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USAID: A history of US foreign aid

An interactive series from Devex that explores the history of USAID, its administrators and US foreign aid. Join the conversation with our community and share this series with fellow development professionals, researchers and academics.

Trump Aid

Special feature: American public opinion on aid in the Trump era

By John Norris, Pete Troilo

In this third part of our series on American public opinion of foreign aid, now comes the question on most readers minds: what does this wealth of polling data tell us about the public’s opinion of foreign assistance during the Trump presidency? And perhaps more importantly, what can and should the development community do about it?

Ghana

Special feature: Ghana, grandma and the factors affecting American public opinion on foreign aid

By John Norris

In part two of this three part series, Devex contributor John Norris analyzes why Americans might think the aid budget is bigger than it is and offers insights that can make messaging around aid much more effective.

Foreign Aid

Special feature: A history of American public opinion on foreign aid

By John Norris

The development community reacted with shock when President Donald Trump’s budget called for cuts of more than 30 percent to the U.S. foreign assistance program.

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Articles Inside USAID's top job

The evolution of the USAID administrator

The evolution of the USAID administrator

Despite holding a distinguished office with tremendous global influence, USAID administrators are rarely remembered for good or bad. To illustrate how they helped shape U.S. foreign policy, our five-part series on the history of USAID explores their greatest accomplishments and sharpest setbacks.


Kennedy, Johnson and the early years

Kennedy, Johnson and the early years

USAID's first three administrators from 1961 to 1969 had to contend with building an agency and shaping the direction it would take in the face of mounting bureaucracy. By the late 60s, the third administrator had to deal with a trifecta of challenges: population growth, famine and the Vietnam War.


The Cold War and its aftermath

The Cold War and its aftermath

The period between 1969 and 1993 saw USAID having some of its best — and unarguably its worst — administrators in its history, thus far.


The clashes of the 1990s

The clashes of the 1990s

This decade is perhaps the most tumultuous in USAID history, as Brian Atwood fought for the agency's survival.


Sept. 11 and beyond

Sept. 11 and beyond

Despite the fervor of the post-9/11 ideology at that time, this period saw the launch of notable initiatives and reforms, including PEPFAR and USAID Forward.


Lessons for the future

Lessons for the future

So what do we learn from looking back at the evolution of leadership at USAID and the track records of respective administrators? Several things stand out.


President Bush and his development legacy

President Bush and his development legacy

On balance, the Bush administration brought great sweeping, almost operatic, successes and failures and a nearly unrivaled boom in resources. It was a track record that naturally lent itself to discussions of legacies both good and bad.


President Obama's development legacy

President Obama and his development legacy

President Obama successfully maintained the historic increase of U.S. assistance levels, a rather remarkable feat considering a global recession, ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and a Republican-led Congress that at times seemed to veer into nihilism.


USAID administrators: The conversation continues


USAID administrators: The conversation continues

Three former U.S. aid chiefs — Peter McPherson, J. Brian Atwood and Andrew Natsios — have shared their thoughts on Devex's recent interactive series on the legacy of USAID administrators throughout the years. Here's what they said.


Op-Ed

The clashes of the 1990s: The administrator's take

By J. Brian Atwood
The clashes of the 1990s: The administrator's take

The story of the 1990s for the USAID was one of success in adversity. But credit should go to the great career professionals and the best set of professional political appointees the agency has seen, former USAID Administrator J. Brian Atwood writes in this op-ed.


Op-Ed

Remembering the contributions of USAID staff

By Peter McPherson
Remembering the contributions of USAID staff

We need the history of USAID to not only thank those who’ve served, but also as an inspiration for the current USAID staff and the development community at large. More importantly, we need that history to underscore the importance of continuing to fund USAID, former Administrator Peter McPherson writes in this commentary.

Op-Ed

USAID history and reform we can agree on

By Andrew Natsios
USAID history and reform we can agree on

In this guest commentary, former USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios stresses in this guest commentary that each administrator's performance is better evaluated in the context of the presidents who appointed them and their foreign policy.

>> Read more on devex.com

Videos USAID: A history of US foreign aid

quote
Administrators who have some development experience are much more likely to succeed in the job.
What I think is really remarkable is the number of Administrators that have been given that really important job with little or no experience.
People at the State Department and at the White House don't always appreciate that development is a unique endeavor.
The most successful Administrators understood that they had to manage the constituency of people who care about development.
Willingness to come to the center for an administrator is a really important tool.
quote

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