Harvard Center for International Development

Join CID and the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School on March 25th at 5:00 pm ET for a timely and critical discussion on the future of US foreign aid. CID Executive Director Fatema Z. Sumar will moderate a discussion with Nisha Biswal, Former Deputy CEO, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Jonathan Nash, President & CEO of Blumont, Inc., and Paul Foldi, Vice President of Professional Services Council. ?? See below for more information on in-person and virtual attendance. #USAID #ForeignAid #ForeignPolicy #InternationalDevelopment

“There is no scenario in which American international or domestic interests are better served absent the robust presence of American leadership abroad. None.” ~Ambassador (ret.) Reuben Brigety, II, former US Ambassador to South Africa Thanks to the Harvard University Gazette for covering the first event in our "The Future of US Foreign Aid" series earlier this month. Read more about about what former US ambassadors Geoffrey Pyatt, Richard Boucher, and Reuben Brigety had to say about the new reality facing American diplomats, companies, and aid workers during their conversation with CID Executive Director Fatema Z. Sumar. Read the article: https://bit.ly/43GQaKK Watch the event recording: https://lnkd.in/eZWR3qAh Lean more about the series and register to join our next event on Thursday, March 20th with former USAID Chief Economist Dean Karlan and CID Faculty Director Asim Ijaz Khwaja: https://bit.ly/41skwzc Harvard Kennedy School #USAID #ForeignAid #ForeignPolicy #Impact #GlobalDev

Join us tomorrow, March 11, to hear from Lori Kerr, CEO of FinDev Canada and a leading figure in development finance. ?? March 11, 2025 ? 3:30 - 5:00 pm ET ?? Harvard Kennedy School or virtual With nearly three decades of experience at institutions like the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, Lori has worked at the highest levels to leverage public and private capital to address critical economic, social, and environmental challenges. She will share insights on the evolving role of development finance, the growth of FinDev Canada, and opportunities for students pursuing careers in international investment and impact-driven finance. This event is free and open to all. Register to join either in-person or virtual: https://bit.ly/3Fic1hG.. Wasim Tahir, CFA Harvard Kennedy School #globaldev #developmentfinance #finance #canada #impact

ICYMI - On Thursday, CID Faculty Affiliate Rema Hanna moderated a discussion with Alexia Latortue, former Assistant Secretary for International Trade and Development, U.S. Treasury and B?rd Vegar Solhjell, Director General of Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation as part of our series on "The Future of US Foreign Aid." "The key is to actually have frank transparent debates, including on the hardest topics, in a civilized way, ideally with evidence in the room. And then, to make good old fashioned compromise to find the venn diagram of common ground. And there is the possibility to find more common ground than we may think." ~ Alexia Latortue Listen to this important conversation: https://bit.ly/4h7r1MA Learn more about upcoming events and register: https://bit.ly/41skwzc

“There is going to be significant disruption to regional economies,” he said. “I would worry about the places that are going to be disrupted by this and the long-lived adverse impact.” #CIDFacultyAffiliate Gordon Hanson from the Reimagining the Economy Project, Harvard Kennedy School shares his thoughts on the Trump administration tariffs in the New York Times. https://nyti.ms/4kvFnZS #tariffs #trade #foreignpolicy

Join CID on Monday, March 10 at 9:30 am EDT for the third event in our virtual series, "The Future of US Foreign Aid." Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International, Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America, and Matthew Kavanagh, PhD of Georgetown University's Center for Global Health Policy and Politics will join CID Faculty Affiliate Robert Jenkins from the Harvard Graduate School of Education for an in-depth discussion on humanitarian assistance, the impact of the recent policy changes, and where we go from here. These events are free to join and open to all. Register here: https://bit.ly/41l57zw Learn more about the series: https://bit.ly/41skwzc #USAID #ForeignPolicy #GlobalHealth #Poverty #USLeadership

?? Mark your calendars for this coming Thursday, March 6th at 9:30 AM EST. CID will welcome B?rd Vegar Solhjell, Director General Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and Alexia Latortue, Former Assistant Secretary for International Trade and Development, US Treasury in conversation with CID Faculty Affiliate and Harvard Kennedy School development economist Rema Hanna. Free and open to all! Register here: https://bit.ly/3FdC21n Learn more about CID's new virtual series, "The Future of US Foreign Aid": https://bit.ly/41skwzc #usaid #foreignaid #foreignpolicy #developmentmatters

"But I think addressing the equity gap that we have globally, particularly in public health and beyond, is not just a responsibility of individual countries—it is also a global responsibility. The transition from development assistance should be planned ahead. It should be gradual, strategic, and conducted in partnership.” Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, former Ethiopian Minister of Health (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) and Executive Director of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, recently delivered an enlightening talk as part of our Friday lunch CID Speaker Series. She discussed Ethiopia's strategic approach to managing development assistance for health, focusing on sustainable financing and the integration of domestic resources. Dr. Tadesse highlighted the essential role of leadership and political commitment in driving healthcare reform, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and adaptability in strengthening health systems. Her experience underscores the potential for leveraging both national and international support to address health sector challenges effectively. ?? ?? ???? ?? Watch the event now on our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/4kogGyz #CIDSpeakerSeries #HealthSectorReform #Ethiopia #SustainableFinancing #LeadershipInHealth

"None of this changes the fact that pandemic diseases don't know borders. None of this changes the fact that there will be emergency humanitarian crises of epic proportions that will require response... What is clear is that we are going to have to think about a very different way of doing these things absent the full support of the government of the United States." - Ambassador (ret.) Reuben Brigety, II Earlier today, CID welcomed distinguished panelists and former US Ambassadors Geoffrey Pyatt, Richard Boucher, and Reuben E. Brigety, II in conversation with CID Executive Director Fatema Z. Sumar to kick off our new virtual series "The Future of US Foreign Aid. Their insights provided valuable perspectives on the role of diplomacy, development, and strategic partnerships in navigating this critical moment. We are grateful for their time, expertise, and commitment to fostering informed dialogue on these pressing issues. Watch the recording of today's event: https://bit.ly/43bK84O Learn more about the series and register for upcoming events: https://bit.ly/41skwzc Harvard Kennedy School Harvard University #USAID #ForeignAid #ForeignPolicy #globaldev #internationalrelations

Supporting our students as they go into the world and work with communities to solve development challenges is core to our mission at CID to build a thriving world for all. During the fall semester, Harvard University mechanical engineering student Sofia Perez Casillas traveled to Migori County, Kenya, to address a persistent challenge faced by small-scale farmers in Kenya: the inefficiencies of post-harvest maize shelling. "During my final interview, I met a farmer who was particularly excited to try the sheller. As he operated the device, his enthusiasm was palpable. He pulled out his phone and recorded himself using it, narrating the process as if to share the innovation with others. His amazement at the design and his genuine excitement left a lasting impression on me. It was a powerful reminder of the impact engineering solutions can have when they resonate with the people they’re designed to serve." Read more about Sofia's work in Kenya ???? : https://bit.ly/4kj71sW #globaldev #agriculture #kenya #solutions #impact #engineering