At Davos last week, I was lucky enough to participate in a couple sessions where the talk was about development. My purpose for being in the sessions was to advocate for investment in sustainable agriculture as one of the best ways to support scalable and sustainable economic development. But I left with an even bigger idea than that.
Before I go further, in the interest of full disclosure, I want to be clear that these views are my personal views. I am speaking here as a mom, as an American and as a global citizen. I should also warn those of you who already think I am too "rah-rah" on big institutions, that this will be another positive piece. (Sorry all you cynics out there. You are certainly entitled to your own views but I am likewise entitled to mine.)
With that said, let me get to the heart of the point... I am inspired by AID again. Yes, I said INSPIRED! I left those discussions with Raj Shah from USAID and Andrew Mitchell from UKAID with renewed hope for the world (my how you cynics will love that comment). But, it's true. While our problems are huge, and I honestly think the world is in the most precarious position of my lifetime, I felt that at least this area -- key to get right if we are to have any chance at a collective positive future on this planet -- was in good hands. The sessions are all under Chatham House rules so I can't share what was said, but I can share what I took away and what I later found on the web from these two men.
From Andrew Mitchell:
Tackling deprivation around the world is firmly in Britain's national interest. Our bargain with taxpayers is this: in return for contributing your hard-earned money to helping the world's poorest people, it is our duty to spend every penny of aid effectively... We will secure maximum value for money in aid through greater transparency, rigorous independent evaluation and an unremitting focus on results. We will harness the full range of British government policies -- including trade, conflict resolution and environmental protection -- to contribute to our progressive vision of a more prosperous, sustainable and secure world.
Well said, Andrew! And not dissimilar to what Raj Shah has been saying. The fact is that USAID isn't just "from the American people," what's important for everyone to understand is that USAID's work is actually "for the American people." As someone who once worked under a USAID contract, I have to say I couldn't agree more. How we help those in need now will determine the quality of life our children will inherit -- whether they live in Chicago, Cheltenham or Cairo. I for one feel optimistic indeed about where we are going in development. It won't be quick or easy. But at least we are on the right path. So the next time you start complaining about government spending (and rich or poor we all do it so let's just fess up). But next time you start... think AID. As an American and as a mom, it's one of the BEST investments I think we can make in our collective future.
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