Ben Leo

Ben Leo is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and director of the Rethinking U.S. Development Policy initiative. Leo’s research primarily focuses on the rapidly changing development finance environment, with particular emphasis on private capital flows, infrastructure and debt dynamics. Prior to CGD, Leo served as a facilitator and technical expert in secession negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan for the African Union, and as the director and presidential adviser for African affairs at the White House.

Latest Articles

US Senate reintroduces the Electrify Africa Act

over 10 years ago // From our partner

There are three key reasons why the Senate’s long-awaited Electrify Africa Act of 2015 is important for U.S. development, foreign and commercial policy in sub-Saharan Africa. Ben Leo, senior fellow and director of the rethinking U.S. development policy at the Center for Global Development, explains in this commentary.

Making US foreign assistance count

almost 11 years ago // #Reform4Results

When it comes to transparency and accountability, U.S. aid agencies are behind the curve. Ben Leo, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, and Tom Hart, U.S. executive director at ONE, share three ideas for building more accountable institutions in this Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network op-ed.

MDGs 2.0: Why not ask the poor what they really need?

almost 14 years ago // Guest Opinion

At Rio+20 in June, one important voice may be missing from the conference table, writes Ben Leo, ONE’s global policy director, in this exclusive op-ed for Devex. It doesn’t have to be that way.

See all articles by Ben Leo