Noam Unger's quest for 'smart global development policies'

The Obama administration’s plans for reforming U.S. foreign assistance are expected to lead the international development community into a new era. Noam Unger’s leadership is helping to outline the path.

Unger, a fellow and policy director of the Foreign Assistance Project at the Brookings Institution, has proposed several policy reforms that appear to have caught the ears of top administration officials. He has been an active member of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network and the Transatlantic Taskforce on Development, convened by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Fundamentally, revamping the U.S. system for supporting development outcomes is important to me because it presents a real opportunity to help poor people globally who stand to gain from improved efforts by the world’s largest aid donor,” he said. “The U.S. public will also benefit from smarter global development policies and a more effective foreign assistance system that advances American values, economic interests and security.”

Unger believes the development and relief communities already have made great strides in recent years to professionalize their activities.

“That will continue to pay off over the next decade and beyond,” he said. “Innovative partnerships across sectors are also much more than a fad.”

Unger has pursued a development perspective born out of his exposure in academic and policy research and experience working in the field for non-governmental organizations as well as in the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development.

“A good leader in this field,” said Unger, “understands the complexity of development politics, policies and operations, and applies that knowledge and experience to navigate the inherent challenges, influence key stakeholders, and deliver results.”

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