Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just arrived at the State Department in Foggy Bottom where she addressed her staff of over a hundred. During her remarks, she commented on the Obama Administration’s plans for global development which Obama himself touched on during his inaugural address.

Here’s a clip of her comments on “defense, diplomacy, and development.” (Transcript below.)

President Obama set the tone with his inaugural address, and the work of the Obama-Biden Administration is committed to advancing America’s national security, furthering America’s interests, and respecting and exemplifying America’s values around the world. There are three legs to the stool of American foreign policy: defense, diplomacy, and development, and we are responsible for two of the three legs. We will make clear, as we go forward, that diplomacy and development are essential tools in achieving the long-term objectives of the United States, and I will do all that I can, working with you, to make it abundantly clear that robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long-term tools for securing America’s future.

-Chris Scott

Late last week, hundreds of ONE members called to urge Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee to ask questions about global poverty during Hillary Clinton’s Secretary of State confirmation hearing.

Some of those senators didn’t even get a chance, because Secretary-designate Clinton answered their questions before they could be asked. Her opening statement featured a long section on the two billion people worldwide living on less than $2 a day. She emphasized that the plight of the poor is “not marginal to our foreign policy but integral to accomplishing our goals.”

Opening remarks by Senator John Kerry (Massachusetts) also included a strong statement about the ongoing global hunger crisis. “The United States is uniquely situated to help the world feed itself and has the opportunities to recast its image by making the eradication of hunger a centerpiece of United States foreign policy,” he said.

In the subsequent question-and-answer period, ten out of fifteen of the Foreign Relations Committee Senators raised issues related to ONE issues, including these:

- Senator Bob Corker (Tennessee) asked about reforming and modernizing U.S. foreign aid, referring to the “maze of aid efforts that are underway” and the need for the State Department to examine and streamline these efforts.

- Senator Barbara Boxer (California) stated that “HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis — Africa, Asia, Latin America need our attention,” and went on to describe the persecution of women in the developing world.

Clinton responded with this assurance: “I want to pledge to you that as Secretary of State I view these issues as central to our foreign policy, not as adjunct or auxiliary or in any way lesser than all of the other issues that we have to confront.”

- Senator George Voinovich (Ohio) inquired about how “smart power” — (more…)

(As cross-posted on the front page of the Huffington Post today.)

In her highly-anticipated confirmation hearings to be selected as the next Secretary of State yesterday, Senator Hillary Clinton articulated a bold and comprehensive vision of U.S. foreign policy for the Obama Administration. Perhaps none of her ambitions were more striking than the breadth and depth of her commitments to development as a pillar of foreign policy along with defense and diplomacy. Her testimony marks a heightened focus on development not only as an effective means to advance U.S. foreign policy and to improve America’s image in the world, but also as a critical goal in and of itself.

Echoing George Marshall, Clinton spoke of her vision of foreign policy as a tool that can and should do more than address ongoing conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. In an ever shrinking world, foreign policy must also confront a new breed of challenges such as global poverty and disease and Clinton’s remarks demonstrate an understanding of what such an engagement would require. First, she highlights the comprehensive and interconnected needs involved in truly addressing development. In echoing Obama’s own agenda, she referenced that development would encompass, amongst other things, “… eliminating the global education deficit; enhancing US leadership in the effort to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB and improving global health infrastructure; providing sustainable debt relief to developing countries; expanding prosperity through training, partnerships and expanded opportunities for small and medium enterprise; supporting developing countries in adapting to the challenges of a changing climate….” In short, she acknowledges that true development requires a multifaceted and balanced approach as articulated in the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals.

Second, she acknowledges that HOW the U.S. achieves these goals is as important as WHAT it focuses on. Her testimony proposes an approach that partners with nations to ensure that the U.S. isn’t just “giving” foreign assistance but rather investing in these countries so that they can sustain their own poverty-alleviation efforts in the long-term. Lastly, she reiterated President-elect Obama’s critical commitment to double foreign assistance. This will allow the U.S. to scale up efforts that are working and invest the time and effort to modernize the whole of U.S. development programs so that all elements of the investment made by the American people are working as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Senator Clinton’s vision and leadership come at a critical time. America’s foreign policy challenges are complicated and cross cutting. The world faces a series of conflicts, challenges to democracy, financial upheaval and humanitarian threats like the food crisis. But America is also at a point where it has tested and proven the potential of development to impact those challenges. Clinton’s goal of making defense, diplomacy, and development the centerpiece of US foreign policy won’t be easy, but if the new Administration follows through on the commitments that Hillary Clinton has made, a focal point for the Obama national security doctrine will be a robust, effective, innovative development program. Of course, ensuring the success of these development priorities will require working vigorously with Congress to enact funding and legislation. The true three pillared approach highlighted yesterday is the right mix to confront these challenging times. Hillary Clinton has shown she shares Obama’s vision to make it a reality. We look forward to taking the first step with her.

-Erin Thornton, ONE Global Policy Director

Investments in schools like this one in Ghana are crucial to fighting poverty and insecurity around the world.

President-elect Barack Obama has announced his picks to lead nearly every cabinet agency, down to his announcement of four deputy or under-secretaries at the Department of Defense. And candidate for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s confirmation hearing – which has been expertly blogged here – began this morning. So what’s missing from this picture?

In an op-ed on foreignpolicy.com today, Oxfam America President Ray Offenheiser calls on Mr. Obama to start backing his words about fighting poverty and disease around the world with deeds.

First, the president-elect should quickly name one of the missing players on his foreign policy team – the administrator of USAID.

Next, Obama must work with national security advisor James L. Jones to give the responsibility for coordinating development policy across the U.S. government to a deputy national security advisor or a senior director at the National Security Council.

Check out foreignpolicy.com to read the full op-ed.

- Porter McConnell, Aid Effectiveness Team, Oxfam America

Here’s a clip of Senator Clinton’s remarks on global development at her confirmation hearings which are happening now. We’ll have further policy analysis soon. (Transcript below.)

In Africa, the foreign policy objectives of the Obama administration are rooted in security, political, economic, and humanitarian interests, including: combating al Qaeda’s efforts to seek safe havens in failed states in the Horn of Africa; helping African nations to conserve their natural resources and reap fair benefits from them; stopping war in Congo; ending autocracy in Zimbabwe and human devastation in Darfur; supporting African democracies like South Africa and Ghana–which just had its second change of power in democratic elections; and working aggressively to reach the Millennium Development Goals in health, education, and economic opportunity.

Many significant problems we face challenge not just the United States, but all nations and peoples. You, Mr. Chairman, were among the first, in a growing chorus from both parties, to recognize that climate change is an unambiguous security threat. At the extreme it threatens our very existence, but well before that point, it could very well incite new wars of an old kind—over basic resources like food, water, and arable land. The world is in need of an urgent, coordinated response to climate change and, as President- Elect Obama has said, America must be a leader in developing and implementing it. We can lead abroad through participation in international efforts like the upcoming UN Copenhagen Climate Conference and a Global Energy Forum. We can lead at home by pursuing an energy policy that reduces our carbon emissions while reducing our dependence on foreign oil and gas—which will benefit the fight against climate change and enhance our economy and security.

The great statesman and general George Marshall noted that our gravest enemies are often not nations or doctrines, but “hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.” To create more friends and fewer enemies, we can’t just win wars. We must find common ground and common purpose with other peoples and nations so that together we can overcome hatred, violence, lawlessness, and despair.

The Obama administration recognizes that, even when we cannot fully agree with some governments, we share a bond of humanity with their people. By investing in that common humanity we advance our common security because we pave the way for a more peaceful, prosperous world. Mr. Chairman, you were one of the first to underscore the importance of our involvement in the global AIDS fight. And you have worked very hard on this issue for many years. Now, thanks to a variety of efforts—including President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief as well as the work of NGOs and foundations—the United States enjoys widespread support in public opinion polls in many African countries. This is true even among Muslim populations in Tanzania and Kenya, where America is seen as a leader in the fight against AIDS, malaria, and TB.

We have an opportunity to build on this success by partnering with NGOs to help expand the infrastructure of health clinics in Africa so that more people can have access to life-saving drugs, fewer mothers transmit HIV to their children, and fewer lives are lost. And we can generate even more goodwill through other kinds of social investment, by working effectively with international organizations and NGO partners to build schools and train teachers, and by ensuring that children are free from hunger and exploitation so that they can attend those schools and pursue their dreams for the future. This is why the President-Elect supports a Global Education Fund to bolster secular education around the world.

I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of a “bottom-up” approach to ensuring that America remains a positive force in the world. The President-elect and I believe in this strongly. Investing in our common humanity through social development is not marginal to our foreign policy but integral to accomplishing our goals. Today more than two billion people worldwide live on less than $2 a day. They are facing rising food prices and widespread hunger. Calls for expanding civil and political rights in countries plagued by mass hunger and disease will fall on deaf ears unless democracy actually delivers material benefits that improve people’s lives while weeding out the corruption that too often stands in the way of progress.

Our foreign policy must reflect our deep commitment to the cause of making human rights a reality for millions of oppressed people around the world. Of particular concern to me is the plight of women and girls, who comprise the majority of the world’s unhealthy, unschooled, unfed, and unpaid. If half of the world’s population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal, and social marginalization, our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity will remain in serious jeopardy. We still have a long way to go and the United States must remain an unambiguous and unequivocal voice in support of women’s rights in every country, every region, on every continent.

-Chris Scott

Hillary Clinton’s confirmation hearings for Secretary of State are about to begin and the whole world will be watching. As you know these hearings can set the tone for foreign policy and aid for years to come.

We recently launched an effort to make sure the Senate Foreign Relations Committee asks questions about how Hillary Clinton will approach global development as Secretary of State so be sure to tune in and see what she has to say.

The hearings begin at 9:30 am EST. You can watch a live stream here.

-Chris Scott

As part of ONE’s briefing to the presidential transition team, we recommended that President-Elect Obama follow through on his commitment to prioritize global education by scaling up U.S. funding for basic education to reach $3 billion annually. This recommendation is based on the President-Elect’s own commitments during the campaign: Obama pledged to capitalize a $2 billion “Global Education Fund” and to leverage U.S. commitments through the Fast Track Initiative, a financing mechanism that coordinates increased resources for countries whose education plans have been technically vetted and endorsed. Obama reiterated this commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative in September, and also said he looked forward to signing the Education for All Act, bipartisan legislation which would provide $10 billion in funding for education over five years.

Following through on these commitments could go a long way towards erasing the global education gap. Currently, 75 million children (more than half of whom are girls) are not enrolled in primary school. Nearly half of these children live in Africa and one-third live in fragile states. These out-of-school children represent a serious lost opportunity in the fight against extreme poverty and disease. With its widespread impacts on health, education, democratic development and economic growth, education is one of the most critical tools available to help poor countries forge a pathway out of poverty. The case for expanding access to education is even stronger amidst the current economic climate- investments in education are long-term and will reap benefits for communities and nations for generations to come.

In FY08, the U.S. appropriated $694 million for global education (primarily through the Development Assistance account and the Economic Support Fund), a large portion of which was directed to Pakistan and also programs such as the African Education Initiative, which provides learning materials like (more…)

President-elect Barack Obama has appointed Senator Hillary Clinton to be the next Secretary of State, and on Tuesday, January 13th, she will go before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for her confirmation hearing. Senator Clinton has been a strong ally in the struggle against global poverty and extreme disease during her time in the Senate as well as on the presidential campaign trail. But as Secretary of State she’ll face many challenges, including two ongoing wars and a recession, that may shift her priorities.

Funding for our proven, cost-effective, life-saving State Department programs (including global primary education, malaria prevention and treatment, sustainable agriculture, international development, and aid reform) could take a backseat in the new Administration. Or worse — these programs could be cut in an eventual clamor for foreign aid reductions that will do little if anything to take pressure off of the U.S. domestic economy.

That’s why we’re asking ONE members in relevant states (see list, below) to call their Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee before the 9:30 AM (EST) hearing on Tuesday. We don’t have much time, but we must make sure Hillary Clinton’s confirmation hearing features the issues most critical to the world’s poorest citizens — setting the tone for the new State Department’s priorities and reminding Senator Clinton as well as the Committee that Americans want strong U.S. leadership against global poverty and preventable disease.

If your Senator is listed below, please click here to get talking points and instructions for placing your call.

Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee:

• Sen. John Kerry (Massachusetts)
• Sen. Chris Dodd (Connecticut)
• Sen. Russ Feingold (Wisconsin)
• Sen. Barbara Boxer (California)
• Sen. Bill Nelson (Florida)
• Sen. Robert Menendez (New Jersey)
• Sen. Benjamin Cardin (Maryland)
• Sen. Robert Casey (Pennsylvania)
• Sen. Jim Webb (Virginia)
• Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire)
• Sen. Richard Lugar (Indiana)
• Sen. Bob Corker (Tennessee)
• Sen. George Voinovich (Ohio)
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
• Sen. Johnny Isakson (Georgia)

Also check out this video we made about calling your Members of Congress!

-Emily Stivers

President-elect Barack Obama just announced that he is nominating Senator Hillary Clinton to serve as Secretary of State. Here’s some background on her work around global development.

Quote Archive (from Center for U.S. Global Engagement)

Clinton, Foreign Affairs article: November/December 2007

“Gnawing hunger, poverty, and the absence of economic prospects are a recipe for despair. Globalization is widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots within societies and between them. Today, there are more than two billion people living on less than $2 a day. These people risk becoming a vast permanent underclass. Calls for expanding civil and political rights in countries plagued by mass poverty and ruled by tiny wealthy elites will fall on deaf ears unless democracy actually delivers enough material benefits to improve people’s lives.”

Clinton, Speech at George Washington University: February 25, 2008

“We need a president who understands there is a time for force, a time for diplomacy, and a time for both, who understands that we enhance our international reputation and strengthen our security if the world sees the human face of American democracy in the good works, the good deeds we do for people seeking freedom from poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, and oppression.”

Clinton, Compassion Forum: April 13, 2008

“I commend President Bush for his PEPFAR initiative. It was a very bold and important commitment, but it didn’t go far enough in opening up the door to generics and getting the costs down. And as president, I will do that.”

Presidential 2008 Campaign promises

• Invest $50 billion by 2013 to combat AIDS across the globe and increase the number of health workers in Africa by 1 million.
• Press for quick passage of legislation she introduced to invest $10 billion over five years for the goal of basic education around the globe.
• Ensure complete debt cancellation for all Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and expand HIPC to include more than 20 additional poor countries.
• Make significant progress toward spending an additional 1 percent of the federal budget on foreign assistance.

Foreign Policy Related Activities

In addition to her work with Education for All, Senator Clinton:

• Co-sponsored the successful fight in the Senate to adopt the Biden-Lugar Amendment to the FY09 Senate Budget Resolution restoring $4.1 billion in funding to the International Affairs Budget, which was cut from the Administration’s request of $39.8 by the Senate Budget Committee. The Senate adopted the amendment by an impressive, bipartisan vote of 73-23.
• Voted in favor of successful legislation to authorize $48 billion for global HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis programs (PEPFAR) for the next five years, which passed the Senate on July 16, 2008 by a bipartisan vote of 80-16 and the House on July 24, 2008 by a vote of 303-115.
• Signed the bipartisan letter to the President urging a robust increase the International Affairs budget for FY 2009 as a critical investment “in strategic tools that are essential to protecting our national security, building economic prosperity and demonstrating our moral values.”

Senator Clinton has also sponsored numerous bills relevant to international development and diplomacy including, as just a few recent examples:

• Sponsored S.3909 to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for developing countries to promote quality basic education and to establish the achievement of universal basic education in all developing countries as an objective of U.S. foreign assistance policy.
• Co-sponsored S.2465 to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide increased assistance for the prevention, treatment, and control of tuberculosis, and for other purposes.
• Co-sponsored S.RES.383 calling on the President to take immediate steps to help improve the security situation in Darfur, Sudan, with an emphasis on civilian protection.
• Co-sponsored S.1129 to provide authorizations of appropriations for certain development banks, and for other purposes.
• Co-sponsored S.2125 to promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(from Center for U.S. Global Engagement)

-Chris Scott