In 2020, the global economy took a major hit with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that is expected to reverse course, with the global economy projected to grow 6 percent by the end of 2021—growth that reflects additional fiscal support in several large economies and the anticipated vaccine-powered recovery. These projections were one of the main topics of discussion at the virtual Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group, where the institutions met to discuss their progress on the COVID-19 pandemic response and economic recovery—and the urgent needs that still must be addressed.

We recently asked Barbara Humpton, President and CEO of Siemens USA, how the company is responding to COVID-19 at home and abroad, and how technology and innovation are helping to build resilience in a crisis and put the world on the path to recovery.

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.

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. But while this is the organization’s first league in Africa, the NBA is not new to the continent— particularly when it comes to engaging with African youth and investing in infrastructure and civil society across the continent.

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.

Nearly thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the state of democracy in the world remains a mixed picture of both progress and decline. But investments in diplomacy and development by the U.S. and new leadership in developing democracies provides fresh potential in addressing corruption.

What have 2020 candidates been saying about America’s role in the world? Watch this space for updates on foreign policy on the campaign trail.

At the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Mozambique last week, USAID Administrator Mark Green and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Karen Dunn Kelley rolled out more details on the Administration’s Prosper Africa initiative with the ambitious goal of doubling two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa.

In the last two decades, there have been countless advances that have changed our lives—new medicines, smart phones, and global movements for equality, to name a few. And according to a new report, in the last 18 years—the span of a childhood—the lives of more than 280 million children around the world, including the U.S., have improved dramatically.

U.S. assistance to Central and Latin America – from Plan Colombia to the Alliance for Prosperity – has long focused on addressing the root causes of instability and migration through strategic investments that combat violence, provide safe spaces for youth, promote economic development, and fight corruption. Here are just 9 U.S. foreign assistance programs in Central America that are making a difference.