Baker Institute

A nonpartisan public policy institute @RiceUniversity. Ranked the No. 1 university-affiliated think tank in the world.

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

🇮🇷 What comes next for Iran after the apparent breakdown of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire?

Baker Institute Fellow for the Middle East Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar joins @AmbSatterfield to discuss Iran’s evolving strategy, the Straight of Hormuz’s significance, & what one pivotal week could mean for the region.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://t.co/r9CGknlMih

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

#HarrisCounty faces growing budgetary headwinds that demand clearer financial disclosure.

A new Center for Tax and Budget Policy report by @BillKingHouston, @Joyce_T_Beebe, @jw_diamond & Randall Rice explores how improvements to the budgeting process could strengthen transparency & support long-term fiscal planning.

📊 Full report: https://t.co/qOL7bIy1p9

#TexasPolitics #Budget #Transparency

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

The Strait of Hormuz has reopened, but gas prices may not fall right away.

After weeks of oil market disruption, Texas consumers could still face elevated fuel costs in the near term. According to our nonresident fellow, Skip York, real pressure may start to ease on gasoline prices in July and August.

Read more in @HoustonPubMedia: https://t.co/ruiLjYqiM3

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Six years after taking power, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said has overseen economic reform in #Oman while maintaining its role as an international mediator. 🇴🇲

In a new brief for @Baker_CME, @AnnelleSheline analyzes the country’s transformation. https://t.co/L1k5HCsR9b

#MiddleEast #Diplomacy #ForeignPolicy

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Which foreign assistance investments generate the greatest national security returns?

A new working paper examines where foreign aid is most effective in advancing U.S. interests, while identifying where expectations should be tempered. https://t.co/zbyclJF3ld

#ForeignAid #NationalSecurity #EconomicStatecraft

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Fewer insurers are offering ACA plans as enhanced subsidies expire and enrollment drops.

With companies like Aetna and Cigna leaving some state marketplaces, competition could narrow and premiums could rise. According to our health economist Vivian Ho, when there is less profit to be made, fewer suppliers are likely to stay in the market.

Read more in Marketplace: https://t.co/ceSsyYKrqY

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Kuwait announced significant plans to expand energy production & investment in 2025, but could institutional barriers slow progress? 🇰🇼⚡

A new Middle East Energy Roundtable report examines legal & regulatory challenges & offers recommendations to support Kuwait’s energy goals. https://t.co/LSA4Ou1cee

#MiddleEastEnergy #EnergyPolicy #OilGas

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Why can’t the West build a working price for critical minerals?

@ashzforbes argues that pricing depends on separating adversary-controlled supply chains through a control-based #FEOC definition, requiring allied coordination to build a bifurcated pricing framework. https://t.co/LQP5i6fErD

#CriticalMinerals #SupplyChains #EnergySecurity #IndustrialPolicy

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

🎙️ What can we expect from the 2026 USMCA review? David A. Gantz & @snlester break down the negotiating priorities & pressures facing the U.S., Mexico, & Canada ahead of July 1.

🎧 Listen: https://t.co/DaNQoV6yf3

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

🎙️ Can Syria rebuild after more than a decade of war?

On the latest #BakerBriefing, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen speaks with Mona Yacoubian of @CSISMiddleEast about Syria’s fragile transition, the challenges of reconstruction & refugee return, & the regional dynamics shaping the country’s future.

🎧 Listen: https://t.co/Jmwb3Vd3LL

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

The first joint review of the USMCA begins July 1, with the U.S., Mexico, and Canada set to assess the agreement’s future. What’s at stake for North American trade and economic integration?

On July 9, the @Baker_CUSMEX will host a webinar examining the state of negotiations and the road ahead. Register today: https://t.co/xWqgljpILi

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Sustainability is increasingly about managing trade-offs across complex systems. A new paper by Rachel A. Meidl explores how organizations — especially in pharmaceuticals — are navigating competing priorities like emissions, resilience, compliance, safety,& affordability. https://t.co/NtHvn90UT2

#Sustainability#SupplyChains #Pharma #Resilience

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

4️⃣ Macro-Level Structures of Aid

The final briefs examine how aid and displacement are shaped by states and institutions.

From “vulnerability diplomacy” in Jordan and Egypt to humanitarian aid challenges in Gaza, the authors highlight the need for more effective and context-sensitive responses

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Tomorrow is #WorldRefugeeDay. In collaboration with @MiReKoc, our “Protracted Displacement in the Middle East and North Africa” series explores four key themes shaping responses to long-term displacement. 

Read the full series here:
https://t.co/8Oy9XaNxaY

🧵👇 Here are the main themes

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

3️⃣ Return, Reintegration, and Recovery

Two briefs explore the aspirations of Syrian youth in Jordan and the importance of restoring property rights for sustainable reintegration.

The authors argue that durable return requires more than political transition, it also depends on security, economic opportunity, legal protections, and long-term support

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Global refugee numbers fell in 2025 for the first time in a decade, but pressures on humanitarian systems continue to grow.

In a new piece for @ConversationUS, Kelsey Norman & Nicholas R. Micinski examine how aid cuts &changing migration policies are minimizing refugee support systems &increasing pressure on displaced populations. https://t.co/TVC7c9EGqn

#Refugees #Migration #HumanitarianAid

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

How are states using the $50B Rural Health Transformation Program to address health-related social needs?

A new brief from the Center for Health Policy explores how this emerging strategy could shape rural healthcare outcomes. 🩺 https://t.co/Bjz5ruqQti

#RuralHealth #HealthPolicy #Medicaid

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Despite efforts to boost production, Russia’s oil production continues to decline, deepening the strain of war & sanctions. Gabriel Collins examines what shrinking output could mean for Russia’s economy, foreign policy, & global influence. https://t.co/haptHLNIfy

#OilMarkets #EnergySecurity #RussiaUkraineWar