Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative

Leading research and independent analysis on the economic security, business, political, and U.S. foreign policy implications of a changing landscape for global development support and extreme weather

Photo: iLab/CSIS

The world needs public and private investments that advance economic development and resilience in ways that are prudent, market-building, and highly effective. The Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative is a research and education effort focused on applying an economic security and risk management lens to issues of mounting physical risks and resilience across the Global South. This initiative aims to better inform future approaches and pressing political dialogues at the heart of United States decision-making on global engagement. Keys to success include responsible U.S. engagement, bipartisan political support, innovative business-minded investments, and a wider ecosystem of partners across sectors willing to develop and test various ideas for advancing and improving policies and programs.

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Photo: CSIS

Photo: CSIS

Unlocking Development Capital Through Insurance | The Futures Summit

April 16, 2026 • 9:00 – 9:30 am EDT

Tune in for a conversation between Michel Liès, Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group and Chair of the Insurance Development Forum, and CSIS Vice President Noam Unger as they discuss role of insurance in lowering risk, mobilizing capital, and advancing sustainable development outcomes.

Hosted by Global Development

Innovations in Disaster Risk Financing

Program Launch Video

All Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative Content

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Into Africa

Beyond Aid: Redefining Africa’s Development

Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps, and Noam Unger, Vice-President of the Global Development department at CSIS, join Oge to assess the current state of the international development and humanitarian assistance landscape and explore what challenges and opportunities this moment presents for Africa’s future.
 

Podcast Episode by Oge Onubogu and Noam Unger — April 23, 2026

Photo: CSIS

Unlocking Development Capital Through Insurance | The Futures Summit

Tune in for a conversation between Michel Liès, Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group and Chair of the Insurance Development Forum, and CSIS Vice President Noam Unger as they discuss role of insurance in lowering risk, mobilizing capital, and advancing sustainable development outcomes.

Event — April 16, 2026

A New Landscape for Development

Join the CSIS Global Development Department for the launch of A New Landscape for Development. This event will examine recent U.S. foreign assistance shifts and what they mean for the future of global development.

Event — February 10, 2026

Disaster Risk Financing in Real Time: Ghana Case Study

Recognizing the growing impacts of climate change and the increased importance of preparation for extreme weather events, the government of Ghana has undertaken several steps in recent years to enhance resilience by securing prearranged financing for disasters.

Report by Noam Unger and Madeleine McLean — January 12, 2026

Audio Briefs

Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30

An audio version of “Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Noam Unger, J. Stephen Morrison, Katherine E. Bliss, Mathias Zacarias, Ray Cai, and Alexis Burns. This audio was generated using text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by CSIS Scholars — November 25, 2025

Audio Briefs

Experts React: Progress and Setbacks at COP30

COP30 showcased noteworthy progress while exposing persistent roadblocks in global climate diplomacy. CSIS experts react to the conference’s most significant outcomes and their implications for the future of climate, energy, health, development, and the COP process at large.

Commentary by CSIS Scholars — November 25, 2025