Ariel Pablos-Mendez, USAID assistant administrator for global health, writes in the agency’s IMPACTblog about his recent trip to Burma and the challenges the country faces as it transitions to an open society. “Hope springs anew for a transformative era of peace, prosperity and development for a country that’s just emerging from isolation from the international community,” he says, adding, “[W]hile maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, [tuberculosis (TB)] and malaria are obvious targets for investment, there was a strong emphasis on the importance of strengthening health systems and stemming the growing problem of chronic diseases and injuries.” Pablos-Mendez continues, “New commitments in health” from the country’s leadership, the U.S., and other partners “hold promise for the Burmese people” (11/14).