Lack Of Leadership At USAID Limits Effectiveness Of U.S. Foreign Assistance
UPDATE, Nov 10, 2009: President Obama today nominated Rajiv Shah to head the U.S. Agency for International Development. Read InterAction President & CEO Samuel Worthington's statement on the nomination.
In today’s volatile world, natural disasters, unstable governments and epidemics continue to threaten the lives of millions. The world’s poorest people are hit the hardest, relying on humanitarian relief and foreign assistance to survive crises, rebuild their communities after conflict or disaster and to lay the groundwork for and sustain future economic development. The United States provides more bilateral emergency assistance to countries in crisis than any other nation. In 2008, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—our country’s lead agency on humanitarian and development efforts—provided $553 million in emergency relief supplies and to support humanitarian responses in 62 countries.
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NPR Interview: Vacancy At Helm Of U.S. Aid Agency Spurs Concerns |
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"Obama administration's foreign aid job left open" (Associated Press) |
Unfortunately, as it currently operates, USAID is an inefficient organization with an outdated structure which lacks a coherent focus. More startling, President Obama has yet to appoint anyone to lead the agency. The absence of a USAID administrator has severely hindered U.S. humanitarian and development assistance during the past eight months. Not having this key position filled in time for the Afghanistan-Pakistan policy review or planning for the aftermath of the Gaza crisis was a missed opportunity for the administration’s foreign policy team and illustrates the importance of filling this position very soon. Without a permanent USAID administrator, other agencies within the U.S. government and nongovernmental international development organizations alike are left with no leadership to engage on an increasing number of critical foreign assistance policy issues. Equally unfortunate is that this deficit in leadership has led to a rising trend in transferring development issues to other U.S. government agencies, including the military branches. Currently, 25 federal agencies are responsible for administering foreign assistance, creating great disconnect among them and further reducing the power, autonomy and purpose of USAID.
As our members continue working in the communities affected by the recent earthquakes and flooding throughout Southeast Asia, the InterAction alliance seeks to amplify the importance of effective and efficient solutions to crisis situations and the needs of vulnerable communities. We encourage President Obama to appoint a qualified USAID administrator promptly in order to ensure assistance reaches those who need it most.
