International Trade
International trade has risen sharply in the era of globalization. The Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and rising geopolitical tensions are leading to a reconfirguation of value chains.
Related Subjects
The Country Risk Concept
The expression “country risk” emerged in the United States in the 1960s. Its meaning has evolved over time, without any definition ever really being settled on.
Persistence and Evolutions of the Rentier State Model in Gulf Countries
A general economic model of understanding Middle Eastern states was elaborated by political scientists around the 1980’s, based on the concept of rent as a factor of wealth around which the economic model as much as the governance of energy-rich countries was re-organized. The particular case of GCC’s countries as rentier state has been at the cornerstone of this concept since they own the most important share of energy resources in the world.
The new challenges for oil-based sovereign wealth funds
Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are often presented as an effective instrument for managing hydrocarbon rents, reducing the impact of the volatility of oil or gas revenues on the economy, separating expenditure from income, and promoting a more transparent management of the rent.
Country Risk Analysis: More than a Postmodern Discipline
Methodological debates about the stages of growth and the way in which a country goes through political modernization are long-established and manifold.
The Legacy of the Great War: Sovereign States, Globalization and Regionalism
The Great War has shaped many 20th century practices and norms.
The Sovereign Debt Crisis and the Future of the Euro
The specter of sovereign defaults is back. The roots of a sovereign debt crisis are deep and concern all the industrialized countries. In 2010, those fears coagulated on Greece because Greece was the worst offender. Disgusted by the political economy of the Eurozone, investors concluded in the spring that the Eurozone and its currency had lost its attractiveness. But it would be completely premature to conclude that the Eurozone is condemned. What happened in the spring is breathtaking and very much in line with the European tradition to use every crisis as an opportunity: the paper offers a dissenting, unfashionable and optimistic view of the future of the Euro.
The Gulf Cooperation Council in the Maghreb: Exchange and Investment Strategies
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional organization which was created in 1981, reassembling six Arab countries together: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Thanks to their oil income, GCC countries have enjoyed economic boom since 2002, hence breaking with the 1990s economic slow-down.
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Ifri, a foundation recognized as being of public utility, relies largely on private donors – companies and individuals – to guarantee its sustainability and intellectual independence. Through their funding, donors help maintain the Institute's position among the world's leading think tanks. By benefiting from an internationally recognized network and expertise, donors refine their understanding of geopolitical risk and its consequences on global politics and the economy. In 2024, Ifri will support more than 70 French and foreign companies and organizations.
Related centers and programs
Geoeconomics and Geofinance Initiative
Economic questions are approached from a political economy perspective: the evolution of the global economic system, governance and institutions, dynamics and trends of various economic zones (United States, Russia, China, emerging markets...). European issues are at the core of our research.