Principles of U.S. Leadership on Global Development
The establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of Development would provide a powerful voice for global poverty issues within and across the U.S. government, and create an opportunity for meaningful foreign assistance reform. The United States has an opportunity for bolder, more effective leadership in the fight against poverty, but this will require a substantial overhaul of current structures and practices. Efforts to reform and elevate the priority of global development should be guided by the following principles: 1) Create a cabinet-level Department of Global Development. A Cabinet-level Department will bring needed stature to the issue of global poverty within the U.S. government and allow for effective coordination of foreign assistance. The Department should have authority and influence over critical development issues that extend beyond foreign assistance such as oversight of multilateral development banks and trade with poor countries. 2) Maintain a Clear Focus on Ending Poverty. While current foreign assistance serves a myriad of goals, the Department of Global Development and development assistance should be focused on the fight against poverty. 3) Maximize the Impact of Foreign Assistance Spending. Far too much development assistance never makes it to the people who need it most because of the inefficiency and high overhead costs of tied aid. More foreign assistance should be channeled through effective multilateral mechanisms, while bilateral assistance should be focused on cost-effectively building local capacity and maximizing impact. 4) Require Accountability for Concrete Results. Too often foreign assistance is not connected to specific improvements in the lives of poor people, and is not provided in the context of a coherent global strategy. Development assistance should be linked to specific measurable outcomes, with regular and required tracking and evaluation. 5) Provide our Fair Share of Development Assistance. Responding to the global challenge posed by poverty and disease demands an additional 1 percent of the U.S. budget or a total of $50 billion annually. Invested effectively, this small portion of the U.S. budget could provide increased access to health, education and economic opportunity for tens of million of people across the globe. To join us, please contact: John Fawcett Carol A. Bergman |
America’s foreign assistance is not reaching its potential in responding to today’s global challenges. Aid programs often lack bold, measurable outcomes and are not guided by a coherent global development strategy. Restrictions on how U.S. assistance can be spent and failure to invest in cost-effective local capacity-building undermine U.S. leverage and impact. Inadequate tracking and evaluation limits the opportunities to build on success and learn from failure. And the amount and allocation of aid dollars does not reflect a clear priority to fight poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.