Investments in schools like this one in Ghana are crucial to fighting poverty and insecurity around the world.

President-elect Barack Obama has announced his picks to lead nearly every cabinet agency, down to his announcement of four deputy or under-secretaries at the Department of Defense. And candidate for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s confirmation hearing – which has been expertly blogged here – began this morning. So what’s missing from this picture?

In an op-ed on foreignpolicy.com today, Oxfam America President Ray Offenheiser calls on Mr. Obama to start backing his words about fighting poverty and disease around the world with deeds.

First, the president-elect should quickly name one of the missing players on his foreign policy team – the administrator of USAID.

Next, Obama must work with national security advisor James L. Jones to give the responsibility for coordinating development policy across the U.S. government to a deputy national security advisor or a senior director at the National Security Council.

Check out foreignpolicy.com to read the full op-ed.

- Porter McConnell, Aid Effectiveness Team, Oxfam America