Aid Watch is as excited as everyone else to get a leaked, advance summary?of the Quadrennial Development and Diplomacy Review, (HT Josh Rogin at Foreign Policy) which is a critical part of the US government process?to set its priorities? on Development.
We love to seize occasions where we can be more positive?to reward positive things happening,?and not be our usual snarky selves.
Today is not one of those occasions.
Some highlights of the QDDR:
It would concern us that the QDDR is as aggressive as previous efforts we have complained about that want to merge Defense, Diplomacy, and Development. Fortunately this alarming?militarization of development only covers actual or potential Failed States which according to the above?Map in the QDDR is the entire developing world.
The review recognizes that US suffers from “insufficient internal coordination”of existing officials, offices and bureaus?and so proposes to…create new officials, offices, and bureaus: Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights; a new Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environmental Affairs; a Special Coordinator for Sanctions and Illicit Finance; a Bureau of International Energy Affairs.
The QDDR is very persuasive that the US government needs to set priorities, that it?should focus?on development issues where the US government has a comparative advantage, which turn out to be…all development issues: sustainable economic growth, democracy and governance, food security, global health, climate change, and humanitarian assistance.
We could go on, but let’s mercifully draw this discussion to a close, and move on to something more useful, like trying to think of an iPod playlist of songs most relevant to development.
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