Media Spotlight: Reaction to Shah’s Speech

By: Staff Person
January 20, 2011

“David Beckmann, co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, called Shah’s speech “extraordinary and hard-hitting” and ongoing USAID reforms “essential and timely,” urging the Obama administration to work with policymakers from both parties to draft legislation that will “enshrine this new development business model in law in order to drive long-term results.”

Shah Introduces the ‘Modern Development Enterprise’

By: Staff Person
January 20, 2011

“Like an enterprise, we’re focused on delivering the highest possible value for our shareholders. In this case, the American people and the congressional leaders who represent them. We will deliver that value by scaling back our footprint to shift resources to critical regions, rationalizing our operations and vigilantly fighting fraud, waste and abuse.”

How Global Health R&D Can Be a Bipartisan Tool for Economic Development & Diplomacy

By: Staff Person
January 19, 2011

As a new Congress and the Obama Administration look for high value in government investments as they convene for the State of the Union address Tuesday, they should consider the proven value of investments in biomedical research and development to address the major diseases and health issues facing the world. Today, in a speech at the Center for Global Development, Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), outlined the agency’s plans to modernize aid, including harnessing the potential of science and technology for game-changing innovations that would save lives, reduce costs, and foster growth both in the U.S. and in the developing world.

USAID: Celebrating 50 Years of Innovation in Action

By: Staff Person
January 19, 2011

As we eagerly await Dr. Rajiv Shah’s major development address to over 200 non-governmental organizations, think-tanks, academics, and international development leaders later this afternoon, we wanted to highlight USAID’s new 50th anniversary website that launched today.

A Look Back at USAID’s Major Reforms: Shah Talks to David Lane

By: Staff Person
January 19, 2011

At one point Shah said, “We have spent a lot of time listening and learning about how we can do this work better, more effectively. And the number one thing we’ve learned is we need to be more capable of supporting country-owned efforts and building real capacity through our investments around the world.”

A Look Back at USAID’s Major Reforms: Policy, Procurement and Budget Reforms

By: Staff Person
January 18, 2011

First up is the establishment, or reestablishment, of a Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning at USAID. Announced in early June, this was one of the first major reforms Shah launched. In a statement, MFAN Co-Chairs David Beckmann and George Ingram said: “The Bureau will restore the ability of USAID’s world-class development professionals to plan and execute innovative, 21st-century programs that deliver better results for the people we are trying to empower and U.S. taxpayers, while also contributing expert input into important national security and foreign policy debates that have major development components.”

The Modern Development Enterprise – A Look Back at USAID’s Major Reforms

By: Staff Person
January 18, 2011

In advance of USAID Administrator Raj Shah’s major speech tomorrow, hosted by MFAN Partner the Center for Global Development, we’re revisiting some of the agency’s major reforms over the past year. Be sure to check ModernizeAid throughout the coming days for complete coverage of the speech, including MFAN Partner reactions. Also, look for us on Twitter as we live-tweet the speech by following @modernizeaid and retweet often!

Shah to Give Major Speech on Development

By: Staff Person
January 18, 2011

Since being sworn in as the 16th administrator of USAID on January 7th, Dr. Rajiv Shah has taken a number of steps to position U.S. development efforts as a critical and dynamic component of U.S. foreign policy. From taking the lead on the Feed the Future initiative to internal reforms within USAID, Dr. Shah has demonstrated his leadership in making the agency a cutting edge actor in development, one that puts renewed emphasis on partnerships, innovation and learning, and evidenced-based results. Over the last 12 months, Shah also co-chaired the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) and played an active role in the formulation of President Obama’s Presidential Policy Directive on U.S. Global Development Policy.