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.

Throughout the developing world, organizations have seen decades of progress fighting poverty, disease, and violence undone by the outbreak of COVID-19. I spoke with Anne Lynam Goddard, President & CEO of ChildFund International, to see how their organization has responded to the destabilizing effects of this global pandemic.

Despite the uncertainties, what is clear now is COVID-19’s threat to food security, as it strains supply chains and prevents agricultural activity. We need a long-term approach to economic development that recognizes the role of market actors in responding to periodic shocks and supporting recovery.

Innovative measures that respond to local conditions are crucial to the fight against COVID-19. Munyaradzi Dodo, a young citizen journalist from Zimbabwe, has worked with other young changemakers to develop a platform that tracks cases of COVID-19...

Colombia’s President Ivan Duque met with President Trump at the White House last week, and at the top of their agenda was Venezuela. Colombia has played a critical role in managing the regional migration crisis, taking in more than 1.7 million Venezuelan refugees—more than a third of the 4.5 million who have fled the country in recent years following political upheaval and economic collapse.

The MOMs Initiative (short for Maternal Outcomes Matters) takes a catalytic financing approach, providing capital that small businesses need to grow and have a greater impact. Within this approach, Merck for Mothers offers grant financing and uses its expertise in maternal health to identify the businesses and promising solutions to invest in.

On his first trip to Africa as Secretary of State, Secretary Mike Pompeo announced a new partnership earlier this week between American company, Weldy Lamont and Senegal’s national electric company — stating that the partnership will build on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)’s $550 million Senegal Power Compact to “provide energy to rural areas … generating electricity throughout the country.”

By addressing the growing need for water, sanitation, and hygiene services in Kenya, the KIWASH project has not only improved water security in rural communities, it has led to even greater opportunities across the country. The support of USAID and DAI has given local business owners the means to provide more reliable water services to their communities. As a result, communities can worry less about water-related diseases and focus more on their education and livelihoods, allowing for a better quality of life for all.

Through a partnership with the International Rescue Committee and with support from the Lego Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation, the experts at Sesame Workshop have debuted Ahlan Simsim, or “Welcome Sesame;” a new television show created for refugee children in the Middle East and North Africa. To the IRC and Sesame Workshop, Ahlan Simsim isn’t just a show – it’s a vital piece of humanitarian assistance.