He’s been called — in one of the most talked-about profile stories of the year — “the single most influential voice shaping American foreign policy aside from [President Obama] himself.” Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security advisor, is shaping United States foreign assistance too — and the development legacy this administration will leave behind.
Rhodes spoke with Devex Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar at the opening plenary of Devex World, an event in Washington, D.C., heralding the arrival of a “new era of global development” — an era defined as much by coders, astronauts and entrepreneurs, as by donors and nongovernmental organizations. Rhodes delved into the Obama administration’s approach to foreign assistance, and he offered a glimpse into the weight development carries in closed-door debates on U.S. foreign policy and national security.
Manage instability, but seek opportunity
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
