In July 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Recognizing that the policies of many bureaus and offices within USAID and State are relics of the Cold War and compete directly with one another or provide redundant and ineffective aid, the secretary mandated a wholesale review of the institutions’ programs and competencies. The stated goal of the one-year QDDR process is to make State and USAID more agile, responsive and complementary to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals in the 21st century. 

At the same time that the QDDR process got underway, President Obama issued a Presidential Study Directive (PSD) charging the National Security Council and National Economic Council to undertake a full-scale review of the U.S. government’s foreign assistance framework, from military to police security assistance, from trade policies to development assistance. It is expected that the QDDR will be informed by the PSD process, which is scheduled to conclude in January 2010 with a report submitted to the president.

The QDDR will pursue long-term results by focusing on five strategic areas: building a global architecture of cooperation (QDDR 1 ); leading and supporting whole-of-government solutions (QDDR 2 ); investing in the building blocks of stronger societies (QDDR 3 ); preventing and responding to crises and conflicts (QDDR 4 ); and building operational and resource platforms for success (QDDR 5 ).

InterAction’s Response

InterAction has set up five working groups co-chaired by members of InterAction’s Task Force on Foreign Aid Reform (TFFAR) that mirror the QDDR U.S. government working groups. In addition, 28 InterAction CEOs are working closely with InterAction President and CEO Samuel Worthington on the various congressional and administration-led foreign aid reform processes. InterAction’s foreign aid reform work is staffed by Sarah Farnsworth, Filmona Hailemichael and Todd Shelton.

Areas of Review of the State-USAID QDDR Working Groups

QDDR 1: Building a Global Architecture of Cooperation
Addressing Global Challenges through Partnerships and Strategic Engagement

Co-chairs: Dennis Shin (Catholic Relief Services) and Jessica McGlyn (World Wildlife Fund)

What capabilities do the State Department and USAID need to address global challenges through partnerships and strategic engagement? What is the ability of the U.S. government to strategically shape, mobilize and leverage international partnerships to address a wide range of global issues and challenges? The team will assess the strategic framework for bilateral and multilateral engagement and look for opportunities to integrate public diplomacy, partnership with NGO actors and new methods of communications to mobilize and lead collective action.

>> Assist InterAction's QDDR-1 Task Force in preparing and presenting policy recommendations.

QDDR 2: Leading and supporting whole-of-government solutions
Formulating Foreign Policy Strategy and Approaches that Integrate all Tools of American Power

Co-chairs:  John D. Lawrence (International Foundation for Electoral Systems) and Serge Duss (International Medical Corps)

What capabilities do we need to lead the formulation of foreign policy strategies and approaches that integrate all tools of U.S. power? Focusing on the institutional roles of USAID and the Department of State in implementing interagency, whole-of-government approaches to U.S. foreign policy, this group will examine how to elevate and strengthen the voices of State and USAID in Washington and in the field. It will look at defining nodes of collaboration in policy planning and programs, integrating contributions of key U.S. government stakeholders—including civil-military joint planning capabilities and economic policy planning with the Department of the Treasury, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and others—and organizing for effective whole-of-government solutions in the field, such as building common country strategies for more effective country teams and field operation coordination.

>> Assist InterAction's QDDR-2 Task Force in preparing and presenting policy recommendations.

QDDR 3: Investing in the building blocks of stronger societies
Implementing 21st Century Approaches to Achieve Measurable, Sustainable Progress in Security and Well-Being

Co-chairs: Carlisle Levine (CARE) and John Coonrod (The Hunger Project)

What capabilities do we need to implement 21st century strategies that achieve measurable, sustainable progress in security and well-being? This group will assess the ability of State and USAID to have sustained impacts on the ground and examine how current approaches, policies and methods can be improved to more effectively promote economic growth, good governance and security. This assessment will include an exploration of how to better leverage existing development and diplomacy capabilities to achieve development goals, strengthen local civilian security capacity and coordinate with other donors and institutions.

>> Assist InterAction's QDDR-3 Task Force in preparing and presenting policy recommendations.

QDDR 4: Preventing and responding to crises and conflicts
Building and Deploying an Effective Civilian Capacity to Address Crises, Conflicts and Countries in Transition

Co-chairs: Kathleen Campbell / Michael Klosson (Save the Children) and Jeremy Konyndyke (Mercy Corps)
InterAction Staff: Linda Poteat

What capabilities do we need to build and deploy an effective civilian operational capacity to address crises, conflicts, ungoverned spaces and countries in transition? This group will target conflict prevention and response to ensure that U.S. development and diplomacy capabilities can be quickly and efficiently deployed in a variety of environments. It will examine building a civilian operations capability and culture for humanitarian, stabilization and reconstruction needs. The group’s mission is to delineate and define the appropriate divisions of labor and build capabilities within State and USAID to be more effective partners with the Department of Defense.

>> Assist InterAction's QDDR-4 Task Force in preparing and presenting policy recommendations.

QDDR 5: Building operational and resource platforms for success
Developing the People, Processes, and Systems for Flexible, Responsive Operations and Efficient Use of Resources

Co-chairs: Mike Walsh (InsideNGO), Randy Tift (World Vision) and Corbin Lyday (Heifer International)

How can we develop the people, processes and systems for flexible, responsive operations and efficient use of resources? This group will examine the changes to processes, human resources and operations that would be necessary to allow State and USAID to successfully carry out their roles and responsibilities in U.S. foreign policy. The group will address strategies for maximizing resources and increasing efficiency in Washington and in the field, and examine the incumbent issues related to the hiring and training of personnel, planning, budget and reporting processes, and contracting, oversight and procurement systems.

>> Assist InterAction's QDDR-5 Task Force in preparing and presenting policy recommendations.

Remarks, Speeches and References to the QDDR

• Department of State
• USAID