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A federal agency, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is responsible for U.S. foreign economic assistance to developing countries around the world. It assists countries in
undertaking democratic and economic reforms, recovering from disaster, and trying to rise above poverty. It is based in Washington DC, has field offices all over the world, and a $3.9 billion budget for 2005, funded by U.S. taxpayers. USAID works closely with the Department of State to align programs and receives policy guidance from and reports to the Secretary of State.
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Foreign economic assistance
has the dual purpose of furthering our national interests in building
democracy and free markets while helping people in developing countries
live better lives. USAID is the lead agency administering America's
foreign economic assistance programs. In the countries we work, we
identify "strategic objectives" in collaboration with the
host government - areas where we use our funds to make the most impact.
Once these strategic objectives are developed, USAID gives grants
and contracts to "partner organizations" to implement projects
that meet the goals of the strategic objectives. Today, USAID’s
programs are centered on:
1) Promoting "transformational" development. Raising
living standards and reducing poverty while at the same time promoting
far-reaching, long-term changes in institutional capacity, human
capacity, and economic structure.
2) Strengthening fragile states where basic services and security
are denied to the population. The goal is to stabilize, reform,
and recover in order to provide the foundation for the transformational
development described above in 1.
3) Providing humanitarian relief through food aid and disaster
assistance resources.
4) Supporting U.S. geostrategic interests in those important countries
where the U.S. government is pursuing specific, high-priority
objectives. As an important tool of U.S. foreign policy, foreign
aid plays a crucial role in supporting U.S. interests abroad.
5) Lessening the threat to the U.S. from global and cross-border
ills in an age when better communication and transportation increase
the threat from disease, global environmental concerns, and international
criminal activity.
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Why
does USAID do this work? |
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"The United States has a long history
of extending a helping hand to those people overseas struggling to
make a better life, recover from a disaster or striving to live in
a free and democratic country. It is this caring that stands as a
hallmark of the United States around the world - and shows the world
our true character as a nation."
–
USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios.
President Kennedy signed into law the Foreign Assistance Act in 1961
and by executive order created USAID. |
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Where do we work and with whom? |
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USAID works from headquarters in Washington,
DC and field offices located in four regions of the world: Sub-Saharan
Africa, Asia and the Near East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and
Europe and Eurasia. Our partners are private voluntary organizations,
indigenous organizations, international agencies, universities, American
businesses, other U.S. government agencies, and other governments.
We work with nearly 3,500 American businesses and 300 private voluntary
organizations based in the United States.
USAID has worked in Georgia since 1992 providing nearly $774 million
in humanitarian and development assistance. |
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