New Report Finds Worsening Global Hunger Crisis, Reinforces Need for More Effective U.S. Foreign Aid

A new report released today calls on the new Congress and President-elect Barack Obama’s administration to rework U.S. foreign assistance to make it more effective in fighting global hunger and poverty.

“By streamlining our foreign assistance programs, we can increase their impact on poor and hungry people even in times of economic crisis,” said David Beckmann, president of the Bread for the World Institute. “The U.S. will benefit in terms of peace, improved national security, and the restoration of our reputation and moral standing in the world."

He stressed that the need is urgent. As a result of rising food prices,  the number of people living in poverty increased by 100 million more people in the last two years. Some 75 million more go to bed hungry.

The Institute’s report,  Hunger 2009:  Global Development: Charting a New Course, analyzes the progress that has been made in reducing hunger and poverty over the last few decades and the risk to this progress posed by the impact of high food prices. It draws lessons about what works and what doesn’t in the way the U.S. delivers foreign assistance. U.S. development policies and programs are scattered across 12 department, 25 different agencies, and nearly 60 different government offices.

The report maps out a series of reforms needed to ensure that U.S. foreign assistance can help developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals and meet the unique challenges of the 21^st century. Among other recommendations, the report calls for:

• Elevating global development and poverty reduction as specific goals of U.S. foreign policy, distinct from its current political, military, and security goals.
• Maintaining and strengthening civilian leadership in U.S. development assistance.
• Partnering with recipient countries to meet their long-term development goals.
• Aligning trade, investment, migration and energy policies with development goals and objectives.
• Closer coordination with other international donors to reduce the burdens on recipient governments and avoid costly duplications.

The United States spends more than any other country on international development, though as a percentage of national income, it is far less than most rich countries.  “Effective U.S. development assistance enables more people to escape debilitating malnutrition, illiteracy, and disease,” said Beckmann.

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