战略与国际研究中心-Capacity-for-Change_79页_1mb

Summary of "Capacity for Change: Reforming U.S. Assistance Efforts in Poor and Fragile Countries"

Core Content

This report, authored by Noam Unger, Margaret L. Taylor, and Frederick Barton, addresses the urgent need for reform in U.S. foreign assistance strategies, particularly in poor and fragile countries. It highlights the growing recognition that the U.S. must adopt a more strategic and comprehensive approach to development and stabilization efforts, given the complex and interconnected global challenges that these nations face.

Main Viewpoints

• The U.S. government is undergoing a significant review of its foreign assistance strategies, driven by both national security concerns and broader economic interests.
• The current system is characterized by a broad capacity gap, where the civilian capacity to address development and stabilization challenges is insufficient.
• The report emphasizes the need to bridge the gap between post-conflict stabilization and long-term development, as these are often treated separately by different communities of foreign policy experts.
• A strategic and unified approach is necessary to improve the effectiveness of U.S. assistance in poor and fragile countries, which includes enhancing coordination across agencies and strengthening the role of USAID.

Key Information

Global Trends and Challenges

• Climate change is a major global challenge that disproportionately affects poor and fragile countries, increasing their vulnerability to instability, food insecurity, and health crises.
• The effects of climate change on agricultural productivity, public health, and water availability are significant and could lead to greater instability and human suffering.
• Transnational threats such as pandemics, food insecurity, and climate-related diseases are becoming more frequent and severe, requiring a coordinated international response.

Economic and Social Impact

• The global financial crisis has had a particularly severe impact on developing countries, reversing years of progress in poverty reduction and economic development.
• Poor countries are more susceptible to economic shocks, including reduced remittances, foreign direct investment, and export demand.
• The crisis has also undermined stability and development prospects, creating a global development emergency.

U.S. Policy Context

• The White House and federal agencies are involved in the reform process through initiatives such as Presidential Study Directive-7 (PSD-7) and the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR).
• These reviews aim to assess capacities and align strategies for effective foreign assistance.
• There is a bipartisan interest in reform, as evidenced by legislative efforts and political support from key figures such as Senator John Kerry and Senator Richard Lugar.

Recommendations

Strategy Development

• Selective bilateral engagement combined with leveraged multilateral engagement should be pursued.
• Specialization and division of labor among partners in development are encouraged.
• A National Strategy for Global Development should be established, with close alignment between it and the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Reviews.

Interagency Balance and Structural Changes

• A unified security budgeting process should be adopted, with increased funding for the State Department and USAID.
• USAID should be elevated and empowered, starting with the amendment of PPD-1.
• The Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization should be divided and reassigned, with interagency coordination responsibilities housed at the National Security Council.
• A civilian-military road map for transferring assistance authorities and responsibilities to civilian control should be created.

Institutional Changes

• A cadre of technical experts in partnerships and project management should be built.
• Robust policy planning capacities should be developed at both the State Department and USAID.
• Training on assistance issues and preparation for assistance functions should be prioritized.
• The executive branch should improve congressional relations and public communication regarding assistance.

Conclusion

The challenges facing poor and fragile countries are complex and interconnected, necessitating a strategic, coordinated, and sustainable reform of U.S. assistance efforts. The report argues that a comprehensive and integrated approach is required, involving both civilian and military actors, and that reforms must be multi-faceted and complementary to be effective. The Obama administration and Congress are seen as key players in this reform process, with a bipartisan momentum for change.

The reform of the U.S. foreign assistance system is not only a strategic imperative but also a national security necessity, as the U.S. and its allies must be prepared to address the unprecedented and interwoven challenges of the 21st century.