It’s been almost a month since the launch of the 2009 DATA Report in London. We’ve already filled you in on the report’s key findings and we recently offered a detailed look at Canada’s performance (the host of next year’s G8). Today, we take a peek at whether the U.S. is keeping their word to Africa.

In 2008, U.S. official development assistance (ODA) to Africa rose by 26%, making it solidly on track to fulfill its 2010 promise of doubling aid to the continent (by the end of 2008, the U.S. had delivered $7.75 billion, or 70% of the pledged $8.8 billion). Using current budget data to predict spending in 2009, ONE estimates that the U.S. is likely to increase aid to Africa by $1.25 billion in 2009, meaning that it would likely exceed its target a year early. And while this increase will include additional funding for global health programs, agriculture and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), in other key areas the U.S. still lags behind. Greater funding is needed for education, water and sanitation, and the U.S ranks second to last in terms of ODA effectiveness.

Nearly six months into the new Obama administration, the U.S. appears committed to continuing—even strengthening—its vital partnership with Africa. As a step towards fulfilling his promise to double foreign assistance by 2015, the President requested a substantial increase to the 2010 international affairs budget, with 75% directed toward development and poverty-fighting programs. As he now prepares to attend his first G8 Summit in Italy, we hope that President Obama will call on his G8 partners to step up and honor their own pledges to Africa, with a clear timetable set for delivery. We also hope that the President will reconfirm his earlier G20 pledge to increase funding for agricultural development to over $1 billion—and that Congress will soon approve the request. We can’t imagine a more important time to do so.

Keep your eyes peeled for more country report cards in the coming days.

-Kara Arsenault