After a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, outside organizations flocked to the country to help it recover.

Is international humanitarianism an act of charity or an act of duty? In fact, it is both -- a gift we have to give.

As the Zambian economist Dambisa Moyo argues, the concept of foreign aid is flawed -- not just because corrupt dictators divert aid for nefarious or selfish purposes but also because even in reasonably democratic countries, aid creates perverse incentives and unintended consequences.

If it hopes to achieve its foreign policy agenda, the Obama administration will need to undo the damage to the Foreign Service wrought by the Bush administration.

President Obama's strategy calls for increased development assistance to Pakistan. But implementation may face serious challenges amid deteriorating security conditions in Pakistan and lack of institutional capacity in Washington.

From South Africa to Kenya, hopes are high that Barack Obama will focus new attention on Africa. But given the domestic economic challenges he faces, some African analysts say the continent should concentrate on helping itself.

The impact of U.S. economic woes on foreign policy and national security programs is not yet clear, but sectors from defense to development aid are bracing for tighter budgets.

Iraq says it wants to sell oil contracts to foreign energy firms. The potential impact on energy markets could be large, but practical and political obstacles still prevent rapid production increases.

As Afghanistan makes a new pitch to foreign donors, some question whether its government is ready to shoulder a greater share of development.

President Bush's farewell State of the Union address was marked by a call for Congress to unite behind his Iraq policy and curtail partisanship.

President Bush’s AIDS program in Africa is up for renewal. A number of health experts applaud some of its results but want to end the focus on abstinence.

The Mexican government’s strong response to one of the worst natural disasters in its history stands in marked contrast to historic trends.

The Bush administration has sought innovative approaches to shake up U.S. foreign aid but its efforts face serious damage due to high-level scandals.

Unrest in Pakistan over the suspension of the country's outspoken chief justice could undermine President Pervez Musharraf's efforts to keep control.

President Bush was met by large protests in Brazil, his first stop on a five-country tour of Latin America aimed at mending ties in the region.

U.S. policy toward Africa under President Bush has stressed development and humanitarian aid. But recent U.S. military action in Somalia raises the specter of a more intrusive approach, particularly in the Horn of Africa. Is it a harbinger of things to come?

A series of events—the latest an Israeli shelling Tuesday which killed at least nine—has shattered the relative calm between Israel and the Palestinians since the election of Hamas in January. Responding to an earlier shelling which Israel denies, Hamas called off a self-imposed truce and raised fears of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli violence.

The U.S. State Department, linking development to national security, is taking steps to improve coordination of the country’s fragmented foreign assistance programs. The moves hark back to the foreign aid goals of the Marshall Plan, but are seen by many as too limited.

Elliott Abrams argues that such a thing as conservative foreign aid exists, but the current GOP presidential candidates have yet to define it.