U.S. Foreign Aid Reform Meets the Tea Party

8/8/2019 U.S. Foreign Aid Reform Meets the Tea Party

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U.S. Foreign Aid Reform

Meets the Tea PartyJohn Norris November 2010


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U.S. Foreign Aid ReformMeets the Tea PartyJohn Norris November 2010

CAPs Doing What Works project promotes government re orm to e ciently allocate scarce resources andachieve greater results or the American people. This project specifcally has three key objectives:

Eliminating or redesigning misguided spending programs and tax expenditures, ocused on priority areassuch as health care, energy, and education

Boosting government productivity by streamlining management and strengthening operations in the areaso human resources, in ormation technology, and procurement

Building a oundation or smarter decision-making by enhancing transparency and per ormancemeasurement and evaluation


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Doing What Works Advisory Board

Andres AlonsoCEO, Baltimore Public School System

Yigal ArensPro essor, USC School o Engineering

Ian AyresPro essor, Yale Law School

Gary D. Bass

Executive Director, OMB Watch

Larisa BensonWashington State Director o Per ormanceAudit and Review

Anna BurgerSecretary-Treasurer, SEIU

Jack DangermondPresident, ESRI

Dan C. EstyPro essor, Yale Law School

Beverly HallSuperintendent, Atlanta Public Schools

Elaine Kamarck Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard University

Sally KatzenExecutive Managing Director, The Podesta Group

Edward KleinbardPro essor, USC School o Law

John KoskinenNon-Executive Chairman, Freddie Mac

Richard LeonePresident, The Century Foundation

Ellen MillerExecutive Director, Sunlight Foundation

Claire OConnor

Former Director o Per ormance Management,City o Los Angeles

Tim OReillyFounder and CEO, OReilly Media

Ali PartoviSenior Vice President o Business Development,MySpace

Tony Scott

Chie In ormation O cer, Microso t

Richard H. ThalerPro essor, University o Chicago Schoolo Business

Eric ToderFellow, Urban Institute

Margery Austin TurnerVice President or Research, Urban Institute

Laura D. TysonPro essor, University o Cali ornia-BerkeleySchool o Business

Members of the advisory board do not necessarily share all the views expressed in this document.


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1 Introduction and summary

5 Focus, focus, focus

15 Assistance or development?

19 Bringing Congress along

21 The time is right for a bipartisan approach to foreign aid

25 Conclusion

26 Endnotes

Contents


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Accoun abili y s ar s a home. I mean, we have a less- han-per ec rack record in acdelivering as big a percen age o he dollar spen on aid as is needed. We spend a lo o money doing hings ha are no roo ed in evidence, and we wan o have an evidence-based developmen policy.

Secre ary o S a e Hillary Rodham Clin on, Sep ember 28, 2010

I hink we all recognize ha developmen is a graveyard o pieces o paper; lo y rhe orno ma ched by ac ion. Bu i s ar s wi h wha you have be ore you oday, and i req

he commi men o people running hese agencies, unders anding wha s necessary andbeing willing o spend some ime on xing i . And you have o s ar wi h ha .

Secre ary o he reasury imo hy Gei hner, Sep ember 28, 2010

I guess wha caugh my aten ion and helped promp he Landon lec ure was when I discovered ha when I had re ired he rs ime in 1993, USAID had 15,000 or 16,000 people. Tey were deployable. Tey were exper . Tey expec ed o live in harsh condi ions,o en agile securi y. Bu hey were ou here. And when I came back o governmen [2004], USAID had abou 3,000 people and i was basically a con rac ing agency. Andso i would seem o me we needed he inheren capabili y inside he governmen wi hmited pro essionals o carry ou his work o be success ul in Iraq and A ghanis an.

Secre ary o De ense Rober Ga es, Sep ember 28, 2010


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1 c Am a P g ss | U.S. F g A d r m M s t a Pa

Introduction and summary

Can U.S. oreign aid re orm and a Republican-led House o Represen a ives coex-is ? A rs blush, his migh seem like he mos unlikely o bed ellows. Many o henewly elec ed Republicans in he House are s rong scal conserva ives, boas lim-i ed in eres in in erna ional a airs, and would seem na urally hos ile o oreign aid.

Ye , in reali y, here is ar more common ground o be had han one migh imagine.

Te Obama adminis ra ions recen e or s o overhaul developmen programs

long a neglec ed s epchild o U.S. oreign policyare an impor an s ar ing poinor he conversa ion on how we can make our assis ance e or s more e ec ive

and evidence-based. S a emen s such as hose on he preceding page by Secre ary o S a e Hillary Clin on and Secre ary o De ense Rober Ga es underscore hesimple ru h ha oreign assis ance programs are essen ial o our na ional in er-es s, improving millions o lives around he globe. Ye he programs cons i u e asmaller por ion o he ederal budge han mos Americans imagine, and are o enpoorly managed wi h litle s ra egic coordina ion.

Presiden Obamas desire o promo e oreign aid re orm can make consensus pos-sible i i is coupled wi h a genuine dialogue wi h he new 112hCongress, which will be sworn in o o ce in January 2011. Te Obama adminis ra ions Sep ember22, 2010 Presiden ial Policy Direc ive on Global Developmen se s ou a dis-

inc ly new course or U.S. developmen programs.1 Te basic ene s o he new policy are more sharply ocused programs cen ered on coun ries ha are ac ually willing o make a core commi men o real poli ical and economic re orms. And

ha ocus is accompanied by s ronger accoun abili y or bo h donors and recipi-en s, an emphasis on sus ainable economic grow hmeasuring wha works oincrease successand a grea er willingness o explore e ec ive burden-sharing

roles wi h a varie y o oreign aid par ners.

Tis new U.S. oreign aid policy ramework was well received by a wide spec rumo organiza ions and commen a ors, ranging rom some radi ional aid cri ics omajor groups, such as he Modernizing Foreign Assis ance Ne work, ha have


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long suppor ed re orm e or s.2 All welcomed an e or o bring grea er clari y,discipline, e ec iveness, and simplici y o our aid programs.

Ar icula ing a new policy direc ion, however, is di eren rom making i happen.Tis paper explores some o he pro ound changes ha will need o occur o bring

curren U.S. oreign aid prac ices in o line wi h he policies ar icula ed in he presi-den s very sensible visiona a ime when Congress akes on a drama ically di -eren membership. Te paper also discusses some o he ensions ha will needo be resolved in he mon hs and years ahead i he Uni ed S a es is o e ec ively

and e cien ly promo e developmen in pursui o principled sel -in eres and be -er living s andards around he globe.

Indeed, i is impor an o no e ha he release o he new policy direc ive, whilean impor an s ep orward, is ar rom he las word on hese issues. Te Obamaadminis ra ion did no release he ull ex and ndings o i s review, ins ead

releasing a boiled-down ac shee or public consump ion. Te public ac sheecon ains rela ively litle in orma ion abou how he new policy will be en orced wi hin he respec ive bureaucracies and wha s reams o oreign assis ance will beconsidered as alling under he new policy.3

One impor an case in poin : Te adminis ra ion announced he orma ion o an In eragency Policy Commitee on Global Developmen , led by Na ionalSecuri y Council s a , which is asked wi h seting policy priori ies and acili a -ing decision-making where agency posi ions diverge, ye he direc ive o eredno insigh as o how his body will unc ion in a day- o-day ashion or he scopeo i s ac ivi ies.

In e ec , he presiden s new policy direc ive commi s he ederal govern-men o more e ec ively draw on he work o a wide range o agencies now involved in developmen beyond he S a e Depar men and he U.S. Agency

or In erna ional Developmen , or USAID, including he Depar men s o Agricul ure, Heal h and Human Services, Jus ice, Labor, Commerce, and

reasury, he Overseas Priva e Inves men Corpora ion, he U.S. Expor -ImporBank, and he U.S. rade and Developmen Agency. Bu i is no eviden ha he

Na ional Securi y Council will have a direc en orcemen role o ensure ha heprograms rom his wide array o agencies are in compliance wi h he new policy,or ha all o he di eren policies rom di eren agencies will be in egra ed ocrea e an e ec ive coun ry-level s ra egy.


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I is also no ewor hy ha nei her he new policy direc ive nor he likely resul so Secre ary Clin ons rs Quadrennial Diplomacy and Developmen Review,or QDDR, have ully resolved a long-simmering ug o war be ween he S a eDepar men and USAID. Many developmen aid advoca es had hoped or a ully independen USAID o be given cabine s a us, as is he case in Grea Bri ain.4

In con ras , many diploma s and a number o legisla ors have long yearned orUSAID o be ully collapsed in o he S a e Depar men . And now here may be ano her ac ion ha will weigh in o he deba eHouse Republican lead-ers. I is impor an o no e ha a er he 1994 mid erm elec ion, which saw heRepublicans ake con rol o bo h he House and he Sena e, here was a push oabolish USAID, old i s remnan s in o he S a e Depar men , and drama ically cu

unding or aid programs.

Ta proposal o elimina e USAID ul ima ely collapsed a er an ex ended batle. Inhe curren poli ical environmen , hen, i makes litle sense o reopen he deba e

o ei her make USAID comple ely independen or o old i more comple ely in o he S a e Depar men . Ins ead, under i s curren review, he adminis ra ionrevived or par ially revived some impor an policy and budge unc ions wi hinUSAID, leaving he agency wi h a degree o au onomy. Ye he adminis ra ionalso made i abundan ly clear ha he agency s ill opera es under he broad policy guidance o he secre ary o s a e, and ha S a e Depar men o cials will remaindeeply engaged in decision-making on many key aspec s o developmen while

aking an even more prominen role in managing complex crises.

Tis s ra egic hedge is somewha unsa is ying o all sides, bu here appearso be litle appe i e o re gh he batle over USAIDs ul ima e s a us. For he

presiden s new policy direc ive o be e ec ive soon and over he long erm, henhe adminis ra ion mus work wi h Congress in a bipar isan ashion o overhaul

our oreign aid programs so ha hey all adhere o he new s ra egy. Tis willrequire making some di cul choices and hen s icking wi h hem. And i willde ni ely require a concer ed bipar isan push, including a concer ed e or o genew Members o Congress on board wi h sensible re orms ha are in he besin eres s o heir cons i uen s.

While many have been quick o sugges ha he November 2010 mid erm elec-ions will resul in gridlock in Washing on, here are good reasons why oreign aid

re orm can con inue o gain rac ion. In he pages ha ollow, we will de ail why his is he case, rs by presen ing he s ra egy behind he presiden s new policy

direc ive and hen demons ra ing how i could work in prac ice. We hen conclude wi h recommenda ions on how o implemen his s ra egy in Congress by:


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Focusing on coun ries where assis ance will make a real di erence Having he discipline o walk away rom par ner governmen s ha are

no commited o re orm unless here are clearly ar icula ed s ra egic orhumani arian reasons or doing so

Curbing he endency o use oreign aid o secure shor - erm poli ical gains

ra her han achieving long- erm developmen goals Bringing ar grea er clari y and direc ion o he maze o di eren governmenen i ies conduc ing assis ance hrough speci c regula ory and legisla ive xes

Explaining e ec ively ha oreign aid re orm is he righ hing o do bo h inerms o our na ional in eres and our basic values as Americans

oge her, hese recommenda ions as de ailed in his repor could rese our oreignaid s ra egies o make hem more e ec ive, more sus ainable, and more poli ically viable in Washing on and around our na ion. I is also impor an o no e ha amore e ec ive approach o oreign assis ance across he board could help ul i-

ma ely lessen he burden placed on already overs re ched U.S. de ense orces.


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Focus, focus, focus

Presiden Obamas new developmen s ra egy makes abundan ly clear ha U.S.oreign assis ance should be arge ed oward coun ries where leaders govern

responsibly, se in place good policies, and make inves men s conducive odevelopmen .5 Tis policy underscores he grea es undamen al lesson rom helas our decades o developmen i jus doesn work in coun ries where heleadership is no commited o re orm and o heir own people. Conversely hereis a reasonable body o evidence ha developmen assis ance can produce very

posi ive resul s in he righ environmen al hough none should assume ha aidis some sor o silver bulle .6 Money, in all bu speci c humani arian or s ra egiccases, should ollow re orm.

Te presiden s new policy direc ive does ar icula e ha here will be some excep-ions where U.S. assis ance is provided largely or s ra egic purposesEgyp ,

Israel, A ghanis an, Pakis an, and Iraq spring o mindbu i is no clear whe herhese cases will remain a rela ive minori y going orward. Te Uni ed S a es will

also con inue o provide humani arian assis ance a momen s o grea need. Buhe policy i sel sugges s a ar grea er level o diligence will be brough o bear, s a -

ing ha he Uni ed S a es need o:

Be more selec ive abou where and in which sec ors i works. Te Uni ed S a es can-no do all hings, do hem well, and do hem everywhere. Ins ead, he Uni ed S a esmus ocus i s e or s in order o maximize long- erm impac . Te Uni ed S a es will:

Make hard choices abou how o alloca e aten ion and resources across coun-ries, regions, and sec ors

Demand grea er ocus rom assis ance programs wi hin coun ries, especially

hose wi h small programs Realloca e resources in suppor o hose e or s ha yield he grea es impac . Increase he ocus o resources, policy ools, and engagemen in suppor o selec

coun ries and subregions where he condi ions are righ o sus ain progress.7


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Te no ion ha U.S. oreign assis ance needs o be beter ocused is, in o i sel , nocon roversial, and one would be hard pressed o nd any commen a or who sug-ges s ha he Uni ed S a es needs o dis ribu e unds in more coun ries han i cur-ren ly does. Bu ew apprecia e jus how un ocussed U.S. assis ance has been, andhow challenging he bureaucra ic process will be i he por olio o coun ries receiv-

ing U.S. assis ance is o be re ned in o a smaller, bu much beter-per orming, poolo coun ries driving oward las ing economic grow h and more open governance.

In shor , our governmen does no need o reduce i s overall spending on assis-ance programs, we need o much more e ec ively concen ra e hese resources

so ha hey have a genuinely ca aly ic impac in coun ries selec ed on he basis o meri hrough such e or s as comba ing corrup ion, nur uring democracy, andpursuing sensible economic policies. Tere should be clearly ar icula ed and mea-surable barome ers or de ermining where assis ance is direc ed and why.

Several ac s help illumina e he broad, and o en seemingly haphazard, se o coun ries now receiving U.S. aid dollars. In 2010, he Uni ed S a es will provideaid o 151 coun ries around he globe ou o he o al o 194 coun ries i ormally recognizes. (Tis gure, and all budge numbers in his paper, are pulled rom headminis ra ions Fiscal Year 2011 Congressional Budge Jus i ca ion or Foreign

Assis ance unless o herwise no ed.)8 Tis means ha he Uni ed S a es providedoreign assis ance (in a mul iplici y o di eren orms) o almos 80 percen o he

coun ries on he plane his year.

According o USAID, i alone main ains 96 eld missions around he globe, in loca-ions receiving subs an ially enough assis ance ha he agency main ains an in-coun-ry o ce and personnel. O hose 96 missions, a number are regional hubs or serve

as liaisons wi h in erna ional ins i u ions. Tese include missions such as a regional Asia o ce loca ed in Bangkok and a liaison o ce wi h he Uni ed Na ions main-

ained in Geneva. (See he map on page 7 or a comple e lis o USAID missions.)

Even a cursory examina ion o he lis o coun ries hos ing U.S. missions oro herwise receiving U.S. assis ance makes apparen ha here are some coun riescurren ly bene ting rom U.S. assis ance ha would no be considered as being

signi can ly re orm-minded and where he U.S. na ional s ra egic impera ive isless han compelling. ake Belarus. Te Uni ed S a es curren ly has a USAID mis-sion here and is expec ed o provide ha coun ry wi h $15 million o assis ance

his year, a mixed bag o programs o suppor communi y services or vulnerable


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Current U.S. Agency for International Development missions abroadUSAID currently operates 96 Missions around the globe, and our oreign aid goes in some orm or anotherto 80 percent o the countries on earth

Missions bycontinent

A rica Asia Europe North America South AA rica, East, USAID/Nairobi Regional Development Mission/Asia Albania Central America (ROCAP) BoliviaA rica, Southern A ghanistan Belarus Dominican Republic BrazilA rica, West Armenia Belgium El Salvador ColombiaAngola Azerbaijan Bosnia Guatemala Ecuador

Benin Bangladesh Bulgaria Haiti GuyanaBurundi Cambodia Croatia Honduras ParaguayCentral A rican Republic Georgia Cyprus Jamaica PeruDjibouti India France MexicoEgypt Indonesia Hungary NicaraguaEthiopia Iraq Italy PanamaSomalia Japan LatviaSouth A rica Jordan LithuaniaSudan Kazakhstan MacedoniaGhana Kosovo MoldovaGuinea Kyrgyz Republic MontenegroGuinea-Bissau Lebanon RomaniaKenya Mongolia RussiaLiberia Nepal SerbiaMadagascar Pakistan SlovakiaMalawi Philippines Switzerland

Mali Sri Lanka UkraineMorocco TajikistanMozambique Timor-LesteNamibia TurkmenistanNigeria UzbekistanRwanda West Bank/GazaSenegal YemenTanzaniaUgandaZambiaZimbabwe Sou
http://eastafrica.usaid.gov/http://asia.usaid.gov/http://southernafrica.usaid.gov/http://westafrica.usaid.gov/http://westafrica.usaid.gov/http://southernafrica.usaid.gov/http://asia.usaid.gov/http://eastafrica.usaid.gov/


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groups such as orphans, an agribusiness volun eer program, some an ihuman ra -cking work, and civic par icipa ion programs. Ye here is he descrip ion o he

overall poli ical si ua ion in Belarus rom he 2010 edi ion o Freedom Houses well-regarded Freedom in he World index:

Despi e incen ives om he European Union o in roduce re orms, Presiden Alyaksandr Lukashenka main ained a igh grip over Belaruss poli ical andeconomic sys ems in 2009. He con inued o use police violence and o her orms o harassmen agains he poli ical opposi ion, and blocked independen media omcovering demons ra ions hrough sys ema ic in imida ion. A er releasing all o i s poli ical prisoners in 2008, he regime incarcera ed more ac ivis s in 2009. Tecoun ry made no subs an ial progress in re orming i s elec oral code, and overallhopes or an improvemen in he poli ical si ua ion wen unrealized. 9

Te S a e Depar men s own 2009 Human Righ s Repor no es o Belarus:

Since his elec ion in 1994 as presiden , Alyaksandr Lukashenka has consoli-da ed his power over all ins i u ions and undermined he rule o law hroughau hori arian means, manipula ed elec ions, and arbi rary decrees. Subsequen presiden ial elec ions have no been ee or air, and he Sep ember 2008 parlia-men ary elec ion ailed o mee in erna ional s andards. While civilian au hori-

ies generally main ained e ec ive con rol o he securi y orces, heir memberscon inued o commi numerous human righ s abuses. 10

O her no able coun ries hos ing USAID missions ha show up on FreedomHouses lis o No Free coun ries in 2010 include: A ghanis an, Angola, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, he Democra ic Republic o Congo, Guinea, KygryzRepublic, Russia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. A o al o 21 USAID missions areloca ed in coun ries ra ed as No Free by Freedom House.11

O he o al 151 coun ries receiving aid in 2010, one wonders how some coun riesmade he cu .12 In Swaziland, where he prime minis er recen ly sugges ed hadissiden s be bea en on heir ee wi h spikes, and where King Mswa i III lives inluxury as his coun ry su ers mul iple ills, he Uni ed S a es will spend almos $28

million in aid during 2010. Tis includes he delivery o In erna ional Mili ary Educa ion and raining unds.

Similarly, urkmenis an, one o he mos au ocra ic s a es in he s ill-largely au ocra ic region o Cen ral Asia, is expec ed o receive more han $16 million in

unding during 2010.


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Ten heres Ireland, a coun ry one would have hough would have sa ely gradua edrom he need or U.S. aid assis ance. Dublin will receive $17 million in U.S. oreign

assis ance unds during 2010. Equally dis urbing, he unding levels or Swaziland,urkmenis an, and Ireland are all up rom 2009 levels, sugges ing ha discipline in

iden i ying good par ners is more heore ical han prac ical a his junc ure.

While in some cases his assis ance is rela ively marginal in erms o he overall ed-eral budge and is designed a leas in some cases o omen poli ical or economicchange, he policy impera ive spelled ou by Presiden Obama is direc in arguing

ha precious oreign aid dollars should be placed in hose coun ries where i simpac will be grea es . Conduc ing suppor or al al a armers in Belarus will noproduce ha ype o ca aly ic change needed or hose armers o opera e in a moreopen economic and poli ical clima e. Belarus has no embraced major economicor poli ical re orms and is no a deserving aid recipien in a ime o increasing scalaus eri y in Washing on. Tese ypes o marginal programs in bad hos coun ries

will also serve o ur her aliena e members o Congress rom bo h par ies whilemaking i di cul o argue ha aid re orm is ac ually aking place.

Perhaps here is no beter indica ion o he rela ive indiscipline in selec ing aidrecipien s han when we consider he coun ries where USAID closed ou mis-sions in he mid-1990s. Te missions were all closed or one o hree reasons:

Tey were small and expensive o opera e Hos governmen s were poor par ners (including hos coun ry insecuri y) Te coun ries were deemed o have gradua ed rom he need or a mission

wen y-six missions were closed based on hese reasons during he mid-1990s, ye all 26 coun ries s ill received U.S. assis ance o some orm in 2009.13

Tis is no o say ha some o hese coun ries did no make a ransi ion o he nexlevel o developmen , or had a subsequen spike in genuine need. Bu he Uni edS a es boas s an enormous bread h o in eres s around he globe, and he mul iple

ypes o U.S. oreign assis ance programsranging rom humani arian relie omili ary rainingare rarely orien ed oward genuine developmen as he over-

riding goal. As a resul , U.S. assis ance programs opera e in oo many coun riesunder very di use au hori ies while producing wildly uneven resul s.

A recen join repor on he quali y o U.S. oreign aid programs and heir e ec-iveness by he Cen er or Global Developmen and he Brookings Ins i u ion

underscores his exac poin :


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Perhaps his ory explains he low scores o he Uni ed S a es on he quali y o i said. Among he 31 bila eral and mul ila eral unders included in our coun ryanalysis, he Uni ed S a es is in he botom hird on all our dimensions o aidquali y, including lowes bu one on os ering ins i u ionsTough he Uni edS a es spends a large por ion o i s o al aid resources in jus a ew coun ries

(A ghanis an, Egyp ), i does poorly among o her reasons because i is a verysmall player in a large number o o her aid-recipien coun riesreducing he overall e ciency o he aid sys em and adding o he repor ing and o her

adminis ra ive burden o recipien s. I s long ail o small programs all over heworld possibly refec s i s diploma ic objec ives a some cos o he developmen e ec iveness o i s aid spending.14

I would be pa en ly un air o blame USAID alone or he decision-making hahas led o U.S. assis ance being ar more di use and disorganized han would beideal. Many agencies beyond USAID are involved in delivering he di eren orms

o U.S. assis ance. Te process o de ermining where aid ows is complex andsome imes highly charged, involving a range o ac ors including USAID, ambas-sadors, o her S a e Depar men o cials, ederal budge o cials, and Members o Congress on he governmen side o he equa ion; and nonpro organiza ions,

or-pro con rac ors, universi ies, and various advocacy groups on he priva eside. All o hese cons i uencies can be brough along wi h sensible change, bu

here will need o be a clear and well hough ou process or addressing and adju-dica ing hese concerns i re orm is o ake roo .

Tere are impor an lessons or Obama adminis ra ion o cials o consider as hey implemen he presiden s oreign aid direc ive. Speci cally:

Corral he lack o discipline wi hin he governmen bureaucracy Develop sound cri eria or de ermining oreign aid recipien s Look o he Millennium Challenge Corpora ion experience Boos oreign aid ransparency Make he ough decisions and s ick wi h hem Fas rack only hose coun ries clearly wor hy o he e or

Le s consider each o hese lessons in urn.


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Corral the lack of discipline within the government bureaucracy

o implemen he presiden s new policy direc ive will require some very ough bureaucra ic in gh ing o ensure ha oreign assis ance is direc ed wi h he disci-pline eviden in he new s ra egy. Te pressure will always be o add more pro-

grams in more places and o con inue exis ing programs or jus one more year because o exis ing commi men s, or inves men s already made (sunk cos s), or oavoid rufing diploma ic ea hers.

USAIDs own evalua ion ma erials makes his clear: Tough gradua ion wouldlogically be he end resul o all USAIDs developmen work, ac ual gradua ion isalmos uni ormly resis ed wi hin he agency. Gradua ion, despi e i s implica iono laudable socioeconomic progress, carries he reali y o an aid cu -o . As such, iis a subjec (and a decision) held closely wi hin USAIDs senior levels.15

Tis lack o discipline no only undermines he e ec iveness o aid programs, ialso undercu s public and congressional suppor or heir implemen a ion. Firsand oremos , hen, he Obama adminis ra ion needs o discipline i sel according

o i s own s ra egic guidelines. I he o al number o coun ries receiving aid is noreduced signi can ly so ha more subs an ial resources can be pu in coun riesdoing he righ hing, hen he adminis ra ion will have no one o blame bu i sel i aid re orm s alls.

Develop sound criteria for determining foreign aid recipients

Te calcula ions in de ermining aid recipien s are o en based more on poli icaland diploma ic considera ions han sound developmen aid cri eria, and here isno ormal se o cri eria o de ermine aid recipien s o her han hose ha are par o

he Millenium Challenge Corpora ion process. Almos every ambassador wan s ohave assis ance programs in place because hey buy he ambassador leverage, provide good will, spark needed change, or simply raise heir pro le as an ambassador.

While everyone wan s o see U.S. diplomacy and developmen work in concer ,

he impera ives o diplomacy have resul ed in some o he mos no able aidailures since 1961, when USAID was crea ed. Te Uni ed S a es, or example,

poured hundreds o millions o dollars in o he ormer Zaire under PresidenMobu o Sese Seko because he coun ry was seen as a key Cold War ally. Largeamoun s o aid o Mobu u were simply loo ed by him and his governmen and

rans erred o Swiss bank accoun s.


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Given he na ure o diploma ic work, he perspec ive o mos diploma s isna urally ocused on he shor - erm, while developmen exper s need o adop along- erm perspec ive buil around nur uring las ing change ha is owned a helocal level. Mos U.S. diploma s are given litle or no raining in developmen , so iis di cul or hem o approach oreign assis ance programs rom a perspec ive o

promo ing developmen ra her han simply securing shor - erm diploma ic goals.I a coun ry is no willing o ackle corrup ion, is highly repressive, or main ainseconomic policies largely or he bene o i s eli e, such a coun ry is simply nogoing o be good places o inves oreign aid dollars.

No only does he Obama adminis ra ion need o clari y he cri eria i will usein selec ing coun ries or aid, i will also need o spell ou how progress owardkey developmen goals will be measured. Tis reinvigora ed approach o moni-

oring and evalua ion will be vi al in ha i will make i easier o pu addi ionalresources in o programs ha work so ha success is scalable while reducing

unding or programs ha are no proving heir meri as inves men s. I shouldalso encourage grea er innova ion.

Tis ype o evidence-based approach would reassure all involved ha he admin-is ra ion is aking a credible approach o re orm. I should also be no ed hamoni oring and evalua ion e or s should no be so burdensome o eld s a ha

hey simply become consumed by paperwork. (Te ypes o cri eria ha could beapplied by he adminis ra ion will be more ully addressed in subsequen repor s.)

Look to the Millennium Challenge Corporation experience

Wi hou being unduly mechanical or mechanis ic, here need o be rela ively clearcri eria or de ermining which coun ries are good candida es or assis ance and which are no . Te Millennium Challenge Corpora ion has already developed many o hese cri eria in a rela ively e ec ive way. Te Millennium Challenge Corpora ion was crea ed in 2004, and i o ers developmen assis ance o eligible coun ries haare willing o go hrough a rigorous applica ion and evalua ion process. Applica ions

rom hese coun ries are measured agains 17 policy indica ors by he Millennium

Challenge Corpora ions board, and assis ance is limi ed o a ve-year compac .

Ye one o he rus ra ing aspec s o he presiden s new Global DevelopmenPolicy Direc ive is how litle i has o say abou he Millennium ChallengeCorpora ion and how i rela es o he new policy. Te MCC is men ioned only a


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single ime in he adminis ra ions ac shee on he new policyeven hough hepolicy i sel seems o be largely modeled on he same hinking behind he MCC.Grea er clari y on how he adminis ra ion will develop and apply cri eria ordirec ing i s developmen assis ance, beyond he MCC, is bo h vi al and overdue.

Boost foreign aid transparency

Te Obama adminis ra ion will need o be more ransparen abou hose cases where oreign aid is being delivered largely or s ra egic or diploma ic purposesand avoid rying o dress up hese examples under less han credible rhe oricabou developmen . radi ionally, even hose cases where assis ance is beingdelivered largely or s ra egic purposes, such as Egyp , he language used o jus i y

he decision leans heavily on he case o good developmen .

Te Uni ed S a es has given Egyp more han $28 billion in assis ance since 1975, wi h curren programs ocusing on rade and inves men ; u ili ies; educa ion;heal hier, planned amilies; na ural resources; and democracy.16 Egyp is indeed akey securi y par ner or he Uni ed S a es, bu ou ing i as a developmen successs ory rela ive o he o al number o dollars inves ed, par icularly in sec ors such asdemocracy, jus doesn make sense.

Te adminis ra ion has aken a number o s eps o make in orma ion abouUSAIDs programs and budge s more readily available o he public, and his isa welcome s ep.

Make the tough decisions and stick with them

Tere will be lo s o di cul cases, and he Obama adminis ra ions new policy will be largely judged by how i handles hese bellwe her cases. Perhaps he ricki-es ca egory will be coun ries ha largely unc ion as one-par y s a es bu are mak-ing subs an ial economic progress.

Consider Rwanda. On he one hand, Rwanda has made remarkable progress sincehe 1994 genocide and has been one o he mos dynamic economic innova ors

in A rica over he las decade. Rwanda has generally embraced economic re ormsand done well in limi ing corrup ion. Rwanda has been a use ul par ner o heUni ed S a es, and is a signi can roop con ribu or o he Uni ed Na ions peace-


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keeping mission in Dar ur. On he o her hand, Rwandas governmen engages innumerous human righ s abuses, including around he recen presiden ial elec ion,and recen ly was accused in a UN repor o conduc ing war crimes and crimesagains humani y in neighboring Congo during 1996 and 1997.17

Similarly, E hiopia, a key ally in U.S. coun er error e or s in Somalia, has beenaccused by Human Righ s Wa ch o being implica ed in numerous war crimesand crimes agains humani y bo h wi hin E hiopia and in neighboring Somalia.18 Bu by he same oken, E hiopias economy is now growing rapidly in par becauseo some long overdue economic re orms ha have brough in grea er levels o

oreign inves men .

In numerous his orical cases we have seen coun ries achieve economic grow h wi hou embracing democracy (par icularly in hose cases where corrup ion washeld in check). Te ques ion hen becomes whe her hese economic re ormers

who su er major democracy de ci s deserve sus ained U.S. assis ance and i ha assis ance is in our long- erm bes in eres . Tis paper is no o argue or or

agains aid o speci c coun ries, bu cases such as Rwanda and E hiopia will beclosely wa ched.

Fast track only those countries clearly worthy of the effort

Some o he eigh coun ries chosen o be as - rack coun ries in he adminis-ra ions recen ly announced Global Heal h Ini ia iveBangladesh, E hiopia,

Gua emala, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nepal, and Rwandaalready underscore hechallenge o de ermining wha exac ly a re orm-minded coun ry looks like.

Te ac ha E hiopia, Nepal, and Rwanda were included in his lis a a ime whenall hree s a es are in he hroes o some very serious governance issues sugges s

ha democracy and human righ s are being given a rela ively lower priori y inmeasuring a coun rys commi men o re orm. Inves ing in he heal h sec or in

hese s a es, while ailing o recognize heir governance issues, may make changedi cul o sus ain.

Te new policy review was explici in demanding ha he Uni ed S a es make hardchoices and realloca e resources. Te sures sign o whe her or no his policy is being ins i u ed as s a ed will come when he adminis ra ion ac ually announces which coun ries will no longer receive aid. We examine ha issue in he nex sec-

ion o his repor .


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Assistance or development?

Te Obama adminis ra ions global developmen review was rela ively mum ona simple bu cen ral poin rela ed o he ques ion o ocus: Which o he oreignassis ance accoun s does he adminis ra ion consider as alling under his new s ra egy? Te ques ion is an impor an one given he ple hora o s reams hrough which oreign assis ance ows.

Money rom he Developmen Assis ance accoun , largely managed by USAID

under S a e Depar men supervision, should obviously all under he adminis-ra ions new, and more disciplined, s ra egy. So, oo, should he Global Heal h

and Child Survival accoun s managed by bo h S a e and USAID. Bu whaabou Economic Suppor Funds wi h unding decisions made by he S a eDepar men and programs managed by bo h S a e and USAID? Or money spenon In erna ional Mili ary Educa ion and raining, primarily implemen ed by

he Pen agon, wi h policy decisions shared by bo h S a e and he Depar men o De ense; and he assis ance o Europe, Eurasia, and Cen ral Asia accoun managed by USAID? And wha abou ransi ion Ini ia ives, Foreign Mili ary Financing, Food

or Peace, and he myriad o her accoun s a dozens o o her ederal agencies?19

Tere is a pro usion o di eren U.S. depar men s and agencies involved in deliv-ering U.S. assis ance abroad. Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA), he Chairo he House Foreign A airs Commitee, no es ha 12 depar men s, 25 di -

eren agencies, and nearly 60 governmen o ces are involved in U.S. oreignassis ance programs.20 Te adminis ra ions s ra egy review brough welcomeclari ca ion o he policy governing assis ance, bu i remains unclear rom headminis ra ions own s a emen s how his new worldview will be applied inprac ice, and how ins ruc ions regarding he implemen a ion o he policy will

be communica ed o he di eren depar men s, agencies, and o ces deliveringassis ance and periodically reviewed or compliance. I also remains unclear why exac ly here should be so many di eren governmen o ces carrying ou essen-

ially overlapping unc ions.


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Some o his may become clearer a er he release o he Quadrennial Diplomacy and Developmen Review, or QDDR. Te QDDR was ini ia ed in July 2009 by Secre ary o S a e Hillary Clin on as a broad policy and organiza ional review designed o s reng hen diplomacy and developmen coopera ion as key pillars o U.S. oreign policy and beter align policy, s ra egy, au hori ies, and resources in

hese areas going orward. (Te e or is modeled on he De ense Depar men sQuadrennial De ense Review.) Bu i is also clear ha absen very clear direc ionrom he presiden and his eam a he Na ional Securi y Council, i is unlikely he

o her agencies involved in delivering U.S. assis ance overseas beyond USAID willake he new policy direc ion o hear .

We canno re orm our na ions developmen assis ance i we only look a a narrow range o USAID programs and se aside he work o o her agencies, including

he Depar men o S a e. Each coun ry where we deliver assis ance deserves anin egra ed plan, approved by he Na ional Securi y Council and he ambassador,

ha ensures ha all s reams o U.S. ac ivi y are coordina ed and moving owardhe same goals.

In shor , he new developmen policies need o apply o all di eren governmenmechanisms delivering oreign assis ance, and here needs o be a clear e or

hrough execu ive branch regula ions and congressional legisla ion o simpli y and s reamline au hori ies, policy objec ives, and roles so ha all governmenagencies ac on his newly promulga ed policy. Wi hou a clear e or o codi y henew policy hrough sys ema ic regula ory and legisla ive change, he new develop-men policy may prove o be litle more han one more passing ad or ini ia ive.

Equally no able, he adminis ra ions new s ra egy is almos comple ely silen onhe issue o how oreign aid should be priori ized and managed in complex secu-

ri y environmen s, such as Iraq or A ghanis an. Tis key decision in he presiden snew direc ive meri ed a single sen ence in he ma erial released o he public on

he new s ra egy, declaring: Te Uni ed S a es will seek an enhanced level o in eragency coopera ion in complex securi y environmen s by providing s rongincen ives or he design o common analysis, planning, and programs ha draw upon he dis inc perspec ives and exper ise o di eren U.S. agencies.21

o be sure, more ar icula ion abou how o deal wi h complex emergencies andransi ions will be included in he pending QDDR, and such clari ca ion is long

overdue. S ill, S a e and USAID combined have spen more han $67 billion in Iraqand A ghanis an since Sep ember 11, 2001, ye hese high-pro le programs have


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been some o he leas well-managed and leas produc ive o assis ance e or s inrecen memory, and hey have ueled considerable in eragency ensions no only abou he managemen o hese programs bu regarding heir ul ima e purpose.22

Early signals are ha he adminis ra ion will make he S a e Depar men he

key coordina or o responses in complex emergencies. Ye , o da e, he S a eDepar men has been very poorly s a ed in erms o senior managers who havesigni can experience in managing assis ance in complex emergencies. Simply

aking a seasoned diploma and assuming ha he or she will unders and he chal-lenges o delivering assis ance e ec ively in a complex si ua ion like A ghanis anor Iraq will produce very mixed resul s, par icularly when hese individuals havehad litle or no raining in managing such a complex opera ion.

Te hard ac o he mater is hisU.S. spending in recen years on ac ivi iesha can be credibly deemed long- erm developmen are dwar ed by U.S. unding

direc ed oward complex emergencies, humani arian relie , he global hrea o HIV-AIDS, and assis ance o key s ra egic par ners. A ghanis an, or example,received $2.6 billion in assis ance in FY 2009, and his gure is ac ually ar higheri one considers U.S. spending on regional organiza ions, in erna ional organiza-

ions, and humani arian assis ance, all o which are recorded as separa e line i ems.In he same year, Israel received $2.2 billion and Egyp $1.3 billion.23 Ta is agrea deal o money con inuing o be unneled o ac ivi ies ha are clearly rea edas excep ions o he adminis ra ions new developmen assis ance policy. Clearly,

he adminis ra ions willingness o exer genuine discipline in carrying ou i s ownoreign aid policy will be vi al.

Several prac ical examples can help underscore he real ensions be ween and wi hin U.S. oreign assis ance programs. In FY 2010, he Uni ed S a es will deliverabou $7 billion o assis ance o A rica across a range o in erna ional assis anceaccoun s (again his gure would be higher i spending on humani arian assis-

ance and in erna ional organiza ions was included.) Tis would seem o represena very large inves men in helping shape a more sus ainable u ure or A rica, and

or boos ing developmen prospec s, including economic grow h.

Ye abou 65 percen o ha o al unding will go jus o Global Heal h and ChildSurvival Programs managed by USAID and S a e. Te child survival unds man-aged by USAID are largely direc ed o comba ing in ec ious diseases such as HIV/

AIDS, malaria, and uberculosis; helping vulnerable children; improving childand ma ernal heal h; and improving amily planning and reproduc ive heal h. Te


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O ce o he Global AIDS Coordina or a he Depar men o S a e manages und-ing or he Global HIV/AIDS Ini ia ive, which cons i u es he larges source o

unding or he Presiden s Emergency Plan or AIDS Relie , or PEPFAR. Teseprograms save lives, bu hey are no direc ed on he basis o whe her coun riesare re orm minded or no . Righ ly or wrongly, hey also do no easily wi hin he

cons ruc o os ering long- erm policy changes ha would drive economic grow h.

One o he larges recipien s o Global Heal h and Child Survival unds in A rica isE hiopia, which will have received more han $400 million hrough Global Heal hand Child Survival programs his year alone. How does E hiopia wi hin hepresiden s vision o direc ing aid o coun ries making hard poli ical choices andsuppor ing re orm? Despi e economic progress, E hiopia engages in ough andrepea ed domes ic poli ical crackdowns, and even goes so ar as o jam some Voiceo America broadcas s. Ye a he same ime, E hiopia is a key mili ary par ner inU.S. mili ary and coun er errorism e or s in Somalia. Tese are obviously con ic -

ing policy priori ies in need o resolu ion. Does i make sense or he Uni ed S a eso subs an ially underwri e E hiopias heal h care sys em? Is his a wise long- erm

inves men or he Uni ed S a es? Should our aid o E hiopia be viewed solely hrough a humani arian lens? Is PEPFAR more abou delivering emergency relie o

deal wi h a devas a ing heal h hrea or is i abou promo ing las ing developmen ?

Similarly, we will spend more han $540 million his year on Global Heal h andChild Survival programs in Nigeria, $600 million on he same programs in Kenya,and $560 million more in Sou h A rica. How will hese e or s be brough more inline wi h he presiden s recen ly announced policy?

U.S. Global AIDS Coordina or, Ambassador Eric Goosby, in a recen congressio-nal es imony on PEPFAR, s ressed ha he adminis ra ion recen ly added:

A ocus on sus ainabili y and coun ry ownership, which includes building he commi men and capaci y o governmen s. As we move orward wi hha ask, we will increasingly emphasize a hird dimension o ac ivi y

communi y empowermen . 24

I he adminis ra ion is indeed looking a sus ainabili y, coun ry ownership andcommuni y empowermen as a core par o PEPFAR, hen he quali y o gover-nance o coun ries receiving PEPFAR assis ance should loom as a larger issue, andhuge PEPFAR inves men s in a coun ry such as E hiopia should be reevalua ed in

ha ligh . In addi ion, Congress mus be included in his discussion, as we de ailin he nex sec ion.


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Bringing Congress along

Te presiden s global developmen review pledges o es ablish a shared visiono he way orward on global developmen . Ye he leng hy process involved wi h bo h he global developmen review and he s ill-pending QDDR leavessome members o Congress and heir s a s eeling as i hey were no adequa ely brough along and consul ed as he adminis ra ion conduc ed i s major policy reviews. Tis is regretable.

Congress needs o be included in he policymaking process in a bipar isan ashioni he new developmen assis ance s ra egy is o be e ec ive over he long erm,par icularly given he makeup o he incoming 112hCongress. Tere should bea signi can reservoir o suppor on he Hill or an approach o oreign aid hais more ocused, less was e ul, and more likely o produce sus ainable economicgrow h in developing coun ries.

Tis is especially impor an because many oreign aid sec ors, aid delivery organi-za ions, and recipien coun ries enjoy speci c pa rons and suppor ers on Capi olHill, and o en wi h good reason. Te decision o where o close aid missions and where o discon inue speci c assis ance programs will need o be made rmly bu in close conjunc ion and collabora ion wi h he appropria e congressionaloversigh commitees and appropria ions commitees.

Te Obama adminis ra ion so ar is bo h coy and con radic ory abou possibleoreign aid re orm legisla ion. Senior adminis ra ion o cials no ed qui e clearly

in background brie ngs ha heir new approach o global developmen s ra egy was no conduc ed wi h a legisla ive approach in he oreground. Ye he admin-is ra ion also does no shy away rom arguing ha e ec ive developmen o en

is undercu by a con using maze o governing rules, regula ions, and laws. Teadminis ra ion i sel no ed be ore i s new policy direc ive was released ha ederalgovernmen agencies were pursuing over 1,000 di eren developmen goals,objec ives, and priori ies. Te adminis ra ion now mus make clear which o hosedevelopmen goals, objec ives, and priori ies should be cu , and how ha will becommunica ed o he respec ive agencies.


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Te Foreign Assis ance Ac he legisla ion largely governing oreign aidwas writen in 1961. I has since been amended o include 33 di eren goals, 247di eren direc ives, and 75 di eren priori ies.25 Te Obama adminis ra ion sug-ges s ha once he QDDR is released, i will consul wi h Congress o de ermine wha xes recommended by he global developmen review and he QDDR can

be made on a regula ory basis by he adminis ra ion and which require legisla-ive ac ion. I he presiden s re orm e or is o survive he es o ime, hen headminis ra ion will need o work wi h Congress o grea ly clari y and simpli y legisla ion governing oreign aid.

Encouragingly, dra re orm legisla ion is now circula ing around he Hill, includinglanguage largely consis en wi h e or s o recra our oreign assis ance programs o be more ocused on jus wha he presiden wan s o accomplish. Bu no hing willmove orward on he Hill un il he adminis ra ion comple es i s own review pro-cesses, and no hing will move orward unless he adminis ra ion makes a concer ed

e or o reach common ground wi h a key group o legisla ors rom bo h par ies.

When, and i , ha momen comes, e ec ive re orm will require discipline no only rom he adminis ra ion in where i chooses o direc aid, bu also rom Congress,

which will need o limi he earmarks and micromanagemen ha make conduc -ing developmen in a s ra egic, e cien manner qui e di cul . I is hard o imag-ine ha oreign aid re orm will be as sweeping as promised in he policy review i

he adminis ra ion is unwilling or unable o work wi h Congress o address someo he s ruc ural and regula ory challenges ha make U.S. developmen e or s arless e ec ive han ideal. o his we now urn.


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The time is right for a bipartisanapproach to foreign aid

Al hough i migh seem quixo ic in he curren poli ical environmen in Washing on, here is ac ually subs an ial ground or Republicans and Democra s

o coalesce around sensible oreign aid re orm, despi e he upheaval o he recenelec ion. Te adminis ra ions own policy review and approach o developmeno ers a good deal ha should have bipar isan appeal. o achieve ha bipar isan-ship, we recommend ha adminis ra ion o cials:

Emphasize i s ocus on promo ing economic grow h abroad Clearly convey o Congress wha coun ries and projec s will no longer receive

unding because hey are no in keeping wi h he adminis ra ions more disci-plined and selec ive approach o direc ing aid

Conduc bipar isan consul a ions o map ou a plan or s reamlining he rules,regula ions and legisla ion governing oreign assis ance

E ec ively explain he na ional in eres s and moral impera ives or developmen

Each o hese recommenda ions o boos bipar isanship are eshed ou below.Equally impor an , new members o Congress need o be open o persuasion when he secre aries o s a e and de ense make a ra ional case or e ec ive assis-

ance programs ha advance he na ional in eres . Foreign aid is always atrac iveo cu , bu as a very modes por ion o he budge , even draconian reduc ions o

aid would no go very ar oward balancing he budge .

Focus on promoting economic growth abroad

Given he curren economic clima e, i is impor an or Americans o unders and

ha oreign assis ance programs no only assis he less or una e bu also helpdevelop impor an long- erm economic oppor uni ies or he Uni ed S a es by raising living s andards around he globe, increasing rade, and growing hepool o na ions commited o ree and air rade. Americas grea es po en ial

or dynamic grow h will come in no small par rom i s abili y o help develop


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po en ially huge marke s in sub-Saharan A rica, La in America, and Asia. Teocus on marke crea ion and job crea ion is some hing ha should uni y bo h

sides o he aisle; marke crea ion has long been a cen ral ene o Republicanapproaches o delivering assis ance.

As ormer Republican Congressman rom Wisconsin Mark Green argues,Conserva ives believe, in he words o Ronald Reagan, ha he bes possiblesocial program is a job. Foreign assis ance, done righ , can help os er condi ions

ha s reng hen consumerism, ransparency, democra iza ion, and marke s. Ihelps en repreneurs s ar businesses and governmen s o lower rade barri-ers, os er innova ion, and crea e beter environmen s or inves men . odaysdeveloping coun ries are omorrows rade par ners.26 Te ac ha a Democra icpresiden is now carrying he man le o promo ing economic developmenshould make a grea er degree o coopera ion possible despi e he o en enden-

ious poli ical clima e.

Commit to working with governments committed to reform

Foreign assis ance has never been very popular among he American public, and iis ex raordinarily di cul o explain o vo ers why he Uni ed S a es should deliver

axpayer dollars o coun ries where leaders are corrup , engage in sys ema ichuman righ s abuses, spurn democracy, and resis opening heir marke s. In hasense, he American public is perhaps more sophis ica ed han some policymak-ers. Tey unders and we can only e ec ively help coun ries ha are ruly rying ohelp hemselves and build upon he s reng hs o heir own people.

I he Obama adminis ra ion demons ra es i is serious abou s epping away rom aid programs in signi can numbers o nonper orming coun ries and sec-ors, hen i will send a power ul signal o lawmakers on bo h sides o he aisleha i is aking developmen re orm seriously in prac ice. I he adminis ra ion

is su cien ly ough on i sel and disciplined in i s approach, i will also be in amuch s ronger posi ion o argue o Congress ha earmarks and o her legisla ivemicromanagemen should be reduced. Many o hese earmarks have sprung up

over he years because Congress el here was litle real willingness by succes-sive adminis ra ions o use ough-minded developmen cri eria in de ermining where aid is direc ed.


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Consult, consult, consult

Pushing oreign aid re orm will require he adminis ra ion o be ar more consul a-ive han i has been o da e, even more so given he make up o he new Congress.

On bo h he developmen s ra egy and he QDDR, many members have el ha

heir opinions and inpu have no been par icularly valued.

Ta needs o change. No only does he adminis ra ion need o do a beter job o ar icula ing and explaining i s approach o Congress, i also needs o lis en, akeaboard congressional concerns, and make reasonable, prac ical compromises omove aid re orm and developmen orward.

Enlightened self-interest

No all developmen e or s should be seen s ric ly hrough he lens o na ionalsecuri y wri small. Senior U.S. mili ary o cials including he Chairman o he Join Chie s o S a , Admiral Michael Mullen, and Secre ary o De ense RoberGa es have made clear again and again ha hey see robus and e ec ive U.S.developmen assis ance programs as a key par o advancing U.S. securi y in eres saround he globe.

By helping reduce pover y, expanding he communi y o democracies, and ocusingon con ic preven ion and mi iga ion, developmen e or s can help make i so hereare ewer major con ic s and crises o which he U.S. mili ary is orced o respond.Te Uni ed S a es s ands o gain a grea deal rom a more s able developing world

ha is more open o rade and less suscep ible o crises, disease, and upheaval.

Foreign aid re orm advances key na ional in eres s on a number o ron s. Inaddi ion, i also makes a remarkable di erence in he lives o some o he worldspoores and mos disadvan aged people. Alas, his is poorly communica ed o

Americans by he ederal governmen and Members o Congress.

Bu he compassion o he American people should no be underes ima ed.

Americans have long been some o he mos generous priva e donors o in erna-ional developmen and humani arian e or s in he world. E ec ive oreign aid

re orm will help give he American people he peace o mind ha heir rela ively modes inves men s o ax dollars dedica ed o developmen can make a remen-dous impac on he ground.


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Tis needs o be e ec ively communica ed o all Americans hrough heir con-gressional represen a ives in a bipar isan manner. Pen agon o cials have donean ou s anding job making he case or grea er developmen assis ance, now headminis ra ion needs o make he case hrough i s ac ions ha i is geting bo hpolicy and prac ice righ .


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Conclusion

Te combina ion o economic, na ional securi y, moral, and o her considera ionssugges ha here is a rela ively rare window o oppor uni y open or bipar isanconsensus o shape las ing and e ec ive re orm in our oreign aid programs. Bu

his will only happen i he Obama adminis ra ion exer s genuine discipline inollowing i s own policy approach, and reaches ou o Congress in a bipar isanashion, and Congress is willing o reduce i s endency o micromanage assis ance

programs in exchange or developing a more e ec ive, selec ive, and e cien sys-

em or promo ing developmen and economic grow h around he globe.

Wi h he comple ion o he presiden s new direc ive on developmen policy andhe coming comple ion o he QDDR, he Obama adminis ra ion has a erri c

oppor uni y o reach ou o Congress o work oge her in a bipar isan ashion ocra a sensible se o legisla ive xes ha will make real oreign aid re orm morelikely o work. I is an oppor uni y all should seize.


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22 Am B as , t c s i aq, A g a s a , a d o G ba Wa t op a s S 9/11, (Was g : c g ss a r s aS v , 2010), ava ab a :p://www. as. g/sgp/ s/ a s /rl33110.pd .

23 A gu s s s a d aw m adm s a s F s ay a 2011 c g ss a Budg Jus a g ass s a .

24 S a m Ambassad e G sb , M.D.; U.S. G ba AiDS c d a-, U.S. D pa m S a b U.S. h us r p s a v s

c mm F g A a s Was g , D.c., S p mb 29, 2010.

25 S v rad , c a g g F g A d (Was : c G ba D v pm , 2003).

26 Ma k G , 10 r as s c s va v s Mus Supp A d r m(Was g : M d z g F g Ass s a n w k, 2010),ava ab a p://www.m d z g g ass s a . g/b g/2010/10/11/10- as s- s va v s-mus -supp -a d- m/.
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdfhttp://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdfhttp://www.modernizingforeignassistance.org/blog/2010/10/11/10-reasons-conservatives-must-support-aid-reform/http://www.modernizingforeignassistance.org/blog/2010/10/11/10-reasons-conservatives-must-support-aid-reform/http://www.modernizingforeignassistance.org/blog/2010/10/11/10-reasons-conservatives-must-support-aid-reform/http://www.modernizingforeignassistance.org/blog/2010/10/11/10-reasons-conservatives-must-support-aid-reform/http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdfhttp://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf


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About the author

John Norris is he Execu ive Direc or o heSus ainable Securi y and PeacebuildingIni ia ivea he Cen er or American Progress. He has served in a number o seniorroles in governmen , in erna ional ins i u ions, and nonpro s. He previously

served as he Execu ive Direc or o he Enough Projec , an advocacy organiza ioncommited o preven ing war crimes around he globe, and was he chie o poli i-cal a airs or he Uni ed Na ions Mission in Nepal as ha coun ry ried o emerge

rom a decade-long war. Previously, he served as he Washing on chie o s a orhe In erna ional Crisis Group, conduc ing ex ensive eld work and senior-level

advocacy or resolving con ic s in Sou h Asia, A rica, and he Balkans.

Earlier in his career, Norris served as he direc or o communica ions or U.S.Depu y Secre ary o S a e S robe albot. He also worked as a speechwri er and

eld disas er exper a he U.S. Agency or In erna ional Developmen . He is he

au hor o several books, including he Disas er Gypsies , a memoir o his work inhe eld o emergency relie , andCollision Course: NA O, Russia and Kosovo. He

has published commen ary inTe Washing on Pos , Los Angeles imes, Wall S ree Journal , and elsewhere. He has a gradua e degree in public adminis ra ion.

Acknowledgements

Amanda Shel on was o invaluable assis ance in researching and preparing his repor .
http://www.americanprogress.org/projects/sustainable_security/index.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/projects/sustainable_security/index.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/projects/sustainable_security/index.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/projects/sustainable_security/index.html


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or all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to

these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies re lect these values.

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international problems and develop policy proposals that oster a government that

is o the people, by the people, and or the people.

Documents

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