On September 14th, MFAN hosted a town hall discussion on the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development with representatives from the major government agencies focused on development.
My hat’s off to Congressman Berman and his staff, led by Diana Ohlbaum, for their long-awaited discussion draft of a new foreign assistance act, titled the Global Partnerships Act of 2011. It took three years to complete this draft, and we now know why. Rep. Berman’s staff produced a comprehensive, coherent, thoughtful draft and they did it through a meaningful, consultative process. They did not just clean up the tired old Foreign Assistance Act. They drafted a whole new law that reflects lessons learned and recent innovations, but most importantly,that sets U.S. foreign assistance squarely on a path to address the challenges of the 21st century
On the low estimate end, this would achieve $2 billion in savings annually, or $20 billion over ten years. On the high end, it would be $8 billion in savings in one year, or $80 billion over ten years.
See below for a guest post from MFAN Principal Noam Unger, fellow and director of the Foreign Assistance Project, and Homi Kharas, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Global Economy and Development, Development Assistance and Governance Initiative, both of Brookings Institution. They react to Secretary Clinton’s announcement that she would be attending the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Korea and what it signals for U.S. leadership in development. This post originally appeared on the Brookings Up Front blog.
To become a member, participating countries must make an Open Government Declaration; deliver a country action plan; and report on progress. Country plans were released as the OGP was launched. The US and the UK made important commitments to aid transparency, including to publish information in line with a common standard.
“We are delighted that President Bush is weighing in to protect funding and promote continued reform in U.S. foreign assistance,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “This week’s bipartisan cooperation on global health is a welcome break from the gridlock that has characterized efforts to reduce our national debt.”
Last Wednesday, MFAN held a town hall at the Newseum to discuss the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development (PPD). Panelists took questions on their views on the PPD and progress their agencies have made on implementing the directive, while also touching upon the overwhelming sense of austerity and the potential effect of budget cuts on U.S. foreign assistance. One of the most predominate themes was that all panelists stressed the meaningful interagency coordination that has resulted from the PPD.
On Monday, September 19th the Kojo Nnamdi Show will feature MFAN Co-Chair Jim Kolbe, former Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Paul O’Brien, Vice President of Policy and Campaigns at Oxfam America to discuss the future of foreign aid and the trajectory of reform, continuing a conversation that began two years ago.
Yesterday, MFAN hosted a town hall discussion on the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development moderated by Carol Lancaster, Dean and Professor of Politics, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. The panel included: Sheila Herrling, Vice President for Policy and Evaluation, Millennium Challenge Corporation; Marisa Lago, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Markets and … Continue reading Tweet Stream: Town Hall on PPD One Year Later
See below for a public service announcement from the Association of Noseless Americans: Policymakers Would Cut off Their Noses to Spite Their Faces by Gutting USAID’s Operating Budget. Share this video with your friends and help us spread the word! Noseless Americans: Don't Gut USAID's Operating Budget!by: sjhdc
