributes hack of parliament to Chinese threat actor.

Blog Post by Adam Segal March 19, 2021 Net Politics
China

U.S. Relations With China

Since 1949, U.S.-China relations have evolved from tense standoffs to a complex mix of intensifying diplomacy, growing international rivalry, and increasingly intertwined economies.

Timeline by CFR.org Editors March 17, 2021
Economics

Is Industrial Policy Making a Comeback?

The COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of China have prompted renewed debate about the government’s role in shaping the U.S. economy.

Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu March 16, 2021
Economics

Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium

The 2021 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium discusses how behavioral economics can help explain decision-making during a pandemic. The full agenda is available here. The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium, presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, is made possible through the generous support of Robert B. Menschel.

Virtual Event by Ravi Dhar, Wendy Edelberg, Fiona Greig and Richard H. Thaler March 15, 2021 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium
Grand Strategy

Coup-Proofing: Russia’s Military Blueprint to Securing Resources in Africa

Neil Edwards is an Open Source African Media Analyst at Novetta. Media analysis for this piece was enabled by Novetta’s Tracker for Foreign Investment in Africa (TFIA). In the Central African Repu…

Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Africa in Transition March 10, 2021 Africa in Transition
Trade

Europe and the Prospects for WTO Reform

The United States should recognize, and attempt to seize, the opportunity on WTO Appellate Body reform being offered by the European Union.

Blog Post by Jennifer Hillman and Alex Tippett March 10, 2021 The Internationalist