Publishing Institution:

United States Agency for International Development


The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the independent government agency that provides economic development and humanitarian assistance to advance U.S. economic and political interests overseas. Established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, USAID has achieved a proud record of accomplishment. In these times of tight federal budgets, many Americans have asked, Why foreign aid? The answers are simple: the small portion of the federal budget that assists developing nations is spent directly in the best interests of the United States and has produced a striking record of accomplishment. Public opinion polls on foreign assistance reveal two important trends: (1) most Americans grossly overestimate the size of America\'s foreign assistance program;and (2) a strong majority of Americans believe modest assistance to the less fortunate reflects American values. In short, America is doing well by doing good through USAID\'s participatory development activities. Further, USAID\'s activities lead to direct economic benefits here at home in almost every state in the Union. *NOTE FROM CIAO: this institution no longer publishes the Working Paper Series on the Transition Countries.*
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