U.S. Agency International Development (USAID)

U.S. Agency International Development (USAID) http://www.usaid.gov / Write response questions . Write response/background report outline point form. Use headings subheadings organize response. Apply APA style guidelines grammar, spelling, punctuation, citing referencing.

Nature of the organization's mandate

Philosophical perspective, with respect to promoting global health

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the result of the Cold War doctrine related to international assistance. During the Kennedy Administration in the 1960s, the interest for assistance to low income countries and those affected by increased degrees of poverty has determined a need for a concerted action that would alleviate, to a certain extent, the pressures of impoverished national budgets and destroyed economies. In this sense, it was considered that developed countries, and especially the United States as the largest economic power of the Cold War, had the "moral duty" to assist countries in need (Committee on International Relations, 2003). Despite this moral aspect, there were beliefs that foreign assistance also implied the export of ideological systems and rules of government (Kissinger, 2011).

b. History

Although certain initiatives had been taken before, the financial assistance was scarce and lacked an organized flow and structure. Hence, "President Kennedy recognized the need to unite development into a single agency responsible for administering aid to foreign countries to promote social and economic development. On November 3, 1961, USAID was born and with it a spirit of progress and innovation." (USAID, 2013).

USAID focused on several key areas of assistance. These included "food and nutrition, population planning, health, education, human resources development" (USAID, 2013). However, these sectors eventually developed as the doctrine of international assistance evolved. Once the practice of sectorial assistance proved to lack the efficiency needed to create the results envisaged through the disposition of funds, it was considered that a wider perspective on international assistance for development must be taken into account. This is largely due to the fact that the role of the official assistance for development (ODA) changed in time to ensure a more sustainable development of the societies in which such funds would be disbursed. USAID from this point-of-view is an example of ODA. They expanded their range and policies conducted at the national levels to include sustainable development, different levels of assistance, war reconstruction assistance. This marked the change of perspective and provided a more sustainable approach to assistance.

Even so, the health sector is an essential part of the work USAID does in developing countries. The main areas of concern at this point are related to diseases, children suffering from diseases that in developed countries no longer exist such as malaria, environment health. One of the most important concern at the moment related to health issues is the situation of HIV / AIDS among the young populations in Africa and regions where developmental work is scarce and where the economic disasters affect children the most.

2. Merits of the way this organization fulfills its mandate

a. Role

The role of this organization is essential for the segments of society it touches upon. Firstly USAID represents for the countries in which it operates a source of financial assistance that for the African and poor Asian regions is crucial.

Secondly, the expertise USAID has in the sectors it activates, such as the treatment of malaria or pandemic influenza is vital for countries that cannot and do not have the necessary framework to deal with cross cutting problems. The experts that are employed by USAID play a key role in determining better courses of action and advising local stakeholders and decision makers. At the same time, USAID activates similar to any other international organization but in a faster and more flexible manner. For instance, the United Nations and the World Health Organization in particular are the most representative providers of assistance most importantly because they are a global presence in the world. However, precisely because of their global nature, they lack the flexibility USAID has in developing even if not necessarily large scale projects but essential for those respective societies.

b. Progress

The progress USAID has achieved in his 50 years of existence is significant. In this sense, improvements have been registered in the area of family planning, decrease in the number of infant deaths as a result of diseases where inoculation is possible, reduction in the number of HIV / AIDS cases among the infant population (USAID, 2013)

As with any other developmental work, the activities conducted by USAID may have shortcomings and raise questions. However these questions concern the lack of possibilities to assist even more people throughout the world and ensure the access to treatment or preventive treatment to as many people possible. Even so, these questions are not strictly related to USAID but rather address the shortcomings of any other international assistance organization that is dependent of funds available.

c. Decision makers

The decision makers at the top levels of the organization may also influence these potential shortcomings. Also, it must be pointed out that USAID is an American rather than an international organization. In this sense, The Administrator and its Deputy are appointed by the President of the U.S. And confirmed by the Senate. This connection binds the guiding principles of the organization to the general foreign policy guidelines set out by the U.S. administration and the Senate.

3. Administrative

a. Services

The services provided by USAID are paid for by the American tax payers through the government. As mentioned, the USAID is part of the international assistance segment of American policies oversees. Workers of all nationalities can be employed at USAID at its headquarters in Washington DC as well as in its Mission offices located throughout the world.