Yesterday, Inter Press Service (IPS) posted an interview with MFAN Principal and InterAction CEO and President Sam Worthington. IPS’s Aprille Muscara spoke with Worthington about the role of NGOs in providing emergency relief and long-term reconstruction in Haiti and how foreign assistance reform will lead to more effective development. Worthington mentioned InterAction’s work as a Partner of MFAN, specifically citing the Reform Within Reach campaign, and outlined the principle steps for reform MFAN has been advocating for since its inception. He also provided a clear definition of country ownership. Read an excerpt from his interview after the jump and be sure to read the full interview:
Posts Tagged ‘InterAction’
MFAN Principal and InterAction CEO Talks about Reform Within Reach
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
Partner Series: InterAction’s Mission to Reform Aid
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Continuing our series highlighting the work of MFAN’s partners in promoting foreign assistance reform, we will look at the campaign of our partner organization InterAction. InterAction is a coalition of U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) advocating greater coherence of U.S. foreign aid and development programs. InterAction has called for development to be elevated as a national priority, emphasizing its significance if our nation seeks greater engagement with the rest of the world.
Recently, the effort to improve our global development policy has become an increasingly important topic of discussion between Congress, the Obama administration and the aid community. At the recent InterAction Forum 2010, held from June 2-4, USAID administrator Rajiv Shah spoke during the opening plenary session, and commented on the agency’s commitment to working closely with Congress on foreign assistance reform. He said, “We have the unique opportunity to frame what development should be for the next 50 years. President Obama… sees development as a cornerstone of his national security strategy.” Shah cited Haiti as an example of the successes of evidence-based development, mentioning the great strides in improving access to clean water since the start of the post-quake recovery process. You can read more about Rajiv Shah’s opening remarks from InterAction and from our blog earlier this month. (more…)
USAID Administrator Shah Opens Annual InterAction Forum
Monday, June 7th, 2010
Last week, MFAN Partner InterAction hosted its annual forum, “2010: Moving at the Speed of Change” in DC. U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Rajiv Shah delivered remarks during the plenary session on Tuesday. He spoke in detail about USAID’s new policy, planing, and learning bureau that takes important steps to restoring policy planning and budget capacity at the agency. More importantly, he made a commitment to work with Congress on foreign assistance reform. Following an energized speech from Congressman Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Shah said, “…I think we have a unique opportunity to work with the Congress to have that be part of this administration’s legacy and part of this administration’s partnership with Congress. And so we’re excited to take you up on that offer and that challenge.” See more excerpts from the speech below:
MFAN Principal Carol Peasley on “The Road Ahead”
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Carol Peasley, MFAN Principal and President of the Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), wrote a great piece yesterday for the Huffington Post on how to sustain momentum for foreign assistance reform in the challenging year ahead. She cites MFAN among a list of advocacy groups – including MFAN partner organizations the Center for Global Development, Oxfam America, and InterAction – that have been successful in putting reform on the map. Peasley argues that reform means both an updated system and a change in the way of doing business that requires strong leadership at USAID. Read the full piece below, and tell us what you think is the best way to build effective instruments and approaches to foreign assistance.
The Huffington Post
Foreign Aid Reform: The Road Ahead
Carol Peasley
April 6, 2010
Over the past two years, experts on global development have come to a consensus that the current system for managing U.S. foreign aid is outdated, is insufficiently coordinated, and lacks an overarching strategy. These shortcomings have made aid less effective than it should be.
Reforming foreign aid is thus now on the map, thanks to many groups including the Center for Global Development, Oxfam America, the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, and InterAction, among others. The question is, how can we get to our destination?
Reps. Carnahan and Cao Launch American Engagement Caucus
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
In an effort to address the many global challenges the U.S. faces today through increased partnership and multilateral engagement, Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Congressman Anh “Joe” Cao (R-LA) created the American Engagement Caucus. The new caucus establishes a forum for Members to discuss best practices and lessons learned from international bodies like the United Nations and the African Union and partnerships made between countries to overcome threats. A statement from the caucus reads “America’s security, economic, environmental, and moral interests are inextricably linked with those of the international community. The United States must find creative new approaches for working with other nations to create a safer, more peaceful, prosperous, and just world.”
MFAN Principal and President and CEO of InterAction Sam Worthington noted, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the new American Engagement Caucus and Representatives Carnahan and Cao as we draw on our common goal of an American foreign policy that demonstrates in word and deed the desire of the American people to work in a bipartisan manner with all of our partners and with multilateral institutions to build a more just and sustainable world.”
