Last week, CGD launched a new video to help convey why the next president needs to give U.S. foreign assistance policy something akin to an extreme makeover. "Bring U.S. Foreign Assistance into the 21st Century" has since been watched on YouTube by nearly 10,000 people and many have taken the time to send us their thoughts. The overwhelming response from viewers is: this video is "fun," "short" and "makes the point" but that they want more details of the underlying policy analysis and recommendations.Many of the policymakers I talk to in Washington tell me they care about foreign aid and global development but that the "American people" don't want to hear about it and aren't interested in the policy details. So the enthusiastic call from people wanting to learn more is music to my ears. It also signals the video is doing what we hoped: spurring interest among viewers to learn more about policy and the details that can't be captured in a one minute video clip.So now that appetites have been whetted, I encourage viewers to read the following research and analysis of how U.S. foreign assistance should be brought into the 21st century and what the next president can do to make sure that happens:
- CGD's Modernizing U.S. Foreign Assistance Initiative, which includes: foreign aid 101, election ’08 issues, foreign aid budget analysis, details on Congress, and polling data.
- Modernizing Foreign Assistance for the 21st Century: An Agenda for the Next U.S. President. A new essay by CGD senior fellow Steve Radelet excerpted from a forthcoming CGD book, The White House and the World: A Global Development Agenda for the Next U.S. President.
- Seizing the Moment for Modernizing U.S. Foreign Assistance. Radelet's testimony for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 23, 2008.
- Rich World, Poor World: A Guide to Global Development on why global development matters for the U.S. and a range of topics including foreign aid, trade and labor standards, state building, HIV/AIDS, and education.
- Impact '08: Building a Better, Safer World. The Center for U.S. Global Engagement's policy framework calling on the 2008 presidential candidates to elevate and strengthen support for development assistance and diplomacy.
- The Center for Global Engagement's Impact 08 policy framework and the Global Wire. A new internet talk show for the latest debate on America's role in the world and the global issues at stake for America and the next president. The first episode featured Senator Chuck Hagel and the latest episode features Secretary Madeleine Albright.
- The bipartisan HELP Commission Report produced for Congress.
- ONE Campaign's "More and Better Aid" resources and their ONE Vote '08 site.
And keep your eyes open for the June 10th launch of "New Day, New Way: U.S. Foreign Assistance for the 21st Century," a report endorsed by several of the country's top foreign assistance and global development experts. The launch will feature opening remarks from House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY).
