Each year, the team at the Harvard Center for International Development turns a spotlight on the challenges, opportunities, and progress shaping nations across the globe. With visiting leaders from government, nonprofit, and the private sector, we explore the research, innovations, and collaborative efforts driving change.
2025鈥檚 Spotlight on Indonesia
Indonesia, the world鈥檚 largest archipelago and a thriving hub of cultural and economic diversity, faces a unique set of challenges and opportunities in its journey toward sustainable growth. From addressing environmental concerns and advancing renewable energy to fostering equitable economic development and innovation, Indonesia stands at a pivotal moment. Explore how collaborative efforts, groundbreaking research, and strategic initiatives are shaping the future of this dynamic Southeast Asian nation.
Distinguished Guest
Sudarno Sumarto
Sudarno Sumarto served as a policy adviser for the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K) under the Office of the Vice President of Indonesia from 2010 to 2024 and was a senior research fellow at the SMERU Research Institute.
Stay tuned for details on Indonesia programming this year at CID.
2024鈥檚 Spotlight on C么te d'Ivoire
C么te d鈥橧voire, a vibrant hub of West Africa, is navigating a transformative era marked by rapid economic growth and dynamic social progress. As the country addresses challenges such as sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and infrastructure development, it also seizes opportunities to strengthen its role as a regional leader. Discover how innovative solutions, impactful partnerships, and forward-thinking policies are driving C么te d鈥橧voire toward a more prosperous and sustainable future.
Distinguished Guest
Patrick Achi served as Prime Minister of C么te d鈥橧voire from March 2021 to October 2023. Prior to this, he was Secretary General of the Presidency and Executive Secretary of the National Council for Economic Policy (2017-2021), where he played a key role in developing the Vision 2030 Strategic Development Plan. Mr. Achi joined the Harvard Center for International Development as a Senior Fellow in the Spring of 2024.
This story from the Harvard Gazette details how a gender equity seminar at CID, led by CID Fellow Mara Bolis, led to breakthroughs in advancing gender equality in C么te d鈥橧voire, particularly in the La M茅 region where former Prime Minister Patrick Achi serves as President.
2023鈥檚 Spotlight on Afghanistan
In August 2021, American troops left Afghanistan after a nearly 20-year occupation, allowing the Taliban to return to complete power and triggering a crisis with fears of reprisals, human rights abuses, and restrictions on women鈥檚 rights. The resulting economic collapse, coupled with consecutive droughts and the suspension of development assistance, has led to a desperate situation for the people of Afghanistan.
In spring 2023, centers across Harvard University teamed up to put together a 鈥淪potlight Series on Afghanistan,鈥 a series of conversations and workshops spotlighting the situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The series examined the multilayered facets of gender, human rights, economic development, humanitarian aid, and political dynamics that shape the lives of over 40 million Afghans today. The 鈥淪potlight Series on Afghanistan鈥 was sponsored by the Center for International Development (CID), the , the Center for Public Leadership, the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) at Harvard Kennedy School, and the at Harvard.