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

Building Digital Trust Together

Building Digital Trust Together

Part of my Mind the Gap and Innovative Imperative series on strategic competition in technology. Around the world, nations are racing to build the digital foundations of their economies — connecting citizens, powering innovation, and modernizing essential services. What’s at stake is not simply who leads in artificial intelligence or semiconductors, but who shapes the architecture of the […]

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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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Upcoming Events

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The World’s Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong—And What Would Make It Right.

Content

Mount Fuji with a snow-capped peak is reflected in a calm lake, framed by blooming cherry blossom branches under a clear blue sky.

Alliances, Blog, Growth, Indo-Pacific, Strategic Competition

Reading Japan’s Election Structurally, Not Politically Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

February 8, 2026

Digital illustration of Indias map in blue tones, surrounded by circular tech and data patterns, representing technology, innovation, or digital transformation in India.

Artificial Intelligence, Blog, Digital, Finance, Indo-Pacific, Infrastructure, Standards, Technology, Telecom, Trade

The AI Systems Race Runs Through India Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

February 4, 2026

A news broadcast shows three panels: a serious male anchor on the left, a central image of Xi Jinping speaking behind a flower-adorned podium, and a man with glasses on the right labeled as Mark Kennedy.

China, Defense, Indo-Pacific, Security, TV Interviews, Video

Xi Jinping’s Military Purge: Control, Brittleness, and Strategic Risk Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

January 26, 2026

A modern, triangular-roofed chapel stands beside a snow-covered courtyard with a fighter jet display at the U.S. Air Force Academy on a cloudy winter day.

Blog, Defense

Educating a Democracy for Deterrence Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

January 22, 2026

Two large cooling towers and several industrial buildings of a nuclear power plant stand next to a green grassy field under a blue sky with some clouds.

Blog, Capital That Connects, China, Energy, Energy for Compute, Finance, Geopolitics, Infrastructure, Ukraine & Russia

The Nuclear Stack: Why America Needs a Coherent Strategy for the Atomic Age Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

January 14, 2026

Rows of stone columns topped with red and white striped horseshoe arches inside the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, creating a striking and intricate pattern throughout the historic interior.

Blog, Europe, Geopolitics, Innovation Imperative, Technology

From Córdoba to the Cloud Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

January 7, 2026

The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, viewed through open red doors with golden studs, under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Blog, China, Geopolitics, Mind The Gap, Strategic Competition

From Vision to Execution Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

December 22, 2025

Aerial view of Mexico City’s skyline featuring the Torre Latinoamericana, the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and various modern and historic buildings under a clear blue sky with mountains in the distance.

Americas, Development, Innovation, Policy Brief

Technology Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets: Latin America’s Innovation Momentum Learn More

December 16, 2025

A woman stands with a laptop in a large server room, surrounded by rows of servers and blue digital light trails representing data transfer throughout the facility.

Americas, Artificial Intelligence, Capital That Connects, Development, Diplomacy, Europe, Finance, Geoeconomics, Indo-Pacific, Infrastructure, Innovation Imperative, Middle East & Africa, Technology, Telecom, Testimony

America’s AI Exports Program Comments Learn More

by Mark Kennedy

December 13, 2025

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