REFORMING U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE

1.24.06

There is currently a lot of debate and some action on the issue of reforming US foreign assistance and making it more effective. Recently, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced Ambassador Randall Tobias would be America's first Director of Foreign Assistance at the United States Department of State. The Director of Foreign Assistance will "have authority over all Department of State and USAID foreign assistance funding" and is charged with ensuring "foreign assistance is used as effectively as possible to meet (America’s) foreign policy objectives."

DATA doesn't just argue for higher quantities of foreign assistance, we also argue higher quality and more effective aid. Below are some resources on foreign assistance efficacy and reform.

RESOURCES ON US FOREIGN ASSISTANCE EFFICACY AND REFORM:

"Strengthen Coordination of U.S. Development Assistance with the Millennium Development Goals," by Jamie Drummond, DATA executive director.

"Democracy, Accountability, Transparency," by Erin Chapman Thornton, DATA policy director.

"Aid Effectiveness and the Millennium Development Goals - Working Paper 39,” by Steven Radelet, Center for Global Developement "

"The Other War: Global Poverty and the Millennium Challenge Account," by Lael Brainard, Carol Graham, Nigel Purvis, Steven Radelet, and Gayle Smith, Center for Global Development