The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2017

The Future of Foreign Assistance This is my last column as USAID VP, so I want to begin by expressing my deepest admiration to my fellow USAID FSOs for their focused dedication to the agency’s honorable and challenging mission around the globe. USAID’s duty to help end extreme poverty and pro- mote resilient, democratic societies worldwide, while advancing U.S. security and prosperity, is one we can all stand proudly behind. As I ponder the next phase of my life and what will make it most meaning- ful, I have been considering what it is that makes a per- son, an organization, or even a country, great. Looking beyond oneself and giving for the betterment of others comes up as an almost uni- versal distinguishing quality of greatness. When an individual or an organization is fondly remembered, it is often for unselfish acts that improve the lives of those around them. For example, when a business starts contributing positively to the community, not only does the neigh- borhood benefit, but the business gains an improved standing. It is no wonder that recognizing the value of foreign assistance in our global community, Congress enacted the Foreign Assis- tance Act of 1961. This act established a THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2017 51 single agency, USAID, to be responsible for administer- ing aid to foreign countries and managing assistance overseas. The act reads: “to promote the foreign policy, security and general welfare of the United States by assisting peoples of the world in their efforts toward economic development and internal and external secu- rity, and for other purposes.” Acknowledging the responsibility of the great- est nation in the world, the act went on to say that the United States should take the lead, in concert with other nations, to mobilize such resources from public and private sources. USAID programs focus on problems so monumental that they cannot be resolved without interagency and international cooperation. The 2014 Ebola outbreak illustrates the importance of improving health systems in Africa to reduce the risk of a disease outbreak that could easily lead to a global pan- demic. It also demonstrated USAID’s great strength in mobilizing resources, as temporary clinics were set up all over the affected area. Another example is the Power Africa initiative, for which USAID and other agencies have mobilized $43 billion, most of it private capital. In Latin America, USAID has leveraged five dollars for every one dollar invested. USAID takes great pride in its role combating issues that drive extremism, including insecurity, injus- tice, hopelessness and lack of opportunity. In our global community, USAID works to stabilize countries and bring hope that their citizens can build a satisfying life in their home country. There is much uncer- tainty in the air as the U.S. government reviews USAID for efficiencies. An updated review of USAID programs and initiatives is welcome and wise. Such a review would not be complete, however, if it did not con- sider the intent of USAID’s founding legislation that the agency be staffed and resourced as the country’s lead development agency, consolidating all foreign assistance under its aegis. For years, USAID has been understaffed, misunder- stood and undersupported. According to surveys such as the Kaiser Fam- ily Foundation polls, many Americans believe that the United States spends as much as 25 percent of the federal budget on foreign aid, more than Social Security or Medicare. When informed of the real figure (less than 1 percent of the federal budget is spent on foreign aid), surveys show 60 percent of Americans think that we should either continue that level of spend- ing or spend more to reduce hunger and poverty around the world. The United States ranks 22nd among Development Assistance Committee member countries in foreign assistance spending as a percentage of gross national income. When reviewing the national budget, a truly great nation would seek to increase its strategic invest- ment in foreign develop- ment. The benefits to the United States from foreign development assistance must not be undervalued. n Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. Contact: swayne@usaid.gov or (202) 712-1631 USAID VP VOICE | BY SHARON WAYNE AFSA NEWS The benefits to the United States from foreign development assistance must not be undervalued.