U.S. Foreign Assistance can be a challenging political issue due to widespread belief that it consumes a large share of the federal budget. Much attention is paid to the risks and failures in U.S. foreign assistance, while the many successes occur quietly in the background, from the Marshall Plan in Europe after World War II to the creation of PEPFAR in 2003, which has saved millions of lives.
Take Croatia, for example. While Americans today may see Croatia as a dream vacation spot or a soccer World Cup heavyweight, it was as recent as the 1990’s that Croatia was both part of a communist empire and fought a civil war which resulted in genocide and countless displaced people. Following these events, the U.S. utilized its foreign assistance tools to create a peaceful transition that catapulted Croatia from a bleak future to its accession into the European Union and economic revival. One of the only Balkan states in the European Union, Croatia’s economic development and strengthening of civil society were aided from the onset by U.S. initiatives led by USAID. Croatia is now a strong democracy and a key economic, military, and diplomatic partner for the United States.
Croatia is one of many success stories that highlight the transformative impact of U.S. foreign assistance.
In a new several part series beginning with Croatia, MFAN will highlight the success stories of U.S. foreign assistance and why it’s important more than ever to support America’s global leadership.
Read MFAN’s first of several success stories on U.S. foreign assistance.
