Promoting Evidence-based Policy and Good Governance

Democracy & Human Rights, Middle East

Dec 3 , 2024

Policy Brief

A supposed Kurdish peace initiative that was floated in Turkey presents an intricate strategic landscape, promising to shape regional and domestic political dynamics. While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan consolidates power domestically across the judiciary, media, and government institutions, often at the expense of democratic freedoms, former U.S. President Donald

Cyber Security & Info Technologies

Nov 21 , 2024

Policy Brief

Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an object of serious policy interest. Unlike other policy challenges on Americans’ plates, however, AI is lucky to have thus far avoided significant politicization. The dispassion is to its benefit. Indeed, a degradation of general political discourse hides a surprising fact: the first Trump and

Democracy & Human Rights

Nov 20 , 2024

Webinar

Orion Policy Institute will host a live webinar on Thursday, December 12 between 10 AM – 11:30 AM (EST) titled, “The Arab Spring Uprisings: Where Are We Now?” RSVP here. The panelists will be: 1. Dr. Sahar Khamis, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland.

Africa

Nov 13 , 2024

Op-Ed

In recent years, Russian mercenaries in West Africa have gained considerable notoriety for, on the one hand, propping up post-coup military juntas and, on the other hand, suffering setbacks when supporting those juntas’ counter-insurgency efforts. For example, 87 Russian fighters who were part of Africa Corps (formerly known as Wagner

Cyber Security & Info Technologies

Oct 24 , 2024

Op-Ed

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, we find ourselves at the top of another paradigm shift. Generative AI, with its remarkable ability to create novel content, has emerged as a transformative tool. It is integrating itself into our daily lives and business operations, becoming indispensable across various sectors. However,

Defense & Security

Oct 18 , 2024

Podcast

In this episode of Orion Talks, host Marta Furlan is joined by Kawa Hassan to discuss the Israel-Lebanon war and its implications for the region. The conversation starts with a reflection on the implications of the death of Hassan Nasrallah and other top Hezbollah leaders may have on Hezbollah as

Terrorism & Extremism

Aug 5 , 2024

Policy Brief

The October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel not only ignited a war in Gaza but also a severe escalation along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and killing Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran are heightening regional tensions. Each strike deepens the fears of a

Middle East

Jul 22 , 2024

Policy Brief

Over a decade ago, Turkey-Syria relations have undergone a dramatic shift when then Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) decided to end their policy of ‘zero problems with the neighbors’ and interfered in the uprising in Syria. The AKP’s overly ambitious Neo-Ottomanism

Terrorism & Extremism

Apr 5 , 2024

Policy Brief

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The terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow killed more than 130 people and wounded around 150. Islamic State in the Khorasan Province (ISKP or ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the attack, which proves that the group has the operational capability to engage in such a large-scale onslaught. It also

Africa

Feb 15 , 2024

Policy Brief

The year 2024 began with a political shakeup in the Horn of Africa when on January 1, Ethiopia and Somaliland revealed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Somaliland, previously British Somalia, is formally part of Somalia, from which it unilaterally seceded after the collapse of the Siad Barre

Africa

Nov 24 , 2023

Policy Brief

While the world’s attention has been focused on the Hamas-Israeli war for the past month, concerning developments have been taking place in Sudan. The confrontation that started on April 15 between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) led by General Adbel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led

Terrorism & Extremism

Oct 17 , 2023

Policy Brief

“On the morning of Saturday October 7th – a day that was holy not only for being shabbat but also for being Simchat Torah 1– Israelis woke up to a horrifying reality. In an attack that was largely unprecedented for its level of strategic sophistication, Hamas launched thousands of rockets

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