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Iran-Russia Military Technology Collaboration
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Las Anood and the Crisis of Somali State-Building: Clan Politics, Federal Tensions, and External Stakes
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Trump’s Gulf Tour and the Emphasis on AI
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Armed Groups, Illicit Extraction, and Human Exploitation in the DRC’s Cocoa Supply Chain
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Promoting Evidence-based Policy and Good Governance

Defense & Security

Jun 5 , 2025

Policy Brief

Iran-Russia Military Technology Collaboration

Executive Summary At the beginning of the Cold War in the 1950’s the United States and the Soviet Union competed with arms and technology exports in their respective regions of influence. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia sold much of its Cold War-era military and technology arsenal to Soviet satellites,

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Africa

May 26 , 2025

Policy Brief

Las Anood and the Crisis of Somali State-Building: Clan Politics, Federal Tensions, and External Stakes

Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s recent visit to Las Anood was heralded as a historic event, eliciting a mix of positive reactions from supporters of national unity and strong negative reactions from Somaliland. However, rather than consolidating the Somali state-building process and promoting greater dialogue with the newly elected

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Cyber Security & Info Technologies, Middle East

May 24 , 2025

Op-Ed

Trump’s Gulf Tour and the Emphasis on AI

President Donald J. Trump’s Gulf tour this month—with visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—marked a pivotal moment in US relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s wealthiest and most geopolitically influential members. As economic ties deepen, especially in the high-stakes realm of artificial intelligence (AI),

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May 23 , 2025

Webinar

OPI Intensive Seminar Program

Orion Policy Institute (OPI) is hosting a day-long online intensive seminar program on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, between 10 am – 4 pm EST on global security threats. Please fill out this form to be considered. OPI will get back to the applicants with acceptance and the event details the

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Africa

May 20 , 2025

Policy Brief

Armed Groups, Illicit Extraction, and Human Exploitation in the DRC’s Cocoa Supply Chain

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is exceptionally rich in natural resources. It has 200 million acres of cultivable land and the world’s second-largest rainforest. It is home to an immensely diverse flora and fauna, and – as is notoriously known – is also rich in mineral resources. However, the

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Defense & Security, Africa

May 16 , 2025

Policy Brief

Reinforcing U.S. Power in the Horn of Africa: The Case for a Base in Somaliland

Amidst threats to U.S. interests in the Red Sea and competition for regional influence, the United States must reassess its military posture in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa, which includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, sits at the junction of global trade and strategic competition, commanding access

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Americas, Indo – Pacific

May 14 , 2025

Policy Brief

The US and China Looking for a Way Out of the Tariff Wars

The trade war between the United States and China has reached a turning point after April 2025. Beginning in April with the US imposing tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods and China responding with 125% duties on American products, trade among the world’s two top economies has de

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Middle East

May 12 , 2025

Policy Brief

Gulf Arab Engagement with Russia

Last month, the Emir of Qatar and the Sultan of Oman visited Moscow, where they met with President Vladimir Putin. These visits to the Kremlin highlight Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members’ efforts to deepen ties with Russia across geopolitical, security, energy, economic, and diplomatic fronts. Such engagements affirm Moscow’s enduring

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Latest Research

Defense & Security

Jun 5 , 2025

Policy Brief

Iran-Russia Military Technology Collaboration

Executive Summary At the beginning of the Cold War in the 1950’s the United States and the Soviet Union competed with arms and technology exports in their respective regions of influence. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia sold much of its Cold War-era military and technology arsenal to Soviet satellites,

READ MORE

Africa

May 26 , 2025

Policy Brief

Las Anood and the Crisis of Somali State-Building: Clan Politics, Federal Tensions, and External Stakes

Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s recent visit to Las Anood was heralded as a historic event, eliciting a mix of positive reactions from supporters of national unity and strong negative reactions from Somaliland. However, rather than consolidating the Somali state-building process and promoting greater dialogue with the newly elected

READ MORE

Africa

May 20 , 2025

Policy Brief

Armed Groups, Illicit Extraction, and Human Exploitation in the DRC’s Cocoa Supply Chain

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is exceptionally rich in natural resources. It has 200 million acres of cultivable land and the world’s second-largest rainforest. It is home to an immensely diverse flora and fauna, and – as is notoriously known – is also rich in mineral resources. However, the

READ MORE

Defense & Security, Africa

May 16 , 2025

Policy Brief

Reinforcing U.S. Power in the Horn of Africa: The Case for a Base in Somaliland

Amidst threats to U.S. interests in the Red Sea and competition for regional influence, the United States must reassess its military posture in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa, which includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, sits at the junction of global trade and strategic competition, commanding access

READ MORE

Americas, Indo – Pacific

May 14 , 2025

Policy Brief

The US and China Looking for a Way Out of the Tariff Wars

The trade war between the United States and China has reached a turning point after April 2025. Beginning in April with the US imposing tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods and China responding with 125% duties on American products, trade among the world’s two top economies has de

READ MORE

Middle East

May 12 , 2025

Policy Brief

Gulf Arab Engagement with Russia

Last month, the Emir of Qatar and the Sultan of Oman visited Moscow, where they met with President Vladimir Putin. These visits to the Kremlin highlight Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members’ efforts to deepen ties with Russia across geopolitical, security, energy, economic, and diplomatic fronts. Such engagements affirm Moscow’s enduring

READ MORE

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