As the Biden administration works to rebuild U.S. influence in the world, it should look less to the well-worn options of defense or securing oil supplies and rather focus attention on the types of human capital investments proven to make populations better off and more trusting of the United States. In these efforts, the COVID-19 pandemic offers President Joe Biden an opportunity, particularly in the Middle East, where Washington can help the region grow into the health care technology hub it could be. In the process, such efforts would improve the status of women, diversify and revitalize the region’s economies, and create sustainable investments in its most valuable resource: its people.
