22 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the respective health ministries to establish a network for disease surveillance in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Then came a Zika virus outbreak in 2014. This network detected the Zika virus and alerted the CDC. The news that the virus can be transmitted to a fetus during pregnancy, leading to severe birth defects like microcephaly, where a baby is born with a smaller head and brain, exploded in the American media. Due to the early detection, Brazil contained the virus, and the U.S. was able to trace the few women who had traveled to Brazil so that they could get treatment. The story then evaporated from the news. Effective work, well done. That is textbook development work. As a second example, look to Ghana, 2016. Fall armyworm, known for its voracious appetite and ability to cause significant damage to crops, especially maize, threatened widespread hunger, spikes in food prices, and greatly reduced income for farmers. With no additional funding or personnel from Washington, my team in Ghana worked with the host government to implement control measures like pesticides, biological control agents, and integrated pest management. We educated farmers to identify the pest early and apply appropriate measures. That intervention was fast, nimble, and effective. There was no famine, no political instability. That, again, is textbook development. Priorities for a Time of Tight Budgets What should be some of the top concerns for an incoming administration? First, expect constrained budgets. President Donald Trump paid for tax cuts with record budget deficits. President Biden used the justification of COVID-19 for his stimulus package, which continued to expand budget deficits. With Ukraine and Palestine, foreign aid was at a record high last year. Those days are gone. Whoever wins the White House, expect federal budgets to be squeezed. The budget enactment and debt ceiling will return as headaches, with threats of government shutdowns. During its time in office, the Trump administration proposed budget cuts to foreign assistance by more than 30 percent each year, although that was never enacted. Regardless of the election results, we could see draconian cuts—as happened during the Clinton administration years. What USAID Does Humanitarian Assistance Emergency Food Aid: Includes support for food security and nutrition in crises. Disaster Relief: Provides immediate aid for natural and man-made disasters. Health Global Health: Focuses on combating diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Maternal and Child Health: Supports programs to improve health outcomes for mothers and children. Education Basic Education: Provides funding for primary and secondary education programs. Higher Education: Supports scholarships and educational exchanges. Economic Development Infrastructure: Includes building roads, water systems, and energy facilities. Economic Growth: Promotes trade, investment, and private sector development. Governance and Democracy Rule of Law: Supports legal and judicial reforms. Anti-Corruption: Aims to improve transparency and accountability in government. Security and Stabilization Counterterrorism: Provides aid to support counterterrorism efforts. Conflict Resolution: Includes support for peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
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