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U.S. Foreign Policy After the Pandemic
U.S. Foreign Policy After the Pandemic Four challenges that will need to be addressed
by JESSICA TRISKO DARDEN
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed previously challenging even here in the United States, 600 million unrealized security challenges, ranging from food people lack access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa and insecurity to vulnerable supply chains. The pandemic also just 28% have regular internet access. Globally, only one provides an opportunity to address existing gaps to help in three students are expected to return to classrooms this ensure that future crises remain under control. fall. Because of technology gaps, millions of children are
With this in mind, U.S. foreign policy needs to better losing out on key skills, including digital literacy, that they reflect the interconnected nature of the big issues facing need to reach their fullest human potential. This will have the world and respond to challenges posed by future a long-term social and economic impact in developing pandemics, technology gaps, countries. migration, climate adaptation and Foreign assistance, armed conflict. particularly technical Global response to pandemics private investment, remains
Despite the United States’ essential in extending access effective response to public health to broadband internet, cellular crises such as HIV/AIDS and the telecommunications, and clean Ebola epidemic in West Africa, energy to the world’s poorest COVID-19 has provided ample and most remote regions. evidence that the United States is Attention to how technology highly vulnerable to viruses that gaps affect service delivery emerge abroad. The United States and outcomes should be a key needs to tackle public health part of U.S. foreign assistance challenges when and where they programming. emerge to protect the health and security of its citizens. Jessica Trisko Darden Migration
Foreign assistance programs India’s lockdown in can help other countries prepare for future pandemics by improving the detection of outbreaks and U.S. foreign policy needs to better reflect the response to the COVID-19 pandemic saw an estimated 40 million migrant workers return bolstering public health responses interconnected nature of to their home villages in the in countries with weak healthcare infrastructure. This helps protect Americans. As the re-emergence the big issues facing the world. Indian countryside. Many were forced to crowd on trains or walk for days, only to be turned of previously eradicated diseases away from villages weary of such as polio and measles shows, no one is safe until the virus’s transmission. everyone is safe. Mass migration prompted by disease outbreaks or Overcoming technology gaps system that was designed to deal with persons displaced
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted lockdowns around by armed conflict. Migration is also a problem that is the world which demonstrated how access to technology likely to worsen if the underlying challenges, including shapes a range of outcomes, from business adaptability to physical and economic insecurity, are not proactively healthcare delivery. The impact of technology gaps is far addressed. reaching, particularly when it comes to education. assistance and support for natural disasters add greater complexity to a refugee
At its peak, the pandemic forced 1.6 billion children Climate adaptation and conflict prevention out of the classroom. While distance-learning proved While we can hope that climate scientists’ worst
case projections regarding sea-level rise or warming remains a vital instrument of U.S. foreign policy. Global temperatures will not come about, in the coming decades and local crises, whether they stem from pandemics or mass both wealthy and poor nations will face the reality that migration, will continue to contribute to armed conflict people on nearly every continent will no longer be able and slow economic growth. The United States must draw to live or farm where they on non-military tools such as currently reside. foreign assistance to shape America needs to get ahead of this by working While conflict prevention has these outcomes, in coordination with other major donors. with governments to create long been a focus of foreign Focusing on these pressing incentives for relocation that will help minimize economic disruptions and conflicts that assistance, the intersection of conflict prevention with other issues — and the connections between them — will help bring coherence and crosscould impact the United States’ global challenges should be sectoral thinking to America’s economy and security. Climate adaption is most pressing in parts of the world that are at the forefront of the United States’ response. international outreach while engaging the United States in solving challenges that confront already fragile and prone to all of humanity. RF the outbreak of war and the emergence of terrorism. While conflict prevention has Jessica Trisko Darden is an Assistant Professor of long been a focus of foreign assistance, the intersection of International Affairs at American University’s School of conflict prevention with other global challenges should be International Service. She is author of Aiding and Abetting: at the forefront of the United States’ response. U.S. Foreign Assistance and State Violence (Stanford
A properly directed foreign assistance program University Press, 2020).
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to our healthcare professionals and those on the front line who are stepping forward to help others aff ected by the coronavirus pandemic. Their courage and unwavering service shines a light and inspires us. Among our eff orts, Astellas is helping non-profi t community and humanitarian organizations address the urgent needs of COVID-19 patients, healthcare workers and fi rst responders.
We also remain committed to turning innovative science into medical solutions for a range of diseases that bring value and hope to patients worldwide. At Astellas, we’re focused on making changing tomorrow a reality.
