• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    Sponsored Content
    Center for Global Development
    • News
    • News

    Missing: USAID administrator in new QDDR bill

    The U.S. Agency for International Development administrator was not mentioned — not even once — in the latest diplomacy and development review. Was this an oversight or a demotion? Casey Dunning of the Center for Global Development asks in this article in the Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance Blog.

    By Devex Editor // 09 August 2012

    EDITOR’S NOTE: The U.S. Agency for International Development administrator was not mentioned — not even once — in the latest diplomacy and development review. Was this an oversight or a demotion? Casey Dunning of the Center for Global Development asks in this article in the Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance Blog.

    Before leaving for August recess, Senators John Kerry, Marco Rubio, and Benjamin Cardin released the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review Act(S.3341), requiring a QDDR every four years. In theory, this bill makes good sense. Legislating the QDDR offers a regular cycle by which the tools of diplomacy and development can be assessed and rejiggered to ensure the United States is meeting the needs of a constantly evolving foreign policy landscape.

    Critics of the first QDDR may be skeptical of mandating this process considering the all-consuming, less-than-optimal outcomes of the original review, but I’m less concerned with this caution.  The development community saw some positive outcomes from the QDDR: enhanced policy and budget authority for USAID, a reorganized org chart at State that better addresses the current threats the world faces, and a push to fill the mid-level staffing gap at USAID with more flexible mechanisms. There are going to be major procedural issues the first time an overhaul of this magnitude is undertaken, but I hope there will be fewer of these obstacles next time around.

    But it’s baffling that the legislation makes no mention of the USAID administrator’s role in future QDDRs.  Despite this being a review of diplomacy and development, the USAID administrator is not mentioned a single time in the bill.  (For those keeping count, it’s Secretary of State – 8, USAID administrator – 0.)

    That’s right: a review designed to “evaluate the effectiveness of our aid and development programs and have metrics to know what’s working and what’s not,” as Senator Kerry noted, does not include the USAID administrator. Keep in mind that USAID administrator Raj Shah was co-chair of the QDDR in 2010.  So is this an oversight or a demotion? Most in the development community have given up the call for a cabinet-level development department, but it seems negligent not to have the administrator at the (co-) head of the table in a top-to-bottom review of his or her agency.

    Republished with permission from the Center for Global Development. Read the original article.

    • Institutional Development
    • Trade & Policy
    • Funding
    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

    About the author

    • Devex Editor

      Devex Editor

      Thanks a lot for your interest in Devex News. To share news and views, story ideas and press releases, please email editor@devex.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

    Search for articles

    Related Stories

    The Trump EffectTrump administration reveals its plans to Congress to 'abolish' USAID

    Trump administration reveals its plans to Congress to 'abolish' USAID

    The Trump EffectUS aid tracker: Following Trump’s cuts to international development

    US aid tracker: Following Trump’s cuts to international development

    Most Read

    • 1
      How low-emissions livestock are transforming dairy farming in Africa
    • 2
      Opinion: Mobile credit, savings, and insurance can drive financial health
    • 3
      Opinion: India’s bold leadership in turning the tide for TB
    • 4
      WHO names new directors in ongoing restructure
    • 5
      State Department employees in anxious limbo over massive staff cuts
    • News
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Talent
    • Events

    Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

    A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

    • About us
    • Membership
    • Newsletters
    • Advertising partnerships
    • Devex Talent Solutions
    • Post a job
    • Careers at Devex
    • Contact us
    © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement