U.S. Agency for International Development

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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is "headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has field offices in many of the countries."

"USAID is headed by an Administrator and Deputy Administrator, both appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The agency's Administrator is Andrew S. Natsios; the Deputy Administrator is Frederick Schieck; and the agency's counselor is Willard J. Pearson, Jr."[1]

Overview

"USAID's history goes back to the Marshall Plan reconstruction of Europe after World War Two and the Truman Administration's Point Four Program. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act into law and created by executive order USAID.

"Since that time, USAID has been the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.

"USAID is an independent federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. [Its] Work supports long-term and equitable economic growth and advances U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting:

  • economic growth, agriculture and trade;
  • global health; and
  • democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance.

The USAID provides "assistance in four regions of the world:

  • Sub-Saharan Africa;
  • Asia and the Near East;
  • Latin America and the Caribbean, and;
  • Europe and Eurasia.

Selling Aid

"The U.S., which saw positive PR results from the millions donated to Indonesia after the tsunami devastation in May, wants a PR firm to spread awareness that Uncle Sam has given over $1 billion to the archipelago over the last 50 years." The U.S. Agency for International Development requested proposals for a $350,000 to $370,000 campaign promoting American efforts "in partnership with Indonesians to generate prosperity and a better quality of life." The contract includes research, polling, public service announcements and "other aspects of a social marketing campaign." APCO, Ogilvy and Weber Shandwick already work in Indonesia, a majority Muslim country and key U.S. ally in the "war on terror." [2]

USAID in Haiti

The U.S. Agency for International Development's Haiti Field Report "provides an excellent case study for investigating the role of USAID in promoting U.S. foreign policy objectives under the friendly guise of aid," writes Sasha Kramer in Counterpunch. [3]

"The United States is primarily concerned with Haiti's upcoming elections. ... In Haiti, as in Iraq and Afghanistan, the timeliness and appearance of legitimacy of the electoral process are of paramount importance for the Bush Administration's PR machine." USAID, she writes, has a "strategy for pacifying Haiti's largest political party, Lavalas, though selective distribution of aid." For example, USAID established a "Play for Peace" summer camp in the neighborhood of a popular priest and Lavalas activist. According to Kramer, USAID concluded, "The fruits of these efforts were seen during a recent demonstration attended by 200 people. At the same time ... 300 people were enjoying the summer camp. It is believed that the camp prevented the demonstration from being larger and giving greater legitimacy to the protesters."

Contact

U.S. Agency for International Development Information Center
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C. 20523-1000
Telephone: 202-712-4810
FAX: 202-216-3524
Web:http://www.usaid.gov/about_usaid/

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