George Bush's Foreign Aid: Transformation or Chaos?

May 20, 2008

On May 20, 2008, CGD launched Carol Lancaster's new book George Bush's Foreign Aid: Transformation or Chaos?, in which she analyzes the dramatic changes in U.S. foreign aid during the Bush administration, including increased spending; the use of aid to address failed states and the global war on terror; and the establishment of the Millennium Challenge Corp. and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Lancaster--Director, Mortara Center for International Studies, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and Visiting Fellow, Center for Global Development--analyzes the origins of these shifts, their promise, and their potential problems.

At the launch event, Lancaster shared her conclusions and recommendations on the purposes and organization of U.S. aid for the future. Jim Kolbe, Senior Transatlantic Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States, served as a discussant and Steve Radelet, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development, moderated the discussion. Nancy Birdsall, President, Center for Global Development provided introductory remarks and welcome.

Read event transcript (pdf, 128K)