International Development

CSIS helps strengthen U.S. national security and global prosperity by informing policies that promote human well-being and economic opportunity. Researchers examine the United States’ leadership role in advancing development and creating efficient, effective, and sustainable foreign assistance programs.

Photo: Abdel Hameed Al Nasier/ILO via Flickr

The Price of Exclusion

This installment of Charting the Middle East spotlights how Western aid cuts have rendered the current international response to Syrian refugees obsolete.

Newsletter by Will Todman — October 7, 2026

U.S. Foreign Economic Policy Needs a Quarterback

Commentary by Richard Crespin and John Simon — October 6, 2026

Photo: Omar Albaw / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

The Self-Reliance Dividend: The Imperative of Syrian Refugees’ Economic Inclusion

Report by Will Todman — October 5, 2026

Illustration representing AI applications for crop optimization

Using AI to Fight World Hunger: Crop Optimization

Digital Feature by Zane Swanson, Emma Curtis, Joely Virzi, and Caitlin Welsh — September 17, 2026

See all analysis on International Development

Past Events

Why Japan’s Aid Strategy Focuses on Trust

October 13, 2026 • 9:00 – 9:45 am EDT

Hosted by Global Development

U.S.-Africa Economic Ties Beyond AGOA

October 9, 2026 • 2:50 – 3:50 pm EDT

Hosted by Africa Program

AI for Development: A Conversation with Gaurav Nayyar, Director of the World Development Report 2026

October 6, 2026 • 10:00 – 10:55 am EDT

Hosted by Economic Security and Technology

Reflections on UNGA 81

October 2, 2026 • 11:00 – 11:30 am EDT

Hosted by Global Development

What Can the U.S. Learn About Development From Norway?

September 29, 2026 • 9:00 – 9:45 am EDT

Hosted by Global Development

Middle East Futures: U.S. Policy in an Emerging Regional Order

September 28, 2026 • 11:30 am – 12:30 pm EDT

Hosted by Middle East Program

A Conversation with Lebanon's Minister of Finance, H.E. Yassine Jaber

September 21, 2026 • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT

Hosted by Middle East Program

Is U.S. Economic Diplomacy Up To Speed?

September 18, 2026 • 1:00 – 2:00 pm EDT

Hosted by Global Development

See all events on International Development

Related Programs

Global Development

Photo: GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP/Getty Images

Global Food and Water Security Program

Humanitarian Agenda

Project on Prosperity and Development

Photo: Surasak Suwanmake via Getty Images

Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative

Experts

Enoh T. Ebong

President, Global Development Department

Caitlin Welsh

Director, Global Food and Water Security Program

Noam Unger

Vice President, Global Development Department, Director, Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative and Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development

Romina Bandura

Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development

Andrew Friedman

Director and Senior Fellow, Human Rights Initiative

J. Stephen Morrison

Senior Vice President and Director, Global Health Policy Center

Oge Onubogu

Director and Senior Fellow, Africa Program

Allison Minor

Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

Shreya Nath

Senior Fellow, Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics

Aaron Stanley

Deputy Director and Fellow, Africa Program

Diego Marroquín Bitar

Fellow, Americas Program

All International Development Content

1 - 10 of 2685 results

Display Archived Results

Why Japan’s Aid Strategy Focuses on Trust

This episode of The Opportunity Horizon features Dr. TANAKA Akihiko, president of JICA, for a discussion on modernizing aid delivery and cooperation.

Event — October 13, 2026

U.S.-Africa Economic Ties Beyond AGOA

In this episode of Into Africa, Oge is joined by Enoh Ebong, and Navin Girishankar to discuss what a future Africa Growth and Opportunity Act agreement must deliver.

Event — October 9, 2026

The Price of Exclusion

This installment of Charting the Middle East spotlights how Western aid cuts have rendered the current international response to Syrian refugees obsolete.

Newsletter by Will Todman — October 7, 2026

AI for Development: A Conversation with Gaurav Nayyar, Director of the World Development Report 2026

Gaurav Nayyar, Director of the World Development Report 2026, joins Navin Girishankar to make the case for the value of AI for development.

Event — October 6, 2026

U.S. Foreign Economic Policy Needs a Quarterback

The U.S. government should empower the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to be a more effective agency to lead on economic growth abroad.

Commentary by Richard Crespin and John Simon — October 6, 2026

Audio Briefs

“The Self-Reliance Dividend: The Imperative of Syrian Refugees' Economic Inclusion”: Audio Brief with Will Todman

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Will Todman on his report, The Self-Reliance Dividend: The Imperative of Syrian Refugees' Economic Inclusion.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman — October 5, 2026

The Self-Reliance Dividend: The Imperative of Syrian Refugees’ Economic Inclusion

The current model for refugee management has failed. Will Todman argues that Gulf and Western actors should advance a new approach that prioritizes Syrian refugees’ self-reliance and private sector integration, making them part of the regional connectivity agenda.

Report by Will Todman — October 5, 2026