Through the generous support of the Pew Charitable Trusts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the American Foreign Policy Council has been able to conduct an in-depth study of the U.S. foreign aid program.  This study project has culminated in a book entitled Modernizing Foreign Assistance: Resource Management as an Instrument of Foreign Policy.  With the final manuscript now with the publisher, Praeger Publishing of New York, the book is scheduled to be released in Summer 1992.

This study is produced by AFPC as a part of its program of research into significant aspects of current foreign policy issues.  Several associates of the Council contributed to this effort.  Dawn Gifford Engle developed the concept, which led to the original proposal to the Pew Trusts, produced the initial draft of the study (less the elements associated with the security assistance program), and authored portions of the study relating to the economic assistance dimension of the U.S. foreign assistance program.  Dr. William Schneider Jr. developed the foreign assistance modernization concepts and served as a technical advisor to the Council on this project.  Peter Schweizer produced portions of the study dealing with the security assistance component in the U.S. foreign assistance program.

Modernizing Foreign Assistance is a unique product: an attempt to create an integrated model for the development and management of the U.S. security assistance program.  This model targets our economic and military spending in a complimentary way.  The book offers a philosophical discussion of the reasoning behind the need for an American foreign assistance program.  It examines historical changes in the program’s purpose, the changing geographical emphasis on American foreign assistance and the changing attitudes among U.S. policy makers in the post-war era.  Finally, the book offers suggestions for changing the U.S. security assistance programs in light of dramatic shifts in world politics in recent years.

This book will be actively distributed through a number of outlets.  AFPC plans to buy a large quantity of its first run to distribute among foreign policy leaders as a reference and as the most comprehensive text on the question of foreign aid available.  Hopefully, many libraries will have the book on file for students and others researching this important issue.  And, because of the suggestions it makes for the future of foreign aid, it will become a useful tool in the ongoing foreign policy debate among policy makers and those who write about policy issues.  Pages of statistical tables will be available to scholars for the first time, and the book’s analysis of past aid and suggestions for the future will make it a desirable and meaningful text for the academic world when studying the subject of foreign aid.

The concepts described in the study were discussed with senior officials of the U.S. Departments of State and Defense as well as the Office of Management and Budget.

Bipartisan Capitol Hill briefing sessions were also arranged for key members of the U.S. Senate and House and their professional staff members involved in foreign policy, foreign military assistance and economic development fields; top Administration and government officials; and other leaders in the foreign policy community.  Some of those who were included in these briefings are: Mark Ashby, Legal Counsel to U.S. Senator Breaux; James Bond, Minority Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Foreign Relations; Christine Boulton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Commerce Department; Lawrence Grossman, First Secretary of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations; Michelle Markoff, Director/Senior Policy Advisor to the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; and Cliff Northrup, Legislative Manager of the U.S. Treasury Department.

In addition, briefing sessions with key editorial board writers at major publications are beign helf to promote the writing in the book community.  Dr. Schneider has met with editors at The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun.  Additional meetings are expected in the coming months to coincide with Dr. Schneider’s travel plans, and our staff will continue to pursue opportunities for him to discuss the book with the editorial staff of major newspapers.

The briefings AFPC has conducted on the findings of Modernizing Foreign Assistance and will continue to conduct as part of our ongoing programs will stimulate interest in and help focus attention on the need to improve the way the U.S. gives foreign assistance.