“The 1 percent of our budget we spend on all diplomacy and development is not what is driving our deficit. Not only can we afford to maintain a strong civilian presence, we cannot afford not to. The simple truth is, if we don’t seize the opportunities available today, other countries will; other countries will fight for their companies while ours fend for themselves. Other countries will promote their own models and serve their own interests, instead of opening markets, reinforcing the rule of law and creating widespread inclusive growth. Other countries will create the jobs that should be created here, and even claim the mantle of global leadership.”

Mrs. Clinton supported her argument with an interesting example. She cited the Marshall Plan and its long-term dual effects as it both restructured and developed Europe while establishing a long-term economic partnership with the US that now grosses $250 billion annually. To support her comparison, she explained:

“As we help these nations meet their own challenges and grow their own economies, their men and women will buy their first cars, their first computers, and everything from movies to medical equipment. And many new consumers will buy them from us.”

And, Mrs. Clinton isn’t the only political leader who is working to protect and encourage our foreign assistance. Last week, Senator Marco Rubio lauded foreign aid and explaining its benefits in a video chat with his constituents. And President Obama himself asserted just last week at his Twitter town hall event that smart and effective foreign aid is critical to healing our own economy and maintaining our position as a global leader. Read the quotes above and let us know what you think.

Photo courtesy of DJ Clark on Flickr

From a governance perspective, it has been a fascinating visit, with Secretary Clinton keen to stress that governments must be accountable and should provide an environment in which civil society organizations can operate freely. Beyond this general message, two speeches in particular have caught my governance-obsessed eye.

First, in an interview aired on the current affairs show “Africa 360″, Secretary Clinton spoke of a “new colonialism” in which African resources are exploited and leaders paid off, with little left behind for the people. The concern, as Secretary Clinton asserts, is that a “new colonialism” may undermine the efforts of the US and other countries that have a stronger interest in poverty reduction and good governance than some of those -– read China –- who are increasingly active in Africa. Others would, and have, vigorously disagreed, pointing to the long history of colonialism in Africa by western powers and to the much-needed investment, jobs and growth that countries such as China have contributed to many African economies. (see Deborah Brautigam’s blog and the excellent Africa-Asia Confidential for more in-depth, albeit western, analysis).

Second, in a speech at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Secretary Clinton warned African leaders that repressive governments south of the Sahara risk seeing the sorts of revolts that have flared up during the Arab Spring. Repressive governance breeds discontent, and in the era of the Internet and social media such discontent cannot –- despite the best or worst efforts of some governments to control the flow of information and hinder the activities of civil society -– be suppressed. As Clinton put it, African leaders ignore their citizens’ demands at their own peril.

Some readers -– perhaps some African and Chinese readers of this blog –- may not appreciate having a US Secretary of State touring the continent, providing lectures on good governance and the risks of a “new colonialism”. If so, we’d love to hear from you. But it may be of some comfort to hear that for Secretary Clinton “good governance ultimately is whether or not people believe they are governed well” (“Africa 360″ interview). If such an approach to governance -– one that puts people in Africa center-stage, rather than people in London or Washington or Beijing -– were put into practice, it would provide a welcome change from too many years of, dare I say, neo-colonial, “we -– the west -– know best.”

Follow Alan on Twitter: @AlanHudson1

During questioning, Secretary Clinton noted the critical role of GAVI in increasing access to new and underutilized vaccines in poor countries and the importance of US support for GAVI. During a time in which many poverty-fighting, cost-effective programs are facing severe budget cuts, Secretary Clinton discussed how support for GAVI can help leverage additional resources to achieve maximum human impact for the investment, which is more critical now than ever.

GAVI plays an instrumental role in getting vaccines to the children who need them most in poor, hard-to-reach areas such as Afghanistan. Secretary Clinton remarked on the importance of GAVI’s work in Afghanistan — where coverage levels of three doses of DTP vaccine (protecting against three deadly diseases) — have increased by nearly 50 percent since GAVI’s creation in 2000. In discussing the current political and fiscal environment, Secretary Clinton remarked, “The stakes are high and this is an unfolding example of how we use the combined assets of diplomacy, development and defense to protect our interests and advance our values.”

Titled “Leading Through Civilian Power,” the report outlines reforms to “make the State Department and USAID more nimble, more effective and more accountable.” The QDDR report reinforces the mandate of elevating development as a key pillar of America’s foreign policy and calls for continuing support of the USAID Forward reforms that USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah implemented this summer. These changes are critical to ensuring that USAID can operate as the “world’s preeminent development agency.”

Key to empowering USAID is allowing the agency to assume leadership of two central presidential initiatives — Feed the Future (taking place immediately) and the Global Health Initiative (by the end of 2012, following the achievement of certain benchmarks outlined in the report).

Along with new strategies come the need for clear monitoring and evaluation systems to measure results and track impact. The QDDR recognizes that in order to both be accountable and transparent, frequent reporting against established metrics is essential to see what is working and also offer opportunities to alter course as necessary when projects fail to achieve intended outcomes.

There are many commendable and, in some cases, long-overdue reforms outlined in the QDDR that have the promise to positively and effectively alter the way the State Department and USAID do business. Nevertheless, there are a number of areas which will require further review, planning and negotiation to hash out the best strategies for moving forward and achieving real results:

Partnering with Congress: In her speech, Secretary of State Clinton noted that the QDDR took place foremost with fiscal responsibility and efficiency in mind. While the funding landscape ahead is challenging, the reforms for greater efficiency and measurable results should appeal to a Congress looking to reduce the deficit and maximize the impact of government spending. The QDDR offers a blueprint that is ahead of this debate and the State Department and USAID should seize the opportunity to forge a positive association with lawmakers. For two years, the administration has missed several critical opportunities to partner with Congress on global development initiatives. The QDDR offers a new opportunity, although in a difficult context.

Making tough decisions: President Obama’s Global Development Policy called for greater focus on where the US had comparative advantage and could make the most impact. The QDDR reinforces this principle and sets out six areas of focus: food security, health, climate change, economic growth, democracy/governance and humanitarian assistance. But what has not been said is where the US will pull back. Gaining consensus around where to cut will be difficult, but the QDDR does not help us understand where that might take place. Let’s hope that the FY2012 budget request will begin to define where the Administration has made these tough choices.

Harmonizing foreign assistance: The QDDR represents a solid effort to integrate and bring coherence to foreign aid policy and programs. But there are many other agencies besides State and USAID that provide some form of foreign assistance. The report defines “civilian power” as including all US government agencies, not just State and USAID. But breaking down entrenched bureaucratic priorities and convincing all agencies to work under the leadership of USAID on development assistance will be daunting. If we are to achieve a true “whole-of-government” approach, the heavy lifting lies ahead with the agencies and personnel tasked with implementation, and with other agencies whose cooperation they seek. The QDDR takes a leap towards streamlining and modernizing US foreign assistance. Now the hard work of implementation begins.

-Sara Messer and Larry Nowels

On Thursday night, New Hampshire ONE members met up with U.S. Senate candidate, Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) at the American Legion in Manchester. Rep. Hodes was hosting a buffet supper and we caught up with him to talk about ONE and the world’s poorest people.

We thanked Rep. Hodes for always being a supporter and friend of ONE both in office and out on the campaign trail during our ONE Vote efforts in 2008. ONE members will also remember that Rep. Hodes wore the ONE band at the now-famous rally in Unity, N.H., where former Sen. Hillary Clinton stood together with former Sen. Obama – both with ONE bands, too!

We thanked Rep. Hodes for voting for PEPFAR, showing that the U.S. is committed to being the leader of the world in fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa. We also gave him another ONE band, and again, he wore it for the rest of the night! He said he would continue to think of the people living in the most extreme poverty if elected to the Senate.

The very next night, Rep. Hodes spoke with ONE member Whitney outside the Barley House in downtown Concord. They spoke of the Global Fund and the United States’ life-saving efforts in the poorest places in Africa — like simple bed nets to prevent malaria and medicine that allows Africans to not only survive HIV/AIDS, but to live a productive life for their families and communities.

It is hot outside in New Hampshire, but things are going to get even hotter on the campaign trail as ONE members from all backgrounds talk to Senate candidates about extreme poverty and a fresh new partnership between the U.S. and Africa!

Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 New Hampshire members on Facebook and Twitter.

Last week, experts on U.S.-African trade met at the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum to discuss its progress since it was signed into law in 2000.

AGOA gives beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries preferential access to U.S. markets by allowing many products from these countries to be imported duty free. International trade is essential for development in Africa, and AGOA offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to grow economically by exporting more to the U.S.

In the past ten years, AGOA has made progress in fostering U.S. trade with Africa. Currently, 38 countries are eligible to participate in AGOA. As Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) noted in the AGOA Civil Society Forum two weeks ago, “AGOA’s been a great success … it’s time to celebrate.” The Act has promoted new trade and investment, and it has created some 300,000 jobs in Africa. AGOA is also helping to create new markets in the U.S.

However, as Sen. Cardin also noted, several challenges still remain. For example, most of the increase in trade has been with oil and gas products, and AGOA has had a very limited impact on agricultural products. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the AGOA Forum last week, “Despite the best of intentions, AGOA has achieved only modest results and has not lived up to the highest hopes of a decade ago.”

There are many obstacles, but AGOA offers many opportunities as well. If necessary reforms such as broadening product coverage and simplifying eligibility rules are implemented, AGOA could help millions of Africans lift themselves out of poverty. AGOA can continue to foster reforms in African economies, provide technical support, and build platforms for dialogue. Hopefully, the AGOA Forum will continue to provide new insights and opportunities for advancing trade relations with Africa.

For more information on AGOA, please see ONE’s issue brief.

- Nathan Cole, global policy intern, ONE

The forum comes at an important time. This year, 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa will celebrate 50 years of independence.

In order to honor this significant achievement, nearly 115 young leaders from more than 40 African countries have converged in Washington to share and discuss ways to empower the youth demographic, practice good governance and create economic opportunities.

According to AFP, these young leaders will have a chance to participate in a town hall meeting led by the president, meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and talk to other government officials and civil society leaders.

It’s events like these that can help Africans take responsibility for their governments and help promote and support accountability, transparency and stability. Read more about the forum and listen to keynote speeches at the U.S. Department of State website — and make sure to watch Obama’s live town hall discussion at 2 PM on the White House website.

The World Food Prize has posted some great bios, videos and photos of both winners. Make sure to check them out here.

And we’ve now got some video from yesterday’s ceremony, too. This includes speeches by Secretaries Clinton and Vilsack, along with USAID Administrator Raj Shah who all spoke at the State Department ceremony. The full video is posted below, but here’s a quick excerpt from Secretary Clinton:

After he received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007, Dr. Borlaug [the founder of the World Food Prize] urged our country to increase our stake in the fight against hunger. He said, “World peace will not be built on empty stomachs or human misery. It is within America’s technical and financial power to help end this human tragedy and injustice, if we set our hearts and minds to this task. We have the commitment, we have the technical power, and we intend to make this happen.

There’s obviously quite a lot here– let me know in the comment thread what section(s) of her remarks particularly struck you:

“Most of the work that needs to be done needs to be done in Africa,” Clinton told a forum about U.S. diplomacy on the continent.

“If you look at trade between African countries, it is abysmally minimalistic,” Clinton said. “African countries don’t trade with themselves. They have barriers and tariffs and customs problems that stand in the way of developing their own economies.”

Clinton’s sharp comments were in response to a question about broadening the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a measure passed by Congress in 2000 which gives favorable access to U.S. markets to dozens of African countries.

While many African governments hope the benefits can be made permanent, Clinton signaled Washington was going to look for signs that African countries are serious about improving their own domestic economic policies.

“The United States will do our part, but African countries have to start doing their part and making the changes that will grow the economies in the sub-Saharan region,” she said.

“It means doing things that are going to run afoul of special interests and government bureaucrats and businesses that already have a lock on a market,” Clinton said.

“They’d rather have the biggest piece of a small pie than a smaller piece of a big pie. So if you are going to have that mentality, it is really hard to utilize the incredible tool that AGOA is,” she said.