The United States needs to develop a more "systematic approach" to foreign aid, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a recent interview with the U.S. Asia Pacific Affairs Council's Washington Report newsletter.
"Our current system of foreign assistance is severely hindered by the duplication of programs among the various agencies involved, inadequate coordination among them, the lack of clear purposes and objectives, and – especially with respect to USAID – a basic lack of capacity to implement programs on the ground," said Rep. Howard Berman (D., California). (Click here to download the full interview with Rep. Berman)
Berman said that many of the problems "stem from the fact that the basic legal framework for foreign assistance, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, is badly outdated. Others are the result of inadequate resources. Over the past decade, there have been a number of ad hoc efforts to reform our foreign assistance programs through new initiatives new mandates, and more congressional and administration directives. We need a more systematic approach."
In his interview with Washington Report, Berman touched on a number of other pressing diplomatic issues including:
Diplomacy and national security:
"Diplomacy and development are two of the three key pillars of the U.S. national security strategy (the other being defense)," Berman said. "I have always argued that reducing poverty and promoting economic growth and stability in developing countries serves U.S. national security interests."
Even in a time of economic hardship, he said, "the American people are keenly aware that prosperity and stability abroad provide new markets and partners for American companies, thus boosting the U.S. economy. One of my key goals for foreign assistance reform is to make our assistance programs more efficient so the taxpayers get 'more bang for the buck.'"
Dealing with blame for the economic crisis:
Berman said that, while it is understandable that some in Asian nations might, out of "frustration and anxiety" seek to hold America responsible for the current global economic crisis, "in today's inter-connected global marketplace it is impossible to assign the blame
to any single country."
Whatever the causes of the crisis are, Berman said, the international community is clearly looking to the United States for leadership in restoring the health of the global economy. "As we tackle the largest economic shock in generations, we must make it clear to all of the world economies – including those in Asia – that the United States seeks to approach this problem globally," he said. "We should draw on the lessons that Asia learned from its crisis in the 1990s: the need for international cooperation, financial transparency, and corporate responsibility."
U.S.-China relations:
Noting that the U.S.-China relationship is one of the most important and complex in world affairs, Berman said that the Obama administration has the difficult challenge of managing this relationship in a way that addresses U.S. concerns over Chinese policies on human rights, security and democracy issues, while at the same time strengthening cooperation with Beijing in areas of shared interest.
"We must continue to press China on issues such as human rights abuses; lack of military, economic and political transparency; stalled democratic reforms; and support for oppressive regimes such as those in Sudan and Burma," he said. "At the same time, we should seek to build on the positive cooperation developed in the context of the Six Party process to address other difficult issues, including Iran's development of a nuclear weapons capability, global climate change and energy security."
The Obama administration, Berman said, would be wise to continue the tradition of senior-level discussions that have played an important role in the relationship ever since Henry Kissinger first went to China to pave the way for President Nixon's historic visit there in 1972.
North Korea:
"There are no easy solutions to the problem of North Korea." Berman said. "However, experience has shown that efforts to isolate Pyongyang are at best ineffective, and at worst counterproductive."
The breakdown of the Six Party talks on North Korea's nuclear program doesn't mean the U.S. should abandon tough engagement, he said: "On the contrary, we must redouble our efforts, in close cooperation with our partners, to attain the full and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea. The specific form future negotiations take ultimately will be a decision of the Obama administration. Congress has consistently played an active oversight role with respect to our efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, and I expect this rigorous oversight to continue."
##
The EAST-WEST CENTER is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. The Center contributes to a peaceful, prosperous and just Asia Pacific community by serving as a vigorous hub for cooperative research, education and dialogue on critical issues of common concern to the Asia Pacific region and the United States. Funding for the Center comes from the U.S. government, with additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations and the governments of the region.
WASHINGTON REPORT is bimonthly newsletter that provides an "inside-the-Beltway" perspective on developments in U.S.-Asia Pacific relations. The centerpiece of the report is an interview with a leading authority on issues of importance to trans-Pacific relations.
Click here for daily news on the Pacific Islands.
Click here for links to all East-West Center media programs, fellowships and services.