Friend -
The emergence of cherry blossoms and motorcades in Washington, D.C. means spring is finally here (let's hope) and just in time for the World Bank and IMF meetings that took place last week, where global economic outlooks and reform efforts topped the agenda.

But with Congress out of session for a good part of April, many of the big stories capturing my attention took place overseas:

* Huge numbers of policymakers have been traveling abroad - not surprising to Ukraine and Taiwan, but also large bipartisan delegations to Africa and Southeast Asia, and a significant group tackling food security policy.

* Speaker Kevin McCarthy's meeting with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, accompanied by a bipartisan delegation, sparked a response by China of three days of military drills off the coast of Taiwan. Not surprising, but important to note.

* President Biden's trip to Ireland on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was a significant reminder of the power of diplomacy.

* And sadly, humanitarian crises continue to dominate the agenda, particularly in Somalia, where the worst drought in decades has left 6 million hungry and the situation now threatens the security of an already unstable region.

With this and more as a backdrop, I just submitted my annual testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS), making the case why investing in diplomacy and development matters to America's national interests. It's timed just as Congress returns to Washington -- debt ceiling talks, new hearings featuring Sir Elton John on HIV/AIDS and PEPFAR and USAID Administrator Samantha Power on USAID's budget request.

Check out these and more in this new edition of the GLOBAL GAB. Send me a quick note if you have been traveling, and what you are seeing and hearing overseas.

Many thanks,
Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC

THE GLOBAL GAB

Elton John talks to Congress, Brad Paisley in Ukraine, Veep in Africa
April 21, 2023

CONGRESS IS BACK

After a two-week recess, Capitol Hill is abuzz with multiple consequential hearings on America's role in the world - including a cameo by Sir Elton John:

* As Congress moves the federal budget forward, the new leader of the all-important House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), gaveled in one of his first hearings with testimony from USAID Administrator Samantha Power.

* In his opening statement, Diaz-Balart thanked the "men and women of USAID" adding "we don't say enough how much we appreciate their service and yours, Administrator Power."

* On the growing threats around the world, Power raised alarm bells in the House and Senate: "The challenge the world faces today is clear. The decades of development gains... that have laid the foundation for an era of relative peace, relative stability, relative prosperity - those gains are seriously in peril."

* While there will surely be no shortage of partisan debate on the overall federal budget in the coming weeks, in both the House and Senate State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee hearings, Chairman Diaz-Balart and Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC) highlighted the bipartisan support for U.S. diplomacy and development programs.

* While raising questions over the spending levels in the Administration's recent budget proposal, Diaz-Balart highlighted the bipartisan support for U.S. diplomacy and development programs, "Promoting American values of freedom and democracy is not partisan. Supporting a family's ability to provide for themselves to send their kids to school and stay safe and healthy. That is not partisan."

* Senator Graham reinforced bipartisan solutions because "we have a crisis in the world" noting how the number of people impacted by the global food crisis has "doubled since 2020 and it's going to double again."

* Reprising his first-ever testimony to Congress twenty-one years ago at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, Sir Elton John testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week on the importance of PEPFAR, America's signature global HIV/AIDS program: "What America does for itself has made it strong. But what America does for others has made it great."

* As PEPFAR legislation comes up for reauthorization in Congress, the star-studded hearing - led by Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-ID) - also featured testimony from U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador John Nkengasong and former Global Fund Chief Dr. Mark Dybul.

* ICYMI. We watched so you don't have to! Enjoy these brief 30 second video snippets and you'll feel like you were in the hearing room! Click below:

*
* PEPFAR Hearing with Sir Elton John and additional voices
* USAID's Samantha Power in the House and Senate

SPRING ECONOMIC MEETINGS

As the global economic uncertainty continues into 2023 and a growing number of countries are facing debt distress and crises, the topic of multilateral bank reform was top of mind as world leaders, finance ministers, and bankers descended on Washington for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings last week.

* The IMF released its latest global outlook - entitled "Rocky Recovery" - projecting that the baseline forecast for growth will fall from 3.4% in 2022 to 2.8% in 2023 with even more dire predictions for advanced economies, from 2.7% in 2022 to 1.3% in 2023.

* Fresh off of a four continent listening tour with 37 governments, World Bank President nominee and former MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga, spoke at the Center for Global Development in his first public speech since being nominated on the future of the World Bank saying that "the World Bank cannot do this alone, even the generosity of governments, of philanthropies, the work other multilateral development banks, we're going to fall short of those trillions, we will need the private sector to come into this journey."

* At a critical Multilateral Development Bank Evolution Roundtable, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced, "Shareholders have agreed to undertake reforms that could add up to $50 billion in financing over the next 10 years - while protecting the Bank's credit rating and long-term financial sustainability."

* As for China, Devex reported "a major breakthrough" between the multilateral banks and China during negotiations as part of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable, with Beijing stepping back from past demands on how to restructure the debt of low-income countries.

* The ONE Campaign released a "ten point plan for the World Bank President's first 100 days" calling for "breakthrough goals" on threats from climate change to pandemics to hunger to fragility.

[?] WHEELS UP TO AFRICA

Following last December's U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, the U.S. has been stepping up its tempo with high-level delegations traveling to Africa every single month this year - from both Congress and the Administration. A quick snapshot - including the latest historic trip by Vice President Kamala Harris:

* JANUARY - Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen led an economic-focused delegation to Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia on how "Africa will shape the future of the global economy."

* FEBRUARY - First Lady Jill Biden marked her sixth White House trip to Africa - with five as Second Lady - with stops in Namibia and Kenya stating how the common challenges faced by the U.S. and Africa "aren't contained by borders."

* FEBRUARY - After the Munich Security Conference, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Chris Coons (D-DE) led a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Zambia and South Africa, joining with Cindy McCain, now the World Food Program Chief, and Elton John.

* MARCH - Secretary Tony Blinken made his latest trip to the continent visiting Niger and Ethiopia with his message that the U.S. is "all in on Africa, and all in with Africa."

* MARCH-APRIL - In her first travel to Africa since taking office, Vice President Kamala Harris made a history-making trip to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia as the first African American Vice President to visit the continent.

* During the trip, Harris announced $1 billion in new public and private commitments to drive economic opportunities - especially in the digital space - for women and girls across Africa with partnerships from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CARE, Pfizer, Mastercard, and Procter & Gamble and others working with USAID, the U.S. Development Finance Corporation, and the Peace Corps on new efforts to close the gender gap.

* More than $7 billion in U.S. public and private commitments were also announced to promote climate resilience and adaptation across Africa with commitments from Mastercard, Land O'Lakes Venture 37, and others.

* VP Harris also announced new agreements with Zambia and Tanzania through the U.S. Export-Import Bank that will catalyze hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. exports and support thousands of U.S. jobs.

* APRIL - During the Congressional recess, CARE and Save the Children hosted a bipartisan Congressional delegation to East Africa on the global hunger crisis with Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and others.

* MAY - Upcoming next month, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) will be traveling to Ghana for his first trip to Africa in his new leadership post.

* Meanwhile, China isn't sitting on the sidelines. Africa was the first destination for China's new Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who embarked on a trip to five African countries ten days after taking office this past January. In fact, Africa has been the first foreign destination of Chinese foreign ministers in each new calendar year since 1991.

UKRAINE WATCH

As both President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Vladimir Putin made recent battlefield visits in Ukraine, Russia's invasion of the sovereign, democratic nation has not only exacted immeasurable costs on the Ukrainian people, but it also threatens global stability, directly impacting American stability and our security and economic interests here at home.

* During the recent Congressional recess, a high-profile Senate delegation led by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) with fellow Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and country superstar Brad Paisley visited the Ukrainian capital. The hit singer performed his moving "Same Here" ballad in St. Michael's Square in Kyiv - see the video via Rolling Stone.

* Earlier in April, House Intel Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) led a Congressional delegation to the country, tying America's support there to U.S. national security interests The group met with President Zelensky and reiterated the "overwhelming bipartisan support in America to continue assisting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression."

* Outside of Europe, the war continues to disrupt global food security with 7 in 10 people facing crisis-level food insecurity in countries already affected by fragility and conflict, driving new threats for U.S. national security from global hunger, rising conflict, and extremism. The havoc for global energy markets and food supplies continues to impact gas and grocery prices for American families at home - with U.S. food price inflation remaining stubbornly high at 8.5%.

* In recent testimony to Congress, all three independent U.S. Inspectors General from the State Department, USAID, and the Pentagon were clear that their offices' ongoing investigations to date have not uncovered any fraud, misuse, or diversion of U.S. resources to Ukraine.

2024 CANDIDATES WEIGH-IN

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), not yet a candidate, made news when he said Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a "territorial dispute." But a few days later, the Governor clarified that Russia's invasion is indeed illegitimate calling Putin a "war criminal" who should be "held accountable." Here is a round-up of what some of the other presidential candidates and hopefuls have been saying:

* Ambassador Nikki Haley reiterated her support stating "China wins if Russia conquers Ukraine" in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

* Vice President Mike Pence, the first candidate to visit the region last year, continues to speak out stating that the U.S. is the "arsenal of democracy" and urged for America to continue "to stand with Ukraine to support their fight."

* Governor Asa Hutchinson told a South Carolina audience his view on the "importance of the strength of America and our utilization of that strength in the cause of freedom."

* Governor Chris Sununu wrote that abandoning Ukraine "would set off a negative chain of events for U.S. interests domestically and abroad" in a Washington Post op-ed.

* Before announcing he was not running for president in 2024, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Ukraine earlier this month. Pompeo told FOX News that "the least costly way to move forward is to provide the Ukrainians with what they need now" adding that waiting to act until it's too late "will be far more costly."

FOR THE RECORD

In recent conversations in Washington, DC and across the country, Congressional leaders have been speaking out about how America's global leadership matters to our national interests and to families in their districts. Here are just a few of the most recent:

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA)
Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS) Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY)
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH)

TRANSITIONS AND UPDATES

* Ambassador Cindy McCain took the helm of the World Food Program earlier this month and immediately put a spotlight on how "hunger is soaring" and "resources are running dangerously low."

* Former Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) is joining Hank Meijer as the newest co-chair of USGLC's Michigan Advisory Committee. Read their op-ed in the Detroit Free Press on how "when something happens on a distant shore it can directly affect us here at home in Michigan."

[?] ONE FUN THING

In a show of America's strong support for Ukraine, Ukrainian Ambassador Oskana Markarova threw out the first pitch at the Nationals opening game.

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