TRENDS Research & Advisory and the Center for Trade and Cooperation (CTC) signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Berlin to strengthen research collaboration in trade policy and international economics.

The agreement was signed remotely by Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, and Mr. Arian Aghashahi, Managing Director of the CTC, in the presence of several officials and experts from both sides.

The agreement seeks to facilitate joint research in international trade policy, organize conferences and specialized workshops, develop advisory programs for governments and the private sector, and foster dialogue between Europe and international partners.

In a statement, Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Al-Ali underlined that the partnership will contribute strategic insights to support trade policy amid global economic transformations, noting that both centers bring complementary expertise that will result in outstanding work.

“We see this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between leading research institutions,” Mr. Aghashahi commented, adding that “CTC will work with TRENDS to deliver practical solutions to current economic challenges.”

This collaboration comes as part of joint efforts to deepen understanding of international trade policies and their global economic implications, with a particular focus on the Middle East and Europe.

The two centers are set to begin work on their first joint initiative in the third quarter of this year. This initiative will include publishing a joint report on the future of international trade in digital transformation.

The Center for Trade and Cooperation (CTC) is a Berlin-based research institution that promotes German trade policy from a pragmatic perspective that balances economic interests and values. The center focuses on formulating realistic foreign policy alternatives, building strategic partnerships, and organizing international dialogues.