Atlantic Council

STATEMENT ON THE HOME RAIDS OF TWO ATLANTIC COUNCIL STAFF IN GEORGIA:      From Graham Brookie, the Atlantic Council’s vice president for technology programs and strategy, as well as the senior director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab):    On the morning of October 24, officials from the Investigative Service of Georgia’s Ministry of Finance raided the homes of two staff members of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab in Tbilisi, Georgia, confiscating their electronic devices. They were not detained and have not been charged by Georgian authorities.     The Atlantic Council is deeply concerned about this development and its impact on our staff’s work shortly before Georgian elections. Our Georgian colleagues, Sopo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili, are engaged in independent, non-partisan work aimed at defending and strengthening democracy from those who would undermine it in online spaces, including research related to foreign influence efforts, the targeting of marginalized communities, and other online harms.    We trust that Georgian authorities will provide more clarity on their actions, ensure the safety and security of our staff, return their property, and allow them to continue their contributions to Georgian democracy.     The Atlantic Council has long been a champion of a democratic and independent Georgia and its aspirations to join the institutions of the transatlantic community. The Digital Forensic Research Lab publishes research that highlights the importance of discourse and objective information as a foundation of free, open, and democratic countries.      The Atlantic Council will continue its work in Georgia in the spirit of its mission of shaping the global future together with partners and allies. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

“Israel’s appraisal of what it faces and its actions concerning civilians make it difficult for Washington to uphold a key strategic partnership without suffering severe diplomatic reversals in the region and around the world,” writes Frederic C. Hof.

REPORT | By 2029, defense cooperation between the US and the EU must solidify the backbone of a resilient transatlantic alliance capable of securing global stability and upholding democratic values, writes Rob Murray:

If Donald Trump wins the presidency again, his next administration will likely seek to unleash as much energy from a growing young African population as possible, writes former US representative from Minnesota Vin Weber.

“Although the US government has begun investing in bolstering the defense industrial base, the current contracting system lacks the flexibility needed to transition from low demand to a rapid ramp-up of production to replenish depleted stockpiles,” writes Michael Hogan.

REPORT | The Israel-Hamas war has caused nearly $18.5 billion in damage in Gaza alone. With development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan, writes Perrihan Al-Riffai:

The United States needs to ensure it has a secure and effective nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system because of the devolving threat environment challenging nuclear surety, as China is aiming to join Russia as a nuclear peer of the United States, write Peter Hays and Sarah Mineiro:

What’s the difference between the International Monetary Fund and The World Bank? Atlantic Council nonresident senior fellows Nicole Goldin, PhD and Martin Mühleisen, who worked at the World Bank and IMF, respectively, break down everything from the organizations’ missions and how they’re applied to their cultures to see some of the key differences and similarities between the two organizations.

We're #hiring a new Freedom and Prosperity Center - Spring 2025 Young Global Professionals Program in Washington, District of Columbia. Apply today or share this post with your network.

After Saturday’s contested election in Georgia, our experts share their thoughts on the country’s future and how the West can respond. Read below ⬇️