American Foreign Policy and Africa with Senator Johnny Isakson

By: Staff Person
April 1, 2011

Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) delivered an engaging and broad-ranging speech on U.S. policy in Africa yesterday at John’s Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies. Senator Isakson is the Senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, and he has traveled to the continent many times over the last several years. Senator Isakson focused his remarks on three primary areas: 1. U.S. foreign assistance to Africa; 2. U.S. private investment in Africa; and 3. China’s presence in Africa.

Chamber of Commerce Urges Support for International Affairs Budget

By: Staff Person
March 30, 2011

“U.S. businesses understand that diplomacy and development assistance play vital roles in building economic prosperity, protecting our national security, and promoting America’s humanitarian values. The International Affairs Budget is critical to U.S. economic engagement with the world, especially at a time when there is a wide recognition of the need to boost U.S. exports to create American jobs.”

U.S. Development Firms Lead by Example

By: Staff Person
March 30, 2011

With all the talk about whether foreign assistance is achieving its intended results, recent success stories demonstrate that economic development remains the strongest foundation for advances in all other sectors, such as health, governance, education and the empowerment of minorities and women. These successful projects show how U.S. development firms lead by example, teaching entrepreneurship and efficiency and creating thriving local businesses.

Smallholder Farmers Feeding the Future: Opportunities and Challenges

By: Staff Person
March 25, 2011

Today’s post is the fourth in a Feed the Future/Reform blog series that MFAN has been coordinating with key members of the community. Click here to read the latest piece by Rachel Voss, Communications and Research Associate at the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa. Voss discusses the potential of smallholder farmers and demonstrates how the Feed the Future initiative “aims to increase food security, improve nutrition, and boost incomes of smallholder farmers by bolstering infrastructure and market access, promoting innovative partnerships, and enabling farmers to produce beyond the subsistence level,” all key elements of reform.

Ros-Lehtinen Calls for Severe Cuts to State, USAID

By: Staff Person
March 24, 2011

“In evaluating the FY2012 budget, the Majority also identified an endemic problem: misplaced priorities. The Administration is proposing dramatic increases in global health and climate change programs while cutting key programs, such as the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism partnership and the Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism – at a time when al-Qaeda affiliates in Africa set their sights on American targets, and American citizens are being captured and killed by Somali pirates.”

Aid to the Poor: By the Numbers

By: Staff Person
March 23, 2011

We Americans say we do not like foreign aid, but if you ask us what we think about vaccinations for infants in developing countries, or preventing deaths from childbirth, or teaching girls to read, or distributing seeds to farmers whose crops have been flooded, you will find that most of us support modest investments like these that can transform lives. And when natural disasters strike, in Indonesia, Haiti, or Japan, we want to help.

USAID, MCC Budget Hearing Seeped in Partisan Bickering

By: Staff Person
March 21, 2011

Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) remained above the fray, kicking off the hearing with some promising comments about the need to emphasize partnerships with the private sector and be more accountable with our aid dollars—with the ultimate goal of promoting economic growth. Ranking Member Howard Berman (D-CA) hit on some important reform principles both USAID and MCC have implemented into programs and policies whether those principles are about emphasizing science and technology as part of USAID Forward or embracing transparency and accountability with MCC compacts. Berman said the committee should be focused on ensuring that every tax dollar is put to best possible use but that doesn’t mean we should cut foreign assistance funding.

The Missing Link: Private Sector Involvement in Aid for Trade

By: Staff Person
March 16, 2011

On Tuesday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the World Bank hosted an event, Building Capacity for Trade in Developing Countries: Fostering Public and Private Cooperation in Aid for Trade. As Tom Donohue, President of the Chamber said when he opened the afternoon’s event, “There have never been so many opportunities for business and government to break down barriers to trade as now.” Click here to read more.