Blog Moderator's blog

President Obama has been a strong supporter of foreign aid throughout his first term, which is not surprising for someone who spent part of his childhood in developing countries and was the son of a development expert. But unlike his predecessor, he has yet to translate his support into an enduring legacy.

It's no secret that Abraham Lincoln is Barack Obama's favorite former president. The connections between the 16th and 44th presidents are often discussed, and even more so since Daniel Day-Lewis vividly reintroduced Lincoln to the world in November. So on the eve of his second inauguration, it is a safe bet that President Obama is plumbing Lincoln's experience for inspiration and strength.

A 2011 BBC poll surveying more than 11,000 people across 23 countries showed that corruption was the most talked about global issue. In the same survey, 69 percent of respondents rated corruption as a “very serious” global issue.

President Obama is quite literally writing his legacy on the use of force during his second term. According to media reports, the administration is codifying the hows and whys of its drone policy in a handbook. The assumption is that the United States will put into doctrine what it has already created in practice: new rules for a new global reality with a newish technology.

Dear Mr. President,

You have many pressing priorities on your plate as you enter into a second term, but one area where your leadership can continue to make a difference here at home and abroad is a focus on global food security. How to feed a hungry world in a sustainable manner is one of the most vexing problems we will have to face in the coming years, but not an insurmountable task.

Dear Mr. President,

2012 seemed to be the year of the “war on women.” Policies and programs promoting women’s health and rights both domestically and abroad routinely came under attack by U.S. policymakers.

The start of President Obama's second term and the convening of a new Congress offer the White House an important opportunity to act boldly to end hunger at home and abroad. Thousands of people of faith are praying that the president will use this new beginning to work with Congress to set a goal and enact a plan to end hunger.

Dear Mr. President,

Thanks to your leadership, the U.S. government has taken huge strides forward in helping to prevent and end violence against women around the world during your first term.

We in the international community wait with anticipation as U.S. President Barack Obama assembles his foreign policy team. This group will engage the world on behalf of the United States, and it will face many difficulties in the years ahead. One of the biggest challenges facing them will be trying to bring stability to the Middle East.

Last June, President Barack Obama released his U.S. strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa, describing Africa as a “region of growing opportunity and promise, for Africa, for America.” Africare applauds the president’s focus on Africa, and we welcome his decision to further the proud tradition of America’s commitment to Africa.