Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's new strategy for America's engagement in the world, released last week at a forum in New Hampshire, argues that in an interconnected world, global development matters--a lot. Besides reiterating his promise to double U.S. foreign assistance to $50 billion, Obama says that as president he would invest in agriculture, infrastructure and economic growth; establish a $2 billion global education fund; launch a global energy and environment initiative; lead reform of the IMF and World Bank; and coordinate U.S. foreign assistance, including the MCA and PEPFAR, in a restructured U.S. Agency for International Development. CGD senior associate for outreach and policy Sarah Jane Hise reports on the new strategy and urges other candidates, Republicans and Democrats alike, to start saying as much and more about their commitment to global development and their vision for America's role in the world.
Ideas to action: independent research for global prosperity