With the unveiling of a new logo, the National Basketball Association (NBA) made its new Basketball Africa League (BAL) official— fulfilling its commitment to launch its first league outside of the United States. First announced in February 2019, the BAL will feature 12 club teams from across the African continent and begin playing in March of this year. With over 80 current and former NBA players from Africa and the youth population of Africa set to double to 1 billion by 2050, the continent is ripe for a continued stream of new basketball talent. And with Africa leading the way for consumer market growth in emerging economies, there will be no shortage of dedicated BAL fans.

As the candidates and voters gather for tonight’s seventh Democratic presidential debate, a new poll has put foreign policy in a dead heat with health care as the most important issue for Iowa caucusgoers. The most recent Des Moines Register poll – which many consider to be the gold-standard for Iowa – asked likely Democratic caucusgoers how important certain issues were when deciding which candidate to support. The survey found that more than 9 in 10 voters ranked foreign policy as “extremely important” or “important” – exactly on par with health care, an issue that has been central on the Democratic campaign trail.

Agriculture is inherently local, rooted row-by-row in the soil farmers till, tend, and harvest. But the impacts of agriculture are truly global. We know this is true in farming states like Minnesota, where Cargill has been headquartered for more than a century… [W]e are proud to partner with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) as their Heartland Chair. In conversations across 13 Midwest states, we are joining the USGLC and community leaders to discuss how food produced here in the Heartland impacts those far beyond our borders. Those same discussions are amplifying the value and purpose of global leadership.

In an attempt to measure a country’s progress in a more holistic way beyond income, the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP)’s latest Human Development Report also examines life expectancy, education, and personal freedoms, paying close attention to trends, policies, and issues that emerge year after year. While there have been significant gains in human development since the report launched in 1990, the latest report reveals some startling inequalities taking shape in the 21^st century.

COP25 – the United Nations Climate Change Conference – ended with a compromise deal last month, with UN Secretary General António Guterres noting that he was “disappointed” that world leaders were unable to come to an agreement that effectively addresses today’s many climate-driven challenges, from rising sea levels to extreme weather. These challenges are already a stark reality for many – especially in the developing world.

Did you know that the vanilla we use in everything from ice cream to beauty products to baked goods, particularly during the holiday season, is mainly produced in just a few developing countries?  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping farmers to build a sustainable vanilla industry while benefiting U.S. businesses and consumers alike.

Last month, in Wilmington, Delaware, we were joined by Dr. Michael Kremer, who was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics alongside fellow economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo for their groundbreaking and experimental work to tackle global poverty.  Kremer sat down for a discussion alongside Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) to share his insights into how rigorous evaluation can ensure that investments in global development have a catalytic effect.

With the youth population in Africa projected to double to 1 billion by 2050, America’s military and development professionals have increasingly recognized that engaging youth is critical to peace and prosperity. The United States has a remarkable legacy of leveraging its development and diplomacy programs to drive economic growth and mitigate the conditions that make communities vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups.

Representing more than 30,000 Veterans for Smart Power across the country, nearly 50 top leaders of the USGLC’s growing veteran’s initiative came together on Capitol Hill earlier this month as part of an ongoing effort to elevate U.S. diplomatic and development programs alongside a strong defense. From Vietnam veterans to active guard and reserve members, this diverse group of men and women spent a day speaking with lawmakers and sharing personal stories of their time in uniform to highlight how our national security is strengthened by our civilian-led tools.

As world leaders gather in New York for the 74th United Nations General Assembly, many made the trek down the street for the 2019 Concordia Summit, where they joined philanthropists, CEOs, and thought leaders from around the world. Amid talk of the Sustainable Development Goals and mounting global crises, USGLC’s President and CEO Liz Schrayer was there to moderate the panel “Building Economic Prosperity by Creating Shared Value.” How can a business tackle global problems and address the SDGs, while also creating value for its shareholders? In other words, how can a company do good while doing well?