Handoff: How George W. Bush Mobilized Smart Development and New Partnerships, and Its Lessons for Today's World

Monday, Mar. 6 // 3–4:00 pm (ET)

When the Bush Administration came into office, it encountered a world grappling with a range of historic challenges. From HIV/AIDS and malaria impacting millions of families to extreme poverty and inequality touching countless communities, it was a world in need of new ideas and approaches. President Bush and his team, supported by bipartisan coalitions in Congress, crafted tools that not only brought new hope to the developing world, but also changed the way America and the West approached development and foreign assistance.

A panel of experts from those days will help us understand how those tools were developed, how well they worked in various settings, and what lessons they offer for today’s development challenges. Participants include former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, former White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, former Deputy National Security Advisor Gary Edson, and Wilson Center President and former USAID Administrator and Ambassador to Tanzania, Mark Andrew Green.

Still To Come This Week

Opportunities for Enhanced Near-term US-China Climate Action: The Food System

Tuesday, Mar. 7 // 8–9:15 pm (ET)

At this webinar co-sponsored by the Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum and the California-China Climate Institute, speakers will explore the pathways for the US and China to achieve emission reductions, soil health improvement, and sustainable development goals while meeting global food demand.

Aid, Politics, and the War of Narratives in US-Pakistan Relations | Virtual Book Event

Wednesday, Mar. 8 // 10–11:30 am (ET)

At this virtual book event, Dr. Hussain Nadim, a former Wilson Center fellow, will discuss his new study of aid, politics, and the war of narratives in US-Pakistan relations. It uses as a case study the Kerry-Lugar Berman Act, a bill signed into law by President Obama in 2009 that tripled US civilian assistance to Pakistan.

The Changing Geopolitics of Critical Minerals and the Future of the Clean Energy Transition

Thursday, Mar. 9 // 9–10:30 am (ET)

Join us to examine the challenges, policy options, and strategic diplomatic alliances needed to minimize confrontation in order to realize individual national commitments and climate emission reduction targets. The discussion will also focus on ways shifting geopolitical alliances are likely to impact prospects for cooperation and specific national initiatives to embrace clean energy.