Middle East & Africa

Overview

Infrastructure, investment, and digital connectivity are shaping new development pathways in the Middle East and Africa. Intensified competition between authoritarian and open models raises critical questions about alignment and influence. The Institute explores how collaborative, transparent, and locally responsive strategies can foster inclusive growth and reduce dependency on coercive actors.

Strategic Question 

Can partners deliver trusted infrastructure, investment, and digital systems that foster inclusive growth while respecting diverse regional priorities?

Featured

Can the U.S. Keep China from Disrupting U.S. Ocean Shipping?

Can the U.S. Keep China from Disrupting U.S. Ocean Shipping?

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America’s AI Strategy: Playing Defense While China Plays to Win

America’s AI Strategy: Playing Defense While China Plays to Win

America is making a critical mistake in its AI strategy—it is overreaching in playing defense but doing the opposite in playing offense. While Washington is busy building regulatory walls to restrict access to AI compute power (a term encompassing computational resources used to train and run AI models), China is circumventing these barriers and strategically developing asymmetric advantages. […]

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Israel vs. Iran: A Flashpoint in the Broader Arc of Strategic Rivalry

Israel vs. Iran: A Flashpoint in the Broader Arc of Strategic Rivalry

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Representative Analyzes Geopolitical Implications of Beijing’s Expanding Global Influence

Representative Analyzes Geopolitical Implications of Beijing’s Expanding Global Influence

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Securing the Supply Chains of the Future

Securing the Supply Chains of the Future

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Russia, China Look to Advance Agenda at BRICS Summit of Developing Countries

Russia, China Look to Advance Agenda at BRICS Summit of Developing Countries

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Content

Dialogue on Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia – RSIS Singapore Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

September 30, 2025

“Decoding US Politics for Japan” Panel at G1 Global Conference – Tokyo – October 13, 2025 Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

September 30, 2025

A person in a suit touches a glowing, futuristic digital interface with a world map and circular technology graphics, symbolizing global connectivity and advanced technology.

Alliances, Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Finance, Industrial Policy, Policy Brief, Standards, Strategic Competition, Technology, Telecom

America’s AI Export Strategy: Welcome Progress, but More Is Needed Learn More

by Alex Botting

September 30, 2025

Open-plan office with people working at desks with computers and graphs on screens, while a group of colleagues stand by large windows and discuss something in the background. Sunlight streams through the windows.

Alliances, Americas, China, Education, Innovation, Policy Brief, Technology, The Innovation Imperative

Alliances as Engines of Innovation Learn More

September 29, 2025

A man with white hair and glasses, wearing a dark suit and purple tie, speaks during a TV news segment. The text on screen reads: Mark Kennedy, Director, NYU Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition on News Nation.

Alliances, Defense, External Link, Geopolitics, Security, Strategic Competition, TV Interviews, Ukraine & Russia, Video

Trump’s Ukraine Shift and the Stakes for Peace Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

September 24, 2025

A stylized purple globe with white intersecting lines and dots, representing global connectivity and networks.

Media

NYU Development Research Institute Launches New Initiative on Strategic Competition Learn More

September 24, 2025

Two chess pieces, a king with the American flag design and a queen with the European Union flag design, stand on a chessboard with a blurred world map in the background.

Artificial Intelligence, China, Digital, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Policy Brief, Standards, Strategic Competition, Technology, Telecom, Toward a Trusted Tech Alliance

Who Writes the Digital Rules, Wins the Future Learn More

by Mark Kennedy, Keith Rockwell

September 24, 2025

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