Presidential Transition Briefing

In November 2008, ONE delivered its transition briefing, "From Vision to Action: Realizing the Potential for Development in an Obama Administration," to President-elect Obama's transition team. The briefing builds on the robust agenda laid out by the President-elect during his campaign, including a detailed sketch of how the Obama Administration can meet its commitment to double foreign assistance.

President-elect Obama had articulated a clear and bold vision for U.S. leadership in promoting health, education, and economic growth in the world's poorest countries. This vision is rooted in a moral and humanitarian desire to help the most vulnerable people, recognition that building economic opportunities abroad creates opportunities at home, and a strategic understanding that our national security is intertwined with the stability of poor countries across the globe.

ONE's briefing offers a proposal for a series of short-term and urgent actions that could be taken within the first few months of the new Administration, and a series of longer-term efforts that can be undertaken in 2009 and beyond. Many of these commitments mirror those introduced by the campaign and, in total, all can be accomplished within the framework of doubling foreign assistance.

President Obama has the opportunity to build on a strong foundation of U.S. leadership in the fight against global poverty and disease. In 2000, President Clinton helped shape the vision of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). President Bush led the U.S. to make strong progress on global health. President Obama now has the opportunity to define whether and how the U.S. will lead the world to reach the MDGs by 2015. ONE looks forward to working with President Obama, his Administration, Congress, and all of our members to make this vision a reality.