Ideas to Action:

Independent research for global prosperity

Publications

 

The Pentagon and Global Development: Making Sense of the DoD's Expanding Role - Working Paper 131

11/12/07
Stewart Patrick and Kaysie Brown

The recent creation of AFRICOM, a U.S. military command for Africa, is but one manifestation of the Pentagon's growing role in development. One-in-five dollars that the U.S. spends on development assistance is now handled by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Pentagon share of U.S. development spending has increased three-fold in the past five years, to some $5.5 billion annually. In a new CGD working paper, research fellow Stewart Patrick and program associate Kaysie Brown find that while the vast bulk of Pentagon development aid is for Iraq and Afghanistan, the department is also increasingly involved in new initiatives that civilian agencies could undertake. They warn that DoD's growing role in foreign assistance could undermine a broader U.S. approach to development support, and they offer specific recommendations for restoring a more appropriate balance.

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Greater Than the Sum Of Its Parts? Assessing "Whole of Government" Approaches to Fragile States (Brief)

6/25/07
Stewart Patrick and Kaysie Brown

Fragile states--countries defined by poverty, weak governance and often violent conflict--represent a major development challenge for today's global aid community and a significant threat to global security. This CGD Brief offers recommendations for how donors can best engage weak countries, including by experimenting with pooled funding arrangements, developing unified national strategies and by evaluating the impact of their interventions.

Greater Than the Sum Of Its Parts? Assessing "Whole of Government" Approaches to Fragile States

6/15/07
Stewart Patrick and Kaysie Brown

Experience shows that outside efforts to help reform or reconstruct fragile states must simultaneously address issues of security, governance, and economic growth. Greater than the Sum of Its Parts? looks at how seven governments—the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and Sweden—are seeking to integrate their approach to fragile states. The authors find that "whole of government" approaches remain a work in progress and provide recommendations for how donors can best engage weak countries, including by experimenting with pooled funding arrangements, developing unified national strategies and by evaluating the impact of their interventions.

Freetown to Hollywood: The Kimberley Process Takes on Africa's 'Blood Diamonds'

12/6/06
Kaysie Brown and Todd Moss

Diamonds, long seen as symbols of love and prosperity, are now blamed for war and corruption in some of the poorest places on earth. But do all diamonds fuel conflict and strife? In this CGD Note program associate Kaysie Brown and senior fellow Todd Moss consider the strengths and limitations of industry efforts to break the deadly link between diamonds and conflict, most notably through the Kimberley Process, which certifies that a diamond has been obtained legitimately. They find that the Kimberley Process, which has helped turn conflict diamonds into development diamonds, is a good thing but it could be even better. They also offer consumers tips on how to buy conflict-free diamonds.

US Development Aid and the Millennium Challenge Account: Emerging Trends in Appropriations

10/1/06
Kaysie Brown and Myra Sessions

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) was intended to complement-not replace-existing aid structures. But there are concerns that increases in MCA funding are diverting funding away from USAID. In this study, the authors find that core development aid targeted specifically at poverty reduction and economic growth has remained stagnant for several years, but that this downturn may be part of a more general trend. They recommend that the Director of Foreign Assistance establish a centralized and comprehensive database to help spur more effective decision making and oversight by the U.S. government and key aid constituencies.

Fragile States and U.S. Foreign Assistance: Show Me the Money - Working Paper 96

8/14/06
Stewart Patrick and Kaysie Brown

Analysis of the U.S. budget reveals a chasm between Washington rhetoric about the potentially large threats arising from weak and failing states and the paucity of resources devoted to engaging with these troubled countries. The authors argue that the U.S. should think creatively about how and when to engage and should boost the $1.1 billion requested for these countries in the 2007 budget, regarding it as a form of venture capital, with high risks but potentially high rewards. Learn more

Round Three of the MCA: Which Countries Are Most Likely to Qualify in FY 2006?

10/17/05
Kaysie Brown

This MCA Monitor analysis draws on newly released data to explore which countries are most likely to be selected for FY 2006 funding from the Millennium Challenge Account. The authors predict that Burkina Faso, East Timor, and Tanzania are likely candidates from the low-income group, and that India is unlikely to be selected despite passing the indicators test.

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