Excerpts of Remarks by Secretary of State Clinton, July 8, 2010Footnote 1
Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks in Washington, DC
Secretary Clinton. Innovation, science, and technology must again become fundamental components of how we conduct development work and the only way we can do that is with your help. We want your ideas, we want your guidance, and we want every so often a prod if we're not producing what you think we're capable of producing. I've said many times that while talent may be distributed universally, opportunity is not. And the reality of the world we live in today is that technology and innovation are the great equalizers and can be used to create opportunity where there is very little of that commodity.
Over the last 17 years and particularly in the last year and a half, I've seen that happening. I've seen it happening in Kenya where farmers have had their incomes grow by as much as 30 percent since they started using mobile banking technology. In Bangladesh where more than 300,000 people, which is just unimaginable—but 300,000 people, Paul, had signed up to learn English on their mobile phones. In Sub-Saharan Africa, women entrepreneurs are using the internet to get microcredit loans. And in many countries, text-based tip lines are providing unprecedented access to expert advice on everything from agriculture to healthcare. And we need to replicate that progress and take it to scale in the lives of the billion people at the bottom of the world's economic ladder.
Innovation and technology can do for human development today what the Green Revolution did for agriculture. And we can generate significant yields from very modest inputs. One recent World Bank study showed that in a typical developing country, a 10 percent increase in the penetration rate of mobile phones led to an almost 1 percent increase in per capita GDP. And that's something, as Megan's story reminds us, children get right away. They know that there's opportunity waiting with that mobile phone.
We've had so many of you here as you've been talking who are doing really extraordinary work. And we need to recognize that although we won't have all the answers, we need to act on the best answers we can come up with. We can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We also need to nurture organic and locally produced solutions.
And here in the government, we are studying the most successful models of mobile banking and working with NGOs, financial institutions, and governments to explore new applications. We're pushing to expand internet access across the world. In January, I spoke about the freedom to connect when I laid out our internet freedom agenda. And we are committed to standing behind that agenda.
We also see innovation as a tool for building civil society not only to help organize people, but to hold governments accountable. The more we can move toward E-government, the more we can reduce corruption. Because if someone can sign up for that business license by going online, that is far fewer hands that money has to pass through. So it not only brings the actual positive outputs we're seeking, but it does hold out the potential of changing the process by which people see themselves as citizens and consumers. We're exploring new mechanisms for promoting innovation, such as prizes and competitions that encourage more people to put their own intellectual capital to work. And we're strengthening our bilateral partnerships through science diplomacy. It's one of President Obama's goals which is to have science envoys, and some of you either have been, or I hope will be, among our science envoys to break down political boundaries.
So all of this work is important and it's a great start. And I've heard the word “transformation” used a couple of times in just the past hour, but it's not enough. We have to have more accountability. And this is not only a goal that we have, but it permeates everything we are trying to do in the State Department and USAID. We really want to know if what we're doing works, because if it doesn't, let's try something else. Let's not just keep doing the same thing over and over again because it's what we've always done. That is a matter of literal life and death in our development work.
So what we hope is that we can develop accountability measures, and I love the idea of using mobile technology to report data back. So it's not just giving out information; it is a means for acquiring information and doing the analysis that flows from that. We did it before. The Green Revolution is the most cited example for a good reason, because it was USAID-funded discoveries in agriculture that really turned the tide on hunger in so many places and provided support for local farmers. It is also true that as we look at the challenges in development today, we have to constantly be assessing the consequences of what we consider to be development.
Just a very quick story. All those 5 billion cell phones, well, there are, literally, people in villages in Africa and Asia who have cell phones but don't have the money to send their own children to school. So now, clearly, they're willing to pay for the cell phone, but they're not going to pay the school fees that a society and a government demand. So we have to try to figure how we have a matrix of development needs that are recognized as intersecting and interacting, so that we cannot have more unintended consequences than we should expect to have. And I think that's the constant question that those of us who are looking at this from a big scale of where we are and where we need to go have to ask ourselves.
Raj and I spend a lot of time worrying—or he worries and then tells me, and then I worry, too–about the markets we need to create in a country like Haiti. Too much direct food delivery destroys the market that existed. So, yeah, we're feeding people, and then all of a sudden, within a year or two, the systems that existed before an earthquake or a conflict have been paralyzed, if not destroyed. We did what we thought we needed to do at the time, but the consequences are ones we have to cope with.
So every step along the way, we have to ask ourselves a lot of hard questions. But that's why we want you all to be involved because we need your ideas, we need your experiences, we need your encouragement, we need your constructive criticism, because we want to maintain the excitement that has come from the last 24 hours and translate it into the positive work that development in the 21st century requires.
So thank you. Thank you very much for being part of this grand adventure to meet the grand challenges of our time.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, July 13, 2010Footnote 2
In order to improve the quality of healthcare in Nigeria, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant today to the Children's American Medical Center (CAMC), a pediatric specialist hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. The grant will benefit CAMC by developing specifications for equipment, personnel, facilities, and other requirements to help the hospital meet international medical standards, significantly improving the availability and quality of healthcare in Africa's largest city.
USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak described the technical assistance project as an important step for Nigeria to develop its healthcare sector. The grant will also create business opportunities for U.S. companies who provide medical equipment and consumables.
“This technical assistance grant will assist CAMC in developing a hospital capable of performing advanced medical procedures at an internationally recognized level of care,” said Director Zak when she conferred the $289,000 grant at USTDA's office in Arlington, Virginia. “The technical assistance contractor, the Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C., will be able to use its expertise and experience in hospital development to guide CAMC as it seeks to become the premier pediatric facility in West Africa.”
Conceptualized by a pair of Nigerian-American doctors, Dr. Adora Wonodi and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ikwunga Wonodi, CAMC is envisioned as an 80 bed hospital which would feature a neonatal intensive care unit, biomedical research laboratory, teaching facilities, and a children's health outreach program.
In addition to recommending equipment, practices and procedures, the USTDA-funded technical assistance grant will assist CAMC in reaching out to prospective private-sector sponsors in the Lagos area who may be willing to fund the cost of treatment for patients who might not otherwise be able to afford medical care.
Remarks by USAID Administrator Dr. Shah, July 19, 2010Footnote 3
Administrator Rajiv Shah delivered this statement in Washington, DC
Administrator Shah. USAID is proud to be the major funder of the first-ever proof of concept that a microbicide can effectively and safely reduce the transmission of HIV from men to vulnerable women. An achievement of this magnitude could not have been possible without collaboration among governments, scientists, communities, and individual women at risk of HIV.
I congratulate the Principal Investigators and study staff at CAPRISA, the partners in South Africa, the CONRAD Program and Family Health International, and, most importantly, the 889 courageous women in Durban, South Africa who volunteered for this clinical trial.
CAPRISA 004 provides solid evidence that the use of an antiretroviral-based microbicide gel (1% Tenofovir) can significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection in women. These results are an important first step toward establishing the effectiveness of using antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection. After these results are confirmed in an ongoing and similar study supported by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other studies, we will work with partners at the global and country levels to integrate this product into programs. As a leader in implementation science, USAID will collaborate with PEPFAR, multi-lateral agencies, and partner countries to ensure the full benefits of this advance reach vulnerable women and girls across the world, particularly those in low-resource settings.
I am proud USAID is at the forefront of scientific innovation. CAPRISA 004 is a model for future research studies in which clinical trials will be led by in-country investigators backed up by the scientific and operational expertise of their U.S. colleagues. This approach builds the research capacity of the developing world, contributes to sustainable health systems, and exemplifies how President Obama's Global Health Initiative intends to leverage technology and innovation to improve health around the world.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, July 21, 2010Footnote 4
Following the commitment by Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev at the June 24th U.S.-Russia Summit to promote energy efficiency and green technology, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Russian Energy Agency (REA) on July 21 signed a Protocol of Intent to deepen collaboration on energy efficiency, “smart grid” technology, and clean energy. The agreement will foster partnerships with U.S. and Russian utilities, regulators and others to share information and best practices. Potential activities will reduce energy loss in electricity systems and decrease levels of carbon emissions to help mitigate climate change.
The signing occurred as a part of a larger program of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission Energy Working Group under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Russian Minister of Energy Sergey Shmatko.
The U.S. and Russia are among the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gasses per capita according to the World Bank. Both also have enormous potential for energy efficiency improvements. A report by the World Bank Group estimated that realizing its full energy efficiency potential could save Russia up to $80 billion annually.
During the signing ceremony, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe & Eurasia Jonathan Hale noted, “We both have a lot to gain from new cooperation. By bringing people together, we can have a more significant impact on global issues, including promoting energy efficiency and combating climate change. I look forward to meeting with the Russian Energy Agency in Moscow within the next several weeks to keep this opportunity moving forward.”
U. S. Energy Association Executive Director Barry K. Worthington also noted that American and Russian businesses have a lot to gain from this partnership. “We [both] have specific experiences…that can benefit our industry.”
The agreement with Russia is just one of USAID's efforts to improve energy efficiency, energy security, and clean energy technology in Europe and Eurasia and contribute to the President's goal of fighting global climate change.
The agency is implementing a $13.5 million Ukraine Municipal Heating Reform Program aimed at improving the institutional framework and strengthening the capacity to implement energy efficiency projects in municipal utility systems and residential buildings across the country. In Macedonia, USAID launched a pilot program with Habitat for Humanity, the International Resources Group, and local organizations to illustrate the impact of energy efficiency in low-income housing, which has potential to lower utility costs, reduce emissions, and create green jobs. USAID also has a regional strategic planning activity in cooperation with the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy development through collaboration in nine countries.
USAID looks forward to continuing and furthering cooperation with partners in Europe and Eurasia to promote energy efficiency and combat climate change. USAID Senior Counselor for Innovation Maura O’Neill said: “The awesome challenge of global climate change requires innovation and cooperation. Unleashing the wisdom and ingenuity in working government to government, people to people, business to business we can craft solutions that compel our economies forward.”
Remarks by Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Yohannes, July 22, 2010Footnote 5
CEO Yohannes. “Over the past six years, MCC has emerged as a unique and valuable tool for providing development assistance. A primary reason for MCC's success is our focus on one, well-defined mission: reducing poverty through economic growth. Going forward, our challenge and opportunity will be to continue to excel and keep pace with the changing demands. To meet the challenges ahead, MCC commits itself to a strategic plan focused on most effectively pursuing our mission. My vision, and my management team's vision, for MCC is based on five key priorities:
1. Renewed focus on results. Showing the results of MCC's investments is critical to the agency's growth. We will strengthen our economic analysis and monitoring of program outcomes to better capture and communicate results and to continually improve how we work.
2. Increasing MCC's use of new partnerships and new financing structures. We must leverage our work with the work of other organizations, non-traditional partners, and agencies. We will increase the emphasis placed on private sector participation in MCC programs and on the use of innovative program approaches.
3. Emphasizing effective policy reform. Continuing policy improvement at the macro and the sector levels is essential to bolstering the sustainability of MCC's investments. We will focus internal resources and leverage external expertise to support policy improvement in our partner countries and to integrate sector policy reform more effectively in project design.
4. Strengthening MCC's focus on gender and social assessment. We cannot lose sight of the fact that gender integration and social assessment issues play a central role in reducing poverty. We will ensure greater emphasis in these areas by expanding the number of staff dedicated to gender integration and social issues.
5. Improving organizational effectiveness. MCC can improve how it uses limited resources to achieve maximum effectiveness by realigning our structure to our business needs. MCC is combining the Department of Compact Development and the Department of Compact Implementation into one Department of Compact Operations; consolidating economics and monitoring and evaluation staff in an enhanced Department of Policy and Evaluation; and establishing a portfolio and risk management division within the Office of the CEO. The refined organizational structure will provide greater emphasis on policy reform, risk management, and results.
We are very proud of MCC's accomplishments to date and we continue to challenge ourselves to fulfill MCC's mission of poverty reduction through economic growth. I am confident that our focused strategy and our realigned structure will enhance the quality of our work and its impact and will better serve people around the world by ensuring the sustainability of U.S. development investments.”
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 2, 2010Footnote 6
During the U.S.—Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum today, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Director Leocadia I. Zak announced the Africa Clean Energy Solutions (ACES) Initiative, which will further the Agency's commitment to assist in the development of clean and sustainable sources of energy. The projects supported under the initiative will develop clean energy and energy efficiency solutions to support the continent's economic growth, as well as create job opportunities for workers in the United States.
In a discussion at the forum about deploying renewable energy and efficient technologies, Director Zak said that electricity users throughout Africa are looking to wean themselves from expensive and polluting diesel and coal power generation in favor of cleaner, more cost effective solutions to meet their power needs.
“U.S. companies are world leaders in providing both on-grid and off-grid clean energy solutions, and many are looking to the significant growth opportunities that Africa offers, both in terms of needs and availability of renewable energy resources,” remarked Director Zak who is a member of President Obama's Export Promotion Cabinet.
“The ACES initiative reaffirms USTDA's commitment to combating climate change through the application of innovative technologies,” she continued. “By supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, USTDA's programs aim to address one of Africa's greatest economic challenges.” Following her announcement, Director Zak signed four grant agreements to provide more than $2.9 million in USTDA funding under the ACES Initiative to support clean energy projects in Nigeria, Angola, and Kenya.
“Together, these activities will advance key objectives of the Obama Administration by reducing carbon emissions, promoting investment in clean energy technologies, and creating U.S. jobs associated with the export of advanced clean energy solutions,” Zak said. “Moreover, these grants will help each of the countries improve access to electricity in an environmentally friendly way.”
The grant funding will promote smart-grid technology in Nigeria, provide capacity building for Kenya's Geothermal Development Company, and improve electricity transmission and distribution in Angola.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded technical assistance and feasibility studies will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcements will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the FBO announcement. The USTDA grantees will select the U.S. contractors that will complete the technical assistance and feasibility studies.
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, August 3, 2010Footnote 7
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Chief Executive Officer Daniel W. Yohannes made closing remarks at the 2010 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Washington, D.C. today.
AGOA represents a progressive U.S. trade and investment policy toward the continent that is reducing barriers to trade, increasing diversified exports, creating jobs and expanding opportunities for Africans. AGOA provides trade preferences to designated countries that are making progress in economic and political reforms. There are currently 38 Sub-Saharan African countries that can take advantage of the trade benefits.
“We hope that this AGOA forum in Washington generates new ideas for improving Africa's ability to participate in the global market place. This engagement will help alleviate poverty and produce political stability in AGOA's second decade,” Mr. Yohannes stated. “Now more than ever, America's prosperity and security are linked with that of the developing world, including in Africa” Mr. Yohannes added.
African countries are the largest recipient of MCC's development assistance. Over 70 percent—more than $5 billion of MCC's global portfolio of $7.5 billion—benefits the people of Africa. MCC also helps African partner countries take greater advantage of AGOA opportunities—and other trading relationships—by building sound policies vital for trade and the physical links through which trade can flow.
MCC partnerships throughout Africa demonstrate how development assistance can attract the private sector and bolster trade. Through MCC investments, countries can become better partners for trade, which empowers them to fulfill AGOA's vision for stronger business relations and greater opportunities for private sector investment and commerce.
Following the AGOA Forum in Washington, D.C., MCC will also participate in the AGOA Forum sessions in Kansas City, Missouri, to discuss private sector opportunities in Africa, specifically related to agriculture-related companies.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, August 3 2010Footnote 8
USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe & Eurasia Jonathan Hale has met with Armenian Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan to discuss potential collaboration with the private sector on Information Technology (IT) projects.
In a four day visit to Armenia, Hale will explore and emphasize the innovative use of strategic alliances with the private sector, multilateral institutions, local government, civil society organizations and others to accomplish key development objectives. Public-private alliances bring together disparate groups to confront common challenges—from economic growth to health to environmental sustainability.
In the context of his meeting with Hale, Minister Yeritsyan said, “We look forward to partnering with USAID on the IT sector, which has great potential as Armenia has an advantage in this sector. We want companies to come to Armenia and create their innovative environments.”
In Armenia, the USAID Mission has leveraged resources through partnerships to foster private sector growth, promote environmental preservation, increase energy efficiency, and improve women's health and well-being. For instance, USAID/Armenia partnered with Sun Microsystems and the Enterprise Incubator Foundation to establish JAVA Teaching Laboratories in three major Armenian universities to train students in web-based software and to establish a Solution Development Center for IT companies, institutions, and individuals to test and develop integrated computer applications. USAID/Armenia is currently consulting with local firms, Armenian universities, and other high tech industry stakeholders to identify U.S. and Armenian private firms with the technical specializations sought as potential alliance partners to facilitate the commercialization of R&D, improvement in university training, and internet access beyond the capital of Yerevan.
USAID is a trailblazer in forming public-private alliances to enhance development outcomes. Since its establishment as a formal business model in 2001, the Agency's Global Development Alliance model has formed over 900 alliances with over 1,700 partners to advance key development objectives. In his remarks at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in April, President Obama highlighted the impact of building alliances, saying “there's so much more we can do together, in partnership, to foster opportunity and prosperity in all our countries.”
Throughout the Europe & Eurasia region, USAID Missions have formed partnerships to leverage taxpayer resources. USAID joined with local centers, multilateral institutions, and international private sector and non-profit organizations in Georgia for The Georgia Survive Project, which increases awareness, medical training, and screening services for breast health and cervical cancer. USAID/Bosnia and Herzegovina partnered with CISCO Systems and a local IT company to foster links between government and residents by building e-government capacity in the municipalities of Srebrenica and Bratunac.
Hale said, “Pubic private alliances are mutually beneficial. They further the impact of taxpayer money while enhancing the sustainability of the private sector, civil society organizations, and governments locally in Europe & Eurasia.”
Press Release from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, August 5, 2010Footnote 9
The Board of Directors of the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has approved a $434 million compact with the Government of the Philippines to reduce poverty through economic growth. Non-governmental organizations, private sector firms, and the Philippine government and people consulted extensively to design a homegrown program to address key constraints to sustainable development.
“Congratulations to the people and Government of the Philippines for tackling difficult challenges to create tangible opportunities for growth and prosperity,” said MCC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yohannes. “The Filipinos have articulated a clear vision to improve the quality of their lives through a technically, environmentally, and socially sound plan. I am confident that the country's ongoing commitment to positive reforms, accountability and transparency, and the timely implementation of the compact will deliver tangible results. “
The Philippines $434 million MCC compact provides funding for three major projects. First, the compact includes $54.3 million in investments to computerize and streamline business processes in the Bureau of Internal Revenue. This project will bolster the effectiveness of revenue collection and reduce opportunities for corruption.
Second, the compact includes $120 million to expand Kalahi-CIDSS, a community-based, rural development program. This innovative approach to development strengthens local accountability and empowers poor communities to design and drive the projects they need to increase their incomes and improve their lives.
Third, the compact includes $214.4 million to construct and repair 220 kilometers of Samar Road. This road, which passes through 15 municipalities, will improve access to markets and services for farmers, fishers, and small businesses in some of the poorest provinces in the Philippines.
The compact may be signed after a 15-day congressional notification period, which follows MCC Board approval.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, August 6 2010Footnote 10
In 2009, NGOs across Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia were at the forefront of the issues facing their societies, from elections to discrimination to environmental degradation, according to a new study released by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This study, released on July 30, is the 13th edition of the NGO Sustainability Index, a key analytical tool that measures the progress of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in this region.
NGOs have persevered in their efforts to raise public awareness, advocate for policy change, and deliver needed services, often in the face of formidable obstacles.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton toured the region in early July to highlight the important role that civil society organizations have played in democratic development. At the Community of Democracies in Krakow, she cited, “societies move forward when the citizens that make up these groups are empowered to transform common interests into common actions that serve the common good.”
USAID tracks the progress of the NGO sector in 29 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Contained in the 13-year collection is a historical record that provides substantial data on each country. Differences between the countries surveyed in this report are great, but the challenges facing NGOs are often surprisingly similar. NGOs from Latvia to Tajikistan strove to improve internal governance, to raise their visibility in the media, and to secure stable sources of funding. NGOs experienced government pressure and criticism in countries as diverse as Moldova, Montenegro, Slovakia and Belarus. The NGO Sustainability Index examines these and other key events and developments that affected the region's NGOs during the year.
Two articles in the Index highlight trends that significantly affect NGO sustainability in the region. In “The Quiet Revolution: How technology is changing the civil society landscape in Eastern Europe and Eurasia,” Ari Katz explores how NGOs are using different types of technology to advance their mission while Joerg Forbrig delves into the effects—both negative and positive—of the economic crisis in “Never waste a good crisis: The 2008 economic downturn and post-communist civil society.”
The NGO Sustainability Index examines the overall enabling environment for civil society, focusing on seven dimensions: legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, infrastructure, and public image. Each country report provides an in-depth analysis of the NGO sector along with comparative information regarding prior years’ dimension scores, which are encapsulated in easy-to-read charts. Dimension scores for 1997-2009 are summarized in Annex A. The full report can be found on USAID's Europe and Eurasia Website, http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eu rasia/dem_gov/ngoindex/2009.
USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe & Eurasia, Jonathan Hale noted, “A strong civil society is critical to effectively tackling a range of challenges from fighting global disease to strengthening government accountability. We are pleased to be able to offer this tool to our partners to highlight progress in civil society development in the region.”
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, August 13 2010Footnote 11
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today that it will award two separate, high-impact grants in Haiti to help earthquake-affected families meet their food needs from local markets with cash or vouchers. The innovative grants, the first two made in Haiti under USAID's new Emergency Food Security Program, were awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP) and Mercy Corps.
The Emergency Food Security Program is a new initiative managed by USAID's Office of Food for Peace. It provides grants for local or regional procurement of food commodities or for the use of cash or vouchers for the purchase of food in response to an emergency. It complements the use of U.S. Title II in-kind food aid when food purchased in the United States cannot arrive fast enough to respond to the emergency; when local or regional procurement, cash transfers or food voucher programs may be more appropriate than in-kind food aid from the United States due to market conditions; or when significantly more beneficiaries can be served through the use of local procurement, regional procurement, cash or vouchers.
These grants will be executed in conjunction with longer-term efforts to improve Haiti's food security through Feed the Future, the U.S. government's global hunger and food security initiative. Haiti is one of 20 focus countries where Feed the Future is working to accelerate inclusive agriculture sector growth through improved agricultural productivity; expanded markets and trade; and increased economic resilience in Haiti's vulnerable rural communities. In doing so, Feed the Future is addressing the root causes of hunger and building a lasting foundation for Haiti and other countries to better meet the needs and promote the security of their citizens. The United States is committed to aligning our investments with Haiti's priorities and building Haiti's capacity to engage in results-based planning and stakeholder consultation.
The grant to WFP, in the amount of $35 million, will cover the cash portion of WFP's cash and food-for-work program. The program has employed nearly 50,000 food-insecure men and women to date and, with this grant, will grow to 140,000 by the end of this year. Workers are paid with a mix of food and cash for activities including debris clearing and irrigation canal repair and drainage. With an average family size of five, the income earned by each worker is predicted to help improve the food security of more than 700,000 Haitians.
The grant to Mercy Corps, in the amount of $12.5 million, will provide food vouchers for 20,000 households totaling approximately 100,000 people in the Central Plateau and Lower Artibonite regions. Beneficiaries eligible to receive vouchers include those who have been displaced by the earthquake, households that have taken in displaced people, or households with a vulnerable member such as an elderly person, nursing mother or person living with HIV/AIDS.
The Mercy Corps program has registered 135 vendors in local markets to participate in its voucher distribution program, which runs through the end of March 2011. The vouchers, distributed each month to selected households, are redeemable among registered vendors for food staples such as grains, cooking oil and beans. Working with local vendors encourages the quick recovery of small businesses in the food supply/market chain and helps to spur local production by increasing the purchasing power of beneficiaries.
Research has shown that the benefits from cash and voucher programs such as these will extend not just to those participating in the programs, but also to the local food vendors and farmers who supply the food. These investments will help stimulate the food supply/market chain and maximize benefits for local agriculture and neighborhood markets.
“These innovative programs allow USAID to address Haiti's short-term needs with an eye toward its long-term economic development,” said Jon Brause, USAID's Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict & Humanitarian Assistance. “The cash and food vouchers we provide to Haitians will increase their ability to access critically needed food. At the same time, the beneficiaries will use the cash to buy food sold in local markets, supporting Haiti's agricultural sector.”
“As one of the four key areas in which USAID has focused its reconstruction efforts, agriculture is a critical component of Haiti's long-term recovery and a lynchpin of its economic development. We believe that these important grants are an innovative investment in both the immediate food security needs of the Haitian people and in their country's long-term success” said USAID's Haiti Task Team Coordinator, Paul Weisenfeld.
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years. For more information about USAID's programs, please visit: usaid.gov. To read IMPACT blog, see blog.usaid.gov.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 16, 2010Footnote 12
To better position leaders in U.S. healthcare technology in Egypt, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant yesterday to the Egyptian Ministry of Health to improve the pharmaceutical supply chain which will lead to a more efficient public health care system. Egypt's healthcare sector is expecting growth rates of 10 percent annually for the next five years, representing a key market for increased exports of U.S. technology and a driver of export growth under President Obama's National Export Initiative.
The USTDA grant will fund a feasibility study to examine how Egypt's pharmaceuticals supply chain could be enhanced with the introduction of data collection, inventory management, and process standardizations. The study will also focus on increasing communications in order to facilitate closer collaboration among stakeholders.
As a leader in health technology, U.S. equipment and service providers can play a key role in the development of state-of-the-art delivery of Egypt's healthcare system.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Scobey said, “The United States and Egypt have had a long history of cooperation in the healthcare sector, including implementing programs to improve health coverage of underserved populations and strengthening the technical and managerial capacity of the health sector to positively impact the well-being of the Egyptian population.”
“This USTDA grant is yet another opportunity for Egypt and the U.S. to work together, this time addressing the supply and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Egypt.”
The project is an integral part of the Ministry's health reform effort to provide cost effective and improved services to the public. Dr. Kamal Sabra, Assistant Minister of Health for Pharmaceutical Affairs in the Egyptian Ministry of Health signed the grant on behalf of the Ministry of Health. With support from USTDA, the Ministry will be able to provide more affordable pharmaceutical services to patients in the public health care system.
In addition, the grant will fund the design of a pair of pilot projects for two governorates in Egypt to test key findings of the study.
The opportunity to provide the USTDA-funded assistance under the grant awarded will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted on USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the announcement. The Egyptian Ministry of Health will select a U.S. firm to provide the assistance associated with this grant.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, August 17 2010Footnote 13
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is expanding support for food-insecure people and acutely malnourished children in Niger. USAID has committed more than $105 million in humanitarian assistance to date in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010.
In response to alerts from early warning systems and field assessments as early as October 2009, USAID began to procure U.S. food aid in November 2009. When later assessments indicated increased needs, USAID increased funding for emergency programs supporting food security, nutrition, agriculture, and economic recovery and market systems and drew on the resources of the newly authorized Emergency Food Security Program to provide grants to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and non-governmental organizations for local or regional procurement of food commodities and/or the use of food vouchers.
To address the food needs of up to 8 million Nigeriens over the next 5 months, USAID has contributed more than $47 million in emergency food assistance, including in-kind food aid and funding for the local and regional purchase of food aid. USAID's assistance will help cover a majority of the estimated needs to support current WFP emergency operations in Niger.
USAID is increasing efforts to treat, mitigate, and prevent acute malnutrition among children in Niger under the age of five. USAID-funded nutrition programs, targeting approximately 1 million children and pregnant and lactating women, include support for community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) initiatives, malnutrition screening, data collection and analysis, and the purchase of ready-to-use therapeutic foods and essential medicines.
USAID is also supporting economic recovery and market systems initiatives to increase household purchasing power, targeting an estimated 215,000 households in Niger through the provision of small cash grants and support for cash-for-work programs. With money to spend in local markets, Nigeriens are able to purchase food and restore assets sold or traded for food, helping to prevent or mitigate populations from adopting negative coping mechanisms, such as reducing food intake and eating difficult-to-digest wild foods, during the current hunger season. To help increase the likelihood of an adequate harvest during the September 2010 season, USAID has also provided support for agriculture and food security programs that provide agricultural supplies—such as seeds and tools—to farmers in affected areas.
The United States remains committed to helping the people of Niger in their time of need. In FY 2009, USAID provided more than $23 million in response to the global food price crisis in Niger, supporting nutrition, agriculture and food security, and economic recovery and market systems interventions, and emergency food assistance.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, August 24, 2010Footnote 14
The U.S. Government-through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Office of the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan-and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) will host a conference August 24-25 in Nairobi, Kenya, to address challenges and priorities for revitalizing agriculture in southern Sudan.
Conference participants will examine both short-and long-term objectives to significantly increase agricultural production in southern Sudan, which was devastated by Sudan's 22-year civil war that ended in 2005 with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Despite enormous agriculture potential, poor transport, limited storage capacity and processing facilities, and a poor investment climate are among the legacies of conflict that have hindered development of the agriculture sector. As a result, most farmers produce for subsistence rather than profit. Meanwhile, consumers suffer from high prices of agricultural products, many of which are imported from neighboring countries. Though USAID and GOSS launched a new five-year Food, Agribusiness, and Rural Markets (FARM) program in May 2010, this conference will encourage and allow key stakeholders to increase investment and partnerships to support agriculture in southern Sudan.
Conference participants, including the GOSS, the U.S. Government and other international donors, agricultural research organizations, financial institutions, and multinational agribusinesses, will initiate development of an 18-month action plan to help subsistence farmers increase production and sell their surplus in local markets. For the longer-term, the conference will focus on establishing a five-year strategic plan for building a vibrant agricultural economy, including roads needed to transport items to markets.
“Agricultural development is a primary catalyst for future economic growth in southern Sudan. This conference will offer a unique opportunity for the Government of Southern Sudan and international partners to bring focus and momentum to a sector that will greatly benefit the Sudanese people,” said U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Jonathan S. Gration, Major General (Retired). General Gration praised “the exemplary vision and dedicated efforts of southern Sudan's recently departed Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Samson Kwaje.” He added that “this Agricultural Conference would be dedicated to honoring the example and furthering the legacy of our dear friend and agricultural leader.”
At the conference, USAID and the GOSS will launch an Agriculture Innovation Fund designed to finance public-private sector partnerships promoting new approaches to agricultural development in southern Sudan. USAID also plans to establish a United States-Southern Sudan Agriculture Advisory Council composed of agriculture experts from the two governments, and from universities in the United States and southern Sudan, to provide expert advice to the governments on the design and assessment of agriculture development programs in southern Sudan. USAID is also working to establish partnerships between Juba University, Catholic University of Sudan, John Garang University, and leading U.S. educational institutions.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 24, 2010Footnote 15
To help Turkey meet municipal solid waste incineration targets, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant today to the Istanbul Environmental Management Industry and Trading Company (İSTAÇ). The project will also spur the development of new renewable energy generation, an Obama Administration priority. The feasibility study also builds upon USTDA's long-term support for projects that spur economic growth and development in Turkey and create green jobs in the United States.
The grant will fund a feasibility study on a proposed waste-to-energy facility in Istanbul for İSTAÇ, the municipal waste processing and management company for the greater Istanbul region in Turkey.
The municipal solid waste-to-energy plant will provide a sustainable alternative to land filling at the Odayeri landfill site, which is nearing capacity. When this project is implemented, it will provide export opportunities for U.S. clean energy companies and help to reduce carbon emissions in the region.
Acting U.S. General Consul in Istanbul Win Dayton said that the grant is part of the U.S. Government's long-term commitment to engage with Turkey through the Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation, which seeks to enhance bilateral economic and commercial relations.
“The U.S. looks forward to working with Turkey to help it expand the country's electricity generation capacity as well as improve environmental conditions in Istanbul,” said Dayton when he awarded the $491,160 grant at İSTAÇ headquarters during a ceremony in Istanbul.
“The project will extend the remaining life of the landfill, reduce methane, and odor emissions from the site and help İSTAÇ meet the municipal solid waste incineration targets set forth by the European Union. This waste-to-energy project would be the first of its kind in Turkey.” İSTAÇ's General Director Osman Akgul signed the grant agreement for the Turkish side. The feasibility study will consider various technical designs for the 70MW power plant, which will provide a renewable and reliable source of energy.
By properly incinerating 3,000 tons of solid waste per day, one-third of the municipal waste received at the Odayeri landfill site, the proposed facility will generate enough electricity to power 350,000 households in the area.
The opportunity to provide the USTDA-funded assistance under the grant awarded will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted on USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the announcement. The Istanbul Environmental Management Industry and Trading Company will select a U.S. firm to provide the assistance associated with this grant.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 26, 2010Footnote 16
As a result of the need to enhance passenger service and increase operational efficiency the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant today to Paraguay's Ministry of Public Works and Communications to update its master plan and position the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport for potential concession. The master plan will be of interest to potential U.S. airport operators, equipment suppliers and engineering firms.
USTDA's technical assistance will include an airport security and international aviation safety assessment, design of conceptual airport plans, a detailed financial analysis, development options and other transactional guidance. Such improvements will enhance bilateral cooperation, attract new investment in critical infrastructure and strengthen the commercial aviation relationship between the United States and Paraguay.
U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay Liliana Ayalde conferred the USTDA grant for $391,000 to Paraguayan Minister of Public Works and Communications Efrain Alegre during a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDAfunded technical assistance will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the FBO announcement. The Ministry of Public Works and Communications will select the U.S. contractor that will complete the technical assistance.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 31, 2010Footnote 17
In the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, USTDA has responded to the request of the Government of Haiti to assist in modernizing the Haitian aviation sector.
Last week, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant to the Autorité Aéroportuaire Nationale (AAN), Haiti's national airport authority, to conduct an analysis of priority airport infrastructure modernization projects. This assistance will enable it to design and implement important upgrades at Haiti's principal international airport in Port-au-Prince.
USTDA is working with AAN to fulfill its request for grant assistance to develop plans, project costs and implementation timelines for several high-priority projects that require prompt implementation to improve the safety and efficiency of airport operations. The projects to be analyzed through this technical assistance grant include the construction of a parallel taxiway, a new air traffic control tower, a sewage collection system and a wastewater treatment plant, a power generation facility and other high priority post-earthquake upgrades and repairs.
“This grant represents how the United States is investing in Haiti's infrastructure, to help it build back better,” Ambassador Merten stated after he conferred the grant on August 24, 2010 for $813,000 to AAN Director General Lionel Isaac. “Toussaint L’Ouverture Airport is Haiti's gateway to the world, and safety and efficiency improvements will help stimulate economic growth and increase prosperity.” From Washington, D.C., USTDA Director Leocadia Zak added: “USTDA is pleased to partner with AAN on this important project, which will realize important safety and productivity benefits for the aviation transportation sector in Haiti.”
Primary categories of materials and services likely to be needed for these priority projects include ground handling equipment, sewage and wastewater treatment technologies, power supply systems, air traffic control tower components, navigational equipment, engineering and construction services and training for technical staff.
As part of its outreach efforts, a USTDA team traveled to Haiti for the grant signing and to meet with both public and private sector representatives to discuss projects focusing on the energy, information and communications technology, transportation and environmental sectors.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded technical assistance will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the FBO announcement. The Autorité Aéroportuaire Nationale will select the U.S. contractor that will complete the technical assistance.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, August 31, 2010Footnote 18
The large volume of commercial activity transiting each year through Brazil's thirty-four public ports has lead to logistical challenges for Latin America's largest economy. To allow for faster and safer movement of commerce and passengers, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant today to the Brazilian Secretariat of Ports (SEP). The grant comes at a time when Brazil is preparing for tremendous increases in passenger transit during the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas Shannon said that the $674,000 grant will fund a feasibility study on the implementation of vessel traffic management systems at four of Brazil's main ports.
“Improved logistics are needed to minimize the likelihood of vessel collisions and bottlenecks,” said Ambassador Shannon who conferred the USTDA grant for $674,000 to Brazilian Secretariat of Ports Minister Pedro Brito during a ceremony held at the Secretariat of Ports.
“By improving vessel flow and shortening berthing times, the project will yield environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions, an Obama Administration priority,” he added.
This is the second initiative USTDA has undertaken with the Secretariat of Ports. SEP was also awarded a grant for an ongoing USTDA intelligent cargo and network port logistics chain technical assistance project that began earlier this year.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded feasibility study will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the announcement. The Brazilian Special Secretariat of Ports will select the U.S. contractor that will complete the feasibility study.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 1, 2010Footnote 19
Yesterday, USTDA awarded a grant to the Digital Government Technical Secretariat of Costa Rica to assist in developing the information and communication technology connectivity infrastructure of a national digital government system. The implementation of such a system will provide increased efficiencies within Costa Rica and open new export opportunities during the deployment of system.
U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Anne S. Andrew said that the $438,000 technical assistance project provided by USTDA will allow Costa Rica to better provide information to its citizens online and will offer opportunities for U.S. commercial involvement.
“This technical assistance grant signed today will provide Costa Rica with a roadmap and guidelines to support the implementation of a government-wide backbone network,” U.S. Ambassador Anne Andrew said during the grant-signing ceremony with Costa Rican Minister of Planning and Political Economy Dr. Laura Alfaro Maykall.
“It will also provide for a shared data center. Ultimately, this network of shared data will allow Costa Rican government entities to be better connected and to better share resources, exchange information, implement coordinated processes and activities, offer new services, handle casework on-line, promote e-commerce, and facilitate citizen access to government information and services,” the Ambassador explained.
“On behalf of the U.S. Government, I would like to acknowledge the Government of Costa Rica for its leadership in advancing e-government initiatives. We are very pleased to collaborate on this important project,” she concluded.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 3, 2010Footnote 20
In order to mitigate damage, casualties and economic losses due to flooding in high risk areas located throughout Turkey, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant today to the Turkish State Meteorological Service (TSMS) for a feasibility study to develop a comprehensive roadmap for a fully operational flood forecasting and early warning system. The project offers opportunities for Turkey to develop commercial relationships with U.S. companies that have expertise in flood mitigation.
This feasibility study will lead to the development of a system that will provide useful forecasts that allow citizens and businesses the maximum time to prepare for a flood.
Douglas A. Silliman, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, said that implementation of the project will lead to the development of technical and structural measures that will create substantial benefits for Turkey.
“The USTDA study will provide Turkish authorities with a strategy to manage a serious environmental threat while also augmenting ties between the United States and Turkey,” said Mr. Silliman who signed the $507,420 grant in Ankara.
“We expect that the study will assist Turkey with its priorities to improve public infrastructure development, training, technology transfer, and cross-border relations with its neighbors.”
The implementation plan will include recommendations to assist TSMS in determining its needs for hardware, software, geographic information systems, relational database management systems, sensors, weather and water monitoring equipment, communications equipment, and modeling systems.
The grant is part of the U.S. Government's long-term commitment to engage with Turkey through the Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation, which seeks to enhance bilateral economic cooperation.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 7, 2010Footnote 21
Reducing air pollution is a top priority for China and the United States. With assistance from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau (SEPB) will conduct a pilot project using retrofit technologies on municipal buses to minimize emissions and pollution.
The project will demonstrate technologies from Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc. (Lake Forest, Illinois) and Corning, Inc. (Corning, New York). Together, these companies will share the cost of the project.
The study will demonstrate that retrofitting buses in China with advanced technologies could reduce fine particulate matter in the air, thereby reducing the impact that air pollution has on human respiratory and cardiovascular systems. In addition, the project will lead to a reduction of black carbon soot, which has been tied directly to global warming because of its absorptive capacity to trap heat in the atmosphere.
Principal Commercial Officer in East China William Brekke said that the project would provide opportunities for U.S. manufacturers of diesel retrofit products to gain a foothold in Shanghai and other Southern China markets.
“The U.S. continues to work with China on providing U.S. technology solutions for clean urban transportation that also contribute to our ongoing cooperation on climate change issues,” said Brekke when he conferred the USTDA grant to SEPB Deputy Director Mr. Wu Qizhou for the $222,949 feasibility study.
“It is important to ensure that Shanghai's air is clean and healthy even as the city continues to attract people from around the country and the globe.”
USTDA's program in China has generated over $2.8 billion dollars in U.S. exports in sectors as diverse as clean energy, aviation, ICT and the environment since 2001.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 10, 2010Footnote 22
The large and increasing volume of train traffic on Kazakhstan's railways has led to logistical challenges as Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) continues to service Central Asia's largest economy. To identify ways to increase the speed and safety of movement of commerce and passengers, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant today to KTZ. The grant comes at a time when Kazakhstan is increasingly a transit hub for rail traffic between China and Europe, and represents an opportunity for U.S. companies to export technologies to help KTZ achieve its growth goals.
U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Richard Hoagland said that the $655,188 grant will fund a feasibility study on the implementation of rail signaling systems including train control systems on three Kazakh rail lines covering 1356 kilometers.
“Improved train control and signaling are needed to enable more efficient and intensive use of railway infrastructure, allowing trains to move closer together, at higher speeds, while reducing delays, thereby increasing network capacity and quality of service on existing railway lines,” said Ambassador Hoagland who conferred the USTDA grant for $655,188 to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) Chairman Askar Mamin during a ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy.
“The added safety that modernized train control and signaling brings is important as KTZ pursues its recently announced program to increase its high speed rail lines from 1320 km in 2009 to 7850 km in 2014,” he added.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded feasibility study will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be posted to USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit proposals according to the instructions in the announcement. Kazakhstan Temir Zholy will select the U.S. contractor that will complete the feasibility study.
USTDA will also be hosting a visit later this fall by a delegation of KTZ officials to the United States to allow the officials to observe and become acquainted with the latest U.S. rail sector technology. The delegation will meet with U.S. government and private sector rail experts and will travel to Washington, DC, Chicago, IL and Pueblo, CO to visit rail facilities.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 14, 2010Footnote 23
Addressing critical concerns over South Africa's declining electricity reserve margin, USTDA awarded a grant to eThekwini Municipality today to support the rollout of advanced electricity metering, or smart meters, by eThekwini Electricity. South African electricity distributors are facing a National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) requirement to integrate energy-intensive users into a smart metering system by 2012.
U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Donald H. Gips said that the $446,500 feasibility study funded by USTDA will support eThekwini Electricity in developing a flagship smart metering program for South Africa that will provide a technological foundation for improved demand side management policies and regulations.
“Through the grant signed today, South Africa will improve its ability to streamline electricity demand,” said Ambassador Gips during the grant-signing ceremony at eThekwini Electricity with Head of Electricity Sandile Maphumulo.
“First, this assistance from USTDA supports eThekwini Electricity in its unwavering commitment to reach the highest level of customer service delivery,” said Maphumulo.
“At the same time, the project will assist South Africa in meeting its energy efficiency goals, an issue of critical importance to South Africa's energy security,” said Maphumulo.
This is the second time that eThekwini Electricity is the beneficiary of a USTDA grant. In 2007, eThekwini Electricity utilized USTDA funding to develop a strategic plan for the implementation of an integrated information technology (IT) system to allow for quicker responses to network and system problems. The first phase of eThekwini Electricity's integrated IT system will be the installation of an outage management system, which after following an open tendering system in terms of the City's Supply Chain Management Policy, was awarded to General Electric in April 2009.
Press Release from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, September 15, 2010Footnote 24
A study will be undertaken in Romania to develop a roadmap for the systematic deployment of a fully operational electronic election management system (EEMS) as a result of a grant awarded today by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to the Romanian Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA).
The feasibility study will help to develop an integrated IT-based solution to improve the accuracy of voting and reduce the possibility for electoral fraud in Romania. The project will also create opportunities for collaboration with U.S. firms in the information and communications technology sector.
The study will help the PEA determine its national-level election system needs, including hardware, software, GIS, RDMS, network management tools, security solutions, and communications equipment. In addition, the EEMS project will decrease fraudulent and other illegal voting, create a faster and more reliable tabulation process, improve administrative and technical capacities, and will also allow for real time monitoring of the election process.
“The USTDA grant will help Romania with its efforts to develop an efficient and effective means to increase the reliability and integrity of the electoral process,” said Jeri Guthrie-Corn, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Romania, when she conferred the $344,422 USTDA grant today to the President of the Permanent Electoral Authority Dr. Octavian OpriŞ.
“Ultimately, a successful implementation of the EEMS will considerably improve the experience of Romanian citizens with the voting process.”
In addition to enhancing the effectiveness of the PEA, the electronic election management system will provide substantial benefits for Romania's citizens in the areas of public infrastructure development, human capacity building, and technology transfer.
Remarks by Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Yohannes, September 17, 2010Footnote 25
CEO Daniel Yohannes delivered these remarks in Tegucigalpa, Honduras
CEO Yohannes. President Lobo, Ambassador Llorens, distinguished board members and staff of MCA-Honduras, partners at the head table, ladies and gentlemen, ¡Felicidades Honduras!
It is a pleasure to be in Tegucigalpa to see the progress that has been made possible through the partnership between Honduras and the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation. Thank you for your warm welcome. ¡Gracias! President Obama is committed to ending global poverty by investing in economic growth through country-led partnerships focusing on transparency, accountability, and results. MCC's work—including here in Honduras—is one way the Obama administration is already achieving its vision for global development.
Honduras's MCC compact invested in what farmers need to ensure their long-term agricultural productivity: technical training, access to credit, and roads to markets.
This is a compact by and for the people of Honduras, which MCA-Honduras implemented extremely well. Their leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment focused on one goal: poverty reduction through economic growth. Poverty reduction through economic growth means increasing the incomes of Hondurans so they can improve their lives and the lives of their families. As we near the end of the MCC compact, more than 6,000 Honduran farmers are earning at least 2,000 dollars per hectare annually growing higher-value vegetables, based on early data. And, with more income, these farmers are: creating new, part-time jobs, improving their farms and homes, sending their children to school, and purchasing vehicles to transport their crops to market.
As the very first MCC compact to finish, we learn from Honduras two very important principles about how they created an environment for long-term income and economic growth.
First, Honduras teaches us that a steadfast commitment produces results. The Honduras-MCC compact we celebrate today is already delivering results.
More than 7,400 farmers received technical training in better crop management, irrigation techniques, business skills, marketing, and post-harvest handling.
More than 8,200 hectares of land are under production by farmers harvesting high-value horticultural crops.
More than 9 million dollars in loans have been extended to farmers, agribusinesses, and other producers in the horticulture industry, giving them the means to buy equipment, seeds, and tools to help them grow more crops and earn more profits.
More than 560 kilometers of roads have been rehabilitated, including sections of the CA-5 Highway, reducing transportation costs and time to national, regional, and global markets.
By integrating these projects in a coordinated way, Honduran farmers are earning more income. They are doing this by growing higher-value crops and increasing their agricultural productivity. They are also getting to markets, schools, and clinics much faster. These Honduran farmers are agents of change. Now, independent evaluations will measure the broader income growth and verify the impact of the results we already see. Over the long-term, we expect that more than 470,000 Hondurans will benefit from the MCC-funded rural development project, and some 1.2 million will benefit from the completed transportation project.
And, second, Honduras teaches us that the highest standards of project implementation matter. Honduras has been able to achieve impressive results because it implemented its MCC compact with a constant focus on: quality, transparency, and incorporating lessons learned.
Because of MCC's country-driven approach to assistance, Hondurans created and implemented their own plan for development to meet their local needs. Hondurans themselves prioritized environmental and social factors. Farmers were trained in the proper use of pesticides. Grants were made to local institutions to research pest control and grow more coffee varieties, which could further boost rural incomes. Resettlement was handled responsibly, setting a new standard for future resettlement in Honduras. Gender was integrated into all projects, so both Honduran men and women could be equal champions of their development. The Honduran government also set aside its own maintenance funds to keep up the roads being improved. These and other policy reforms create a foundation for sustainability.
Honduras delivered results, and demonstrated a sound approach for sustainability well beyond the life of MCC's investment.
I am proud of what the Honduras-MCC partnership accomplished. The people of Honduras should be extremely proud too. Honduras has been a very strong partner. President Lobo: Thank you for your commitment to the success of the compact and for the leadership you and your administration have shown at this critical stage.
The farmers of Honduras—and their families—are benefiting now, as they increase their production, move their crops to markets at the peak of freshness, command better prices, and engage in greater trade and commerce. Entire communities are seeing the benefits of safer and faster transportation to markets and social services.
What our partnership has achieved is extremely impressive. These results are a remarkable base, which, I am convinced, Honduras will continue to leverage for even greater poverty reduction and economic growth in the future. After seeing some of the results directly and meeting with President Lobo and members of his team, I am very confident that the MCC compact we end this month actually begins a new era of sustainable growth for the people of Honduras.
¡Que siga el crecimiento para reducir pobreza!
¡Muchas gracias, y nuevamente, felicidades Honduras!
Secretary of State Clinton was interviewed by John Broder of the New York Times, September 20, 2010Footnote 26
Q. Give me, in your words, a sense of the scope of the problem we're addressing here tomorrow with this cookstove initiative. What—globally, what is the nature and the size of the problem, and how are you going to go about attacking it?
Secretary Clinton. Well, this is one of those problems that has enormous implications for the environment, for women, for the health of populations that use the cookstove, because exposure to toxic smoke from traditional cookstoves and open fires accounts for nearly 2 million premature deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. And it also has a very serious impact on the environment. So while we're looking at some of the large issues that we know affect climate change, we're not always focused on what people do every day that pollutes the climate and emits carbon dioxide, methane, and black carbon.
So this is a global alliance that will advocate and operationalize the campaign for clean cookstoves by establishing stove standards and field-testing leading technologies and encourage applied research to create a cleaner cookstove and look for innovative financing tools and market influence through creating supplies that will lead to the diminution of all of the problems that we see with cookstoves.
So it's a win-win. And the United States has decided that it's such an important initiative that we are contributing $50 million over the next five years: It's a whole-of-government approach, because it's not only the State Department, it's EPA, and USAID and the Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. And we will partner with other governments and the private sector in getting this alliance off the ground.
Q. Given—and I've had a couple of background conversations with people at EPA and at the UN Foundation. But given the scope of the problem, we're talking about as many as 500 million households worldwide cook using these methods and are exposed to this indoor pollution, billions of people, literally. Fifty million dollars sounds like a fairly small amount of money. How are you going to leverage this into the kind of major impact that you're looking to accomplish?
Secretary Clinton. Well, it won't only be U.S. Government money. We have 20 founding partners of the alliance, from the United Nations Foundation to the Shell Foundation to Germany and Norway and other governments, along with private sector contributors. So we're expecting a lot of financial assistance and technical expertise to come from all of the partners in the alliance. And like anything, we have to start somewhere. We think that the sector that cookstoves is part of, namely everyday activities of individuals, is amenable to a sustainable solution on a global scale if we all unify our efforts.
And I think that the commitment that we've seen coming from so many others around the world suggests that we have a fighting chance here. So when we make the announcement tomorrow at the Clinton Global Initiative, there will be a representative sampling of those countries that are already attempting their own national cookstove programs, like Peru, that has recognized this as a national problem, as well as others who can help create a market for clean cookstoves. I mean, the fact is that we have to provide an alternative to what people are so used to doing.
Excerpts of Remarks by President Barack Obama, September 22, 2010Footnote 27
President Barack Obama delivered this statement at the United Nations in New York, NY
President Obama. 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.
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. 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.
Statement by Secretary of State Clinton, September 22, 2010Footnote 28
Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement at the United Nations in New York City, NY
Introductory Remarks Omitted
Secretary Clinton. [T]he Obama Administration has put women and children at the heart of our development efforts, including our Global Health Initiative, a $63 billion initiative, to strengthen maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, malaria prevention and treatment, HIV/AIDS, and TB programs. And this is more than just an increase in funding. It achieves—we hope to achieve better health outcomes over the long term by improving and integrating health systems so that far more women and their families have access to essential care.
In that spirit, I am pleased to announce a new joint effort between the development agencies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This five-year alliance aims to increase access to family planning and reduce maternal and neonatal deaths in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Our effort will contribute (inaudible) of increasing access to family planning by 2015 for 100 million women who now lack it. It will also boost the number of skilled birth attendants, babies delivered in clinics or hospitals, and women and newborns who receive quality medical care.
I'm very grateful that we'll be working with our partners here on the podium and many of you, and let me apologize because this is UNGA week and I'm about 15 minutes behind for my next meeting. But you can count on the United States and the Obama Administration's commitment to the successful achievement of this initiative. Thank you.
Excerpts of Statement by Secretary of State Clinton, September 22, 2010Footnote 29
Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in New York City, NY
Secretary Clinton. [W]e are here at this very important event to highlight one of the biggest obstacles to making the most of everyone's talents and their hard work; namely, a financial system that leaves out some 3 billion people, many of them women, rural farmers, small business owners, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities. Most of us in the developed world take the financial system for granted, whether it's easy access to credit or a safe place to deposit our money. But without a bank account, parents can't save for a child's education. Without loans, small farmers can't buy fertilizer for the start of the growing season, and entrepreneurs can't expand and grow their businesses. And when people cannot participate in the formal economy, they often are taken advantage of, they are often left without recourse, and the effects of that undermine their own ambitions and hopes for families, communities, and even countries.
But thanks to many of you in this room, and thanks especially to Her Highness for highlighting this important issue, we're finally getting the attention on the role that financial inclusion should play in alleviating poverty and in improving economic opportunity. We are building on the lessons learned from the success of microfinance: the poor are actually credit-worthy; they are reliable and they can help drive development if given the chance. And they can, if we work with them, be part of growing the financial system.
Now, many countries and institutions have developed promising ideas. For example, by updating some of its banking regulations, Kenya's Central Bank helped spark the expansion of the most successful mobile phone banking program in the world, giving 8 million low-income Kenyans the tools to begin saving and building that better life. Brazil now allows street-corner kiosks to process financial transactions, so that financial services are no longer confined to bricks-and-mortar banks in big cities. And the G-20 is studying ways to advance financial inclusion and will be making recommendations this November in Seoul.
Now, we in the Obama Administration have made financial inclusion a priority. Last year, President Obama announced a new Microfinance Growth Fund, which has committed more than $100 million to provide credit to individuals and small businesses, especially those run by women. Beyond that, we are encouraging partnerships to open up new opportunities for mobile banking. We are supporting innovations like secured-transaction reform, so that small businesses can use movable assets, like the tailor his sewing machine, or the farmer her tractor, as collateral for loans—something that is not permitted by a lot of formal banks throughout this hemisphere and elsewhere. We are also supporting consumer-protection efforts, so that we can protect the newly banked from becoming victims of predatory lending practices.
Now, each of these ideas is based on the principles that underlie our development work. First, the initiatives must be led by the countries that will benefit from them, because we believe that's the only way you can get initiatives to become sustainable and really part of the fabric of a society's economy. They also will bring together partners from a wide range of fields, because there's a lot of expertise that is still too stove-piped; it's not adequately shared across sectors. And they are designed to spur long-term economic growth.
The initiative that we are launching today is called BRIDGE, which stands for Building Remittance Investment for Development, Growth, and Entrepreneurship. BRIDGE is a partner between our development agency, USAID, our U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation, OPIC, and the Inter-American Development Bank. It demonstrates one of the benefits of actually bringing more people into the financial system. And it reflects the vision of President Lobo and President Funes of their countries and governments. In partnering with us on BRIDGE today, both leaders in Honduras and El Salvador have shown a commitment to advancing financial inclusion.
And here's how it works. Every year, millions—actually, tens of millions—of people around the world leave home to find work. They settle in countries where they think they have a better economic future, then they begin sending money back home. And they send it to their families for all kinds of purposes. Now, if they send these remittances through the formal financial system, they create huge funding flows that are orders of magnitude larger than any development assistance we can dream of. By harnessing the potential of remittances, BRIDGE will make it easier for communities in El Salvador and Honduras to get the financing they need to build roads and bridges, for example, to support entrepreneurs, to make loans, to bring more people into the financial system.
Through BRIDGE and its in-country partners, local banks will be able to leverage their remittance flows. This is similar to what our banks do with the money we deposit in our accounts: They use it to make loans and raise capital, but it's always there for you to take out if you need it.
With the leverage from remittances, the local banks will be able to get lower-cost, longer-term financing for investments in infrastructure projects and small businesses. Nothing changes for the people sending or receiving the remittances, and their money should never be at risk. But because the money is moving through the formal financial system, the local banks can use it to secure financing for development projects that will benefit entire communities.
This is one of the examples of the power of financial inclusion. But to make the most of that, we all have to contribute and stay committed. I have worked on financial inclusion for about 20 years, and I'm always trying to convince bankers in the formal banking system that poor people are actually good credit risks. We now have a lot of evidence of that. In fact, we have, some might argue, better evidence for poor people than rich people.
So I would hope that we would start being creative about how to bank the unbanked. It is a win-win if it is pursued. Some bankers argue, oh, but the amounts are so small, the transactional costs are so great. But with technology and all that it brings, there certainly are ways of both expediting that and decreasing the costs.
So we are very excited about this partnership that the United States is announcing today with the governments and people of two of our neighbors, Honduras and of El Salvador.
Remarks by Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Yohannes, September 20, 2010Footnote 30
CEO Daniel Yohannes delivered these remarks in Ajuterique, Honduras
CEO Yohannes. Distinguished mayors and governors, Ladies and gentlemen, Muchas gracias por su bienvenida. ¡Es mi honor estar con ustedes hoy!
I have come to Honduras to mark the official end of the compact between Honduras and the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation. The Obama administration's vision for development calls for partnering with countries to invest in economic growth and achieve results. This is exactly what MCC and Honduras have done. Our partnership has worked to reduce poverty and promote economic growth well into the future.
Here, in Ajuterique, we are able to see just how our partnership is making a tangible difference. This important road, rehabilitated with MCC funds, allows communities to access markets and key services with greater ease and efficiency. I am pleased to be here to witness this road opening and to celebrate all the investments in the Comayagua Valley that will promote greater trade and commerce within Honduras and abroad.
We see progress in the lives of farmers who benefitted from the technical training provided through MCC. Equipped with these new abilities—along with improved roads—Honduran farmers are boosting their productivity, earning more income, and creating a better life for themselves and their families.
Let me personally thank each and every worker, supplier, and farmer who participated in these projects. I especially want to thank each mayor and governor involved, including those who are here today. Your vigilant involvement ensured that the MCC-Honduras partnership delivered what it promised. Your persistent advocacy for the people you represent demonstrated your commitment to results. Here we see local accountability and good governance at work, creating tangible opportunities for economic growth.
And, to the people of Ajuterique and Lejamaní—and all the residents of the Comayagua Valley—you are the ones benefitting from the MCC-Honduras compact. The new skills you have acquired and the new infrastructure you will use provide a strong foundation for self-sufficient, long-term growth that will improve the quality of life for you and for your children.
Congratulations to you all on the great achievements you have made through the MCC-Honduras compact in this wonderful part of your country. It is my hope that the progress before us will be sustained and create greater opportunity, growth, and prosperity here and throughout all of Honduras.
¡Muchas gracias!
¡Que Dios bendiga la Valle de Comayagua!
Remarks by Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Yohannes, September 21, 2010Footnote 31
CEO Daniel Yohannes delivered these remarks at MCC's U.N. General Assembly Private Sector Reception in New York City, New York
Introductory Remarks Omitted
CEO Yohannes. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is guided by one mission: to reduce global poverty through long-term economic growth. Our ultimate success in achieving this mission depends, in large part, on the partnerships we forge with so many of you gathered here this evening. I believe we can—and should—find ways to work together to align our missions and business interests with sustainable development objectives.
President Obama's strategy for global development recognizes that ending global poverty means: investing in economic growth, promoting country-led development that engages government, civil society, and the private sector in the design and implementation of investments, demanding accountability from partner countries, and focusing on transparency and results.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation combines the principles and practices that are at the core of the President's vision for development. We are committed to transitioning countries from development assistance to private sector-led economic growth. We believe economic growth and increased incomes will pull communities and countries out of poverty toward self-sufficiency.
One of my top priorities at MCC is to involve the private sector in all stages of our operations around the world. We are building relationships with the private sector to: analyze constraints to commercial activity, trade, and investment, so we can analyze solutions that will create investment-ready markets; identify commercial opportunities that MCC's support can help bring about; solicit advice on program design; seek co-investment or parallel investment; secure practical advice on designing innovative financing models for commercial needs; and encourage bidding on MCC procurements, which amount to 3 billion dollars through 2011.
In addition, we are challenging ourselves at MCC to think more broadly and more deeply about what we mean by private sector engagement. To us, this means engaging the traditional private sector as well as the whole community of non-governmental and non-traditional actors, like social entrepreneurs and foundations. We are looking at the role small-and medium-sized companies—not just the large multinationals—can play in development. Often, these smaller firms are executing impressive niche strategies in emerging markets. We want to work with firms and foundations dedicated to social entrepreneurship. They see the value of maximizing their bottom lines and their ability to do good in the communities where they operate. We need to create a stronger climate for local entrepreneurship. How can our investments help developing countries develop homegrown capacity and skills to compete, do business, innovate, and create jobs? We want to pursue more innovative solutions. We may not be able to come up with new products, but we may be able to come up with new processes. We can learn from the successful development experiments others have undertaken and explore innovative ways to scale them up to long-term viability and sustainability.
In all these ways, the Millennium Challenge Corporation is committed to the fullest definition of partnership to achieve the greatest impact we can in the fight against global poverty.
Tonight offers an opportunity to make connections as well as start—and continue—conversations to lay out a path toward greater cooperation. We want to work with you to discuss, strategize, and plan. Starting tonight, let us forge strong partnerships for progress that will benefit our missions and interests as well as the lives of the world's poor.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, September 22, 2010Footnote 32
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Australia Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, and Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced a five-year public/private global alliance to contribute to the goal of reducing the unmet need for family planning by 100 million women, expand skilled birth attendance and facility-based deliveries, and increase the numbers of women and newborns receiving quality post-natal care by 2015. The Alliance includes the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Exemplifying the international focus on donor harmonization and country ownership of development, the Alliance will closely coordinate the efforts of partners to support country strategies to scale-up proven, high-impact interventions and to explore and adapt innovations that can advance health outcomes. Alliance partners will coordinate at both the headquarters-and country-levels, seeking to leverage and complement health investments to achieve greater impact in less time. Countries will benefit from the combined technical and programming expertise of key donors in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health.
The Alliance will specifically address aspects of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4, Reduce Child Mortality, and 5, Improve Maternal Health, where progress has been especially slow. Currently, it is estimated that more than 200 million women want to use contraceptives but don't have access. In addition, only half of the 123 million women who give birth each year receive the antenatal, delivery and postnatal, and newborn care they need; and progress in reducing deaths has been slower for newborn deaths than for deaths among children ages one month to five years.
“Family planning plays a crucial role in improving the health of women and their children throughout the world.” said USAID Administrator Raj Shah. “By bringing the comparative advantages of country partners and donors through this Alliance, we will bolster health outcomes in countries striving to improve the lives and health of its women, girls, and newborns.”
“It is an international scandal that more than 350,000 women die in the developing world every year from complications in pregnancy or child birth that can be easily prevented,” said Andrew Mitchell the UK's International Development Secretary. “This groundbreaking alliance is an opportunity to support national governments to deliver plans that will make a difference to millions of families in poor countries.” “Australia is proud to be a founding member of the Alliance,” said Kevin Rudd, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs. “Collectively we need to support country leadership, and make the investment case for more resources in return for better results. Through the Alliance we will further extend the reach and impact of our aid to ensure better health outcomes for the poorest and most vulnerable women and children.”
“If we invest in the health of women and children, we ensure that families, communities, and nations thrive,” said Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “This alliance is an exciting opportunity for the foundation, and we look forward to greater collaboration in supporting policies and programs that will improve the health of millions of women and children.”
The Alliance will focus on selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to strengthen both health systems and access to primary and community health care in ways that better serve women and adolescents, that develop and adapt new technologies and innovations to improve health outcomes, and that bring coordinated support to country strategies for family planning, maternal, and neonatal health.
The Alliance supports the UN Secretary General's Global Strategy for Women and Children's Health, announced ahead of the MDG Summit in New York September 22.
Press Release from the U.S. Agency for International Development, September 22, 2010Footnote 33
USAID, Babson College, and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) are embarking on a partnership to strengthen entrepreneurship in different countries around the world. This innovative new project will measure entrepreneurship rates and characteristics, as well as other factors influencing small and medium business growth in Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Using this data, policymakers in these nations will be able to better recognize the type of environment necessary to promote the creation and growth of small businesses.
The partnership is inspired by President Obama's vision for Global Engagement as laid out in a historic speech in Cairo, Egypt in June, 2009. The Administration's approach features an emphasis on strengthening ties between the United States and countries with significant Muslim populations through partnerships in economic development, science and technology and other areas of opportunity based on mutual interests and mutual respect.
“Over the past 50 years, USAID has recognized that economic growth is vital to eradicate poverty and improve the well being of people around the world,” said Michael Yates, USAID's senior deputy assistant administrator for the bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade. “Entrepreneurs are the force behind a growing private economy, which leads to more opportunity and income, improved living conditions, and an enhanced connection to the global economy. This new partnership with Babson College will equip decision makers in many countries with additional intellectual tools to open the window of opportunity for more entrepreneurs.”
Academic GEM research teams in each of the target countries will survey at least 2,000 adults to assess the level of entrepreneurship and a range of other factors, such as attitudes, intentions, and demographics such as age, education level and gender of entrepreneurs. In addition, they will interview experts in finance, government policy, education and other areas about current practices supporting entrepreneurship. This will enable them to assess the level of entrepreneurship and current practices supporting this activity in these important countries.
Babson College is a co-founder of GEM, whose mission is to explain the link between economic development and entrepreneurship, and is the lead sponsoring institution for the research project.
“Babson has a significant institutional commitment to diffuse entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial educational models on a global scale. The GEM project will enable policymakers from participating countries to take the steps needed to stimulate entrepreneurial activity and to demonstrate real progress towards small business creation and job growth,” said Leonard A. Schlesinger, president of Babson College.
This is the second project that Babson has undertaken with the financial support of USAID—the first was the development of the Institute of Business Administration's Center for Entrepreneurship Excellence in Pakistan.
The GEM research project constitutes the most comprehensive study of entrepreneurship in the world as it combines the expertise of over 100 of the top entrepreneurship scholars in over 60 countries around the globe.
USAID is a U.S. government agency that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.
Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., is recognized internationally as a leader in entrepreneurial management education.
Statement by USAID Administrator Dr. Shah, September 22, 2010Footnote 34
Administrator Rajiv Shah delivered this statement on Private Sector Partnerships for Development
Administrator Shah. Ten years ago, the global community came together in an unprecedented display of unity to adopt the Millennium Development Goals—a set of eight goals to guide global efforts to alleviate extreme poverty by 2015 and meet the needs of the world's most vulnerable populations. The 8th Goal—Develop a Global Partnership for Development—challenged donor countries to partner and provide more sustainable assistance to the developing world.
At today's UN Private Sector Forum, USAID joined 10 members of the international bilateral donor community in issuing a Joint Donor Statement on Private Sector Partnerships for Development. This statement recognizes the tremendous impact that private sector actors can have on development and outlines key principles for renewing our commitment to develop partnerships with the private sector to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
USAID is a pioneer in public-private partnerships for development. Through our successful Global Development Alliance model, USAID has brought together over 3,000 unique partners in over 1,000 partnerships to address key development challenges. We will continue to develop new alliance models and tools to promote effective partnerships with businesses, foundations, and associations to drive economic growth and development.
Through innovative public-private alliances, the development community can facilitate access to broader financing options and invest in the world's most disadvantaged countries at less risk. Additionally, private sector companies can bring fresh perspectives to addressing the principal development challenges of our day—from food security and global health, to climate change and inclusive economic growth.
USAID is proud to work with other donor countries and partners to help the world achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Press Release from the Department of the Treasury, September 24, 2010Footnote 35
On September 22, President Obama announced a new U.S. global development policy that places a premium on broad-based economic growth, democratic governance, game-changing innovations, and sustainable systems for meeting basic human needs; positions the United States to be a more effective partner and to leverage our leadership; and harnesses development capabilities spread across government in support of common objectives.
The Treasury Department supports these efforts through its leadership on multilateral development assistance, debt relief, and food security and climate change multilateral funds, as well as through its on-the-ground efforts to foster economic growth in developing countries. Specific areas of support include:
Strengthening Multilateral Development Assistance: Treasury's leadership in the multilateral development banks (MDBs) supports broad-based economic growth through vital investments that help the poorest nations around the world. The MDBs are the premiere mechanism through which the United States supports infrastructure investment in poor countries. U.S. investments in these institutions are highly effective and provide the most leverage of all U.S. development funding—$25 in assistance for each dollar invested by conservative estimates. The effectiveness of these institutions is fundamental to their impact on the ground, which is why Treasury is leading a robust reform agenda at the MDBs. Specifically, the Administration has achieved commitments from the institutions to instill a stronger focus on results and transparency, deliver greater resources for the poor, and incorporate impact evaluation findings in program, policy, and budget decisions. U.S. investments in the MDBs are tied to these reforms.
Forging Multilateral Cooperation on Food Security and Climate Change: To strengthen food security, Treasury has partnered with other countries, the World Bank, multilateral and civil society organizations, to establish the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP). This innovative fund is helping millions of poor farmers grow and earn more so they can lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Five countries—Bangladesh, Haiti, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Togo—received the first grants from the fund, totaling $224 million, to implement their plans to enhance agricultural productivity.
To address climate change, Treasury supports efforts to combat its effects and help developing countries respond to its impacts. Multilateral programs such as the Global Environment Facility and the Climate Investment Funds help the poorest and most vulnerable countries prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change, and also spur the deployment of clean energy technologies, which can create new job opportunities and propel economic growth.
Assisting the Poorest by Leading on Innovative Debt Relief Measures: The Treasury Department's efforts on debt relief and restructuring and its leadership on the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative have been fundamental to helping some of the world's poorest countries stabilize, restart economic growth, and reduce poverty and instability. Countries such as Haiti and Liberia have all benefitted from U.S. debt relief and restructuring programs. In Haiti, following the devastating earthquake, the United States led international efforts to relieve Haiti's debt, which provided one more positive boost for Haiti's economic recovery.
Exercising Global Leadership on Development: U.S. leadership through Treasury participation in international forums, such as the G-20, helps us leverage and maximize the full range of our development tools and policies. Specifically, during the financial crisis, other G-20 leaders joined President Obama in calling for the MDBs to increase their lending, and the MDBs responded in force, providing $222 billion in lending. Treasury has supported these efforts and led initiatives to further stimulate private sector growth in developing countries, including the development of an SME Finance Challenge, which will identify new ideas to finance small businesses and help them grow.
Working Directly with Countries to Foster Economic Growth: The United States also pursues innovative policies to foster economic growth through its direct engagement with countries around the world. Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance partners on-the-ground with governments in more than 40 countries to develop effective public financial systems, which in turn strengthen governments’ ability to build human capacity and reliable, secure systems that support delivery of public services, sustainable economic growth, security, and stability. Treasury also pursues a wide range of bilateral discussions to improve economic policies that strengthen development.
