Five former administrators confirm the importance of adding the head of USAID to the NSC

By: Les Munson, Larry Nowels, Tessie San Martin
June 8, 2021

The Biden-Harris administration inherits a world facing multiple transnational crises that will require that the U.S. provides holistic leadership from the full suite of U.S. international engagement — development, diplomacy, economic, and defense. President Biden took a strong step in this direction when he nominated Ambassador Samantha Power as administrator of the U.S. Agency for … Continue reading Five former administrators confirm the importance of adding the head of USAID to the NSC

Meeting the Global Development and Humanitarian Challenges of our Time: Assessing the Biden-Harris Administration’s First 100 Days

By: Conor Savoy
May 12, 2021

The Biden-Harris administration took office in a turbulent time amidst cascading global challenges. The health and socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 have deepened already-existing inequalities and reversed hard-fought development and humanitarian gains from the past decades. Mounting great power competition, climate change, and the increasing concentration of the world’s poor in fragile states, all require an … Continue reading Meeting the Global Development and Humanitarian Challenges of our Time: Assessing the Biden-Harris Administration’s First 100 Days

Key Lessons for Effective Foreign Assistance from USAID’s COVID-19 Response

By: Nora O’Connell, Save the Children; Justin Fugle, Plan International USA; and Lori Rowley, The Lugar Center
February 25, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the health and health systems of countries around the world and taken a serious toll on economies and societies. The World Bank estimates that an additional 100 million people have been pushed into poverty due to the economic impact of the pandemic. 130 million people in three dozen countries including … Continue reading Key Lessons for Effective Foreign Assistance from USAID’s COVID-19 Response

Principles to Practice: How local organizations and INGOs are working locally for an effective pandemic response

By: MFAN
September 24, 2020

As the predominant global development and humanitarian donor, the U.S. government will shape the global response to COVID-19, helping to save lives and curtail economic losses across the world. The United States leading an effective COVID-19 response in the developing world will protect the American people by limiting the resurgence of the disease, mitigating the … Continue reading Principles to Practice: How local organizations and INGOs are working locally for an effective pandemic response

Working Locally for an Effective Pandemic Response

By: MFAN
September 3, 2020

There are six areas that the U.S. government should focus on in order to lead a successful pandemic response globally. One of these critical areas is working directly with local governments and civil society organizations. With transportation routes closed and supply chains disrupted, U.S. assistance must be leveraged to help communities protect their own health … Continue reading Working Locally for an Effective Pandemic Response

The Development Finance Corporation at Six Months: Early Successes and Challenges

By: MFAN
July 15, 2020

On October 25, 2018, President Trump signed the BUILD Act, one of the most significant reforms to U.S. foreign assistance in decades. The BUILD Act combined the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) with USAID’s Development Credit Authority (DCA) into a new U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The new DFC has a strengthened mandate to … Continue reading The Development Finance Corporation at Six Months: Early Successes and Challenges

WATCH: Responding to COVID-19 Globally: Policy Recommendations for Effective Foreign Assistance

By: MFAN
May 26, 2020

On May 26th, MFAN hosted Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL) followed by panelists Jeff Sturchio, CEO of Rabin Martin, Tessie San Martin, CEO of Plan International USA, Lester Munson, Principal at BGR Group, and Larry Nowels to discuss an effective global response to the COVID-19 crisis. Representative Yoho led with remarks on the power of foreign … Continue reading WATCH: Responding to COVID-19 Globally: Policy Recommendations for Effective Foreign Assistance

To Succeed in its Journey to Self-Reliance Approach with Partner Countries, USAID needs a Civil Society Strategy

By: Lori Rowley, The Lugar Center & Nora O'Connell, Save the Children
April 1, 2020

Under the leadership of Administrator Mark Green, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has spent the past three years developing a new vision in its relationship with partner countries: the Journey to Self-Reliance. This refocusing of how the U.S. provides foreign assistance is being implemented through a series of new policies and partnerships. However, … Continue reading To Succeed in its Journey to Self-Reliance Approach with Partner Countries, USAID needs a Civil Society Strategy

We’re seeing the effects of budget instability on the ground

By: Bill O'Keefe
January 28, 2020

In a recent column in The Hill, I reflected on the disappointing turn that I witnessed as my organization, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), learned that our project meant to help feed and train people emerging from the Ebola crisis, had been terminated early. The program in Sierra Leone, funded by the U.S. government, was in … Continue reading We’re seeing the effects of budget instability on the ground

Types of Foreign Assistance and American Interests

By: MFAN
January 21, 2020

 At around 1% of the federal budget, all types of U.S. foreign assistance advance American interests and national security.  While some foreign aid is designed for immediate strategic considerations, U.S. development and humanitarian aid should be free from transactional use. Humanitarian aid should never be diverted for political or strategic purposes or subject to unreasonable cuts … Continue reading Types of Foreign Assistance and American Interests