A New Law Passed by Congress is “The biggest step forward in U.S. development policy” in 15 Years Joanne Lu November 14, 2018U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is on a mission this week to win the hearts and minds – and cooperation – of Southeast Asian leaders. He’s doing so with the help of a recently passed bill that creates a new U.S. development bank that will help American business...
Some Good News: Food Imports Are Getting Cheaper for Poor Countries Joanne Lu November 12, 2018Good news for the world’s poorest countries: Importing food will be cheaper this year as prices for certain items are falling. But for many farmers in those countries, their livelihoods could be in jeopardy. The latest report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture ...
PODCAST: How Better Data Can Fight Global Hunger Mark Leon Goldberg September 26, 2018Every year during UN Week there are a number of substantive and important issues discussed, new initiatives launched and new partnerships formed, typically around some big important global issues. It is a week in the diplomatic calendar in which a lot of p...
PODCAST: How Much Progress Are We Making Towards the Sustainable Development Goals? Mark Leon Goldberg July 19, 2018At the United Nations in mid-July officials gathered for an annual checkup on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs, as they are known, are a set of 17 anti-poverty, health and environmental goals that in 2015 the world agreed to ac...
It’s been three years since the world agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals. So how are we doing? Mark Leon Goldberg July 17, 2018That is the central question driving a series of meetings this week at the United Nations, known as the "High Level Political Forum" for the Sustainable Development Goals, or HLFP for short.The HLPF is the annual check up on the SDGs in which governments, ...
A Conversation with Michael Møller, Director General of the UN Offices in Geneva Mark Leon Goldberg May 24, 2018 I was a bit skeptical when my guest today told me that every person on the planet, in any 24 hour period, is somehow impacted by the work of the UN and other international entities in Geneva.Still, Michael Møller would be in a position to...
Can Everyone, Everywhere in the World Get Health Insurance? A New UN Report Shows How Alanna Shaikh, MPH December 14, 2017Universal Health Coverage means health insurance for everyone, everywhere on the planet. It is one of the top Sustainable Development Goals that the international community pledged itself to achieve by 2030 -- just 13 years from now.This week, the World He...
New Analysis: 1 in 12 Children Face “Bleaker Prospects” Than Their Parents. Here’s Why Joanne Lu December 6, 2017The future doesn’t look so bright for 180 million children. Despite major improvements in child well-being around the world over the last 20 years, a recent UNICEF analysis found that children in 37 countries face “bleaker prospects” than their parents in esc...
In the midst of a Cash Crisis, More and More Zimbaweans are Turning to Bitcoin Mako Muzenda November 7, 2017Paper money is everywhere. It’s a fundamental part of daily life, from loose change and coins, to large transactions and purchases. Although bank cards and online shopping are becoming more commonplace, it’s hard to imagine a society functioning without any ki...
