Noteworthy News – 9.15.09

By: Staff Person
September 15, 2009

This weekly posting includes key news stories and opinion pieces related to foreign assistance reform and the larger development community. What we’re reading this week:  Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Afghanistan. And the fall congressional outlook on foreign assistance. Afghanistan: Going long or going home (ForeignPolicy.com-Ian Bremmer, September 10) – Within the Obama foreign-policy team, there looks to be … Continue reading Noteworthy News – 9.15.09

UPDATE: MFAN USAID Poll Draws Votes from Around the Globe

By: Staff Person
September 3, 2009

People from more than 90 countries and 480 cities have visited MFAN’s website since the launch of the USAID poll on August 28. Voices from around the blog are urging the Obama Administration to nominate an experienced and savvy USAID Administrator to lead U.S. development and foreign assistance reform efforts.

White House Joins the Party on Development Policy

By: Staff Person
September 2, 2009

The response has been positive to news that the White House will be conducting an interagency review of all U.S. global development policy. Momentum is clearly growing for a refocused approach to development and how the U.S. manages its foreign aid.

Noteworthy News – 8.31.2009

By: Staff Person
August 31, 2009

This weekly posting includes key news stories and opinion pieces related to foreign assistance reform and the larger development community. What we’re reading this week: All USAID Administrator, all the time. It’s Time for Foreign Aid Reform (Huffington Post – David Beckmann, August 28) – With leadership from President Obama and coordination between these various … Continue reading Noteworthy News – 8.31.2009

MFAN Principals Offenheiser and Atwood Featured on NPR

By: Staff Person
August 28, 2009

Two MFAN Principals, Oxfam American President Ray Offenheiser and former USAID Administrator Brian Atwood, were featured on NPR’s All Things Considered in a story entitled “Experts Concerned by Leaderless USAID.” The piece, by diplomatic reporter Michele Kelemen, touched on the need for a

MFAN Blog Series: Partners Weigh in on Reform in the Global Health Initiative and Feed the Future

By: Staff Person
August 26, 2009

With help from our distinguished partners, MFAN has launched two separate blog series on foreign assistance reform in the context of the Obama Administration’s marquee development initiatives—the Global Health Initiative and Feed the Future. The posts in the two series explore the structure and reform principles built into these programs, including ownership, sound monitoring and evaluation, and leveraging partnerships with the private sector to produce sustainable, long-term development results.

CRS Report on Foreign Assistance Reform

By: Staff Person
August 24, 2009

CRS Report on Foreign Assistance Reform
The Congressional Research Service released a recent report on foreign assistance reform analyzing recommendations from 14 organizations, including MFAN network members the Brookings Institution (BRK), the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Center for Global Development (CGD), the Center for U.S. Global Engagement (CGE), InterAction, and Oxfam America.

MFAN PRINCIPAL: Momentum Will Feed Hill’s Shot at Fundamental Reform

By: Staff Person
August 17, 2009

MFAN PRINCIPAL: Momentum Will Feed Hill’s Shot at Fundamental Reform
The administration continues to signal interest in reforming U.S. global development policies and operations, as evinced by President Obama’s statements last month about the need to make our development policy more coherent and our aid more effective, as well as Secretary of State Clinton’s constant drumbeat about strengthening development capabilities. Aside from growing concerns about why an administration so committed to development has not nominated its development leaders, Americans and our friends around the world should be asking: Will reforms reach the level of fundamental change that is needed?