Barack Obama - International Aid

Last Updated: Mar 08, 2011

Summary

While a Senator, Barack Obama sponsored legislation to combat global poverty and fulfill some of the goals of the Millennium Development Goal. As a candidate, Senator Obama stated that he would put the US on a path to double it's foreign aid to %50 billion, and painted himself as someone who could speak directly to the world and who would lead on foreign aid by example.

In September of 2010, President Obama spoke at the UN and outlined a new foreign aid policy consisting of 4 key points:

changing how we define development
changing how we view the ultimate goal of development
new emphasis on broad-based economic growth
insistence on more responsibility and accountability for aid

According to the OMB estimates, President Obama's budget for 2011 placed the US on a path to double US foreign aid by 2015.

Speak Directly to the World

In April of 2007, Senator Obama gave a speech on foreign policy and foreign aid and noted the he would be a President that would be able to speak directly to the world. Senator Obama also noted that the US and the rest of the world are inter-dependent.

America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, but the world cannot meet them without America. We must neither retreat from the world nor try to bully it into submission — we must lead the world, by deed and example.

On the Record

In September of 2007, Senator Obama made a video for the ONE.org's "On the Record" program. In that video, Senator Obama pledges to double foreign through slight increments. Note that this video was made prior to the steeper declines in the US economy.

Campaign Plan

STRENGTHENING OUR COMMON SECURITY BY INVESTING IN OUR COMMON HUMANITY
“To renew American leadership in the world, I will strengthen our common security by investing in our common humanity. Our global engagement cannot be defined by what we are against; it must be guided by a clear sense of what we stand for. We have a significant stake in ensuring that those who live in fear and want today can live with dignity and opportunity tomorrow.” [Barack Obama Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007]
BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN’S STRATEGY TO PROMOTE
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY
Barack Obama and Joe Biden will restore America’s standing in the world by providing a new American leadership to meet the challenges of a new century. At this moment in history, American leadership is urgently needed. This century's threats are as dangerous as and in some ways more complex than those we confronted in the past. They come from weapons that can kill on a mass scale and from global terrorists. But they also come from weak states that cannot control their territory or provide for their people; from extreme poverty and repressive governance that can foment instability; and; from a warming planet that would spur new diseases, spawn more devastating natural disasters, and catalyze deadly conflicts.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s vision of leadership in this new era begins with the recognition of a fundamental reality: the security and well-being of each and every American is tied to the security and well being of those who live beyond our borders. The United States should provide global leadership grounded in the understanding that the world shares a common security and a common humanity. We must lead not in the spirit of a patron, but the spirit of a partner. Extending an outstretched hand to others must ultimately be more than just a matter of expedience or even charity. It must be about recognizing the inherent equality, dignity, and worth of all people. It will require American leadership that leverages engagement and resources from our traditional allies in the G-8 as well as new actors, including emerging economies (e.g. India, China, Brazil and South Africa), the private sector, and global philanthropy. Yet, while America and our friends and allies can help developing countries build more secure and prosperous societies, we must never forget that only the citizens of these nations can sustain them.
To achieve the goal of a world of capable, democratic states, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will implement a five-part strategy:

Make the critical investments needed to fight global poverty.

Expand prosperity by increasing the capacity of developing countries to generate wealth.

Support the building of effective, accountable, and democratic institutions and civil societies that meet the needs of their people.

Build the capacity of weak states to confront the common, transnational challenges we face including terrorism, conflict, climate change, proliferation and epidemic disease.

Structure the U.S. government to meet critical 21st-century security challenges. Presidential Leadership
“I'll be a president who finally sends a message to the black, white, and brown faces beyond our shores; from the halls of power to the huts of Africa that says, "You matter to America. Your future is our future. And our moment is now.” -- Barack Obama, Spartanburg, South Carolina, November 3, 2007
A starting point for the Obama-Biden agenda will be presidential leadership that renews America’s leadership in the world for a new century. Obama’s life experience – he is the son of a Kenyan goat herder and has family in Kenya, he lived for several years as a child in Indonesia, he has worked as a community organizer in the economically depressed South Side of Chicago – makes him uniquely suited to show the world a new face of America.
Presidential Diplomacy: Today, America’s ability to lead the world – and to promote development and democracy – is set back because we are perceived as arrogant. One of the principle reasons for this is our unwillingness to even talk to nations that we don’t like. Through his willingness to engage with all nations – foe and friend – Barack Obama and Joe Biden will reverse this perception of American arrogance and obstructionism, making it easier for the United States to rally broad international support for our goals.
Calling Upon the American People: Barack Obama and Joe Biden know that the American people are the greatest asset that this country has. In pursuing ambitious goals, they will call upon the know-how, generosity and public spirit of the American people. They will provide new opportunities for a new generation of Americans to serve their country – in the State Department, in the US Agency for International Development (USAID), in the Peace Corps and in an expanded military. And they will seek durable bi-partisan support for our foreign policy, so that a broad majority of the American people supports our efforts to promote both our interests and our values around the world.
Fighting Global Poverty
“ In the 21st century, progress must mean more than a vote at the ballot box – it must mean freedom from fear and freedom from want. We cannot stand for the freedom of anarchy. Nor can we support the globalization of the empty stomach. We need new approaches to help people to help themselves. The United Nations has embraced the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. When I’m president, they will be America’s goals.” -- Barack Obama, Chicago, October 2, 2007
Double Foreign Assistance to $50 billion. Foreign assistance is a critical piece of our arsenal as we rise to this challenge. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will double our annual investments in foreign assistance to $50 billion by 2012 and ensure that these new resources are invested wisely with strong accountability measures and directed towards strategic goals.
Achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The United Nations (UN) has embraced the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. The Bush administration tried to keep the UN from affirming these goals. In the Senate, Obama co-sponsored the International Cooperation to Meet the Millennium Development Goals Act. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will target new U.S. assistance to help the world’s weakest states to build healthy and educated communities, reduce poverty, develop markets, and generate wealth. They will also work to ensure that increases in U.S. assistance are matched by our partners in the G-8 so that developed countries truly live up to their stated commitments.
Fight Corruption. Corruption has existed for centuries, but the urgency to rollback corruption is growing. We must lead by example by making our own contracting decisions merit-based and transparent. And we must couple our assistance abroad with an insistent call for reform, transparency and accountability. Too often when we talk about corruption, we talk about it in the context of our assistance. When U.S. taxpayer money is involved, we absolutely must make sure that this money is not wasted or illicitly spent. But we must also keep in mind that corruption is not just about us – it is the daily reality for billions of people around the world: the reality of police encounters, school admissions processes, and housing accessibility. We must commit ourselves to spearheading an international initiative to root out corruption. As a starting point, an Obama administration will add corruption to the annual human rights reports prepared by the State Department.
Eliminate the Global Education Deficit. Education is the critical building block of social and economic development and is a key antidote to the hate peddled by extremists. Yet, today, across the developing world, countless families confront a future devoid of dignity and opportunity. One in five adults cannot read or write. Women’s illiteracy exceeds 70 percent in more than 20 countries. One hundred million children – and nearly 60 million girls – do not go to elementary school. The result is a staggering education deficit that traps people in poverty. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will spearhead an initiative to eliminate the global education deficit by 2015. An Obama administration will establish at least a $2 billion Global Education Fund to help fill the financing gap for primary education. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will lead efforts to leverage American commitments through the World Bank’s Fast Track Initiative to ensure that funding shortfall is no longer the main impediment to progress on basic education.
Enhance U.S. Leadership in the Effort to Combat HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria. There are an estimated 33 million people across the planet infected with HIV/AIDS, including more than 1 million people in the U.S. Nearly 8,000 people die every day of AIDS. Barack Obama believes that we must do more to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, as well as malaria and tuberculosis. Our first priority should be to implement the recently signed President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), legislation Barack Obama long-supported, to ensure that best practices – not ideology – to drive funding for HIV/AIDS programs. In that context, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will commit $50 billion over five years to strengthen the existing program and expand it to new regions of the world, including Southeast Asia, India, and parts of Europe, where the HIV/AIDS burden is growing. An Obama administration will also increase U.S. contributions to the Global Fund to ensure that global efforts to fight endemic disease continue to move ahead.
Provide Sustainable Debt Relief to Developing Countries. The poorest countries in the world suffer under the weight of an enormous burden of external debt. Resources are flowing out of the least developed countries to creditors in the rich world, when these resources are desperately needed for health care, education, and infrastructure. We have seen that multilateral debt relief can be effective – 30 countries have seen their debt stocks reduced by almost 90 percent – but more relief is needed. Barack Obama and Joe Biden want to see 100 percent debt cancellation for the world’s heavily-indebted poor countries. They are committed to living up to the promise to fully fund debt cancellation for Heavily-Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). An Obama administration will also dedicate itself to preventing a future in which poor countries face pressing debt burdens again. They will press for reforms at the World Bank to ensure that poor countries receive grants rather than loans, and that countries have the resources they need to respond to the external shocks that threaten to derail economic progress. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will lead a multilateral effort to address the issue of “odious debt” by investigating ways in which “loan sanctions” might be employed to create disincentives for private creditors to lend money to repressive, authoritarian regimes.
Expanding Prosperity
“We need to invest in building capable, democratic states that can establish healthy and educated communities, develop markets, and generate wealth.” -- Barack Obama, Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007 Since World War II, the United States has helped to bring millions of people out of poverty through our bilateral assistance programs and contributions to multilateral organizations. But our work is not done. Maintaining American leadership requires that we continue investments in agriculture, infrastructure, and economic growth so that all developing countries are in a position to reap the benefits of globalization. Add Value to
Agriculture Initiative (AVTA). Agriculture provides a livelihood for the majority of the world’s poor, and it is the sector that will be hardest hit by climate change. In order to increase the incomes of subsistence producers, decrease the pressure on shrinking arable lands, and minimize the vulnerability of commodity exports to global price shocks, an Obama administration will launch the AVTA Initiative. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are committed to spurring research and innovation aimed at bringing about a Green Revolution for Africa, by partnering with land grant institutions, private philanthropies and business to support agricultural processing through increased investment in research and development for improved seeds, irrigation methods, and affordable and safe fertilizers. They will also make critical investments in providing the package of tools needed to allow poor farmers to succeed in the agricultural market, including by providing training in regulation and quality control standards and by increasing finance and financing instruments for rural enterprises as well as access to markets.
A Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It is neither sustainable nor appropriate for developed countries to focus solely on reducing poverty in the developing world. The challenge is to build the capacity of communities and countries in the developing world to generate wealth on their own. Building on the growing evidence that micro finance works, an Obama administration will provide initial capital for an SME Fund. Administered through the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, an independent U.S. government agency, the government will provide seed capital matched by a larger portion from the private sector. The SME Fund will be designed to provide seed capital and technical assistance to catalyze the establishment of job-creating small and medium enterprises, and to build the capacity of entrepreneurs to translate their ideas into viable businesses, including through the creation of regional “SME Universities” supported by America’s business schools.
Lead Efforts to Reform the IMF and the World Bank. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have contributed in important ways to an era of tremendous openness and global growth since 1945, but both institutions face crises of governance and are in need of modernization and reform. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will lead an effort in the G-8 to achieve a new consensus on the missions of the IMF and the World Bank, while at the same time securing necessary changes in how both institutions are governed to reflect the increasing influence of middle-income countries.
Supporting Effective, Accountable, and Democratic Institutions
“To build a better, freer world, we must first behave in ways that reflect the decency and aspirations of the American people. This means ending the practices of shipping away prisoners in the dead of night to be tortured in far-off countries, of detaining thousands without charge or trial, of maintaining a network of secret prisons to jail people beyond the reach of the law.” -- Barack Obama, Chicago, April 23, 2007
U.S. leadership in supporting the growth of accountable and democratic governments around the world cannot become a casualty of the Iraq War. American presidents made the defense of human rights and the advance of democracy central foreign policy objectives long before George W. Bush tarnished their legacy through empty rhetoric, a misguided war and gross incompetence in Iraq. No country in the world has benefited more from the worldwide expansion of democracy than the United States. Democracies are our best trading partners, our most valuable allies, and the nations with which we share our deepest values. Under Barack Obama’s leadership, the United States will join with our democratic partners around the world to meet common security challenges and uphold our shared values whenever they are threatened by autocratic practices, coups, human rights abuses or genocide.
Support for Democracy Begins at Home. Barack Obama and Joe Biden know that our greatest tool in advancing democracy is our own example. This asset, however, has been severely damaged in recent years, especially by the horrific acts of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and detention without charges at Guantanamo, and by the failure of our leaders to accept accountability for these acts. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will hold the United States to the same standards that we demand of others. That means ending torture without equivocation – including so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques,” ending extraordinary rendition and indefinite detentions; restoring habeas corpus; and closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Matching Rhetoric with Deeds. In his second inaugural address on January 20, 2005, President George W. Bush used the word ‘freedom’ 25 times, ‘liberty’ 12 times, and ‘democracy’ or ‘democratic’ 3 times. All of these words, however, have done little to advance democracy around the world. Instead of mere rhetoric, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will focus on achieving concrete outcomes that will advance democracy. They will work for the release of jailed scholars, activists, and opposition party leaders such as Ayman Nour in Egypt. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will stand with struggling democrats as they denounce elections that are not free or fair, so that flawed elections can no longer be used to legitimize authoritarian rule in places like Russia, Zimbabwe, and Azerbaijan. They will confront the perpetrators of genocide, such as the Government of Sudan in Darfur, rather than standing by, content with idle half-measures.
Promote Freedom from Fear: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will commit his administration to promoting one of Franklin Roosevelt’s four pillars: freedom from fear: They will commit to strengthen the pillars of a just society in countries around the globe, through insistent calls for reform and critical investments in the growth of transparent and accountable institutions that provide the opportunity and dignity that people so desperately seek. The U.S. should help build strong legislatures, responsible political parties, free presses, and vibrant civil societies, and help ease the fears of communities in the developing world by strengthening judiciaries and building honest and professional police forces in order to ensure that legal systems enforce peoples’ rights and stabilize societies.
Increase Funding for Struggling Democrats Abroad. In our efforts to support courageous democrats abroad, direct financial assistance from the U.S. government will not always be welcome or beneficial. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that we should channel most support for democratic activists living under the most repressive regimes through independent institutions, committed to supporting democrats but free from perceptions of questionable or ulterior motives. They will significantly increase funding for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and other nongovernmental organizations to support these civic activists.
Create a Rapid Response Fund for Societies in Transition. Democracy does not happen overnight. But when a democratic revolution catches, or when conflict yields to fragile peace, the U.S. cannot simply sit by and applaud. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will introduce a new Rapid Response Fund – a seed fund that will provide a shot of adrenaline to young democracies and post-conflict societies, through foreign aid, debt relief, technical assistance and investment packages that show the people of newly hopeful countries that democracy and peace deliver, and the United States stands by them. For divided societies to heal, former adversaries need support to establish collaborative processes that can resolve long-standing disputes, reconcile competing interests, and set a common agenda for the future. Such efforts have helped consolidate peace from war-torn Burundi to Liberia. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will work with international institutions and NGOs to ensure that not simply money but expertise is available to transitional societies in the time of their greatest promise, but also often their greatest vulnerability. They will work with our allies to build a roster of available and deployable policemen, customs experts, engineers, agricultural economists, negotiators, education specialists so that nascent governments and international institutions can draw upon foreign expertise as needed.
Confronting Common Threats
“And since extremely poor societies and weak states provide optimal breeding grounds for disease, terrorism, and conflict, the United States has a direct national security interest in dramatically reducing global poverty and joining with our allies in sharing more of our riches to help those most in need. We need to invest in building capable, democratic states that can establish healthy and educated communities, develop markets, and generate wealth. Such states would also have greater institutional capacities to fight terrorism, halt the spread of deadly weapons, and build health-care infrastructures to prevent, detect, and treat deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and avian flu.” -- Barack Obama , Chicago, April 23, 2007
One of the enduring purposes of U.S. engagement in global development is to counter threats to our national security. As we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, military efforts to combat terrorism cannot succeed without stabilization, reconstruction, and development activities that encompass our own civilian expertise and the efforts and resources of our allies overseas. The U.S. increasingly depends on the good will and capacity of governments throughout the developing world as we confront common threats: the rise of extremism, the persistence of deadly conflict, the spread of epidemic disease, the proliferation of weapons, and the crisis of a changing climate. Barack Obama will ensure that we make the necessary investments in building the capacity of our partners so that we can address these global challenges together.
Counter Terrorism through a Shared Security Partnership Program. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will create a Shared Security Partnership Program to forge an international intelligence and law enforcement infrastructure to take down terrorist networks from the remote islands of Indonesia to the sprawling cities of Africa. This program will provide $5 billion over three years for counter-terrorism cooperation with countries around the world, including information sharing, funding for training, operations, border security, anticorruption programs, technology, and targeting terrorist financing.
Strengthen the Capacity of the UN and Regional Organizations to Prevent and Respond to Deadly Violence. Barack Obama and Joe Biden support renewed US leadership in support of effective United Nations and regional peace operations. Such missions engage nations around the world to bring stable peace to war-torn regions; to establish the rule of law and to prevent state failure; to address threats that are not easily contained by borders and boundaries; and to halt atrocities and genocide. Yet, our expectations of the UN have often not been met -- because obstructionist member states have blocked timely action (as on Darfur and in the UN Human Rights Council) and because corruption and management failures have undermined the UN’s effectiveness. An Obama administration will pursue significant UN reforms at the same time as it improves the UN’s ability to conduct future peace and stability operations. It will also work with other multinational actors that deploy peacekeeping forces like the African Union, the European Union, the Economic Community of West African States, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to help strengthen their capacity to conduct such missions. Barack Obama and Joe Biden also believe that the US must provide the political leadership required so that UN missions are backed by workable political strategies. They will lead in the UN Security Council, work with Congress to ensure the US pays its peacekeeping assessments on time, and marry peacekeeping missions with serious diplomatic initiatives.
Establish Effective Global Health Infrastructure by 2020. Developing nations need effective health care systems that can support a healthy workforce, sustain economic gains, and protect the citizenry from the threat of contagious diseases that know no borders. This global health infrastructure also matters enormously to the United States, for when infectious disease spreads unabated, the security of Americans is immediately at risk. We need strengthened global cooperation to prevent and respond to the spread of deadly disease like extreme drug resistant tuberculosis or, potentially, avian flu. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will take the lead at the G-8, working with and leveraging the engagement of the private sector and private philanthropy, to launch Health Infrastructure 2020 – a global effort to work with developing countries to invest in the full range of infrastructure needed to improve and protect both American and global health. A key part of this initiative will be an effort to address the health care brain drain from the world’s poorest countries by training new professionals who commit to sustained service in their home countries and by providing incentives for professionals already trained to stay in their home countries.
Launch the Global Energy and Environment Initiative (GEE). Climate change is a crisis that cannot be contained to one corner of the globe. Studies show that with each degree of warming, rice yields - the world's most significant crop - fall by 10 percent. By 2050 famine could displace more than 250 million people worldwide. In their energy plan, Barack Obama and Joe Biden call for the creation of a new Global Energy Forum of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters. They also make clear that we cannot ignore the developing countries that are being worst affected by climate change and force them to tackle adaptation on their own. To that end, they will call on the Global Energy Forum to launch the GEE Initiative to bring developing countries into the global effort to develop alternative sources of energy and prepare for the ravages of a changing climate. GEE will help build the capacity of the developing world to participate profitably in the global carbon market, promote the transfer of viable and affordable technologies, and ensure that a substantial portion of increased research and development funds is allocated to technology adaptation appropriate to the poorest countries. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will incorporate climate change and energy development goals into all tools of U.S. economic engagement, including assistance programs, trade agreements, and debt relief initiatives and help developing countries prepare for climate change by spurring the development of an open source, real time mapping system to forecast the impacts of climate change country-by country. An Obama administration will also create an Emerging Market Energy Fund, using USG funding to leverage the investment and venture capital needed to expand the developing world’s renewable energy portfolio.
Structuring the U.S. Government to Meet 21st Century Challenges
“To succeed, we must improve our civilian capacity. The finest military in the world is adapting to the challenges of the 21st century. But it cannot counter insurgent and terrorist threats without civilian counterparts who can carry out economic and political reconstruction missions – sometimes in dangerous places. As president, I will strengthen these civilian capacities, recruiting our best and brightest to take on this challenge. I will increase both the numbers and capabilities of our diplomats, development experts, and other civilians who can work alongside our military. We can’t just say there is no military solution to these problems.
We need to integrate all aspects of American might.” -- Barack Obama, Washington, August 1, 2007 In confronting unprecedented global challenges, a new commitment of resources will not be sufficient. As we have seen from the failure of the Bush administration’s reconstruction efforts in Iraq, assistance is not just money to be thrown at a problem – it is a tool we must use wisely to invest in a more secure and prosperous future.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden have called for the creation of a civilian assistance corps, and they will reform the infrastructure that manages U.S. foreign assistance. Today, what we call “foreign aid” is spread across 25 government agencies, programs, and initiatives, with too little of our taxpayers’ resources getting to the problem and no single person within our government responsible for directing and managing what should be one of our most powerful foreign policy tools. Successive administrations have talked the talk of reform, while proliferating agencies and programs such that American tax dollars are now spent in an uncoordinated and rigid manner at a time when accountable, flexible, and transparent processes are most needed.
Elevate, Streamline and Empower a 21st Century US Development Agency. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will lead an effort to modernize our foreign assistance policies, tools, and operations. They will coordinate and consolidate PEPFAR, Millennium Challenge Corporation, Middle East Partnership Initiative and many foreign assistance programs currently housed in more than 20 executive agencies into a restructured, empowered and streamlined USAID. They will ensure that this agency has the highest caliber leadership and plays a central role in the formulation and implementation of critical development and related foreign policy strategies. An empowered and elevated agency should be more nimble in the face of change and use tax dollars more responsibly. It is also essential to ensuring that development is established and endures as a key pillar of U.S. foreign policy. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will mobilize our civilian agencies to address a new set of global challenges and boost the stature of the government’s long-term development mission to attract the most talented professionals.
Expand our Development Corps: We cannot expect more of our foreign assistance dollars without also hiring, training, and supporting a substantial new cadre of development experts to lead our efforts. In the 1960s and 1970s, USAID was widely seen as the most effective bilateral development agency overseas—nearly 15,000 full time development professionals worked on behalf of the U.S. government around the globe. Today, USAID has only 1,100 Foreign Service direct hires deployed in 84 countries around the world. Half of these will be eligible to retire in less than five years. As part of his effort to reform foreign assistance, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will invest the necessary resources to staff a modern development agency prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.
Strengthen the State Department’s Capacity to Prevent and Respond to Conflict. The State Department has an essential role as our lead diplomatic agency to assess the risk of conflict in developing countries, to act quickly to prevent and forestall violence, and to spear-head efforts to stabilize countries in the aftermath of conflict. Although the Bush administration has committed itself to building civilian capacity to undertake conflict prevention and post-conflict stabilization activities, little authority and few resources have accompanied its rhetoric. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will ensure that the State Department has the authorities and resources it requires to lead U.S. government efforts to prevent and respond to conflict. They will increase the size of the Foreign Service, fully fund the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization and create a new Office of Conflict Prevention and Resolution with senior Ambassadors to support high-level negotiations and provide the expertise and capacity to seize opportunities or address crises as they arise. An Obama administration will also build a ready reserve corps of private civilians that can participate in post-conflict, humanitarian and stabilization efforts around the globe.
Integrate Civilian and Military Capacities to Promote Global Development and Democracy. As the U.S. confronts new global challenges, greater cooperation between civilian and military agencies is essential. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will create Mobile Development Teams (MDTs) that bring together personnel from the military, the Pentagon, the State Department, and USAID, fully integrating U.S. government efforts in counterterror, state-building and post-conflict operations. In Washington, an Obama administration will assert a powerful coordinating role for the National Security Council, with a Deputy National Security Advisor empowered to develop integrated strategies to build capable, democratic states and ensure policy coherence in the application of development and democracy programs as key elements of U.S. power.

Millennium Development Goals Conference

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release September 22, 2010
Remarks by the President at the Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York, New York
United Nations Headquarters, New York, New York
4:49 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. Mr. Secretary General, fellow delegates, ladies and gentlemen.

In the Charter of this United Nations, our countries pledged to work for “the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.” In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we recognized the inherent dignity and rights of every individual, including the right to a decent standard of living. And a decade ago, at the dawn of a new millennium, we set concrete goals to free our fellow men, women and children from the injustice of extreme poverty.

These are the standards that we set. And today, we must ask: Are we living up to our mutual responsibilities?
I suspect that some in wealthier countries may ask, with our economies struggling, so many people out of work, and so many families barely getting by, why a summit on development? And the answer is simple. In our global economy, progress in even the poorest countries can advance the prosperity and security of people far beyond their borders, including my fellow Americans.

When a child dies from a preventable disease, it shocks all of our consciences. When a girl is deprived of an education or her mother is denied equal rights, it undermines the prosperity of their nation. When a young entrepreneur can’t start a new business, it stymies the creation of new jobs and markets in that entrepreneur’s country, but also in our own. When millions of fathers cannot provide for their families, it feeds the despair that can fuel instability and violent extremism. When a disease goes unchecked, it can endanger the health of millions around the world.
So let’s put to rest the old myth that development is mere charity that does not serve our interests. And let’s reject the cynicism that says certain countries are condemned to perpetual poverty, for the past half century has witnessed more gains in human development than at any time in history. A disease that had ravaged the generations, smallpox, was eradicated. Health care has reached the far corners of the world, saving the lives of millions. From Latin America to Africa to Asia, developing nations have transformed into leaders in the global economy.

Nor can anyone deny the progress that has been made toward achieving certain Millennium Development Goals. The doors of education have been opened to tens of millions of children, boys and girls. New cases of HIV/AIDS and malaria and tuberculosis are down. Access to clean drinking water is up. Around the world, hundreds of millions of people have been lifted from extreme poverty. That is all for the good, and it’s a testimony to the extraordinary work that's been done both within countries and by the international community.

Yet we must also face the fact that progress towards other goals that were set has not come nearly fast enough. Not for the hundreds of thousands of women who lose their lives every year simply giving birth. Not for the millions of children who die from agony of malnutrition. Not for the nearly one billion people who endure the misery of chronic hunger.

This is the reality we must face -- that if the international community just keeps doing the same things the same way, we may make some modest progress here and there, but we will miss many development goals. That is the truth. With 10 years down and just five years before our development targets come due, we must do better.
Now, I know that helping communities and countries realize a better future is not easy. I’ve seen it in my own life. I saw it in my mother, as she worked to lift up the rural poor, from Indonesia to Pakistan. I saw it on the streets of Chicago, where I worked as a community organizer trying to build up underdeveloped neighborhoods in this country. It is hard work. But I know progress is possible.
As President, I have made it clear that the United States will do our part. My national security strategy recognizes development not only as a moral imperative, but a strategic and economic imperative. Secretary of State Clinton is leading a review to strengthen and better coordinate our diplomacy and our development efforts. We’ve reengaged with multilateral development institutions. And we are rebuilding the United States Agency for International Development as the world’s premier development agency. In short, we’re making sure that the United States will be a global leader in international development in the 21st century.
We also recognize, though, that the old ways will not suffice. That’s why in Ghana last year I called for a new approach to development that unleashes transformational change and allows more people to take control of their own destiny. After all, no country wants to be dependent on another. No proud leader in this room wants to ask for aid. No family wants to be beholden to the assistance of others.
To pursue this vision, my administration conducted a comprehensive review of America’s development programs. We listened to leaders in government, NGOs and civil society, the private sector and philanthropy, Congress and our many international partners.

And today, I’m announcing our new U.S. Global Development Policy -- the first of its kind by an American administration. It’s rooted in America’s enduring commitment to the dignity and potential of every human being. And it outlines our new approach and the new thinking that will guide our overall development efforts, including the plan that I promised last year and that my administration has delivered to pursue the Millennium Development Goals. Put simply, the United States is changing the way we do business.

First, we’re changing how we define development. For too long, we’ve measured our efforts by the dollars we spent and the food and medicines that we delivered. But aid alone is not development. Development is helping nations to actually develop -- moving from poverty to prosperity. And we need more than just aid to unleash that change. We need to harness all the tools at our disposal -- from our diplomacy to our trade policies to our investment policies.
Second, we are changing how we view the ultimate goal of development. Our focus on assistance has saved lives in the short term, but it hasn’t always improved those societies over the long term. Consider the millions of people who have relied on food assistance for decades. That’s not development, that’s dependence, and it’s a cycle we need to break. Instead of just managing poverty, we have to offer nations and peoples a path out of poverty.
Now, let me be clear, the United States of America has been, and will remain, the global leader in providing assistance. We will not abandon those who depend on us for life-saving help -- whether it’s food or medicine. We will keep our promises and honor our commitments.
In fact, my administration has increased assistance to the least developed countries. We’re working with partners to finally eradicate polio. We’re building on the good efforts of my predecessor to continue to increase funds to fight HIV/AIDS, increasing those funds to record levels -- and that includes strengthening our commitment to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria. And we will lead in times of crisis, as we’ve done since the earthquake in Haiti and the floods in Pakistan.
But the purpose of development -- what’s needed most right now -- is creating the conditions where assistance is no longer needed. So we will seek partners who want to build their own capacity to provide for their people. We will seek development that is sustainable.
And building in part on the lessons of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which has helped countries like El Salvador build rural roads and raise the incomes of its people, we will invest in the capacity of countries that are proving their commitment to development.
Remembering the lessons of the Green Revolution, we’re expanding scientific collaboration with other countries and investing in game-changing science and technology to help spark historic leaps in development.

For example, instead of just treating HIV/AIDS, we’ve invested in pioneering research to finally develop a way to help millions of women actually prevent themselves from being infected in the first place.

Instead of simply handing out food, our food security initiative is helping countries like Guatemala and Rwanda and Bangladesh develop their agriculture and improve crop yields and help farmers get their products to market.

Instead of simply delivering medicine, our Global Health Initiative is also helping countries like Mali and Nepal build stronger health systems and better deliver care. And with financial and technical assistance, we’ll help developing countries embrace the clean energy technologies they need to adapt to climate change and pursue low-carbon growth.

In other words, we’re making it clear that we will partner with countries that are willing to take the lead. Because the days when your development was dictated by foreign capitals must come to an end. (Applause.)
This brings me to a third pillar of our new approach. To unleash transformational change, we’re putting a new emphasis on the most powerful force the world has ever known for eradicating poverty and creating opportunity. It’s the force that turned South Korea from a recipient of aid to a donor of aid. It’s the force that has raised living standards from Brazil to India. And it’s the force that has allowed emerging African countries like Ethiopia and Malawi and Mozambique to defy the odds and make real progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, even as some of their neighbors -- like Cote d’Ivoire -- have lagged.
The force I’m speaking about is broad-based economic growth. Now, every nation will pursue its own path to prosperity. But decades of experience tell us there are certain ingredients upon which sustainable growth and lasting development depends.
We know that countries are more likely to prosper when they encourage entrepreneurship; when they invest in their infrastructure; when they expand trade and welcome investment. So we will partner with countries like Sierra Leone to create business environments that are attractive to investment, that don't scare it away. We’ll work to break down barriers to regional trade and urge nations to open their markets to developing countries. We will keep pushing for a Doha Round that is ambitious and balanced --one that works not just for major emerging economies, but for all economies.
We also know that countries are more likely to prosper when governments are accountable to their people. So we are leading a global effort to combat corruption, which in many places is the single greatest barrier to prosperity, and which is a profound violation of human rights. That’s why we now require oil, gas and mining companies that raise capital in the United States to disclose all payments they make to foreign governments. And it’s why I urged the G20 to put corruption on its agenda and make it harder for corrupt officials to steal from their own people and stifle their nation’s development.
The United States will focus our development efforts on countries like Tanzania that promote good governance and democracy; the rule of law and equal administration of justice; transparent institutions with strong civil societies; and respect for human rights. Because over the long run, democracy and economic growth go hand in hand.
We will reach out to countries making transitions from authoritarianism to democracy, and from war to peace. The people of Liberia, for example, show that even after years of war, great progress can be achieved. And as others show the courage to put war behind them -- including, we hope, in Sudan -- the United States will stand with those who seek to build and sustain peace.

We also know that countries are more likely to prosper when they tap the talents of all their people. And that’s why we’re investing in the health, education and rights of women, and working to empower the next generation of women entrepreneurs and leaders. Because when mothers and daughters have access to opportunity, that's when economies grow, that's when governance improves.
And it’s why we’re partnering with young people, who in many developing countries are more than half the population. We’re expanding educational exchanges, like the one that brought my father here to America from Kenya. And we’re helping young entrepreneurs succeed in a global economy.
And as the final pillar of our new approach, we will insist on more responsibility -- from ourselves and from others. We insist on mutual accountability.
For our part, we’ll work with Congress to better match our investments with the priorities of our partner countries. Guided by the evidence, we will invest in programs that work; we’ll end those that don’t. We need to be big-hearted but also hard-headed in our approach to development.
To my fellow donor nations: Let’s honor our respective commitments. (Applause.) Let’s resolve to put an end to hollow promises that are not kept. Let’s commit to the same transparency that we expect from others. Let’s move beyond the old, narrow debate over how much money we’re spending, and instead let’s focus on results -- whether we’re actually making improvements in people’s lives.
Now, to developing countries, this must be your moment of responsibility as well. We want you to prosper and succeed -- it is not only in your interest, it is in our interests. We want to help you realize your aspirations as a nation and the individuals in each of your countries.
But there is no substitute for your leadership. Only you and your people can make the tough choices that will unleash the dynamism of your country. Only you can make the sustainable investments that improve the health and well-being of your people. Only you can deliver your nations to a more prosperous and just future. We can be partners, but ultimately you have to take the lead.
Finally, let me say this. No one nation can do everything everywhere and still do it well. To meet our goals, we must be more selective and focus our efforts where we have the best partners and where we can have the greatest impact. And just as this work cannot be done by any one government, it can’t be the work of governments alone. In fact, foundations and private sector and NGOs are making historic commitments that have redefined what’s possible.
And this gives us the opportunity to forge a new division of labor for development in the 21st century. It’s a division of labor where, instead of so much duplication and inefficiency, governments and multilaterals and NGOs are all working together. We each do the piece that we do best -- as we’re doing, for example, in support of Ghana’s food security plan, which will help more farmers get more goods to market and earn more money to support their families.
So that’s the progress that’s possible. Together, we can collaborate in ways unimaginable just a few years ago. Together, we can realize the future that none of us can achieve alone. Together, we can deliver historic leaps in development. We can do this. But only if we move forward with the seriousness and sense of common purpose that this moment demands.
Development that offers a path out of poverty for that child who deserves better. Development that builds the capacity of countries to deliver the health care and education that their people need. Development that unleashes broader prosperity and builds the next generation of entrepreneurs and emerging economies. Development rooted in shared responsibility, mutual accountability and, most of all, concrete results that pull communities and countries from poverty to prosperity.
These are the elements of America’s new approach. This is the work that we can do together. And this can be our plan -- not simply for meeting our Millennium Development Goals, but for exceeding them, and then sustaining them for generations to come.

Thank you very much, everyone. Thank you.

2011 Budget

The Office of Management and Budget noted on their website that the 2011 budget put the US on a path to double foreign aid by 2015.

U.S. Department of State and Other International Programs
2010 Budget: $53.9 billion
2009 level: $49.8 billion (includes enacted baseline, Recovery Act, and requested supplemental funding)
By increasing foreign assistance and expanding diplomatic and development capacity, the United States is renewing its leadership role in the global community. The President’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget provides $53.9 billion to the Department of State and other international programs, of which $36.5 billion is for foreign assistance. The foreign assistance budget will save lives and improve the health of mothers and children through global health programs, foster global food security through sustainable agriculture, increase the size of the Peace Corps, and stabilize post-conflict states. The budget will also support increased access to quality basic education for children in the poorest countries, reinvigorate efforts to counter proliferation, terrorism, and transnational crime, and expand diplomatic and development operations by increasing the size of the Foreign Service at both the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In addition, the budget expands non-military assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and strengthens assistance to help Iraqis who have been displaced because of the war. To increase transparency, the budget reduces reliance on emergency supplemental appropriations by funding expenses that are predictable and recurring.
Puts the United States on a path to double foreign assistance by 2015. By increasing foreign assistance, the United States will reach out to the global community and renew its role as a leader in global development and diplomacy. Funding will enable the United States to make key strategic investments to combat terrorism and transnational crime, improve global education and health, reduce poverty, build global food security, expand the Peace Corps, address climate change, and bolster conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction efforts, among other priorities.
Increases funding for global health programs. The Administration will continue to build on its commitment to save lives through increasing investments in global health programs, including in areas such as maternal and child health, family planning, neglected diseases, health systems, and other core health programs, while also emphasizing a commitment to HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB) through successful programs such as the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative. To reach ambitious goals to prevent new HIV infections, reduce mortality of mothers and children under five, avert millions of unintended pregnancies, and eliminate some neglected diseases, the budget puts the United States on a path to invest $63 billion over six years (2009-2014) for global health programs.

Total Foreign Aid

The chart below shows the foreign aid by the US for several years from 1980 to the present. The information is taken from the census bureau charts.

Foreign Aid by Country - 2008

The information below shows the foreign aid by the US by country for 2008 - the latest available data. This data was taken from census bureau information.

References

[1] Website: New York Times Article: Obama Outlines His Foreign Policy Views Author: JEFF ZELENY Accessed on: 03/08/2011

[2] Website: WhiteHouse.gov - OMB Article: U.S. Department of State and Other International Programs Author: NA Accessed on: 03/08/2011

[3] Website: US Census Bureau Article: Foreign Commerce & Aid: Foreign Aid Author: NA Accessed on: 03/08/2011

Barack Obama - International Aid

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