MFAN Partner Launches USAID Monitor

By: Staff Person
January 10, 2011

“The Monitor will focus on aid effectiveness, transparency, and the efficient use of federal funds to support U.S. foreign policy. It will track new initiatives begun by Administrator Shah as embodied in USAID Forward. It will pay special attention to the agency’s new approach to evidence-based policy and planning and will monitor congressional activities that affect its authorities and capacity to achieve development objectives.”

MFAN Partner Takes a Closer Look at the QDDR

By: Staff Person
January 4, 2011

“While there is much to applaud in the report, its shift towards a national security foundation for diplomacy and development raises significant concerns among development professionals. Over time, how this affects the planning and selection of development solutions at both State and USAID could result in an undercutting of the elevation of development which the QDDR asserts as one of its key goals. Furthermore, how the reforms outlined in the report are implemented will determine whether humanitarian and development programs in the field are strengthened or weakened.”

MFAN in the News: QDDR Release

By: Staff Person
December 20, 2010

Last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, alongside USAID Administrator Raj Shah and others, rolled out the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). As MFAN Co-Chairs Rev. David Beckmann and George Ingram said in their statement: “With today’s release of the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), the Obama Administration has finalized its roadmap for how U.S. foreign aid can be made more effective, efficient, and accountable in the 21st century. This is absolutely critical in a resource-constrained world where our efforts to save lives and help vulnerable people build their own livelihoods are as important as our military and diplomatic activities.”

A Good Day for Aid Transparency

By: Staff Person
December 17, 2010

MFAN Partner Publish What You Fund blogged about the exciting new development in a series of aid transparency efforts: the launch of www.foreignassistance.gov. “The most important and exciting thing about the site is that it is the beginning of more and better things to come. This is the first output of an important interagency aid transparency process working to develop a common framework and publish aid information, documents and data across all of the agencies providing foreign assistance.”

MFAN Statement: USAID Dashboard a Strong Action Step on Reform

By: Staff Person
December 17, 2010

December 17, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – This statement is delivered on behalf of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) by Co-Chairs David Beckmann and George Ingram: We applaud the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for launching the new US Foreign Assistance Dashboard—the first comprehensive, web-based tool that provides information to policymakers, … Continue reading MFAN Statement: USAID Dashboard a Strong Action Step on Reform

MFAN Partners React to QDDR Release

By: Staff Person
December 16, 2010

Below are excerpts from MFAN Partners’ statements in reaction to the release of the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) yesterday.  Stay tuned for press coverage of the rollout. MFAN Co-Chair and President of Bread for the World Rev. David Beckmann stated, “The QDDR is an important step in reforming U.S. foreign aid, making … Continue reading MFAN Partners React to QDDR Release

The QDDR: Whew, It’s Done (Or Is It?)

By: Staff Person
December 16, 2010

The QDDR represents an ambitious agenda filled with commitments to “do better.” Operationalizing those commitments, and changing the culture required to do so will be difficult. If State and USAID do not constructively engage with Congress, I can predict that many of the proposed changes will not see the light of day.

MFAN Statement: QDDR Paves Way for Real Reform

By: Staff Person
December 15, 2010

With today’s release of the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), the Obama Administration has finalized its roadmap for how U.S. foreign aid can be made more effective, efficient, and accountable in the 21st century. This is absolutely critical in a resource-constrained world where our efforts to save lives and help vulnerable people build their own livelihoods are as important as our military and diplomatic activities.

IMPACTblog: See what Administrator Shah Has to Say about QDDR

By: Staff Person
December 15, 2010

After months of effort and meaningful discussions, today I was happy to join Secretary Clinton to unveil the first ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) at a State Department town hall. Complementing the Presidential Policy Directive on development that was released earlier this year, the QDDR helps make real the commitment the Secretary has shown to creating a modern, efficient diplomatic and development architecture.

QDDR Executive Summary

By: Staff Person
December 15, 2010

The first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) is now ready for your comments, courtesy of MFAN Partner InterAction’s QDDR Page. Before diving into the full 200-page report (awaiting release), we recommend taking a look at the Executive Summary which states: “These civilians ask one question again and again: How can we do a better … Continue reading QDDR Executive Summary