Elena Vasquez

Dr. Elena Vasquez is a Mexican-American development economist and a former fellow at the Brookings Institution's Global Economy and Development program. With a PhD in public policy, she specializes in digital transformation in emerging markets, authoring reports on AI's role in Latin American agriculture and South Asian public services. A frequent speaker at World Bank events, she has advised governments on inclusive tech policies.

Opinion

October 14, 2026

The Final Demographic Frontier: Capital, Conflict and the Race for Human Capital

The global population is undergoing an unprecedented demographic transition. The average age of the world’s population is projected to increase by 11 years between 2020 and the end of the century, fundamentally

Americas·Asia·Opinion

September 26, 2026

The Trump-Xi Summit Was a Historic Missed Opportunity

Washington rolled out bombers, pandas and a new helipad. Beijing left with the photographs—and almost none of the hard bargains the relationship required. President Trump told reporters the meeting was “great.” He

Opinion

July 2, 2026

When America First Runs Into Africa

The problem with Donald Trump’s Congo deal is not that it is too ambitious. It is that it mistakes spectacle for strategy. A White House ceremony can stage a breakthrough, but it

A Smarter American Strategy for the Sahel

For much of the past decade, the United States watched its influence in the Sahel steadily erode. France’s retreat from Mali, a succession of military coups across West Africa, and growing anti-Western

May 14, 2026

Africa·Americas·Opinion

How AI Empowers Indian Villages

Ajay Banga’s point at the IMF Spring Meetings is best read as a challenge to move beyond AI as an urban-centric productivity tool and make it a rural equalizer. India now has

April 18, 2026

Technology

Elena Vasquez

The Final Demographic Frontier: Capital, Conflict and the Race for Human Capital

The Trump-Xi Summit Was a Historic Missed Opportunity

When America First Runs Into Africa

A Smarter American Strategy for the Sahel

How AI Empowers Indian Villages

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