b' There is a digital pathway to self-reliance. Connectivity delivered through wireless telecommunications networks is critical for development. Countries with strong digital ecosystems foster more self-reliant and resilient societies. Bonnie GlickOne of the most exciting developments in the past yearshould never have just one mentor. And you gain different was the passage of the Build Act. The Build Act led tothings from different mentors. You learn not just from their the creation of the new U.S. International Developmentexperiences but also from the way they present and if there Finance Corporation (DFC). It will combine all of theis something that you want to do or avoid.existing loan and loan portfolio guarantees that USAID has had historically through our development credit authority.A leader is a good listener and is not doing all the talking. A Our development credit authority will be augmented withleader is a good evaluator who can look at a situation and political risk insurance, loans, and loan guarantee productsquickly distill the driving factors of a situation. A leader has from the overseas private investment corporation, which wasto be a tireless advocate for their missions success. When I called OPIC. The new DFC is a blend of OPIC and somethink of the people I have looked up to, they are people who of USAIDs assets that will also have the authority to makelistened. They are people who could evaluate a situation direct equity investments in projects. Were looking forwardwith both a sympathetic and empathetic ear. They are people to working closely with the DFC to use its expanded set ofwho care about the work they are doing and they bring potential tools so that we can directly support even moreothers along to do that work.market driven private sector led solutions at a larger scale than ever before.To learn more about the United States Agency for International One great illustrative example is something that our team putDevelopment, go to usaid.gov.together last year with USAIDs land and urban office. It is a new program to address the widespread problem of plasticsTo hear the interviews from The Business of Government Hour, go to in the ocean. USAID provided support to an entity called thebusinessofgovernment.org/interviews.Ocean Fund with a loan portfolio guarantee. Our guarantee enabled the fund manager, Circulate Capital, to raise upTo download the show as a podcast, go to PodcastOne or iTunes and to $35 million from key private sector actors to invest insearch for The Business of Government Hour.companies all along the plastics recycling value chain. To view excerpts of the show, go to youtube.com/Borrowers under the guarantee will be private sectorbusinessofgovernment.enterprises that work in either the collection, sorting, recycling, or manufacturing parts of chains throughout south and southeast Asia. The result is projected to bring significant market-based private sector led improvements in the overall recycling value chain and reduce plastic waste flowing into the worlds oceans.On Leadership When I think about leadership, I actually have other people front of mind, people who have been great leaders and mentors to me. I am frequently asked by younger people to talk about what it means to be a mentor and would I mentor them. And one of the things that I say to them is you 18 www.businessofgovernment.org The Business of Government'