The United States should integrate and seek a balance between its international development work and its environmental policies, according to some members of the U.S. Congress, a former U.S. Agency for International Development chief, and non-governmental organizations.
“Balancing U.S. global development and environmental policies is a new approach that makes sense. As ’The Nature of Development’ illustrates, integration would not place an additional burden on the federal budget, and it would allow us to protect gains in poverty alleviation, food security and other development assistance programs, ensuring that they are sustained over the long-term,” Samuel Worthington, president of the U.S.-based NGO alliance, InterAction, said, referring to a report the network wrote and launched June 15 in Washington, D.C.
InterAction representatives were joined at the launch by former USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore and U.S. Reps. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.).
During the launch, Fore noted that balancing global development and conservation policies will promote human security overseas.
“Streamlining our programs that assist countries with securing better access to food and water, protection from disaster, and local stewardship of natural resources is critical if we want to see a decrease in the number of violent conflicts happening in the developing world,” the former USAID administrator said.
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