As hospitals around the world battle the COVID-19 pandemic, a small nonprofit in Houston, Texas is helping to lead the global response amidst this crisis. At the helm of this global operation is Walter Ulrich, president and CEO of Medical Bridges and a member of USGLC’s Texas State Advisory Committee. USGLC’s Troy Williams recently spoke with Mr. Ulrich on the impact of COVID-19 and how Medical Bridges is stepping up to help at home and abroad.

When Ethiopia—a longtime hub for American engagement and development in East Africa—postponed its national elections due to COVID-19 concerns, political conflict ensued and turned violent. A humanitarian crisis quickly escalated. Regional impacts of the global pandemic are making it harder to get critical assistance into the region, especially to refugees who are living in conditions that do not allow for social distancing, hand-washing, and other health precautions.

This Veterans Day, we salute all lawmakers who have served in our nation’s military and continue to serve as members of Congress. We’re also shining a spotlight on several incoming veteran-turned lawmakers and their foreign policy views.

Yusuf Ahmed, a taxi driver in the U.S., has been unable to send money to support his brother and his family of six in Somalia due to stay-at-home orders and economic uncertainty back home. Ahmed is just one of millions facing similar circumstances as remittance flows have been disrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic… This sudden decline in remittance flows comes at a time when remittances have gained prominence as a tool for poverty eradication and development finance.

As the election approaches, foreign policy observers are starting to examine the state of the world the President will face in January 2021 and ask what the next Administration would or should do. The draft Democratic platform offers a glimpse into how foreign policy might figure into a Biden Administration’s vision to “build back better.”

We are in the midst of a pandemic and a resulting global economic crisis that has exacerbated poverty and systemic inequality — both root causes of human trafficking. Trafficking exists for various exploitative purposes including forced labor, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriage, and organ harvesting. 

As America continues a nationwide dialogue on race, and industries and organizations are being called upon to address systemic racism, increased scrutiny has also fallen upon America’s diplomacy and development agencies. Just as America’s foreign policy affects our local communities, our domestic challenges can also have global repercussions. Current and former officials, in cooperation with bipartisan Members of Congress, agree that to achieve our foreign policy goals abroad, America’s diplomats must look more like America.

UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, has also proven itself to be an industry leader in healthcare logistics, providing critical assistance in the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his new book, Exercise of Power, Secretary Gates reflects on the successes and shortcomings of the U.S. on the global stage, and offers his perspective on a new path forward to confront today’s greatest global challenges.

U.S. foreign assistance agencies are leading across the government and the world in transparency and accountability, according to The 2020 Aid Transparency Index, issued by Publish What You Fund. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is ranked first among U.S. federal agencies and seventh in the world for aid transparency. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) achieved its best performance as well, rising to the top tier of the “good” category and the State Department moved into the “good” category for the first time.