Milei Races Against Time to Remake Argentina

Photo credit: REUTERS.

For decades, Argentina has been a cautionary tale of a once prosperous nation undergoing slow multi-decade collapse, proof of what happens when a society persistently ignores all the warning signs of prolonged mismanagement. In November 2023, Argentina’s voters broke with the past and elected Javier Milei, an economist with a wild haircut, the rhetorical style […]

The Key to Japan’s Economic Revival

Photo: Shutterstock.

In 2010, Japan fell behind China from second to the third place among the largest economies in the world. In 2023, Japan slipped again to fourth place, falling behind Germany. The recent drop has a variety of short and longer-term explanations: the economy contracted for two consecutive quarters in late 2023, the yen has steadily […]

The Future of the US-China Relationship

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The US-China relationship faces certain tension and rising competition over the next four years. While it is impossible in general to predict specific new administration policies, there are likely to be wide swings between efforts to engage China and seek compromise, with efforts to compete, confront, or even contain Beijing. President Trump will be surrounded by […]

Israel Pulls An Economic Lever on Lebanon

Energean's floating production platform on the Karish gas field, offshore Israel, June 2022. Photo credit: Energean/Handout via REUTERS.

In October 2022, Israel and Lebanon sent separate commitments on a common maritime border to the United States. The deal was structured in this fashion, rather than as a bilateral agreement, to accommodate the government of Lebanon, which refused to sign anything directly with Israel.  The maritime border deal was intended to allow each country […]

Under Lula, Brazil Aims High But Falls Short

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the signing ceremony of a "Fuel of the Future" law in Brasilia, October 8, 2024. Photo credit: REUTERS/Adriano Machado.

When Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva returned to Brazil’s presidency in 2023, it was clear that he wished to restore the high international profile which Brazil had enjoyed during his first two terms, 2003-2010. International expectations were high given that his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, had been largely uninterested in foreign policy. However, Lula has faced […]

Azerbaijan Between Triumph and Turbulence

A poster of President Ilham Aliyev on a shopping mall in the Baku suburbs. Photo credit: Shutterstock.

Over the course of 33 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has transformed into an independent regional player. Its neighbors in Armenia fear that Azerbaijan’s ambitions will eventually lead to another war. Average Azerbaijanis, meanwhile, wonder when the military achievements will translate into economic prosperity.  Regaining Territory Through War It’s impossible to […]

Forging a Better Partnership with Guatemala

Vice President Kamala Harris and President of Guatemala Bernardo Arévalo in Washington. Photo credit: Sipa USA via Reuters Connect / Ron Sachs.

Guatemala could become a key partner in the US efforts to manage migration flows from Central and South America. Looking ahead, whoever is elected the next president of the United States, either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, will look to Guatemala to help manage migration in the countries south of Mexico.  Guatemala has been a […]

Suriname’s Hinge Election

Suriname's President Chan Santokhi. Photo credit: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino.

Suriname, a small, resource-rich country with a population of 600,000, faces a consequential election in May 2025, when its current president, Chan Santokhi, seeks re-election. Owing to limited polling data, the outcome remains uncertain. But these elections will be pivotal for the country’s economic reform agenda and oil prospects and thus its economic future, as highlighted […]

The West Should Develop the Trans-Caspian Trade Corridor

Freight train at the China-Kazakhstan Logistics Cooperation base in Lianyungang, China. Photo credit: CFOTO/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect.

Development of the Trans-Caspian corridor would shift trade and energy routes between Europe and Asia to favor Western commercial and strategic interests. Over the past decade, global trade infrastructure has been transformed by China’s economic rise and its strategic investments in trade routes. Central Asia, the “belt buckle” on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is […]

Time to Repeal Jackson-Vanik in Central Asia

Adrian Smith, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Photo credit: Rod Lamkey - CNP/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect.

Jackson-Vanik was a cornerstone of the US response to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. But it is time for Congress to remove this outdated policy in order to strengthen relationships with Central Asia and present a US commercial alternative to Russia and China.  The Jackson-Vanik Amendment to the Trade Act of 1974 denied US […]