Afshin Molavi, Author at Syndication Bureau

Afshin Molavi

Afshin Molavi is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and editor and founder of the New Silk Road Monitor. He writes broadly on global geo-economic and geopolitical issues, and his writing has appeared in The Financial Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg View, Institutional Investor, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy and many academic and specialty publications. He is also a former Dubai-based correspondent with Reuters and an analyst at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.

Articles By Afshin Molavi

Bridging the Energy Transition By Afshin Molavi - Feb 3, 2023

A defining image of our contemporary era might be a middle-class family at an airport in Asia or Africa, their smartphones tucked into their bags, boarding a flight to Dubai or Singapore or London. Such an image won’t capture headlines or go viral, but its commonplace nature reflects a dramatic transformation in our world over … Continue reading “Bridging the Energy Transition”

The Unstoppable March of Globalization By Afshin Molavi - Jan 1, 2023

Remember the demise of globalization? As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the global economy and US-China tensions soared, many a commentator trotted out a “globalization is dying” narrative, claiming that the dizzying flow of goods, services, people, capital, and ideas that define our world would soon be confined to history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine … Continue reading “The Unstoppable March of Globalization”

The Promise and Pitfalls of India’s Economic Growth By Afshin Molavi - Dec 19, 2022

To understand where an economy is headed, check in with its millionaires and billionaires. That may seem counterintuitive – what do elites on yachts know about the real economy, after all? But whether those yachts (and the money they represent) are headed for sea or anchored in port reveals something about the health of a … Continue reading “The Promise and Pitfalls of India’s Economic Growth”

The Eight Billionth Question By Afshin Molavi - Nov 28, 2022

The world just passed a quiet milestone, topping 8 billion people on Earth. Embedded in this demographic story is an important developmental one: We are healthier, wealthier, and better educated than at any time in human history. And yet, macro numbers offer little solace to the 800 million people who still lack access to electricity, or the roughly same amount who go … Continue reading “The Eight Billionth Question”

Middle East Construction Boom is About More Than Dollars. It’s About History By Afshin Molavi - Sep 25, 2022

A defining image across Asia over the past few decades has been the construction crane looming over a horizon of tall, box-style buildings, the air speckled with dust from whirring industrial machines and the ever-present buzz of cars and motorbikes. From Shanghai to Mumbai to Dubai, the construction of real estate and infrastructure projects has radically altered lives and … Continue reading “Middle East Construction Boom is About More Than Dollars. It’s About History”