NYU’s Development Research Institute unites research, dialogue, and strategy to empower citizens, build resilient nations, and foster allied collaboration. With its Wahba Initiative, the Financial Access Initiative, Africa House, and others, DRI advances solutions at the crossroads of development, infrastructure, trade, technology, and geopolitics.
Structuring the Sovereign-Private Partnership: Delivering Both Strategic and Financial Returns
Structuring the Sovereign-Private Partnership: Delivering Both Strategic and Financial Returns
A previous essay introduced the concept of the sovereign-private partnership (SPP) as a response to a structural shift. In an era where infrastructure has become an important facet of statecraft, capital can no longer be deployed for yield alone. The SPP offers a framework in which private execution advances national strategic objectives, without abandoning the […]
Learn MoreThe Sovereignty Trap and Other Lessons
The Sovereignty Trap and Other Lessons
A note on sourcing: This roundtable was conducted under the Chatham House Rule. The summary below reflects the substance of the discussion only—no comment is attributed to any individual or to the organizations they represent. On June 4, 2026, NYU’s Wahba Initiative for Strategic Competition convened a private roundtable in Washington, D.C. on building allied […]
Learn MoreThe Architecture of Trust
The Architecture of Trust
Policymakers typically frame artificial intelligence competition as a race to build the latest and greatest models. But the next phase of geopolitical competition will be won by the coalition of countries that successfully deploys the most trusted ecosystem at scale—one anchored in physical infrastructure such as energy grids and telecommunications systems, as well as financing, […]
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About DRI
NYU’s Development Research Institute and the Wahba Initiative with their partners, the Financial Access Initiative, Africa House, and the Center for Technology and Economic Development, bridge academic research and policy action to address today’s global challenges. From development to deterrence, we equip leaders with insight that spans economics, infrastructure, technology and alliances.
Development That Delivers Opportunity
Inclusive development underpins economic security. Advancing financial access, human capital, institutional trust, and entrepreneurship strengthens prosperity and expands opportunity in every region.
Learn MoreStrategic Infrastructure Finance
Infrastructure determines power—linking partners, powering compute, and enabling the flow of goods, energy, and data. The goal: systems that deploy quickly, attract capital, and expand choice.
Learn MoreProductive Capacity
Productive capacity must be resilient and scalable. Targeted production, diversified sourcing, and trade expansion reduce vulnerability while sustaining innovation, industrial strength, and competitiveness.
Learn MoreAI as a Systems Race
AI leadership is decisive. Open societies must compete across chips, compute, cloud, energy, data, and applications to ensure trusted, scalable systems prevail.
Learn MoreModernizing Alliances
To compete at scale and speed, alliances must evolve—aligning across technology, finance, production, and governance to convert shared capabilities into sustained advantage.
Learn MoreEvidence-Based Practice in Development Policy
Effective development policy must be grounded in rigorous evidence, not assumptions. Translating research into actionable strategies that work in real-world contexts helps governments, institutions, and communities make informed decisions that deliver measurable and lasting impact.
Learn MoreFinancial Access in a Growing World
The Financial Access Initiative conducts rigorous research on how low-income households use financial tools like savings, credit, insurance, and payments. Its work informs policies and product design that expand meaningful financial inclusion worldwide.
Learn MoreInsights
Timely analysis and commentary on development, geoeconomics, technology, and trade—helping decision-makers and scholars navigate the shifting landscape of global power and prosperity.
Events
High-impact convenings that connect researchers, policymakers, and global partners to shape coordinated responses to shared development and strategic challenges.
Experts
Meet the scholars, fellows, and practitioners advancing DRI’s work across domains. Their expertise spans academia, government, and industry.
Regions
Explore how development trends and strategic pressures intersect in key regions—from the Indo-Pacific to Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.