Wikistrat Insider

How will the Russian invasion of Ukraine affect Brazil's election, and what does it have to do with Donald Trump? Why doesn't BRICS's future look too bright? And what can Australia's COVID-19 policy teach us about China-Brazil relations? In the latest Wikistrat Insider episode, Fabricio Vitorino discusses Brazil's reaction to the war in Ukraine, as well as the country's relationship inside BRICS,...

One month since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has become clear that the war in Ukraine is changing global energy geopolitics. To understand the role of energy in the US response to the Ukraine Crisis, Adam Hoffman and Dr. Rebecca Molloy of Wikistrat interviewed Dr. Umud Shokri , who is a Washington-based senior foreign policy and energy geopolitics advisor, on US energy diplomacy, the impact...

As the Russian occupation of Ukraine continues, millions of lives face immediate danger, even thousands of miles away from the battle zones. In our latest Wikistrat Insider episode, Dr. David Laborde explains how the "breadbasket of Europe" serves a major part in feeding Africa and parts of Asia; why sunflower oil plays an underrated role; what countries will be the first victims; how the current...

On February 24, Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by land, sea, and air. It was the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II and a confirmation of the West's worst fears. In our latest podcast episode, we invited Valeriy Akimenko to talk about Russia's strategy, the consequences of the sanctions, and the nuclear threat

Self-driving cars have long been dreamed about - but also explored and researched. And yet, almost a century after the first experiments were conducted, and despite the fact that the required technology is already developed, autonomous cars have yet to hit the roads. What is preventing their implication and why is it taking so long? In our latest "Wikistrat Insider" episode, Andrew Morris, a Profe...

It is one of the worst humanitarian crises happening right now. Thousands of people want to enter the EU, and one country claimed it could make it happen. In this Wikistrat Insider episode, we dive into the crisis at the Poland-Belarus border. Elisabeth Braw joins us to talk about the EU's commitment to human rights, non-traditional weapons, and what we can expect from the newly elected German gov...

As we have been experiencing a global semiconductor shortage for over a year, it's difficult to put a finger on a single industry that hasn't been affected in some way, from automobiles to ICUs. But can it be exclusively attributed to natural disasters and COVID-19 or was it inevitable, and even predictable? Will new players change the market, and what side will they take on the US-China rivalry?...

What does wind energy have to do with electric cars? Is building grids really cheaper than having batteries? Why is offshore wind energy about to have a renaissance? And why will the dream of relying on renewable energy remain a dream for the next 30 years? In light of the recent COP26 summit, we asked Dr. Andreas Schroeter, former Executive Vice President and Managing Director at DNV GL, to share...

The worst power shortages in decades and coal prices that keep hitting record highs are only a part of the crisis that China is facing right now. As the world's second-largest economy is suffering from an acute energy supply deficiency, we talked to David Fishman, an expert on China's energy sector, in order to learn the possible solutions, how the world will be affected by the crisis, whether the...

As the issue of climate change becomes more and more pressing, the search for a cleaner and more sustainable source of energy intensifies. But is heavily stigmatized nuclear power the optimal solution? And if so, is it limited to first-world countries only? And how important is the problem of radioactive waste? In Wikistrat's latest podcast episode, Marina Guimaraes interviewed David Hess, a polic...

In our latest Wikistrat podcast episode, Marina Guimaraes interviewed Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert, to discuss China in light of the recent events in Afghanistan. They discussed what we can expect for the future of China-Taliban relations and how the fight against potential terrorist threats can make the US and China work together.

Wikistrat's Head of Middle East Desk, Adam Hoffman, interviewed Dr. Neil Quilliam, an expert on the Gulf States and Saudi foreign policy, to discuss Saudi-Taliban relations, the implications of a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan for Saudi Arabia, and Saudi-US relations after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan

President Biden has announced that US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11. This decision has several implications for US foreign policy and also for Afghanistan's internal political conflicts and interests. To talk about these implications, Wikistrat's podcast host Marina Guimaraes interviewed Michael O'Hanlon . Mr. Michael O'Hanlon is a senior fellow and director of research in...

Wikistrat's CEO, Oren Kesler, hosted a round table on new technologies that will shape the future of work in the year 2025. The panel discussed how the technologies adopted and adapted during COVID-19 are transforming human connection at work and their structural consequences for the workforce as we know it today. This panel is part of a simulation conducted by Wikistrat for Accenture on the futur...

This week's topic is Neom, a smart city in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia. The city is part of Mohammed bin Salman's Saudi Vision 2030 program and is planned to attract investment, technology and also work as a tourist destination to the kingdom. This week's guest is Kristian Ulrichsen, who is a Baker Institute Fellow for the Middle East, who has worked as a senior Gulf Analyst at...

According to the African Development Bank, Nigeria's economy is likely to grow 1.5% in 2021 and 2.9% in 2022. After the protests in October 2020, the country has received growing media attention. Now, with the increase of kidnappings and terrorism, as well as a new four-year record of inflation, the path ahead for Nigeria seems uncertain. To talk about this issue, Wikistrat's podcast host, Marina...

The second wave of coronavirus infections to hit India has been devastating . At one point, India was responsible for more than half of the world’s daily COVID-19 cases and recorded about 400,000 cases in a single day. The situation has been exacerbated by only a tiny portion of the population being fully vaccinated . The impact of the pandemic on India was seen both domestically and regionally. I...

Ryanair flight FR4978 was traveling from Athens to Vilnius, in Lithuania on May 23rd, but was forced to land in Minsk, Belarus after the pilot was told that there was a bomb on the plane. However, the real reason behind the forced landing was that opposition leader, Pavel Latushko was on board. He was sent to jail in Minsk. International community members have already expressed their discontent. T...

On April 28th, Colombians took their frustration to the streets. One year after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, citizens started protesting against tax reform proposals announced by President Ivan Duque. The protests have been happening for over three weeks and human rights abuses have been reported. What does that mean for Colombia? How might these events impact the country's elections happening next...

In this Wikistrat Podcast, Wikistrat's CEO, Oren Kesler interviewed Dr. Fernando Brancoli an expert on Brazil politics and society to discuss the trifecta of crises in Brazil - health, economic, and political, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Fernando Brancoli is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and an associate researcher at the Orfalea Center a...

Wikistrat's CEO, Oren Kesler spoke with Therese Muirhead and David Andrews from Sandpit Innovation to discuss the future of the mining industry in light of increased social awareness and rapid technological developments. This podcast took place as part of Wikistrat's "Digital Mining in the Age of Social Awareness" simulation which recently concluded. Therese Muirhead is a Senior Consultant at Sand...

On March 17 Wikistrat hosted a webinar that discussed the implications of a renewed US engagement with Iran for the Gulf States. The webinar deliberated how a return to the JCPOA might impact the Gulf States and regional stability in the Gulf, what the US role in the Middle East should be in this context, and how US-Iran talks might impact the Gulf States' relations with Iran. Participants: Dr. Ra...

Wikistrat's CEO, Oren Kesler spoke with Mining and Digital Value Chains expert, Prof. Alan Bye to discuss the future of the mining industry in light of increased social awareness and rapid technological developments. This podcast took place as part of Wikistrat's "Digital Mining in the Age of Social Awareness" simulation which recently concluded. Prof. Alan Bye is the Director of Digital Value Cha...

Wikistrat's CEO, Oren Kesler spoke with top Gulf experts, Dr. Neil Quillliam and Giorgio Cafiero to understand how the latest shifts in the Middle East may impact the future of Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's relations. This event took place as part of Wikistrat's "Exploring Opportunities of Israel-GCC Normalization" simulation which concludes today.

In this episode of the Wikistrat Insider podcast series, Dr. Rebecca Molloy, director of Wikistra's Middle East community, sits down with the brilliant Dr. Neil Quilliam , a leading voice on the Arab Gulf states, Syria and Jordan, to discuss the topic of Shifts in the Middle East, including the Gulf Reconciliation and the Israel-GCC relations. Dr. Neil Quilliam differentiates his analysis by layin...