How do you help one billion people escape poverty? Ownership.

Sep 24th, 2009 12:19 PM UTC
By Porter.McConnell_Oxfam

Oxfam released a report this week on fixing US foreign aid. You might be wondering, why is Oxfam pushing this aid reform business so hard? One billion people have been left behind by global development. Sixty years of foreign aid have shown that donors alone cannot fix their problems. Solutions imposed by a foreign donor can be wrong for a particular context. Or when they’re right, they may not make a long-term difference without local buy-in.

So what’s the good news? Aid can be delivered in ways that make a lasting difference, through ownership. That means supporting citizens and governments to lead in their own development. For citizens, our aid can help them hold their governments accountable, and for governments, it can help them deliver on their responsibilities to their citizens.

Oxfam is calling for three key ways that US foreign aid can strengthen ownership:

• Information: let countries know what we’re giving, and where
• Capacity: help countries acquire tools they need to lead
• Control: let countries lead

  But don’t take our word for it. The Obama Administration has given early indications that it is committed to increasing ownership. During her first trip to Africa as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said “We will focus on country-driven solutions that give responsible governments more information, capacity, and control as they tailor strategies to meet their needs.”

  As our report is careful to point out, every country is different. Where governments are corrupt or not responsive, the US can provide full information about our aid, and work mostly with civil society groups. However, where governments have a record of providing for their citizens, the US should let countries control their own development. Check out the report, and let us know what you think!

  -Porter McConnell, Aid Reform Campaign, Oxfam America

  TAGS: From Our Partners, Oxfam