April 4, 2012
Paul Ryan’s Congressional budget alternative was passed by the House last week to the dismay of the development community. The 99-page Path to Prosperity deeply cuts foreign assistance spending with implications for U.S. global leadership. We offer a more data-informed way to accommodate cuts in our new report, Engagement Amid Austerity: Reorienting the International Affairs Budget. Listen to a sneak preview of our recommendations here and look for the report launch later this month.
Ryan Budget Disregards Diplomacy and Development
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What does the Ryan budget really say about the international affairs account? Connie Veillette thinks it signals a clear disregard for the value of diplomacy and development. While defense avoids the chopping block, the international affairs account suffers a near 10% reduction from the FY2012 estimate. With curious and counter-productive recommendations like eliminating the Feed the Future Initiative, we’re wondering whether the Ryan budget is out of touch with the foreign affairs Congressional committees.
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What’s New with PFG?
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Last week, CGD hosted a panel on Partnership for Growth (PFG), a new whole-of-government approach to development based on the principles of the PPD. The well attended event was marked by speeches from high level USG representatives and ambassadors from the four PFG countries – El Salvador, Ghana, the Philippines, and Tanzania. But what exactly makes this new model such a big deal? Casey Dunning shares some nuggets from the panel and potential challenges as PFG moves forward.
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When Bad Governance Happens to Good Compacts
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At their quarterly meeting last month, board directors from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) voted to suspend Malawi’s $350 million compact and approved a $355 million compact with Zambia. Casey Dunning shares how two very similar countries could wind up with two very different compact outcomes, as well as updates from the meeting including insight into Malawi’s compact woes and new snags in Mali’s MCC partnership.
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