Meeting

David A. Morse Lecture With Ajay Banga

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images
Speaker
Ajay Banga

President, World Bank Group; CFR Member

Presider
Michael Froman

President, Council on Foreign Relations

On the eve of his first annual meeting, World Bank president Ajay Banga discusses the bank’s ambitious roadmap at a time it is being called to lead the world in addressing intertwined challenges of poverty alleviation, development, and climate change. The bank’s evolution aims to give the 78-year-old institution a rejuvenated mission and a new approach that focuses on impact, speed, simplicity, and accessibility.

The David A. Morse Lecture was inaugurated in 1994 and supports an annual meeting with a distinguished speaker. It honors the memory of David A. Morse, an active Council on Foreign Relations member for nearly thirty years.

Explore More on Diplomacy and International Institutions

United Nations

What Is the UN General Assembly?
The General Assembly hosts a much-watched debate of world leaders annually. Its 2023 meeting is expected to emphasize climate change, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and the war in Ukraine.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors September 13, 2023

G20 (Group of Twenty)

What Does the G20 Do?
The Group of Twenty, an informal gathering of many of the world’s largest economies, is the premier global forum for discussing economic issues. But it has faced divisions over trade, climate change, and the war in Ukraine.

Backgrounder by James McBride, Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman August 29, 2023

United Nations

Funding the United Nations: How Much Does the U.S. Pay?
Many UN agencies, programs, and missions receive crucial funding from the United States. The Trump administration sharply reduced funding to some UN agencies, but President Biden has largely reversed those cuts.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors August 22, 2023

Top Stories on CFR

Women and Women's Rights

UN Members See Need for Ramped-Up Progress on Gender Equality
The world’s nations are lagging woefully behind in meeting targets for achieving gender equality by 2030, but a new round of initiatives has stirred hope of progress.

In Brief by Linda Robinson September 21, 2023 Women and Foreign Policy Program

Ukraine

How Much Aid Has the U.S. Sent Ukraine? Here Are Six Charts.
Six graphics illustrate the extraordinary level of support the United States has provided Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders.

Article by Jonathan Masters and Will Merrow September 21, 2023

United States

Biden at the UN: Inclusive Internationalism
Amid renewed calls for changes in the world order, U.S. President Joe Biden sought to stress his support for greater inclusion of developing nations in addressing economic, social, and climate concerns.

In Brief by Esther Brimmer September 19, 2023